Top Five Ways To Experience Geirangerfjord

Last updated on January 26th, 2023 at 07:32 pm

Geirangerfjord is a picture perfect fjord located in western Norway. Just looking at photos, it’s not hard to determine why this magical place was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005. With only 200 residents, the fjord seems like a pristine place, barely touched by humans. While the fjord is not largely inhabited, a travel planner will want to take note that this breathtaking destination gets 800,000-1 million visitors each year. Therefore, it is important to plan your trip wisely in order to get the most out of your experience in Geirangerfjord.

***Disclaimer: Be sure to check the current restrictions and rules for entering Norway as well as any places you plan to visit before making any reservations!

5. Drive the Gamle Strynefjellsvegen

There are many scenic driving routes throughout Norway. We were lucky to cover five of these during our visit to Norway. But, this one in particular was my absolute favorite in Western Norway. The entrance to this historic road is located only one hour away from Geiranger. With a one hour drive on the historic road and one hour back to Geiranger, the whole round trip will take at least 3 hrs. If it’s a nice day, I highly recommend bringing a picnic lunch or some snacks with you. There are multiple places to park, explore the area, and admire the beautiful views. Just remember to always pick up after yourself. 🙂

To read more about visiting this beautiful scenic route, check out my post: Remarkable Scenic Routes in Norway!

Pro Tip: You will pass the Flydalsjuvet overlook as well as the entrance to Dalsnibba both on the way to the Gamle Strynefjellsvegen and on the way back. If you are planning to visit one or both of these overlooks, I highly recommend pairing these with your drive to Gamle Strynefjellsvegen to help save valuable time.

4. Experience the Views of Geirangerfjord

There are three major places to get wonderful, scenic views of the Geirangerfjord: Dalsnibba, Flydalsjuvet, and Ørnesvingen. They are all within a reasonable driving distance of Geiranger. Personally, I think that if you have the time and the means, it would be best to get to all three of these.

Things to Note if You are Driving:

• If you are short on time, I recommend the Flydalsjuvet as the number one lookout point in Geirangerfjord. Not only is it free, it is also right near the town. Just know that if you are driving, parking is rather limited. That said, we found that spots open up pretty quickly since most people aren’t spending a whole lot of time here.

• It is important to note that the first of the three, Dalsnibba, is only accessible by a paid road. Tickets may be purchased online ahead of time or at the toll booth located at the entrance. For the most up to date prices, please visit the official Dalsnibba website.

If You Don’t Have a Car:

If you don’t have a car, there are some great bus options that allow you to experience the lookout points in Geirangerfjord:

• Take the Geiranger Panorama Bus to the Flydalsjuvet and Ørnesvingen. The whole ride takes about 1.5 hours with a 10 minute stop at each of the lookout points. Click on this link and you will find information about the bus schedule as well as pricing.

• Take the Mountain Highlight Bus to Flydalsjuvet and Dalsnibba. The whole ride takes about 2.25 hours with a 15 minute stop at each of the lookout points. Click on this link to find more information about the bus schedule as well as pricing.

• Panorama Exclusive Bus to Flydalsjuvet, Dalsnibba, and Eagle Bend (with view of Seven Sisters Waterfall). The whole ride takes 3 hours and includes a 15 minute stop at each of the lookout points. Click on this link to find out more information as well as pricing.

3. Experience the Norwegian Fjord Center in Geirangerfjord

One of the things I absolutely LOVE about European museums is how interactive and immersive they are. And, I must say that this little museum did not disappoint. It was one of my favorite experiences during our stay in Geirangerfjord.

The displays were amazing and super informative. I had never known what a rough life people had led in the fjords as they constantly battled nature. Inside the museum, you can “board a boat” just like the ones that delivered people, mail, and other goods to the small villages in the fjord. You can also learn how people had to make special adaptations in order to survive the beautiful, but harsh landscape. You can even “visit a home” that was specially designed to protect against rock sides. In addition, there are exhibits on the plant/animal life, the geological processes that formed the fjords, and more.

For more information on opening times, ticket prices, and more, please visit the official Norwegian Fjord Center website.

2. Experience the Hiking and the Waterfalls in Geirangerfjord

The Geiranger is a waterfall paradise with many cascades that can be accessed either by car, bus, foot, or boat. Depending on your time constraints and your transportation situation, it can be difficult to choose which ones to prioritize. We personally chose to hike to just two: Storfossen and Storseterfossen. These worked the best with our schedule, but we were also lucky to pass a number of waterfalls as we drove around the area (Although I’m not sure that I could tell you their names). Sadly, we did miss out on seeing the famous Seven Sisters Waterfall. It is best seen by boat, but there is also a viewing platform that was built at Eagle Road (Ørneveien).

