I was super fortunate to be gifted my fjords cruise experience in collaboration with Fjord Tours, Fjord Norway, Norway in a Nutshell and Visit Flam. As always, all experiences, photos, thoughts and opinions are all my own!
Witnessing the dramatic fjords of Norway was one of my bucket list items that’s been inching its way to the top for years now. As a part of my 2 week Scandinavian adventure, I kicked the trip off in Bergen, spending my first full day on a stunning 2 hour fjords cruise.
Here’s Cruising through the Fjords of Norway:
Getting to the Fjords in Norway
The fjord cruise I embarked on was a part of the Norway in a Nutshell Tour. That excursion included a bus from Voss to the port in Gudvangen, then boarding a Future ferry to Flam.
Read More about my day with the Norway in a Nutshell Tour here
Since I started my journey from Bergen, I simply took the Bergen Railway to Voss to hop on a bus to Gudvangen. The cruise was 2 hours long and sailed through the Aurlandsfjord and the UNESCO-protected Nærøyfjord.
For the same type of cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, you can depart from Flam or Gudvangen with the trip taking about 2 hours one way. If you want to return back to where you departed from, you can retrace your steps with the ferry or take a shuttle bus back.
Check the timetables for the cruises here and the shuttle bus schedule and rates here.
About these Norwegian Fjords
Tourists have been traveling around these fjords since the early 19th century. One of the hotels in Flam has actually welcomed English Lords since the early 1800s when they’d sail to the village on their yachts.
While Norway is chock-full of fjords (1190 to be exact), only two are UNESCO-protected, the Nærøyfjord and the Geirangerfjord. The Nærøyfjord is also the narrowest in the entire world, making it one of the most dramatic sceneries in all of Norway. Mountains elevate to nearly 3300 feet above the pure teal waters. At some points, the walls of the fjords close in to only 800 feet wide.
The Future of the Fjords Vessel
Feeling a bit like luxury with this vessel, it’s that beautiful! Not to mention being extremely clean and comfortable (hellooo plush, leather seats). I also appreciated the fully-equipped snack bar offering hot/cold drinks, sandwiches and pastries.
Between floor to ceiling windows, television screens line the walls, mapping out the route and information about nearby villages.
The vessel has multiple plug-ins (ideal for bloggers on the go!) and outdoor walkways representative of steep mountain trails. The viewing decks, located at 3 different levels, are the perfect spots to view the fjords from.
The ferry itself is incredibly environmentally-friendly, fully running on electric and battery power. Keeping speeds below 10 knots at all times, the cruise maintains a perfect pace to enjoy those beautiful sights.
The Fjords Cruise Experience
After getting dropped off in Gudvangen by bus, I wait about an hour to board a ferry with Future of the Fjords.
While every other passenger bee-lines for the front of the ferry, I choose to take a seat at the back. Before departure, I purchase some coffee from the snack bar and settle into my seat. I can’t help marvel over the sights as the ferry pulls away from the port.
The trip from Gudvangen begins in the narrowest part of the fjords with the Nærøyfjord, a UNESCO-protected site.
The fjords begin to open up near Dyrdal where the Nærøyfjord ends. With a 90 degree right turn, the Aurlandsfjord begins.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this deep of blue water before. It was so rich and dark like a black hole, as if it travels for miles and miles under the surface.
After coming around the bend and heading south down the Aurlandsfjord, the ferry passes by the Undredal and Aurlandsvangen villages.
The dramatic views and snowy mountainous scenery is consistent throughout the entire cruise.
With the sun shining and temps mild enough to stand out on the deck, the boat sails past teeny villages. The two hours sailing along the dramatic scenery went quicker than I anticipated. Before I know it, we’re already docking in Flam.
Read More: Visiting Flåm + Riding the Flåmsbana
I finally felt complete after I was able to check a fjords cruise off my bucket list!
A huge thank you to Fjord Norway, Fjord Tours and Visit Flam for collaborating to sponsor my fjord cruise experience.
Read More Scandinavia Travel Posts HereFor more information about booking the Norway in a Nutshell tour, visit the Fjord Tours website here. For inspiration as to why you should visit Flåm, check out their website here!
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