With Sognefjord being regarded as the King of the Fjords, Hardangerfjord is the shining Queen! With picturesque fruit farms and small charming villages lined along the fjord, Hardangerfjord is a worthy carrier of the title.
From the Hardangerfjord you can enjoy a view of the magnificent Folgefonna National Park and other nature conservation areas with varied animal and plant life, waterfalls and glaciers, high mountains, and deep forests.
Where is the Hardangerfjord?
The Hardangerfjord (or Hardangerfjorden in Norwegian), is located south-east of Bergen on the west coast of Norway. The fjord heads in a north east direction and passes several islands including Bømlo, Stord and Tysnes before it is surrounded by only mainland. You can drive from Bergen to Hardangerfjord in just over one hour.
Photo: maps.google.com. Link to map.
How long is the Hardangerfjord?
With just securing its place on the podium, the Hardangerfjord is the third longest fjord in world. In Norway the fjord is a famous runner up, as the second longest, just beaten by Sognefjorden. The Hardangerfjord runs approximately 178 kilometres from the coastline and into the village of Øvre Eidfjord or Odda, depending on which fjord arm you are following. Photo: Reinhold Kager
How to visit the Hardangerfjord
So, no need to wait for an invite. The fjord is always open and ready to be explored. Being located south of Bergen, this is the natural place to start your journey. You can join one of the many fjord cruises from Bergen or set off on your own adventure. The choice is yours and the road is your highway. Well, not literally. Rather than express lanes, the roads are more of a scenic take-your-time kind of roads. But it is well worth taking your time. Read more about driving around Hardanger here.
To help you plan your itinerary when visiting Bergen and the fjords, check out Things to do in Bergen.
Top things to do in the Hardangerfjord:
The Hardangerfjord is long and crooked and you might not have the time to explore the whole Hardanger area on one visit. Not to worry, we’ll help you along the way by giving you top 5 things not to miss.
1. Hardangerfjord cruise
The fjord is of course the highlight itself. To see the fjord from the road is nice, but to be on the fjord is even better. And there are several fjord tours and cruises to choose from. Check out all the options further down on this page.
You will find the greatest selection during the summer season; however, spring and autumn is also great alternatives. The most popular tours are perhaps the tours called Fjordcruise on the Hardangerfjord or The Great Waterfall and Fjord Tour™. These two tours are quite similar, and both include a detour to the Vøringsfossen Waterfall in Eidfjord.
Another popular tour with great reviews is the tour Hardangerfjord Cruise and Waterfall tour. All tours to Hardangerfjord can be booked online here at visitBergen.com or at the Tourist Information in Bergen.
2. Vøringsfossen Waterfall and Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall
Filling up your camera with shots of the fjord, you will perhaps run into trouble when arriving at Vøringsfossen Waterfall in the village of Eidfjord. Because this waterfall you definitely want to show your friends and family back home! The waterfall plunges down 182 meters into the Måbødalen Valley and is one of the most famous waterfalls in Norway, and one of the main tourist attractions in Hardanger.
Vøringsfossen Waterfall. Photo: Visit Hardangerfjord / Simon Sjøkvist
At Steinsdalsfossen you can actually walk behind the waterfall, which is quite an impressive sight. The waterfall is located not far from the village Nordheimsund and is easily accessible from the main road. It has a 50-meter drop and the waterfall has become a popular attraction in Hardanger.
3. Trolltunga hike
It is definitely a hit on social media, but the hike is long and hard and is not for everyone. We recommend a guided overnight hike with Trolltunga Adventures if you are planning to do this hike. Another great hike is Dronningstien. Still a fairly long and tough hike, but the views are amazing.
4. HM Queen Sonja’s panoramic hike – Dronningstien
Some might say that this tour should be on the top 5 things to do in Hardanger. And perhaps rightly so. Much more accessible than Trolltunga and equally great views. Except the actual Troll’s "tongue" rock formation. But instead you get to walk in the footsteps of the Norwegian Queen Sonja, who is a passionate mountain hiker.
Dronningstien in Hardanger. Photo: Visit Hardangerfjord / Simon Sjøkvist
Dronningstien hike is still a fairly long hike of 16 kilometres and not for a beginners. However, a lot of travellers come to Norway to hike, and if you are one of them, then add this on your list together with these popular Norwegian hikes. The Queen Sonja’s panoramic hike has a normal duration of about 5-6 hours plus (it is a one way hike). Add a few hours for taking pictures, having a lunch break, and just enjoying the scenery.
Hot (or cool) tip: After the hike, enjoy a dip in the fjord and a relaxing experience in the Sauna in Sørfjorden, located 10 minutes from Ullensvang, not too far from where you end your Dronningstien hike.
4. Hardangervidda National Park.
A mountain plateau and quite different from the steep mountains along the fjord and great for hiking. You can quite easily spend several days exploring this beautiful area. Read more about Hardangervidda at visitHardangerfjord.com here.
5. Taste the local cider
Taste the local cider by joining the Cider Safari in Sørfjorden. You can choose to start the trip from either Eidfjord and Ulvik to Odda. The boat has daily departures during the summer.
6. Visit the fruit orchard of Norway
If you ask a Norwegian to pull out a few images to represent Norway, half of them would probably show a picture from Hardanger. And it would definitely be in springtime with all the apple trees along the fjord in full blossom! It is truly a magnificent sight and even Norwegians gets a bit awed. The other half would perhaps show a person with a bunad, also from Hardanger. In the orchard. (A bunad is the Norwegian traditional costume.) Okay, perhaps someone would pull out a picture from Lofoten in northern in Norway, but for this purpose we’ll leave them be.
Apple harvest at Steinstø Farm in Hardanger. Photo: Heidi Steinstø Helgheim
With the combination of good soil and climate, the fruits from Hardanger is exceptionally tasty. Try the Hardanger cider made from apple or the delicious apple juice. Many farms producing cider also offer tastings. The Hardanger cider has become very popular in Norway and is a typical gift to bring if you’re invited to someone for dinner.
Stop for dinner at the restaurant Siderhuset Ola K in Sørfjorden where they combind a fine dining experience with local food and cider.
7. Folgefonna Glacier - from fjord to skiing
Folgefonna glacier is located in Hardanger and is accessible from different locations. You can access the glacier from near the village of Jondal, where you will find Folgefonni Breførarlag. They will guide you on a safe and adventurous hike on the glacier. You can also join a Half day dogsledding tour.
Read more about Folgefonna glacier and how to visit here.
Photo from Folgefonna Glacier: Kjartan Pettersen - Samarbeidsrådet for Sunnhordland
When travelling the Norway fjords, check out these essential packing tips. If there are just too many fjords to choose from, then simply head over to The best fjords in Norway – and why they are awesome!
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