From Bergen to Nærøyfjord and Hardangerfjord
Hiking in Norway’s Fjord Country
Overview
Mighty glaciers carved Norway's majestic landscapes and the grand-scale majesty is evident everywhere, from snow-capped peaks to deep blue fjords. We’ll be surrounded by nature’s splendor as we explore two spectacular fjords—Sognefjord, Norway’s largest, and ethereal Hardangerfjord. We’ll hike through lush orchards, across historic trails, and to viewpoints with bird’s-eye views down the fingers of the fjords, with options for a dip at our waterside hotels. In between, we explore villages and taste the wares at family-run farms, getting to know Norway’s people and traditional life as well as its epic landscapes.
Arrive: Bergen
Depart: Bergen
Highlights
- Hike through pristine mountains, forests, and along tranquil fjords
- Savor the cultural heritage of small waterside towns, be welcomed at family farms
- Paddle a rowboat in a fjord (and even take a bracing dip)
- Explore dramatic fjord landscapes by RIB boat
- Sample Norway's summer dishes, from local lamb to mountain trout, goat cheeses, and cider
- Enjoy cozy waterside hotels with grand views across the fjords
Itinerary
From Bergen, we ferry through magnificent Sognefjord to the fjordside town of Aurland. After a visit to the extraordinary 12th century Borgund Stave Church, we’ll hike on the ancient pathway known as the Kings Road, accompanied by a local historian and storyteller. A private RIB boat ride brings us through UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord (too narrow for big cruise ships!) and we hike to a family-run goat farm for a homemade lunch. Our hotels are nestled in cozy valleys and quiet coves of Hardangerfjord, surrounded by bountiful farms and steep mountains.
In Ulvik, we meet with a local man at his family home, built in the 1700s, and hear how the culture has evolved over the generations. We'll walk to a family-run apple farm for lunch and cider tasting, then ferry to tranquil Lofthus, set along the fjord and famous for its orchards. Our hotel offers rowboats for an evening paddle in the fjord and we can visit the summer cottage of composer Edvard Grieg, right on the hotel grounds.
Hiking along the Kinso River, we’ll feel the mist and enjoy front-row views of this powerful river tumbling over four massive waterfalls into the fjord below. In the lush landscapes of the Buer Valley, our hike along a river where highland cattle graze brings us panoramas of the Buer Glacier, and we visit the historic hamlet of Agatunet. Depart on Day 11 via Bergen..
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 3, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. While we do not see major elevation gain or loss, you will need to be comfortable hiking 8.5 miles a day and being on your feet for up to 6 hours a day. Trail conditions, weather, and the group's level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing.
Review Trip Level Details
Average Hiking Day
- 4-5 miles
- 3-4 hours
- 1,000 feet gain/loss
- Day 8: 8.5 miles, 6 hours, 1,500 feet gain, and 2,000 feet loss
All hiking is below 2,000 feet in elevation on mountainous trails. The hikes are mostly moderate and can sometimes be damp, rocky, and muddy. It rains almost every day, so be prepared to hike in mud! There are occasional short, steep sections.
We strongly urge you to train for your trip, as your enjoyment will be highly dependent on your level of fitness. The best training for a hike is to hike, especially over hills or rough terrain. Next best are running, swimming, bicycling, or other cardiovascular exercise. Stair climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill. Your feet should also be well prepared—make sure your hiking boots are sturdy, comfortable, and thoroughly broken-in.
Daytime temperatures are usually in the mid 50s°F and 60s°F, and nighttime temperatures typically drop to the high 30s°F or 40s°F. The weather can provide spectacular and clear days, but rain is very frequent so it is important to bring rain gear and layers. It's possible that hikes will have to be changed or canceled due to the weather, but as rain is so common, this is only in extreme cases.
