Norwegian Fjords Travel Guide: Geiranger, Nærøyfjord and Transit Routes

Norway’s western fjords were carved out by massive glaciers over multiple ice ages, leaving behind dramatic drowned valleys where calm sea waters penetrate deep into towering alpine mountain ranges.

The Premier Fjords to Visit

1. Geirangerfjord (Sunnmøre Region)

Enclosed by near-vertical rock walls with abandoned cliffside farms (fjellgårder) clinging precariously to the ledges.

• Top Viewpoints: Flydalsjuvet (famous rock ledge perspective), Ørnesvingen (Eagle’s Bend with 11 hairpin turns), and Dalsnibba (Geiranger Skywalk at 1,500 meters altitude).

2. Nærøyfjord & Aurlandsfjord (Sogn Region)

The narrowest and wildest branch of the Sognefjord, where dramatic waterfalls plunge down mossy cliffs.

• Stegastein Viewpoint: A dramatic 30-meter wooden-and-glass platform jutting out 650 meters above the Aurlandsfjord.

3. Lysefjord (Rogaland Region)

Famed for sheer granite cliffs and world-renowned hiking plateaus:

• Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock): 604 meters sheer drop above the fjord.
• Kjeragbolten: A 5-cubic-meter boulder wedged into a 984-meter-deep mountain crevasse.

How to Get Around the Fjords

• Public Ferries & Catamarans: Regular car ferries and electric passenger vessels operate between coastal ports, providing affordable and scenic water travel.
• Scenic Railways: The Bergen Line and the Flåm Railway provide access to the fjords without requiring a rental car.
• Best Travel Season: May to September offers open mountain passes, active waterfalls from spring snowmelt, long daylight hours, and pleasant cruising weather.