Sognefjord, Norway

Wow.

That’s all I can really say about Sognefjord, Norway.

(But obviously, I’ll say a little more).

Hardangerfjord is absolutely stunning – this much I’ve already mentioned. But Sognefjord is the “King of the Fjords”, a title it 100% deserves.

After 2 days in Bergen, I packed up my bags and did a “Norway in a Nutshell” tour. I boarded a boat that would sail through the Sognefjord and then drop me off in the village of Flåm, where I’d take a train back to Bergen. “Norway in a Nutshell” allows you to extend your time in any of the villages along the way, so I decided to spend a night in Flåm and take a 6pm train back to Bergen the following day.

The boat first sailed up the coast before it turned into the Sognefjord. And my jaw nearly dropped on the floor once it did.

In front of us was a massive snow covered mountain that seemed to touch the sky. We were surrounded by cliffs and mountains that were covered in the greenest trees. Pure white waterfalls cut through the greenery.

Despite the 50 degree weather and sharp winds, I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting inside and missing these views, instead alternating between the dock on the back of the boat and the dock on the front (which was EXTREMELY windy – so it’s no surprise I found myself sick with a sinus infection a few days later).

Our boat stopped at a few villages along the fjord before it sailed into Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the Sognefjord. The water became narrower and more windy, and the scenery became more dramatic.

If it weren’t for the giant cruise ship at port, I would have thought we were sailing into a storybook. Flåm looked so charming, nestled amongst the green trees, imposing cliffs, and glistening waterfalls. And once night fell and visitors settled in for the night, the town was beautifully silent. Let’s just say I was pretty glad I’d decided to spend some extra time here.

Flåm is a common stop for cruise ships sailing through the fjords, so while it was small, there was plenty to see and do.

Amongst all the excursions listed on the Flåm website, I decided to do a fjord safari, a trip to Njardarheimr Viking Village, and a bus ride up to Stegastein.

The fjord safari was, hands down, the highlight of my time in Norway. Myself and a dozen others boarded a small RIB boat with a guide and set out for a closer look at the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, another branch off the Sognefjord as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Sight.

Our RIB boat sped through the fjords, stopping periodically for our guide to point out various sights. He brought us into a waterfall, letting the water splash into the front of a boat, and zigzagged across the water. And like a true safari, we even saw some wildlife – two seals and dozens of goats, to be exact!

We also sailed past the villages of Gudvangen and Undredal. I’ll talk about Gudvangen in just a sec, but a fun fact about Undredal: it was an inspiration for Disney’s “Frozen”! When the studio was making the film, a team of animators came to Undredal to get inspiration for the kingdom of Arendelle.

So, my “Frozen” dreams (sort of) came true.

After the fjord safari, I was pretty beat. I booked a room at the Flåmsbrygga Hotel, which sits right next to the water and in the midst of all the shops and restaurants. The hotel even has it’s own restaurant, the Ægir BrewPub, which is inspired by Norse mythology and sits in a building reminiscent of a stave church. While a little more pricey, I highly recommend staying at this hotel – the location was perfect AND it was the only hotel I stayed at in Norway that had a double bed!

Now, on to Gudvangen, which sits at the head of the Nærøyfjord. Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and deservedly so. It is BEAUTIFUL. I experienced the beauty of Nærøyfjord on my fjord safari, so I came to Gudvangen for another reason: the Njardarheimr Viking Village.

I mentioned this earlier, but I have a slight obsession with Marvel’s Thor. So much so that I actually read a full book on Norse mythology. Call me a complete nerd, but I actually loved it.

I also love touristy activities and things that are a little “untraditional”. When I read about the Viking Village, where I could meet Vikings and learn about their way of life (and also shoot a bow and arrow), I knew I had to go. I was kind of expecting a kitschy tourist attraction, but the Njardarheimr ended up being so much more.

Njardarheimr is a real, working Viking village, and home to a number of Vikings. The day began with a short tour of the village, where a guide told us all about the Viking way of life and dispelled some myths. For instance, you know that Viking burial we always see in movies and TV shows, where flaming arrows are shot at a boat? There’s no proof that’s actually real! (Sorry Thor).

After the tour, we were free to walk around the village on our own and chat with the Vikings. All the Vikings are craftspeople who sign up to live here and practice their craft. There were musicians, bone carvers, blacksmiths, basket weavers, cooks, and more. I loved chatting with them about their craft and learning more about how the Vikings lived.

And yes, I did get to shoot a bow and arrow.

After the Viking Village, it was on to Stegastein. While it sounds like a prehistoric dinosaur, Stegastein is actually a viewpoint 650 meters (about 2132 feet) high that overlooks the Aurlandsfjord.

The drive up was terrifying – there were more tight, hairpin turns than I could count. But the view was breathtaking. The villages below looked like models, the boats sailing by like ants. And I couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather.

I had mixed feelings about leaving Flåm. On the one hand, I was sad – this place was so incredibly beautiful and peaceful. But on the other hand, leaving meant I got to take the Flåm Railway, often described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.

The Flåm Railway travels from Flåm (surprise!) to the town of Myrdal, situated 867 meters (2844 feet) above sea level. Which means the railway itself must climb that high. About 80% of the journey runs on a gradient of 5.5%!

The train journey was one I won’t soon forget – and not just because we saw a naked man shaking his hips at our train car as we passed. The views were amazing, and it was a different change of pace to see the fjords as they came into the land, rather than from the water.

The train snaked up through the mountains, passing through tunnels and even over a waterfall. The waterfall, Kjosfossen, was so picturesque, and thankfully the train stopped for a few minutes so we could all disembark and quickly enjoy the view!

My time in Flåm was, undoubtedly, the highlight of my trip. I loved being in such a pretty place, and there was plenty to do. In fact, I wished I had spent more time here – I would have loved time to just sit by the water and be alone in my thoughts.

But if you even find yourself in Norway, a fjord safari is a must. It was so much fun, and not at all scary or intense. We got closer to the fjords than we could have on a bigger cruise ship. It was also great to have a guide – I learned so much and, if it wasn’t for Magnus, I never would have seen the seals in the water!

But the Sognefjord, overall, is an absolute must. It lives up to it’s nickname, and Norway in a Nutshell makes it so easy to experience.

Let’s just say I was onto something when I added the fjords to my bucket list!

---

So, that concludes my blog posts on Norway! Where should I write about next? Comment below!