Is it worth visiting Geiranger Norway?
Are you planning a trip to Norway and wondering if it’s worth visiting Geiranger? In this blog post, we share our experience spending two nights in Geiranger as part of a longer 12 day Norway road trip.
Before we get started, I think it’s important to point out that Geiranger is a village. It is located on the eastern edge of Geirangerfjord, one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway.
It’s likely you will visit both Geirangerfjord and Geiranger, especially if you arrive by boat or cruise ship. However, if you are on a Norway road trip, it’s possible that you only briefly visit the village.
Regardless, we highly recommend you visit Geirangerfjord. As does everyone who visits this part of Norway. There’s good reason why this world-famous fjord is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Geirangerfjord is often considered the jewel in Norway’s crown of fjords.
Geiranger Village
Geiranger is one of the most famous fjord villages in Norway. It’s also a port town for large cruise ships (more on that below). Norwegian fjords cruises are very popular in the summer and most Norway cruises include stops in Flam, Olden and/or Geiranger.
Because of this, the town of Geiranger does get busy with tourists.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, if you visit, you are also a tourist. But it is something to keep in mind. You will not be alone during the day, especially in the busy summer travel season.
Although, if you choose to spend a night or two in Geiranger, you will notice that the village gets much quieter in the evening.
The waterfront village is small. It has a few tourist shops, restaurants and hotels, and that’s about it.
However, there are plenty of things to do in Geiranger and the surrounding area, so staying here makes sense. More on that below.
Related post: Should you rent a car in Norway? Tips for driving in Norway
Things to do in Geiranger, Norway
There are plenty of things to do in Geiranger. However, the star attraction is Geirangerfjord. The west Norwegian fjord landscapes are spectacular. This is the reason why you visit this part of Norway.
Visitors can witness the beauty of the Geirangerfjord a number of ways, by land or sea. What you do will depend on how much time you have, and what interests you.
If you like exercise, you might consider hiking to one of the mountain viewpoints and waterfalls. Or you might want to kayak up and down the fjord to see its famous waterfalls and steep rocky cliffs.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for something a little more relaxed, you might want to visit the Norwegian Fjord Centre or take a shuttle to one of the lookout points, like Flydalsjuvet and/or Dalsnibba.
The top Geiranger attractions and activities are:
How many days to spend in Geirangerfjord?
Most people plan to spend a day or two in Geiranger. However, if you’re visiting while on a Norway cruise, you may only have a few hours.
Because of this, you will need to be selective with what you do. You can’t do everything. And, there’s a good chance you will experience rain and/or overcast weather. Regardless of the time of year.
If you plan to visit the 3 famous viewpoints (Dalsnibba, Flydalsjuvet and Ornesvingen) and it’s raining (this is what happened to us), you may need an alternative plan. See our photo from Flydalsjuvet below.
During our visit, we did the Waterfall Walk to Norwegian Fjord Centre, zipline at Explore Geiranger, and the RIB Fjordsafari. It was a fun-filled day.
We arrived in the evening, so our first night was spent exploring the village and having dinner. We did the activities the following day, and departed the next morning. So, technically we only had one full day in Geiranger, with two nights at Havila Hotel Geiranger.
RIB Fjord safari Geirangerfjord
We did the RIB Fjordsafari to see the famous waterfalls. In our opinion, this is the best way to experience the beauty of Geirangerfjord.
The inflatable boats are small, which allows them to get much closer to the waterfalls.
The RIB-boat trip departs from the port in Geiranger and takes to three famous waterfalls – Bringefossen, The Seven Sisters, and Friaren (The Suitor).
The tour is about an hour. A guide shares stories and points of interests, including the remote mountain farms that sit high above the water on the top of cliffs.
On our tour, we saw several harbour porpoises and large fish breaching. It’s definitely worth visiting Geiranger to witness the stunning fjord landscapes.
More info on the RIB Fjord safari here.
You can book tours online, which is recommended. However, if you want to book a last minute tour, you can purchase tickets at the waterfront village.
If a cruise ship is in port, you might find that tours are sold out. To avoid missing out on this unique adventure, it’s best to book tickets ahead of time.
