It’s no secret that the Hardanger area right here in Norway is sort of a picture-perfect postcard. Each nook you flip actually has you feasting your eyes upon one other breathtaking waterfall, camp spot or mountaineering path with a few of Norway’s absolute best tucked away right here.
My 3 days exploring Hardanger have been a few of my favourites on my 10-day Western Norway highway journey itinerary and I’m excited to delve a little bit deeper into simply how a lot journey is on supply on this Hardanger journey information.
Assume bucket listing hikes, world-class cider (this was a shock for me too!), once-in-a-lifetime campervan pull-ups and views for days. Critically, this space of Norway is gorgeous and also you’ll wish to spend few days right here, at the very least.
This Hardanger information covers the whole lot it’s essential to know when visiting this space. From epic hikes and waterfall suggestions to one of the best locations to eat and drink, plus campervan stopovers. Whether or not you’re exploring by automobile, campervan, or ferry, that is your go-to useful resource for one of the best issues to do in Hardanger.
P.S. In the event you’re planning a highway journey by means of Western Norway, I’d extremely advocate my Norway Google Map for all of my actual Google Pins and proposals for all times on the highway.
Let’s tuck in, we could?
Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering one of the best locations to eat, drink, loosen up and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your machine and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.
The place is Hardanger?
You might have come throughout the Hardanger area earlier than when researching Trolltunga, one of the vital photographed rock formations on this planet, and certainly one of Norway’s hottest mountaineering routes. It’s positioned right here in Hardanger!
Situated only a quick drive southeast of Bergen (round 1 hour drive time), Hardanger is a shocking area in western Norway and is house to the well-known Hardangerfjord (the nation’s second-longest fjord, stretching 179 kilometres).
This can be a vacation spot the place Norway’s pure magnificence takes centre stage and you might be met with an abundance of cascading waterfalls, mountainous panoramas, oh and an informal thriving cider manufacturing.
The Hardanger area has some gorgeous fjord arms to discover while on the bottom, together with:
- Sørfjorden – Lined with apple orchards, charming villages, and iconic mountaineering trails like Trolltunga.
- Eidfjorden – The gateway to Hardangervidda Nationwide Park, that includes Vøringsfossen, certainly one of Norway’s strongest waterfalls.
- Ulvikfjord – Recognized for its cider farms and tranquil boat journeys.
- Granvinfjord – Surrounded by lush forests and historic websites.
Journey tip:
Have some native forex in your pocket and preserve a watch out for fruit stands on the aspect of the highway. This area provides among the finest, freshest apples you may get your palms on!
How you can Get to Hardanger
- From Bergen: A brief drive of simply over an hour (relying on site visitors) by way of the E16 and Route 7 brings you on to the fjord.
- From Oslo: Round a 5-hour drive alongside Route 7.
- Public Transport: There are buses that join Bergen and Oslo to varied factors within the Hardanger area. See extra right here and plan your journey.
Finest Time to Go to Hardanger
Whereas Hardanger is a shocking place to go to year-round, the months of Could to September supply probably the most beneficial climate for outside actions. That is thought-about the height season for a summer time highway journey/mountaineering journey.
While Norway remains to be gorgeous within the rain and the waterfalls turn out to be insanely ample with the extra water gushing down them, the views and the enjoyment of the hikes right here in Norway peak on these clearer, sunnier days.
The very best time to go to Hardanger will depend on your priorities!
We visited on the finish of August and have been unlucky to have 3 days of rain to start out the journey. They hadn’t had any rain for 4 weeks prior! We didn’t wish to do the complete Trolltunga day hike within the rain and so we hung round Hargandger for a few further days till the skies cleared.
A silver lining often because this Hardanger journey information was born from that further time we needed to discover! We did some profitable fishing, discovered shorter hikes, foraged Porcini mushrooms and frolicked studying our books with a view on the fjord entrance.
Watch our highway journey come to life on this Norway vlog:
Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering one of the best locations to eat, drink, loosen up and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your machine and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.
1. Day hike to Trolltunga
This one has obtained to be up there on the high of one of the best issues to do in Hardanger. That is certainly one of Norway’s most iconic hikes, Trolltunga (the “Troll’s Tongue”) and other people come from everywhere in the world to expertise it.
The Trolltunga hike provides a difficult trek and sometimes takes 10-12 hours to finish the spherical journey. The gap provides as much as about 22 km (14 miles) in whole however your whole strolling distance really will depend on the place you stroll from (there are a number of beginning factors). In the event you’re doing this hike as a part of your highway journey and you’ve got a motorhome, your solely choice for parking is P1 – Tyssedal. In case you have a automobile you may head as much as P2 – Skjeggedal.
