It’s no secret that the Hardanger area right here in Norway is sort of a picture-perfect postcard. Each nook you flip really has you feasting your eyes upon one other breathtaking waterfall, camp spot or climbing path with a few of Norway’s best possible tucked away right here.
My 3 days exploring Hardanger had been a few of my favourites on my 10-day Western Norway highway journey itinerary and I’m excited to delve somewhat deeper into simply how a lot journey is on supply on this Hardanger journey information.
Assume bucket checklist 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 beautiful and also you’ll need to spend a very good few days right here, at the least.
This Hardanger information covers the whole lot it is advisable know when visiting this space. From epic hikes and waterfall suggestions to the most effective 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 the most effective issues to do in Hardanger.
P.S. In case you’re planning a highway journey via Western Norway, I’d extremely suggest my Norway Google Map for all of my precise Google Pins and suggestions for all times on the highway.
Let’s tuck in, we could?
Get lifetime entry to my infinite hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the most effective 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 will have come throughout the Hardanger area earlier than when researching Trolltunga, one of the photographed rock formations on the planet, and certainly one of Norway’s hottest climbing routes. It’s situated right here in Hardanger!
Situated only a quick drive southeast of Bergen (round 1 hour drive time), Hardanger is a surprising area in western Norway and is residence to the well-known Hardangerfjord (the nation’s second-longest fjord, stretching 179 kilometres).
It is a vacation spot the place Norway’s pure magnificence takes centre stage and you’re met with an abundance of cascading waterfalls, mountainous panoramas, oh and an off-the-cuff thriving cider manufacturing.
The Hardanger area has some beautiful fjord arms to discover while on the bottom, together with:
- Sørfjorden – Lined with apple orchards, charming villages, and iconic climbing trails like Trolltunga.
- Eidfjorden – The gateway to Hardangervidda Nationwide Park, that includes Vøringsfossen, certainly one of Norway’s strongest waterfalls.
- Ulvikfjord – Identified for its cider farms and tranquil boat journeys.
- Granvinfjord – Surrounded by lush forests and historic websites.
Journey tip:
Have some native foreign money in your pocket and hold an eye fixed out for fruit stands on the facet of the highway. This area presents among the finest, freshest apples you may get your palms on!
Learn how to 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.
Greatest Time to Go to Hardanger
Whereas Hardanger is a surprising place to go to year-round, the months of Could to September supply probably the most beneficial climate for out of doors actions. That is thought-about the height season for a summer season highway journey/climbing journey.
While Norway continues to be beautiful within the rain and the waterfalls change into insanely plentiful 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 most effective time to go to Hardanger is determined by your priorities!
We visited on the finish of August and had been unlucky to have 3 days of rain to begin the journey. They hadn’t had any rain for 4 weeks prior! We didn’t need to do the complete Trolltunga day hike within the rain and so we hung round Hargandger for a few additional days till the skies cleared.
A silver lining often because this Hardanger journey information was born from that additional time we needed to discover! We did some profitable fishing, discovered shorter hikes, foraged Porcini mushrooms and hung out 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 infinite hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the most effective 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 the most effective issues to do in Hardanger. That is certainly one of Norway’s most iconic hikes, Trolltunga (the “Troll’s Tongue”) and folks come from all around the world to expertise it.
The Trolltunga hike presents 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 complete however your complete strolling distance really is determined by the place you stroll from (there are a couple of beginning factors). In case you’re doing this hike as a part of your highway journey and you’ve got a motorhome, your solely possibility for parking is P1 – Tyssedal. When you have a automobile you may head as much as P2 – Skjeggedal.
Right here’s what I learnt and didn’t know beforehand for those who’re coming by campervan:
- You’ll have to park at P1 (NOK 300 for the day, no in a single day sleeping allowed)
- You’ll then have to ebook a return ticket on the shuttle bus to P2 (NOK 200) – ebook 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 value us just 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!
Attention-grabbing reality
Trolltunga was fashioned over the past Ice Age, round 10,000 years in the past!
