This beautiful fjord arm extends almost all the way up to the glacier tongues that reach down to the village of Fjærland. From 1 May to 30 September the voyage between Leikanger, Hella, Vangsnes, Balestrand and Fjærland on the car ferry “Fjærlandsfjord” gives you the chance to experience one of the most scenic fjord branches.

If you take the ferry from Vangsnes you will get an excellent view of the gigantic 21-metre-high Fridtjof statue, a gift from the German Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1913.

photo credit: eworm

When the ferry calls at Balestrand you will see some of the unique architecture in this picturesque village, such as the Kvikne’s Hotel and many Swiss-style villas.

The narrow Fjærlandsfjord with its steep and forested mountainsides leads you to the outskirts of the Jostedal Glacier. Along the fjord there are many hamlets and farms. Most of these farms are deserted, and they now serv as reminders of people’s toil and challenges in former times. At the head of the fjord you find interesting attractions such as The Norwegian Glacier Museum and The Norwegian Book Town.

photo credit: ReverendMungo

From the ferry quay at Mundal it is a short drive by car or bus up to the Supphellebreen and Bøyabreen glaciers – two branches of the main Jostedal Glacier.

More info: Sognefjord

Synnøve Finden, one of the most famous cheese producers in the country, was born and raised here. Nowadays new generations at Finden make a living partly based on farm tourism.

photo credit: ReverendMungo

The vertical mountainsides create a unique atmosphere when you reach the end of the fjord at Finnabotn, where the sounds of nature give you peace of mind and time for reflection.

In recent years people have returned to the deserted farm at Finnabotn and settled down there.

More info: Sognefjord.com

The Nærøyfjord is 17 km long and the narrowest point is only 250 m wide. The passage through Nærøyfjord is one of the most dramatic fjord trips in Europe.

A passenger boat between Gudvangen-Aurland-Flåm is running all year.
In winter 1x a day. Rest of the year: 3-5 x daily.
The car ferry between Gudvangen-Kaupanger-Lærdal is running from the
1st of May to the 30th of September. 1-4 x daily.
You’ll also see charterboats and large cruiseship coming and going in the fjord area.

photo credit: kennymatic

photo credit: kennymatic

More info: Alr.no

The landscape around the Lusterfjord is very picturesque, and many great artists have been inspired by the unique beauty of its scenery.

The Lusterfjord is the innermost arm of the Sognefjord, which, from Skjolden at the head of the fjord to Solund at the coast, is all of 204 km long. This picturesque fjord arm is surrounded by the glaciers and high mountains of the Jotunheimen National Park and the Jostedalsbreen National Park, and most of the year the Lusterfjord is a beautiful bright green colour because of the meltwater from the glaciers that flows into the fjord. Along both shores of the fjord there are villages and lush cultural landscapes where fruits and berries are grown on small, idyllic farms.

photo credit: Ryther

In the old days, travelling on the fjord was the main way of getting around, and boats sailed between Skjolden and Bergen several times a week. From all over the Gudbrandsdalen valley a steady stream of travellers made their way across the Sognefjell mountains to the coastal villages of Sogn and all the way down to Bergen. Now, there are roads along both sides of the fjord, and there is a ferry connection between Urnes and Solvorn.

More about the Lusterfjord:

The southern shore – the Romantic Road
The narrow road along the southern shore of the Lusterfjord is called the Romantic Road because it winds its way through small, idyllic villages set in a beautiful, scenic landscape. This area has a fascinating history, and you can visit unique tourist attractions several places along the fjord.

photo credit: lokha

The most famous tourist attraction is Norway’s oldest stave church, the Urnes Stave Church, which is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

During the first half of the 19th century many of Norway’s best known painters were frequent visitors to the area, staying at the Munthehuset (“the Munthe Villa”) in Kroken to work and find inspiration in the unique natural surroundings. The villa has now been renovated and is open to visitors by appointment. Vetle-Kroken Sea Kayaking (Moreld) in Kroken offers kayak tours on the fjord and guided walks in the remote mountain areas.

Norway’s leading jam and juice producing company, Lerum, originally started production at Sørheim, where it built a small factory in 1909, but as the business expanded it had to move to Sogndal, partly because ice on the fjord made transportation difficult during the winter months. Today, the small factory at Sørheim known as Safthuset (“the Juice House”) is a museum open to groups on request.

photo credit: color line

Between Sørheim and Kroken you will find the majestic Feigumfossen waterfall, which has a free fall of 218 metres and is among Norway’s highest waterfalls. The walk up to the fall only takes about 30 minutes.

The northern shore – the National Tourist Route
On the northern shore of the Lusterfjord lies the small, idyllic village of Solvorn, with many well-preserved buildings and an old historic hotel called the Walaker Hotel, where you can visit the special art gallery called Galleri Walaker 300.

Gaupne is the administrative centre of the Luster area from which it is only a short drive up to the Nigardsbreen glacier, where you can join a guided glacier walk on the blue ice. Gaupne Old Church, which was built in 1647 and contains parts of an older stave church, is open to visitors during the summer season. The National Tourist Route over the Sognefjell mountains to Lom starts in Gaupne and runs alongside the Lusterfjord to Skjolden.

photo credit: gari.baldi

In the village of Luster there is a distinctive stone church built around 1200, called Dale Church. The architecture is Gothic and the church contains frescoes dating from the 15th century.

The National Tourist Route and the Romantic Road meet in the beautiful village of Skjolden, at the head of the Lusterfjord. The Fjordstova centre has a climbing wall, swimming pool, library, arts and crafts shop, changing exhibitions and a cafeteria with a fabulous view of the fjord.

The world-famous Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein lived and worked in Skjolden for periods in the early 1900s and wrote some of his most important works in the village. In a letter to a friend in 1936 he wrote the following about Skjolden: “I can’t imagine that I could have worked anywhere as I do here. It’s the quiet and, perhaps, the wonderful scenery; I mean, its quiet seriousness”.

More info: Sognefjord.no