Storfossen and the Waterfall Walk

If you are looking for a shorter walk that is close to town, I absolutely recommend the Waterfall Walk. Please note that this walk goes up hill and back down (or vise versa) via a series of well maintained stairs. You can either start from above at the Fjord Center or from Hotel Union or down in Geiranger. If you are driving, there is a parking lot next to the Fjord Center and there is also parking down by the Joker (grocery store in town). If you are coming from the Joker parking lot/town area, you must first walk to Geiranger camping. Here you will find a sign for the waterfall walk (fossevandring).

Storseterfossen

About an hour on foot from Vesterås Farm, you can actually walk behind this stunning waterfall to get some really fun and unique photos! Just be very careful because it can get quite slippery behind the waterfall. While there is a chain link fence (see the photo above), it is not recommended to get too close to the edge!

The hike to Storseterfossen was well marked and has a series of stair steps made ​​by Sherpas from Nepal which was completed in 2014. This is part of an ongoing partnership between Norway and Nepal that has resulted in over 200 trails being built over the course of 10 years. You can learn more about the work that is being done in this interesting article.

How to Get to Storseterfossen

The best way to access this waterfall is via Vesterås Farm in Geiranger. While you may park here, it is important that you make a purchase with them and stick your receipt on your dashboard before you depart. The good news is, the food is delicious and the view from the terrasse is something to be coveted by anyone who loves nature. From Vesterås, the hike takes about 2 hours round trip.
You can also hike there from Hotel Union/Fjord Center area, but keep in mind that this will add another two hours of steady uphills/downhills to your journey. Be sure to have plenty of water with you as well as some snacks. From Hotel Union/Fjord Center, the hike will take about 4 hours round trip.

Hiking Tip:

For more hiking options (not just waterfall walks), you can download this handy dandy map of hikes in the area. We actually bought a copy at the Fjord Center so we could take it with us. But, if I were to do it all over again, I would have printed it out at home before we left. What’s particularly great about this map is it gives you the important details: the starting point, the level of difficulty, length of the trail, etc.

1. Experience a Boat Ride Through Geirangerfjord

While fjord tours are certainly not particularly cheap (especially if you have a family), they are absolutely an experience of a lifetime. It is one of the best ways to truly experience a the undeniable majesty of a fjord. And there are many options for you in Geiranger. The FjordTours website is a great place to explore the options which are available in Geiranger.

Pro Tip: Dress warmly! Even if it is summer, bring a jacket or wind breaker because it is always cooler when you are out on the water and you will have to contend with the wind.

Disclaimer: We personally chose to do our fjord cruise in Sognefjord instead of Geiranger. But, that was only because we were able to pair it with the Flam Railway (which I had also wanted to see), and it’s also what worked best for our trip schedule. Whether you choose to do your fjord ride in Geiranger, Sognefjord, or any other fjord, you will definitely not be disappointed.

Additional Information:

How to Get to Geirangerfjord

In my personal opinion, this historical fjord is best visited by car. I believe this will give you the most flexibility for your journey, especially because so much of the area is so rural. However, if you would rather not rent a car in Norway, there are multiple ways to get here. This website offers very detailed information on how to arrive by all means of transportation including car, bus, train, and boat.

The Best Time of Year to Experience Geirangerfjord

The best time of year to visit the fjord depends on what kind of experience you are looking for. In the spring, you might find that winter is still holding on as long as it can before giving way to summer. But, this will also mean that there will be more rain as well. The summer months June-August are certainly the best for weather, but this is also the peak of tourist season, so you will probably be contending with some crowds. I imagine that September would also be nice because of the leaves changing colors, but it is important to note that many places start closing down at the end of August/mid September. If there is anything you are dead set on seeing, or a particular scenic route you want you visit, it would be important to make sure it will be open during your stay.

We personally visited at the end of August which would be towards the end of the high season. I can so that we did NOT have any problems getting around, finding parking, securing lodging, etc. However, it is important to note that COVID certainly impacted the number of tourists in the area. I imagine that once things return to normal, there will be more crowds to contend with.

In Conclusion

I hope that this post has inspired you to experience Geirangerfjord. Let me know what you think in the comments below!!

Happy Travels,
<3 Christine

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