There are a number of tours to select from when visiting the Sognefjord. Especially in the summer. Here is a guide to help you along the way in finding the right tour for you.
The Sognefjord is over 200 kilometers, so no wonder there is a lot of tours to choose from. Many of the tours include the village of Flåm and understandably so. In addition to the fjord itself, Flåm has a lot of great attractions. However, you have come to see and experience the fjord so we will try our best to help you along in your planning of your tour.
The village Flåm. Photo: Håvard Nesbø / Sognedal Skisenter
The Sognefjord is located north of Bergen, which is the second largest city in Norway. Bergen is the best place to fly to if you are coming from abroad. You can take day trips to the Sognefjord from Bergen, or explore the Sognefjord or the whole Fjord Norway region over the course of several days if your times allows it. And you should make time, because the scenery and experiences in the fjords are really worth seeing. The Nærøyfjord (which is a part of Sognefjord) has even been listed on the UNESCO's list of World Heritage.
Sognefjord tours in winter
Let us start with the easy part. If you are visiting Bergen in the winter, there are only two tours to choose from. The first tour is called "Norway in a nuthell®" and runs all year. The second one is called "Guided tour and fjord cruise to Nærøyfjorden, Flåm and Stegastein viewpoint" and runs every day during the summer and weekends during winter.
Fjord cruise on the Nærøyfjord. Photo: fjordnorway.com/Fjord Norge
They both go to Sognefjord and the village Flåm and they both include the same cruise between Gudvangen and Flåm. So what is the difference you might say? The nutshell tour is mainly by train and includes the famous Flåm Railway. The Stegastein tour is by mini-bus and includes the Stegastein Viewpoint instead of the Flåm Railway. They both leave from and return to Bergen. However, the nutshell tour can also be taken from Oslo to Bergen as a one way trip. Both tours are equally nice, which makes it tough to choose. (But the good thing is that you can't go wrong!)
Sognefjord tours in the summer
These two above mentioned tours also run in summer. They are perhaps the most popular tours and you should book in advance if you are doing one of these tours. They often get sold out during peak season (July/August), especially the Stegastein tour which only have 16 seats per tour. However, they do sometimes provide a second bus if the demand is high.
Tours that includes activities:
If you would like a more active tour, then look at the tours offered by Norway Active. The tours are similar to Norway in a nutshell®, but instead of the Flåm Railway you can cycle down to Flåm. And instead of taking the normal cruise between Flåm and Gudvangen, you can take a RIB-boat. Some tours also include kayaking or rafting. You can read more about kayaking in the fjords here. You can see all the tours from Norway Active in the list below.
Kayaking in the Sognefjord. Photo: Sverre Hjørnevik / fjordnorway.com
These are popular tours, and you might find the area around Flåm quite busy during the summer. If you want to experience a less frequented (but still very nice) area of Sognefjord, then there are a few great options to choose from.
Tours to Bøyabreen glacier:
Fjord cruise to Sognefjord, Fjærland and Bøyabreen Glacier:
Depart by boat from Bergen to Balestrand and onwards to Fjærland. A bus takes you to the glacier and to the glacier museum.
Guided Fjord & Glacier Tour from Bergen:
This tour departs by bus from Bergen to Vik and then onward with a boat to Fjærland. The tour includes a visit to Vik, Hopperstad Stave Church as well as the Tvindefossen waterfall.
Bergen is located in the heart of the fjords with Sognefjord in the north and Hardangerfjord in the south. Read more about Hardangerfjord here.
You can book your tour to the Sognefjord online here at visitBergen.com or at the Tourist Information at the Fish Market in Bergen.
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