Some accommodations are in small, charming hotels. Since they are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. We stay in one hotel with only single beds available and may only have en-suite restrooms with a shared bath or shower. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Please note that rooms in Scandinavia are smaller than in the US, and at the Utne Hotel, there is a very short, narrow, curved staircase that is used to access the rooms. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
On many days, we will be making our lunches at the hotel's breakfast buffet. This is a tradition for hikers in Norway, and the extensive breakfast buffets include fresh bread, deli meats, tomatoes, smoked salmon (of course!), cheeses, and fruit. Dinners are hearty local fare, including a lot of fresh fish. Many are buffet-style at our hotels, and this is often the only option in smaller fjord-side villages. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm.
We will experience Norway's excellent ferry system, which is a wonderful way to be immersed in Norwegian culture. You will need to be able to carry your own bags on and off the ferries, and for the short distances between the ferry landings and our hotels (not more than 200 feet). We recommend one medium-sized rolling suitcase and a daypack. Extra luggage can be left at our hotel in Bergen during the trip.
Client Testimonials
"Our experience with Wilderness Travel exceeded our expectations. It was a fantastic trip."
Ann K.
Sunnyvale, CA
"This trip tops my list; at the end of it, I felt more satisfied than after any other I have taken. I have been on several Wilderness Travel trips and have never had a bad experience—they have all been excellent, visiting beautiful countries and experiencing different cultures. But the activities on Norway's Fjord Country provided more opportunities to get to know the land and people than any trip I've been on. Thank you to our charming guides Stefano and Naoise, and thank you, Wilderness Travel!"
Ann S.
New Cumberland, PA
"As usual, WT delivered on a fantastic trip! Great guides, activities, food, and accommodations! Great balance of hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing, and learning about the culture of Norway."
Carol G.
Fenton, MI
"The itinerary was well designed to expose us to the beauty of Norway, different modes of transportation, its culture/history, local foods. Outstanding leaders—interactive, personable, knowledgeable, senses of humor, flexible, compassionate. I enjoyed the diverse itinerary and hikes, and most of all, the ferry ride to Flam."
Carolyn H.
Asheville, NC
"In addition to the outstanding leaders, the itinerary worked very well and seemed rather ingeniously put together—striking a good balance between traveling enough to see a variety of places and things but not spending too much time in transit. I also liked the reliance on public transportation where possible, which involved some fun travel by rail and water and felt less isolating than using only a private bus or van. I also much enjoyed the historical and cultural aspects of the trip, especially the very special visit to the Hardanger Folk Museum, the stave church at Borgund, the walking tour of Bergen, the RIB boat excursion from Flåm, and visits to a goat farm and an apple farm."
David R.
Arlington, VA
"We all had a wonderful time with our guide. What a professional! So passionate about this trip and saw to it we all had a grand time. It is now of my favorite WT Trips ever!"
Diane S.
Reno, NV
"We had such a great time! The guides were top notch, accommodations were superb, and the overall trip design—with its mix of hiking and delightful activities—was flawless. We really appreciated going places and having activities that were not overrun with large groups of tourists. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who is looking for a unique experience in western Norway. I'm running out of superlatives, but we enjoyed every minute of this trip and our expectations were constantly exceeded. Great work!"
Douglas B.
Eugene, OR
"The trip itself was very good—well organized, interesting, and fun. But our guide and the group we traveled with made it an EXCELLENT trip!"
Elaine C.
Zurich, Switzerland
"Great variety of hiking and culture. Seeing individual farms, orchards, etc. was exceptional."
Ellen and Fred F.
Denver, CO
"I highly recommend this trip to hikers who want to experience Norway's fjords, food, and culture."
Eugenia L.
Berkeley, CA
"A truly delightful journey! The fiords of Norway were so peaceful, I just sat on our hotel front porches each morning and drank them in."
Jack H.
Cockeysville, MD
"This trip was amazing. Everything was close to perfect. I love the combination of hiking and culture. Of course, it helps to have jaw-dropping, beautiful scenery! This was our second trip with Wilderness Travel and I am incredibly impressed with our experience with your company. Both trips exceeded my expectations, and I am definitely a loyal customer now. Thank you for a phenomenal trip in Norway. I feel truly lucky to have gone on this trip."