Above photo – guests returning from the RIB fjord safari tour.
As you can see, the boats are small. I believe about a dozen people per boat (I don’t remember exactly).
You can book RIB tours here, in the building pictured above. It’s located near the Geiranger cruise ship terminal.
However, we went straight to the main dock at the waterfront to check-in for the tour. You will see the inflatable boats docked here.
The company has a trailer to get fitted with the waterproof suits and personal floatation devices. It’s a small pier, so you should easily locate the RIB tour operator.
The water was so calm and peaceful during our RIB tour of Geirangerfjord.
That’s the Seven Sisters waterfalls in the distance. Surprisingly, this 410 metres (1,350 feet) tall waterfall is only the 39th tallest waterfall in Norway.
In case you were wondering, Vinnufossen is the tallest waterfall in Norway at 845 metres (2,772 feet). It’s one of the tallest waterfalls in Europe and the eighth-tallest in the world.
Watch this short video of the waterfalls from the RIB tour.
Wide-angle view of the Seven Sisters waterfalls at Geirangerfjord, Norway.
The small boat gets so close to the waterfalls that you can touch the water!
Skageflå mountain farm
Another popular thing to do in Geiranger is hiking to the historic fjord farm Skagefla. There are a few different mountain farms in Geirangerfjord, but this one is the most popular.
Skagefla farm is abandoned now. The old goat farm is a collection of moss-covered wooden homes that sit on a mountain ledge that overlooks the fjord and waterfalls.
We spotted the farm while on the RIB fjord safari tour. Our guide pointed it out and shared stories about when people used to live there.
Can you spot the small mountain farm in the above photo? Look up!
Could you live in a remote house that sits on a cliff’s edge? The views must be spectacular, but it would be hard living.
Apparently, the trail entrance to reach the farm is on the waterfront. To get supplies, you would need to hike up the mountain with the supplies on your back. I bet you’d stay in great shape if this was your daily routine!
Can you see the face in the side of the mountain in the above photo?
This mountain is called Adinibba.
Waterfall Walk in Geiranger
The Waterfall Walk is probably the most popular thing to do in Geiranger. This unique trail offers a close-up experience with one of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls, the Storfossen (Geiranger Waterfall).
The trail begins at the waterfront and makes it way up to the Norwegian Fjord Centre and the Hotel Union. Or vice versa.
The trail runs parallel to the Geiranger River, allowing you to walk alongside a series of powerful waterfalls. There’s a good chance you will get sprayed from the waterfalls on this walk.
The Waterfall Walk is generally considered easy to moderate in difficulty. The 327 steps are well-kept, and handrails are provided in steeper sections. While there is some elevation gain, the path is suitable for most people.
Apparently, it took over 20 years to complete this trail. I can see why. It’s an impressive network of stairs and bridges that connect you with the town’s natural beauty. I would argue that it’s one of the reasons why it’s worth visiting Geiranger.
The Waterfall Walk has bridges that cross Geiranger River and it’s waterfalls.
You don’t want to fall in this powerful river!
Norwegian Fjord Centre (Norsk Fjordsenter)
At the top of the Waterfall Walk is the Norwegian Fjord Center. This is the visitor and education hub for the West Norwegian Fjords and Geirangerfjord World Heritage Site.
The centre highlights why the Geirangerfjord and the surrounding fjords were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This bridge is a part of the Waterfall Walk. It crosses the river before reaching the entrance to the Norwegian Fjord Centre.
Geiranger Zipline Park
If you’re looking for some adrenaline pumping action, check out the zipline course at Explore Geiranger. The Dynamite Waterfall Zipline Park is Norway’s first double zipline.
This treetop adventure zigzags across the river and gorge, while passing right beside Dynamite Waterfall.
It’s not a big course, but it’s a fun activity if the weather cooperates. If you ask our son, he thinks the zipline park is the reason it’s worth visiting Geiranger. This was his first time ziplining, so he was pretty excited.
You can see a bit of the course in this short reel we posted on Instagram.
Note – the zipline course is only open in the summer months.
Above is one of the treetop ziplines in Geiranger. The parallel course means two people can zipline together at the same time.
