The Grand Sognefjord
– fjords, waterfalls, glaciers
2-days roundtrip from Bergen:
🕐 2 days
Experience the best of Western Norway on this 2-day Grand tour to Norway’s longest fjord: Sognefjord, or as it is sometimes called – the king of the fjords. Fantastic views await: majestic fjords, sheer mountains, vast plateaus, raging rivers and waterfalls, and fascinating glaciers.
«Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better”. (Albert Einstein)
What is included:
- All taxes, fees, toll roads and handling charges
- Driver/guide: live commentary on board from an experienced local guide
- Hotel/port pickup
- Transport by premium air-conditioned vehicle
- Bottled water
- Car ferry fees
What is not included:
- Entrance fees to museums etc.
- Train and passenger ferry / fjord cruise tickets
- Meals and accommodation
- Gratuity
Departure and return
Departure Point. Traveler pickup is offered. The suggested start time for this tour is
08:00 am. We pick up from any hotel in Bergen city area, all the cruise ship terminals
and any private address within city limits. Extras for picking up from Solstrand hotel,
airport Flesland and airport hotels. If you are not departing from a hotel, please
provide the address. It is also possible.
From Bergen, we head out to the Inner Sogn region, visit natural, historical and cultural sights, and return to Bergen the next day. Please see the suggested itinerary for 2 full days. The tour is customizable and the final itinerary will depend on your interests and choices. Several options are possible: 2 fjord cruises and the Flåm railway ride are among the options mentioned. It is also possible to extend the trip by one to several extra days.
Car on this tour is one of our Mercedes minivans. When only 1-3 people go on this trip, we can use our Tesla Model X. All our cars have a Norwegian passenger transport license.
What To Expect
Day 1 Bergen – Sognefjord
Bergen, Bergen, Hordaland, Western Norway
Our tour starts in the city of Bergen – the Gateway to the Fjords. The city was founded in 1070 and contains many historical and cultural landmarks. We will pass some of them on our way from the city and on our return to Bergen.
Dale of Norway Factory Outlet &
Museum, Sandlivegen 2, 5722 Dalekvam, Norway
We move on to Dale, where the famous sweater factory is located – “Dale of Norway”. We can visit the factory outlet and maybe pick up some woolen souvenirs there. From September till May the factory outlet is closed on Sundays.
Vossevangen,
We pass through the town of Voss on our way to Gudvangen. The main historical attractions are Vangskyrkja – church from 1277, and the St. Olaf’s cross from 1023. We can stop in Voss on our way to Sognefjord or, alternatively, on our way back to Bergen.
Contact us with interest in The Grand Sognefjord – or go to booking here
Tvindefossen,
We make a stop at Tvindefossen waterfall, located 12 km (7.5 miles) to the north of Voss town center. We can come close to this cascading 110 meters (360 ft) tall waterfall. In autumn and spring Tvindefossen is usually at its fullest flow, due to the autumn rainfalls and melting snow in spring. During winter months the waterfall can freeze.
Stalheim hotel,
Stalheim, Hordaland, Western Norway
Our next stop is at Stalheim Hotel, an establishment which history is closely related to postal service in Norway and goes back all the way to 1647. The hotel is closed from the end of September until May, but we visit Stalheim Folk Museum – a private collection of old farm buildings dating back to 1500s. A short walk up a moderately steep path is required to get to the lookout, which offers a magnificent view of the Nærøydalen valley – a part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. The heritage site consists of 2 fjords – the Nærøyfjord and the Aurlandsfjord – adjacent valleys and surrounding mountains.
Stalheimskleiva
We continue our journey down Stalheimskleiva – one of the steepest roads on the North with hairpin turns which provide thrilling views of 2 beautiful waterfalls on each side of the road. This road is temporarily closed due to an avalanche, but it is possible to walk down this road.
Sivlefossen, Voss
Sivlefossen waterfall is the first of the 2 waterfalls which accompany us on our descent down the hairpin turns to the Nærøydalen. Sivlefossen is 142 meter / 466 feet tall.
Stalheimsfossen waterfall
is the second of the 2 waterfalls which accompany us on our descent down the hairpin turns to the Nærøydalen. Stalheimsfossen is 126 meter / 413 feet tall.