Jane K.
Durham, NC
"The itinerary was an excellent slice of Norwegian history, life, land, and seascape. I never felt like a tourist, but a welcomed visitor."
Jane L.
Nashville, TN
"The RIB boat ride, kayaking, and especially the glacier walk were adventurous, exciting, and fun. The scenery on the hikes, ferry boat rides and in the small towns on our journey was incredibly beautiful. The quality of the food was amazingly good."
John R.
The Woodlands, TX
"We met incredible, simply marvelous people, along the way. The people we met and the experiences we had were what set apart Wilderness Travel from all of the other travel companies we have worked with - and it's why I've largely given up planning my own travel. WT taps into experiences that could never, ever, be planned on one's own."
Joy C.
New York, NY
"The trip was fabulous and the guides were superb."
Linda F.
Bend, OR
"It goes without saying that Norway is a beautiful and unique country, but our guide made it come alive for us with experiences we could never have had on our own."
Linda G.
W. Hartford, CT
"The cultural experiences were great. Getting to hear and experience local people, food, and flair really added to the trip."
Marianne V.
Chagrin Falls, OH
"The itinerary was wonderful! All the experiences with locals, from cheese farm, to cider makers, to beer brewing, to fiddle players, and the gorgeous hiking, the RIB boat tour, the Stave church -- the itinerary could not have been better."
Martha L.
San Jose, CA
"We are used to planning our own trips, unless they are taking place in very foreign areas, such as a safari. That said, we and some of our fellow travelers thought that it would have been very hard to plan this trip and coordinate the numerous travel connections, hotels, and hiking trails. And of course, we could not have duplicated the sessions with the local guides and producers. Plus we had the advantage of well-informed Wilderness Travel guides with great personalities and people skills."
Mary S.
Mystic, CT
"Great trip! Beautiful, challenging hikes. Snowshoeing on the glacier was the best: a once in a lifetime experience."
Michael B.
Columbia, MD
"Outstanding trip. Much, much better than I expected from reading the literature! Very pleasantly surprised by all that we did, saw, and learned, not only from the locals but also from our trip leaders! Truly an outstanding trip."
Mike M.
Dillon, CO
"This was an exceptional trip filled with scenic and awe-inspiring hikes and other adventures! The variety of activities, both on the water and in the mountains, created the perfect itinerary for seeing and experiencing Norway."
Molly O.
Lafayette, CA
"A very enjoyable trip and a great way to see and learn about Norway's history and culture!"
Nancy K.
Hazelhurst, WI
"Loved the trip. The hikes were all very good, the cultural interactions were interesting, the accommodations were good, and the food was excellent. Overall, a very good trip!"
Peter A.
Emerald Hills, CA
"Excellent in all categories—and really, my expectations were truly exceeded. A first rate trip, not a single corner cut, and many nice surprises along the way. I wouldn't change a single thing."
Ricardo S.
Seattle, WA
"Wonderful trip—a great blend of culture and physical activity."
Robyn W.
Bethesda, MD
"A terrific trip in a breathtakingly beautiful country."
Sandra F.
Carmichael, CA
"What a great trip this was. Loved the itinerary and were kept busy on a daily basis with all kinds of fun activities. Traveling with the leaders was an absolute blast (not to mention that the weather was perfect)! I would highly recommend this trip."
Sandy M.
Prescott, AZ
"The spectacular beauty and bucolic life of Norway's Fjord country will be a lasting memory."
Shirley R.
San Rafael, CA
"It was a great way to experience a part of Norway. I LOVED the interactions with local people—made it feel authentic and like we had a genuine experience in the country."
Susan H.
Gold River, CA
"As always...another excellent experience for us with Wilderness Travel."
Thomas S.
Reno, NV
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.