The park also has a Via Ferreta course. The course traverses along the Geiranger river. You cross small wooden bridges and cables as you climb up the side of the rock face.
Where is the best view in Geiranger?
There are three popular viewpoints in Geiranger – Dalsnibba, Flydalsjuvet and Ornesvingen.
All of these viewing platforms are easily accessible with no hiking involved. Of course, if you’re looking for epic views while hiking, there are countless locations that offer stunning views of Geirangerfjord.
The most spectacular view is the Geiranger Skywalk at Dalsnibba. At 1,500 metres high, this is Europe’s highest fjord views from a road.
The drive from the waterfront in Geiranger to Dalsnibba is about 30 minutes. The windy road has several hairpin turns and pullouts so you can stop and enjoy the stunning landscapes. It’s part of the adventure!
We’re told that these views alone are worth visiting Geiranger. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to witness the views during our visit. The weather did not cooperate. It rained on the way down to Geiranger when we arrived, and also on the way back up when we left.
Prepare yourself for rainy weather when visiting Norway.
Flydalsjuvet viewpoint
Behold – the stunning views from Flydalsjuvet! Whomp whomp.
We crossed our fingers that the bad weather would pass on the morning that we left Geiranger. As you can see, our visit to Flydalsjuvet was underwhelming.
This viewpoint has an upper and lower platform that are linked by a walkway. A popular attraction here is the Fjordsetet (The Fjord Seat). It’s an art installation where you can get a fun photo while sitting on a chair that overlooks the fjord.
Flydalsjuvet viewpoint is one of the stops on the Geiranger Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour.
Fjord cruise on Geirangerfjord
Taking a boat cruise on the fjord is a must. If you’re on a road trip, you can take the car ferry from Hellesylt to Geiranger.
The ferry takes about an hour and passes The Seven Sisters and The Suitor waterfalls, as well as the historic Skageflå farm.
We did not take this ferry because we were coming from Briksdalsbreen in Jostedalsbreen National Park. By the time we left the park, it would have been too late to catch the ferry. Plus, we read that you need to book reservations ahead of time, which we did not do.
If you plan to take this ferry, it’s wise to research ferry departure times and reservations.
If you don’t have a vehicle, you can walk on the boat. Or, you can join a private fjord cruise that departs from Geiranger.
Experiencing Geirangerfjord from the water makes it worth visiting Geiranger.
Is Geiranger walkable?
Prior to visiting, we did some research to learn about things to do in Geiranger. Many of the activities appeared to be close to the waterfront village, which is where our hotel is located (the big white building in the above photo).
While most Geiranger attractions are close to the waterfront, it’s important to note that the town is built on the side of mountain. So, while distances may appear close, you will be walking up and down a lot of stairs or steep roads.
We had a vehicle because we were on a Norway road trip. If you are planning to do a similar road trip, you won’t have issues visiting the nearby attractions, like Dalsnibba or Flydalsjuvet.
However, if you are visiting as part of a Norway cruise, you will likely need to organize transportation if you want to explore beyond the waterfront area.
Where to stay in Geiranger Norway
There are a few hotels in Geiranger and several vacation rentals available. It’s a small town, so hotel rooms can (and likely will) book up fast during the summer. It’s best to make reservations ahead of time, to avoid disappointment.
We stayed at Havila Hotel Geiranger – picture above. It’s a nice hotel and we would recommend it.
The other popular hotels are: Hotel Union Geiranger, Grande Fjord Hotel and Utsikten Hotel.
If you’re visiting with a campervan, or you plan to tent camp, there are several campgrounds in Geiranger. A few are in the town, near the waterfront. And a few are located outside the town. Many of these campgrounds have simple cabins available to rent.
Here is a list of Geiranger campgrounds:
- Geiranger Camping (located in the village on the water)
- Vinje Camping (located in the upper level – near Hotel Union)
- Fossen Camping (rustic cabins with nice views)
- Hole Hytteutleige (cabins available)
- Solhaug Fjordcamping & Homlong Camping (cabins available – waterfront views)
- Geirangerfjorden Feriesenter (near Ørnevegen)
- Dalen Gaard Familiecamping (located outside of town, closer to Dalsnibba)
For short-term vacation rentals, we typically book with VRBO.