Gudvangen,
The small village of Gudvangen, in the very end of the Nærøyfjord. This cozy little village, snuggly located under the tallest waterfall in Norway, Kjelfossen (840 meters / 2755 feet), has attracted tourists ever since the 19th century. We recommend taking a 2-hour fjord cruise from Gudvangen to Flåm. As this tour is an open schedule tour, the fjord cruise is not included. We will be happy to make suggestions and help you with the booking. Alternatively, we can spend more time in Gudvangen, have lunch and visit the Viking Town.
Njardarheimr,
Optional: Njardarheimr is the name of the Viking Town in Gudvangen. If you decide to spend more time in Gudvangen, we can visit the town with a guided group tour (a private Viking guide can also be arranged for an additional fee), learn about Viking history, culture and society, and take part in activities like archery and axe throwing.
There are also some interesting people to meet: real modern-day Vikings who come to live in the Village and engage in their authentic arts and crafts. We recommend planning a stop and spending some time here!
Naeroyfjord,
Recommended option: The Nærøyfjord is one of the most gorgeous fjords in Norway (and the world!). Its unique and pristine beauty was the reason for including it on the World Heritage list by UNESCO in 2005. We recommend seeing it on a 2-hour fjord cruise aboard a passenger ferry or a private RIB. As this tour is an open schedule tour, the fjord cruise is not included. We can offer several alternatives which are available, help you with purchasing tickets or making a booking. The fjord cruise should be arranged in advance. Alternatively, we can spend more time in Gudvangen and the Viking Town and visit other secluded places other people rarely go to.
Flam,
After leaving Gudvangen—by either ferry, private RIB or car—you come to Flåm, a village located at the very end of the Aurlandsfjord.
Flåmsbana,
Recommended option: From Flåm you will take the Flåmsbana train to Myrdal – a railway station in the mountains. Starting from Flåm at the sea level the train takes you up to elevation of 867 meters / 2844 feet ASL through some of the most stunning scenery in Norway. As you travel, the lush Flåm valley gradually turns into a canyon and then into a gorge with almost vertical mountain walls. With the help of the engineers’ savvy the railroad was constructed to overcome the steep ascend. Flåmsbana train makes the last stop in Myrdal. You return to Flåm on the same train.
Your guide will not be accompanying you on the train ride and will be waiting for you in Flåm, from where you continue your journey to Stegastein viewpoint. As this tour is an open scheduled tour, the train tickets are not included. Tickets must be booked in advance. Alternatively, you could take train one way up to Myrdal and take bicycle ride down the valley to Flåm. Your guide will accompany you. This option will take longer time. Yet another option is zip-line down the valley.
Stegastein Viewpoint,
Next stop is Stegatein lookout, located at the top of a hairpin turn road overlooking the Aurlandsfjord at 640 meters / 2099 feet above sea level. Wonderful ride and a stunning
Aurlandsvegen,
After leaving Stegastein we continue our tour on the Old Aurland Road (One of National tourist roads in Norway) – the old mountain road opens only in the summer. We will make a couple of stops to take beautiful pictures or just enjoy the views.
Borgund Stave Church, Vindhellavegen 606, 6888 Borgund, Norway
Optional: On the other side of the mountain, we descend to the Lærdal valley. We recommend taking a detour up the valley to visit the old Borgund Stave Church, built around the year 1200 – an amazing monument of medieval wooden architecture.
Gamle Laerdalsoeyri,
On our way to the Sognefjord—the main part of the fjord—we can stop in a charming village of Lærdalsøyri and visit the old village center: Old Lærdal – a collection of well-preserved wooden houses from 1700–1800. A unique attraction in Western Norway.
Nasjonalt Villakssenter
Optional: While in Lærdal we can also visit the Norwegian Wild Salmon Center: The Lærdal river has a rich tradition as one of the best salmon fishing rivers in Norway and is perhaps the best known internationally. You can experience rich history and see the salmon up close. Open May–September. Visit is optional.
Fodnes ferjekai,
After leaving Lærdal we come to the Sognefjord and cross it on a car ferry.
