The Norwegian fjords are truly a stunning sight to behold. Our famous fjords varies in size and characteristics – each offering it’s own unique beauty.
Explore the world-famous Norwegian fjords!
When you ask people around the world what they associate with Norway, chances are many of them will answer “fjords”. Norway has a multitude of famous fjords, all of which have their own unique characteristics. By taking one of our tours you can get an unforgettable experience of our beautiful Norwegian fjords.
Our Nutshell tours take you through some of Norway’s most beautiful fjord scenery and let you explore Norway in a spectacular way. You will experience that every fjord is unique with its own peculiarity and “personality”. Have a look on this page and find a fjord that suits you.
The Nærøyfjord
Surrounded by towering mountains up to 1,700 metres high, this arm of the Sognefjord is amazingly beautiful.
The Nærøyfjord is the narrowest and best known of the many arms of the Sognefjord. With its steep mountainsides, hanging valleys, towering peaks, snowfields, waterfalls, and small hamlets, this fjord is perhaps the most outstanding natural attraction in Norway.
The Nærøyfjord is 20 km long, only 250 meters across at its narrowest and a mere 12 meters at its shallowest. The surrounding mountains reach heights of 1,660 meters, and the fjord is one of the multiple highlights on several of our tours.
UNESCO has included the Nærøyfjord and the Geirangerfjord in its famous World Heritage List. The fjords have also been awarded first place in the prestigious list of the National Geographic Traveller magazine.
During a cruise on the Nærøyfjord, you will have excellent views of small traditional farms clinging on to the mountainsides. If you are lucky, you can see goats grazing right beside the fjord and seals basking on rocks along the fjord.
The Sognefjord
Norway’s longest fjord, the Sognefjord, is located in the heart of Norwegian fjord country and extends more than 200 km (120 miles) inland.
The Sognefjord is often called “The King of fjords” and extends 204 km (127 miles) inland, has a maximum depth of 1,308 meters and the mountains surrounding the fjord tower to heights of 2,000 meters. The inner end of the Sognefjord is covered by Jostedalsbreen, the biggest glacier in continental Europe.
This region where the Sognefjord meets the glaciers and Norway’s highest mountains is considered one of the world’s most beautiful travel destinations. The glaciers on the top of the mountains, down the steep mountainsides to green farmland and deep fjords will definitely make a lasting impression.
The Hardangerfjord
If the Sognefjord is the King of the fjords of Western Norway, the Hardangerfjord is the Queen.
Hardanger has a lot to offer with many scenic gems; fjords, mountains, waterfalls, glaciers and orchards. The 179-kilometre-long Hardangerfjord offers scenery that even the most well-travelled tourists will find spellbinding.
Here you will find cultural and natural gems side by side. If you travel in May, you may well see the blossoming fruit trees in Hardanger!
The Aurlandsfjord
Together with the Nærøyfjord, the Aurlandsfjord is one of the most picturesque fjords in the world.
The Aurlandsfjord is a fjord in the municipality of Aurland in Sogn og Fjordane. It starts at Flåm and ends at the mountain Beitelen, which separates the Aurlandsfjord from the Nærøyfjord.
The small villages Flåm, Aurland and Undredal are situated on the Aurlandsfjord.
The Geirangerfjord
The Geirangerfjord is one of Norway’s most visited tourist sites and has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, along with the Nærøyfjord, since 2005.
Along the sides of this magnificent fjord, there are a number of abandoned farms. The farms that are most commonly visited are Skageflå, Knivsflå, and Blomberg. Skageflå can also be reached on foot from Geiranger, while the others can only be seen from the fjord.
The fjord also has several impressive waterfalls. The two most notable waterfalls in the Geirangerfjord are ‘de Syv Søstre’ (the seven sisters) and ‘Friaren’ (the suitor, also called the wooer). The two waterfalls face one another across the fjord, and the suitor is said to be trying to woo the sister’s opposite.