View inside our room at Havila Hotel Geiranger.
Most rooms do not come with 2 x queen/double beds. They are typically one queen/double bed PLUS a sofa pull out bed.
This room is a little cozy for a family of four. But it’s clean and comfortable. And you can’t beat the location!
Above is a photo of the breakfast buffet at Havila Hotel Geiranger.
The breakfast buffets in Norway are awesome. Almost every hotel we stayed at put out a fantastic spread, including cheese, meats and fish, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, yougurt, cereal, freshly baked bread and pastries, juice, coffee, tea, etc. It’s a great way to start the day!
Eating at restaurants in Norway is expensive. Therefore, having the breakfast buffet included with the hotel room significantly reduces food costs. After a big breakfast, we typically didn’t eat again until dinner.
Hotel Union Geiranger is conveniently located near Norwegian Fjord Centre and the Waterfall Walk trail.
Where to eat in Geiranger Norway
There are a few places to eat in Geiranger, but not many. Your best option is to head to the village near the waterfront. Some of the restaurants are seasonal, so they may be temporarily closed during the off-season.
If you’re looking for a nice dining option, check out Brasserie Posten and/or Olebuda Restaurant.
For casual dining, check out Berserk Bar & Grill, Naustkroa Restaurant, and/or Friaren Bistro.
The town also has a few cafes and markets, like Geiranger Sjokolade Fjordnær (photo below) and Joker Geiranger grocery store.
Also, the hotels mentioned above have dining options available. If you’re staying at Grande Fjord Hotel, check out Restaurant Hyskje.
Cheers! We enjoyed these refreshing beers on a waterfront patio. The views are stunning. Every where you turn there’s a mountain and waterfalls.
Norway Cruise Ships in Geirangerfjord
Geiranger village of is one of the busiest ports for Norwegian fjords cruises.
The ‘Fjords of Western Norway’ are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so they get a lot of attention from tourists.
I must admit, when I first saw this giant cruise ship arrive in Geiranger, it felt out of place.
Geiranger is a small village. When a cruise ship arrives, thousands of passengers take over the town. I’ve read that Geiranger receives approx. 700,000 tourists annually (potentially as high as 900k).
For perspective – the population of Geiranger is 250 people.
This UNESCO World Heritage site is under considerable tourist pressure, with cruise ships making daily stops at the village. Google tells me that Geirangerfjord receives over 180 cruise ship visiting the port every year. That’s a lot of tourists visiting this small town at the same time.
It’s easy to understand why local residents are frustrated by the volume of tourists that arrive between June to September. The roads are not built for such a high volume of vehicle traffic and pedestrians walking in the middle of the road. It’s a lot of strain on the town’s infrastructure.
The flip side is that these Norway cruise ships help the local economy.
However, for this to hold true, it’s important that cruise passengers spend money in the port town. Keep this in mind if you plan to visit Geiranger on a Norway cruise.
Take an organized tour. Buy a souvenir from the gift shop. Have a nice lunch at a restaurant. Visit the museum and art gallery. And, most importantly, respect the people and land.
Can you walk into Geiranger from a cruise ship?
Yes, the Geiranger cruise ship terminal is in the town. A large bridge connects the ship to the mainland.
You can easily walk from the ship to village shops and restaurants. Most tours will depart from the docks in the marina or the main parking lot where the buses are parked.
The above photo is taken from the village. You can see how close the ship is docked. I believe that building with the green awning is part of the Geiranger cruise ship terminal.
Below are a few more photos of Geiranger.
Perspective. The steep cliffs tower over the village below.
This village is located at the bottom of Ornevegen (aka The Eagle Road), northwest of Geiranger village. We captured this photo while on the RIB tour.
Of course, we had to take the obligatory photo with the giant troll statue. It’s a thing in Norway. Especially when you’re on a road tip.
Read more blog posts from our trip to Norway:
Are you planning a Norway trip? Do you think it’s worth visiting Geiranger?
Leave a comment below if you have questions. We’ll do our best to answer.