Sogndalsfjora,
On the north side of the Sognefjord we travel to the place where you will spend thenight. Usually, it is a town called Sogndal, whichhas several hotels. There are alsoother hotels in the area. Accommodation is not included in the price of this tour, butwe will be glad to help you book your overnight stay or recommend hotels in the area.
Day 2 Sognefjord – Bergen
Urnes Stavkyrkje,
Optional: The second day of this tour starts with a journey to Nigardsbreen glacier.
We will start from Sogndal (or an alternative location) and will be driving in the northern direction. On the way to the glacier, we can visit wooden Urnes stave church (UNESCO) from around 1140 – the oldest in Norway. We would come to the charming little village of Solvorn and take a small car ferry across the Lustrafjord. On the other side of the fjord, there is another settlement called Ornes. The church is located just outside the village. We return to Solvorn on the same car ferry.
Jostedalen, Gaupne
Optional: The road the glacier goes through Jostedalen valley – a fairy tale like place with beautiful vistas, raging river, waterfalls, small pretty villages…
Nigardsbrevatnet, Luster
Optional: The road ends at Nigardsbrevatnet Lake. From here our walking tour to the glacier starts. We can either walk all the way or take a boat, which will transport us almost to the very end of the lake. The boat ride will save us about 30 minutes walking each way. Tickets are sold on the boat. After the boat ride we start our ascend to the glacier.
Nigardsbreen Glacier,
Optional: The walk up the glacier usually takes about 45 minutes one way. Good hiking shoes are highly recommended here. The glacier is always in movement, like a frozen river. It is therefore very important not to come very close to the huge chunks of ice – they can detach and fall. Nigardsbreen glacier is part of a larger glacier called Jostedalsbreen – the largest glacier on the European continental land. It is a perfect place to experience the freshness of famous blue ice. We can spend some time at the bottom of the glacier taking pictures. Alternatively, a glacier hike could be arranged: either a scheduled tour with a group, or a private one. This will prolong our stay there. After visiting the glacier, we hike back to the lake, take the boat (or continue walking) to our car.
Breheimsenteret,
Optional: On our way back to the Sognefjord, we can stop at the Breheim Center –Glacier visitor center, visit the exhibition and havelunch.
Sogndalsfjora,
We return to the Sognefjord and Sogndal. Depending on how much time we have
left, we can either continue our journey along the fjord and return to Bergen, or travel
to Fjærland.
Norsk Bremuseum & Ulltveit-moe Senter For Klimaviten,
Optional: On the way to Fjærland, we first take a ride through the beautiful and pristine Sogndal valley, surrounded by tall mountains. At the very end on the Fjærlandsfjord, there lies Norwegian Glacier Museum, dedicated to the glaciology and geology of this area, Norway and the world. An exciting and educational exhibition, a panoramic movie, and a rooftop viewpoint of Supphellebreen glacier.
Boyabreen Glacier,
Optional: A little farther down the road we can make another stop: at the Bøyabreen
glacier.
The Norwegian Book Town,
Optional: Returning to Fjærland, we visit the village itself. The Norwegian Book Town is situated in Mundal—the center of Fjærland and has several outlets in old farmhouses and sheds. Some of the book outlets are also art galleries and shops, and there are even small outdoor «honesty shops». It is possible to buy coffee and cookies at Kaffistova, the local book café. The outlets and small shops are open from May until the middle of September.
The Fjærlandsfjord,
Sogndal Municipality,
Recommended option: From June until the middle of September a small passenger ferry leaves Fjærland at 3:30pm every day, for a fjord cruise through the pristine and almost uninhabited Fjærlandsfjord. The cruise is 1 hour 40 minutes long. You arrive in Hella, on the Sognefjord, and your driver-guide will be waiting for you there. From Hella we take a car ferry to the south side of the fjord and arrive in the village of Vangsnes.
Sognefjorden, Norway
In case the schedule for this day is arranged in a manner that does not allow us to visit Fjærland, we will be driving long the fjord from Sogndal to Hella. From Hella we take a car ferry to the south side of the fjord and arrive in the village of Vangsnes.