Brudesløret (the bridal veil) is another waterfall on the fjord, thus named because it falls delicately over one rocky edge, and when seen backlit by the sun looks like a thin veil over the rocks.
The Nordfjord
The Nordfjord is the sixth longest fjord in Norway, spanning a distance of 105 kilometres (66 mi). It is 565 meters (1,854 ft) deep.
Nordfjord is situated between the largest mainland glacier in Europe and Norway’s wildest coast at the western cape, with spectacular mountains and valleys, rolling farmland and a dramatic coast line. In this region, you are never far away from great, accessible travel experiences. Nordfjord is Norway at its highest, wildest, deepest and most enjoyable. All in one fjord.
The Jostedalsbreen is one of Norway’s National Parks, and in Stryn you can visit the most famous of the glacier arms – the Briksdal Glacier. In Loen you’ll find one of the steepest cable cars in the world – Loen Skylift, which offer a spectactular view of the fjord landscape.
The region also includes Lake Hornindalsvatnet, Europe’s deepest lake at 514 metres (1,686 ft) below sea level. The Stryn area provides almost year-round alpine skiing, and there are numerous villages, going back to pre-Viking times. The district comprises the municipalities of Stryn, Hornindal, Eid, Gloppen, Vågsøy and Selje.
The Trollfjord
Trollfjorden is located on the southernmost part of Vesterålen, just north of Svolvær. It’s only three kilometers long, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in a dramatic fashion!
The short and narrow Trollfjorden is surrounded by steep, wild mountains. This fjord passage leads deep into the Trolltindan Mountain and ends at the dramatic Raftsundet.
This fjord is a popular destination for visitors, due to the beauty of the natural setting. The fjord is only accessible by boat, unless you want to hike 10 kilometers through very rugged terrain.
The name Trollfjorden is derived from the word troll, a mysterious and frightening creature from Norse mythology who dwells in mountains or caves.
The Hjørundfjord
The Hjørundfjord is a 35-kilometre (22 mi) long fjord arm of the larger Storfjorden that stretches south from Ålesund.
The Hjørundfjorden is surrounded by the Sunnmørsalpene mountain range with peaks reaching 1,700 metres (5,600 ft). When traveling on the fjord one can really feel small under such towering peaks!
Both sides of the fjord are dense with forrest, due to the extensive rainfall in the area. This just adds to the experience of being in a magical forested fjord landscape.
There are several small villages along the fjord, including Bjørke, Leira, Viddal, and Urke.
The Romsdalsfjord
The Romsdalsfjord is the ninth-longest fjord in Norway with its 94 km. The fjord is surrounded by the majestic Romsdalsalpene mountains and the fjord area is perfect for day excursions.
The Romsdalsfjord is one of Norway’s cleanest and most fish rich fjords. Here you will find several hosts who specialize in providing accommodation and activities in the fjord area. The Romsdalsfjord is also one of the most species rich fjords with a total of 68 species registered in the fjord area.
The main part of the fjord runs on the south side of Sekken in Molde municipality and all the way to Åndalsnes. The second part, the Langfjord extends to Eresfjord and Eidsvåg. This section also has two popular fjord arms for fishing – the Rødvenfjord and the Eresfjord.
The Lysefjord
The Lysefjord is the southernmost of the biggest fjords in Norway. The 40-kilometre-long fjord is flanked by steep mountains, some more than 1,000 meters.
The Lysefjord is not only long and narrow, it is in places as deep as the mountains are high! Only 13 metres (43 feet) deep where it meets the sea near Stavanger, the Lysefjord drops to a depth of over 400 metres (1,300 feet) below the famous Pulpit Rock.
The two most well-known sights in the Lysefjord are the Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) and Mount Kjerag. The Pulpit Rock is located in Forsand municipality and towers 604 metres on the northern side of the Lysefjord.
Mount Kjerag is located on the southern side of the Lysefjord in Rogaland. On the western part of the plateau there is a 5 m³ boulder, wedged in a crevice 1,000 metres above the fjord.
Source: fjordtours