Right here’s what I learnt and didn’t know beforehand when you’re coming by campervan:
- You’ll must park at P1 (NOK 300 for the day, no in a single day sleeping allowed)
- You’ll then must e-book a return ticket on the shuttle bus to P2 (NOK 200) – e-book right here
- From P2 you may both stroll (4km steep uphill) or get one other shuttle bus as much as P3 for NOK 150 (the place the hike begins)
The remainder of it’s then free and simple to comply with and the view from the Troll’s Tongue (the rock jutting out 700 meters above Ringedalsvatnet Lake) is price each step and penny!
It price us slightly below £100 for the 2 of us with all prices thought-about! Sure it appears steep however they’ve an excellent operation working right here for the quantity of tourism it attracts and it was a fairly seamless expertise!
Fascinating reality
Trolltunga was shaped over the past Ice Age, round 10,000 years in the past!
2. Discover Folgefonna Nationwide Park
Residence to the Folgefonna Glacier (Norway’s third-largest glacier, overlaying 168 sq. kilometres), Folgefonna Nationwide Park provides guided glacier hikes appropriate for varied talent ranges. Dive into the glacier’s historical past and witness the mesmerising blue ice formations below the wing of a educated native information for a as soon as in a lifetime journey!
P.s. For snowboarding fans, the Fonna Glacier Ski Resort supplies summer time snowboarding alternatives with spectacular fjord views.
Be taught extra about guided glacier hikes.
3. Drive alongside the Hardanger Norwegian Scenic Route in daylight
Norway has a number of notable Scenic Routes unfold throughout the nation and the Hardanger Norwegian Scenic Route is certainly one of them.
Truthfully, simply driving alongside the highway that wraps round this fjord is without doubt one of the finest and most lovely issues to do right here.
The Norwegian Scenic Route Hardanger consists of 4 notable sections: Granvin – Steinsdalsfossen, Norheimsund – Tørvikbygd, Jondal – Utne, and Kinsarvik – Låtefoss.
We travelled from Bergen to Odda and coated the Låtefoss – Kinsarvik part of the route and it was STUNNING.
Tip: Be sure you drive this half within the day time to absorb the insane surroundings.
4. Låtefossen
I informed you the waterfalls are EPIC when it rains, didn’t i?
Låtefossen is a waterfall positioned simply 20 minutes from Odda (the primary city within the area) so is a superb addition to your highway journey when you’re passing by means of.
Near the highway (making for a fast and simple cease off) and main by means of the slim Oddadalen valley, the dual cascades of Låtefossen waterfall plunge down the mountainside and will be each seen and photographed from the bridge.
There are some picnic benches right here ought to the climate allow to get pleasure from your lunch outdoors with a view!
5. Go to Heit Sørfjorden Sauna
Fjordfront saunas are my new favorite factor and the obsession began proper right here in Hardanger. A floating sauna with panoramic fjord views?!? Critically, you can’t beat it.
In the event you’re seeking to loosen up and rejuvenate (perhaps after doing one of many hikes), e-book your self into Heit Sauna, positioned in Sørfjorden, and alternate warmth remedy with some icy fjord plunges!
Ebook your sauna expertise right here.
Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering one of the best locations to eat, drink, loosen up and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your machine and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.
6. Floy Cafe & Bakery
A extremely really useful cease for espresso lovers and pastry-obsessed people.
Floy Cafe & Bakery opens between the summer time months of Could to September and serves up freshly baked items and native treats on the fjordside. We had deliberate to go after our Trolltunga hike however we didn’t make it in time earlier than they closed – I used to be gutted!
They’re open Tues – Sunday 09:00 – 16:00 so you’ll want to time it with when they’re open and style the buns for me!!!
They’re identified right here for his or her conventional Norwegian “Skillingsboller”—a scrumptious cinnamon bun right here so I’m going to counsel choosing up a pair as you drive by means of pre or post-hike!
7. Style the native cider at Lofthus Sideri
I had no concept that Hardanger was house to a world-class cider area! We have been really en route to start out a hike in Lofthus and seen the highly effective attract of the shiny purple apples on the aspect of the highway as we have been driving.
We seen the Lofthus Sideri signal and vowed to cease off after the hike to style the magic.
