Fjord cruisin'

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GEIRANGERFJORD

July 2018 • Canon 60D camera


UNESCO World Heritage site
West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord

The drive to the village of Geiranger, where we would sail on the famous Geirangerfjord, is a dramatic experience. You ride through some stunning deep valleys with steep mountains. The Trollstigen mountain road is a tourist attraction in and of itself.

A narrow road that inclines up with 11 hairpin bends up a steep mountainside. At the top are several viewing platforms so you can look down and take some pictures. Trollstigen is closed in late autumn and winter and sometimes in bad weather conditions, so plan ahead when taking this route.


Formed in a shape of an 'S', Geirangerfjord is a stunning, picturesque fjord to visit. The small village of Geiranger is located at the end of the fjord. You can stay in town and explore the fjord and surrounding area. Fjords are formed by glaciers, being long and narrow with steep cliffs. They differ to canyons and gorges which are formed by rivers over a long period of time.

We caught a Fjord sightseeing boat tour from the harbour, for a 60mins trip at 11:45am. It would take us 7km along the Geirangefjord, where we would get to see some impressive waterfalls along the way.


The boat gentle moved out from the harbour and slowly picked up pace. The boat engine at the back was loud, crushing waves was as we moved ahead. In front of us was the calm waters, surrounded by the steep mountain cliffs on either side.

The weather was perfect for everyone to stay on the open upper deck to get a good view of the fjord. Everywhere was blue. We had clear blue skies from the top and deep blue water from below.


Friaren (The Suitor)

62°06'06.7"N 7°06'34.9"E

This waterfall is around 440m. What I like about this waterfall is that it splits nicely in the middle to spread out on the cliff face. It is opposite another waterfall, the seven sisters. You can only get to see the waterfall by boat.


Dei Sju Systrene (The Seven Sisters)

62°06'24.0"N 7°05'43.7"E

The waterfall is named after the seven small streams that descend into the fjord. The amount of water that you can see is dependant on the snow melting beforehand. There are some times of the year you will not see all seven streams (which was the case for me)


Did you know...

Geirangerfjord is almost 260 metres at its deepest. The mountains that surround it reach up to 1700 metres above the waters of the fjord.





Vesteråsfjellet viewpoint

62°06'13.6"N 7°12'27.6"E

Hike stats

1km (0.6mi)

Distance (round trip)

40m

Elevation gain

1 hr

Duration

There are many hiking routes around Geiranger village. It makes staying in the area for a day or two worth your while. Before our fjord boat ride this morning, we did a short hike to the Vesteråsfjellet viewpoint.

We walked through the village passing by the Geiranger Church, a Parish church of the Church of Norway. The Church of Norway is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity. This octagonal style church was built in 1842 and can accommodate around 165 people. The sun was really hot this morning. Luckily for the first part of the hike we were covered by trees.

It's an easy hike up to Westerås Farm from Geiranger village. From the farm it's another 20 minutes to the viewpoint. You will pass sheep, goats and even llamas as you make your way to the viewpoint.

The sun was now burning down on us as we hiked in the open. There was not a cloud in the sky. When we finally arrived at the viewpoint, the landscape was impressive. You get a good sense of the scale of the fjord. Worth the hike up.


Ørnevegen (Eagle road) viewpoint

62.1261° N, 7.1668° E

Ørnevegen is the name of a stretch of road that winds up the mountain side from Geiranger. The road turns trough 11 hairpin bends up from Geiranger village. The road was opened in September 1955 and gave the village of Geiranger year-round road access. It is a great place to stop and take pictures of Geirangefjord. You really get a sense of how enormous the fjord is, carving its way through the area.


Final thoughts

The boat ride on the fjord was a very touristy thing to do, but I found it a pleasant experience. It is one of the top experiences in Norway to see the fjord. With so many outdoor activities in the area, such as kayaking or hiking, you can easily spend 2 or 3 days here exploring this beautiful part of Norway.

As Geiranger is one of the most popular destinations to visit, prices are a bit high. It is also a port for big cruise ships filled with tourists all over the world. With so many tourists crowded in a small village, you might want to book a hotel at a nearby town and save some money. Even if you don't plan on spending the night here, the drive through Trollstigen and the viewpoint at Ørnevegen are a great place to get some good pictures.





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