2. Discover Folgefonna Nationwide Park
House to the Folgefonna Glacier (Norway’s third-largest glacier, masking 168 sq. kilometres), Folgefonna Nationwide Park presents guided glacier hikes appropriate for varied ability ranges. Dive into the glacier’s historical past and witness the mesmerising blue ice formations underneath the wing of a educated native information for a as soon as in a lifetime journey!
P.s. For snowboarding lovers, the Fonna Glacier Ski Resort supplies summer season 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 couple of notable Scenic Routes unfold throughout the nation and the Hardanger Norwegian Scenic Route is certainly one of them.
Actually, simply driving alongside the highway that wraps round this fjord is among 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: Ensure you drive this half within the day time to absorb the insane surroundings.
4. Låtefossen
I instructed you the waterfalls are EPIC when it rains, didn’t i?
Låtefossen is a waterfall situated simply 20 minutes from Odda (the principle city within the area) so is a superb addition to your highway journey for those who’re passing via.
Near the highway (making for a fast and simple cease off) and main via the slender Oddadalen valley, the dual cascades of Låtefossen waterfall plunge down the mountainside and may be each considered 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 not beat it.
In case you’re seeking to loosen up and rejuvenate (perhaps after doing one of many hikes), ebook your self into Heit Sauna, situated in Sørfjorden, and alternate warmth remedy with some icy fjord plunges!
Guide your sauna expertise right here.
Get lifetime entry to my infinite hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the most effective 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 helpful cease for espresso lovers and pastry-obsessed people.
Floy Cafe & Bakery opens between the summer season 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 remember 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 via pre or post-hike!
7. Style the native cider at Lofthus Sideri
I had no concept that Hardanger was residence to a world-class cider area! We had been really en route to begin a hike in Lofthus and observed the highly effective attract of the shiny purple apples on the facet of the highway as we had been driving.
We observed 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, surprising 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 unimaginable apple cider or apple juice with a view over the fjord! Simply one other insane view right here in Norway and undoubtedly among the finest issues to do in Hardanger.
8. Queen Sonja’s Panoramic Mountain climbing Path
Named after Norway’s Queen Sonja, an avid hiker, this route was really helpful to me by a couple of buddies as an extremely scenic path. There are insane views over the Sørfjorden throughout the complete hike so for those who’re in search of a day hike that boasts the most effective 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 famed waterfalls and the most effective 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 photograph 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 via 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 had 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 surprising piece of structure. We had 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 infinite hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the most effective 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 & Greatest Stopovers
Hardanger is a improbable cease on a Western Fjords campervan itinerary, providing loads of campsites and well-equipped areas to park up for the evening. 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 in search of a wild tenting expertise!
Odda: The right place to fill up, replenish and cease over
Odda is a main hub for these travelling by campervan. Most individuals we met had been staying there and it appears the preferred possibility for these travelling by motorhome and wanting to go to Trolltunga.
This small however outfitted city presents 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 for those who’re seeking to refresh your motorhome!
Odda additionally has all your supermarkets and out of doors gear retailers to fill up on provides and extra clothes/equipment wanted earlier than heading to Trolltunga or different close by hikes.
FAQ: Every little thing 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 numerous style of what’s on supply right here, but it surely is determined by what number of hikes you need to do!
What’s one of the simplest ways to get round Hardanger?
A automobile or campervan is probably the most handy and versatile possibility for exploring this beautiful 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 helpful to totally admire the area.
Is the Trolltunga hike laborious?
It’s not an EASY hike but it surely’s not superior by any means. It requires a mean stage of bodily health, for those who can, do a few warm-up hikes and ensure you have comfortable strolling boots or trainers with you. You need to ensure you go away sufficient time to get there and again earlier than darkish.
So long as you begin early, you might 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 the most effective issues to do in Hardanger in your opinion? Something you’d add to this Hardanger bucket checklist?
Love as at all times and completely happy adventuring…
Get lifetime entry to my infinite hours of analysis and time spent on the bottom discovering the most effective 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.