This ended up being certainly one of my favorite, sudden experiences in Norway. We tasted a wide range of Norwegian cider at Lofthus Sideri studying in regards to the apple-growing heritage of Hardanger which dates again to the thirteenth century!
Oh and also you get to style the unbelievable apple cider or apple juice with a view over the fjord! Simply one other insane view right here in Norway and positively top-of-the-line issues to do in Hardanger.
8. Queen Sonja’s Panoramic Mountaineering Path
Named after Norway’s Queen Sonja, an avid hiker, this route was really useful to me by a number of pals as an extremely scenic path. There are insane views over the Sørfjorden throughout the whole hike so when you’re on the lookout for a day hike that boasts one of the best views on the town, second to Trolltunga – I reckon that is it.
This path goes for 16 kilometres and takes round 6-9 hours to finish ranging from Kinsarvik and ending in Lofthus (or vice versa).
View the complete route particulars.
9. Go to Vøringsfossen Waterfall
Considered one of Norway’s most famous waterfalls and one of the best issues to do in Hardanger is Vøringsfossen.
Boasting a free fall of 182 meters and simply accessible from the Norwegian Scenic Route Hardangervidda, guests can get pleasure from a number of viewing platforms providing totally different views and picture alternatives throughout this pure magnificence!
A footbridge was really constructed over the waterfall in 2020, permitting you to get even nearer to the motion!
10. Hike as much as the Hovden cabin
On certainly one of our wet days, pre-Trolltunga, we zoomed in on Google Maps to discover a comparatively quick hike we might do. Consider it like a Trolltunga warm-up.
We drove to Lofthus (go to the bakery earlier than!) and walked the path up by means of the forest following indicators to the Hovden Cabin for what we discovered to have insane views throughout Sognefjord.
We weren’t fairly anticipating what we arrived to if I’m sincere. A free public cabin with bathrooms, books, a hearth, blankets and sheltered seating?!?
It was in completely impeccable situation and we have been the one ones up there! Our jaws dropped to the ground as we sat to benefit from the view and signed the guestbook.
Such a shocking piece of structure. We have been dumbfounded by the mutual respect that was evident between hikers and the federal government offering these services. So lovely to witness.
Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering one of the best locations to eat, drink, loosen up and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your machine and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.
Campervan Ideas & Finest Stopovers
Hardanger is a unbelievable cease on a Western Fjords campervan itinerary, providing loads of campsites and well-equipped areas to park up for the night time. Keep in mind, Norway’s Proper to Roam (Allemannsretten) coverage permits for accountable wild tenting in nature, making it a dream vacation spot for these on the lookout for a wild tenting expertise!
Odda: The proper place to top off, replenish and cease over
Odda is a first-rate hub for these travelling by campervan. Most individuals we met have been staying there and it appears the most well-liked choice for these travelling by motorhome and wanting to go to Trolltunga.
This small however geared up city provides a number of campsites with important services, together with showers, laundry, and kitchen areas. There’s additionally a waste drop-off and freshwater fill-up when you’re seeking to refresh your motorhome!
Odda additionally has all your supermarkets and outside gear outlets to top off on provides and extra clothes/equipment wanted earlier than heading to Trolltunga or different close by hikes.
FAQ: Every part You Must Know About Hardanger
How lengthy ought to I spend in Hardanger?
3-5 days is good to get the details of curiosity in and get an actual various style of what’s on supply right here, however it will depend on what number of hikes you wish to do!
What’s one of the best ways to get round Hardanger?
A automobile or campervan is probably the most handy and versatile choice for exploring this gorgeous space, although ferries and buses join key areas and it’s doable.
Can I go to Hardanger on a day journey from Bergen?
Sure, however an in a single day keep is really useful to totally recognize the area.
Is the Trolltunga hike laborious?
It’s not an EASY hike however it’s not superior by any means. It requires a median stage of bodily health, when you can, do a few warm-up hikes and ensure you have comfortable strolling boots or trainers with you. You wish to ensure you go away sufficient time to get there and again earlier than darkish.
So long as you begin early, you will have time to tempo it. The shuttles begin from dawn so if unsure, begin as early as you may to take the stress off!
Have you ever been to Hardanger?
What are one of the best issues to do in Hardanger in your opinion? Something you’d add to this Hardanger bucket listing?
Love as at all times and glad adventuring…
Get lifetime entry to my limitless hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering one of the best locations to eat, drink, loosen up and discover within the space. You merely open the Google Map in your machine and all my pins are on the contact of your fingertips.
