Geiranger: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Geiranger is a village of a few hundred people at the end of a 15 km arm of the fjord, and it is one of the busiest cruise ports in Norway. The best of it is vertical: in less than 20 km the road climbs from sea level to almost 1,500 metres, from fruit trees to snow. This route walks the village in the morning and then drives up to Dalsnibba. It can be warm by the water and freezing on the top on the same day, so carry a real jacket.

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A short history of Geiranger

Geiranger is a small village at the end of a long, narrow fjord surrounded by cliffs. For centuries families lived on farms built on high ledges above the water, which could be reached only by ladders and steep paths, and most of them were abandoned in the 20th century. In 1889 the first road linking the village to the valleys above opened, and in the same years tourist ships began to arrive, among them the yacht of the German Emperor Wilhelm II. In 1955 the "Eagle Road" opened on the northern slope. In 2005 the fjord, together with the Nærøyfjord, was declared a World Heritage Site.

The ten best sights in Geiranger

1
Geiranger Church
The small white church above the harbour; the view from its churchyard is one of the best free ones in the village
2
Norsk Fjordsenter
Start here to understand the fjord, its farms and its rockslides; reach it on foot by the riverside stairs
3
Hotel Union and Union Oldtimer
A historic family hotel with a collection of vintage cars in the basement; open to non-guests
4
Skageflå
An abandoned farm on a ledge high above the fjord; reach it by boat and a steep path, or walk down from above
5
Knivsflå
The farm right under the Seven Sisters; seen best from the ferry, and reached only by boat and a steep climb
6
Dalsnibba
Go up early or late, before or after the coaches; if the summit is in cloud, wait an hour, it often clears
7
Flydalsjuvet
The classic view down the fjord, a few minutes above the village; park at the lower viewpoint and walk
8
Ørnesvingen
The top bend of the Eagle Road; stop on the way up, the parking is on the uphill side
9
Seven Sisters
Best seen from the fjord ferry or a kayak; after a dry spell in late summer only a few of the streams run
10
Brudesløret
The Bridal Veil fall on the north shore, opposite the Seven Sisters; look for it as the ferry passes

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Geiranger →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Geiranger:

Free walking tours in Geiranger

From the harbour to the snow

Geiranger harbour · In 2005 UNESCO listed the Geirangerfjord, together with the Nærøyfjord, as a World Heritage Site for its steep walls and waterfalls. On a summer day several cruise ships can anchor here at once, though fewer than a thousand people live in the whole valley.
Geiranger Church · The octagonal wooden church was built in 1842, replacing an older church on the same spot. Its eight sides were a common design in Norway at the time, because they let a small building hold a larger congregation.
Norsk Fjordsenter · The centre explains the real danger of the fjords: whole mountainsides falling into the water. In 1934 a rockslide into the Tafjord, just north of here, raised a wave that killed 40 people, and today the cracking slope of Åkerneset in the next fjord is watched day and night.
Storseterfossen · The path climbs from Vesterås farm through the forest to a waterfall that falls over an overhang, so the trail passes right behind the curtain of water. It is the only big fall around Geiranger you can walk behind.
Djupvasshytta · The lodge stands beside the lake Djupvatnet at about 1,000 metres, where the ice often stays until June. Here the toll road to Dalsnibba leaves the main road, which continues over the mountains towards Lom.
Dalsnibba · The road to the top opened in 1939 and climbs to the viewpoint at about 1,500 metres, the highest fjord view in Europe reachable by road. From the platform at the edge, Geiranger and its cruise ships lie almost straight below.

The fjord by water

From the road you only see Geiranger from above; to understand it you have to be on the water. The ferry to Hellesylt passes the famous waterfalls and the farms on the ledges, places that were lived in until the 20th century and could only be reached by boat. The crossing takes about an hour each way, or longer by kayak or sightseeing boat. On deck it is windy and cool even in summer, so take a warm layer.

Skageflå · The farm sits on a ledge about 250 metres above the water, under a cliff, and the only way up from the boat landing is a steep path. The story told in the valley is that the farmers pulled up the ladder on the path when the tax collector came.
Seven Sisters · The seven streams fall side by side down the south wall of the fjord. The legend says they are seven sisters dancing down the mountain, and the lone waterfall opposite, Friaren, 'the Suitor', is the young man who tried to win one of them.
Knivsflå · The farm stands on a narrow shelf right beside the Seven Sisters. Families lived here for generations, and the story often told is that small children were tied with a rope while they played, so they would not fall over the edge.
Brudesløret · In the same legend, the Suitor was turned down by every sister and took to drinking, and the shape of his waterfall is said to be a bottle. Brudesløret, the Bridal Veil, is the veil he hoped to give his bride.
Geirangerfjord · The fjord was carved by glaciers that cut far below today's sea level, and its walls rise straight from water that is several hundred metres deep. That is why ships the size of apartment blocks can sail right to the head of it.
Hellesylt · A waterfall runs right through the middle of the village, under the road bridge, down to the ferry quay. Hellesylt lies at the mouth of the fjord facing Åkerneset, and it has warning sirens in case the unstable mountainside ever falls.

The Eagle Road to Trollstigen

North of Geiranger two of the most famous roads in Norway follow one another: the Eagle Road climbing out of the village and Trollstigen dropping into the Romsdal valley. Between them lie a short ferry, the strawberry farms of Valldal and a roaring gorge. It is about 80 km and half a day each way with stops. Both roads close in winter and are narrow with hairpins, so drive slowly and let the buses go first on the bends.

Ørnesvingen · The Eagle Road climbs out of Geiranger in 11 hairpin bends, and it opened in 1955. Ørnesvingen, the eagle bend, is the highest of them, about 600 metres above the fjord, with the whole of the Geirangerfjord and the Seven Sisters in view.
Eidsdal ferry · The ferry across the Norddalsfjord is the link between the two famous roads, and the crossing to Linge takes only about ten minutes. Before the roads were built, these fjords were the only highways, and every farm had its own boat.
Valldal · Valldal is known across Norway for its strawberries, which ripen slowly in the long, light summer days and are famously sweet. The village holds a strawberry festival every summer, and in July stalls line the road.
Gudbrandsjuvet · The river has cut a gorge only a few metres wide and some 20 to 25 metres deep, and steel walkways now hang right over it. The legend says a man called Gudbrand leapt across it with a bride he had carried off from a wedding, escaping the guests who chased him.
Trollstigen · King Haakon VII opened the road in 1936 after eight years of work. It drops in 11 hairpin bends down a near-vertical valley wall, beside the waterfall Stigfossen.
Trollstigen visitor centre · The angular visitor centre and viewing platforms at the top were designed by the Norwegian architects Reiulf Ramstad and finished in 2012. The platforms hang out over the edge, so you look straight down the full ladder of bends.

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Getting to Geiranger and getting around

Geiranger ferry quay · The car ferry to Hellesylt sails the whole fjord in about an hour; in summer book the car a day or two ahead
Hellesylt ferry terminal · The other end of the fjord ferry; from here the road continues towards Ålesund and the coast
Eidsdal ferry · The short crossing to Linge on the way to Trollstigen; ferries run often, no booking needed

Cheap eats in Geiranger

Geiranger is small and Norway is expensive, so a quick lunch here means a waffle, a bowl of soup or a pizza by the harbour. Most cafés open with the cruise season and close when it ends, from roughly May to September. Buy picnic food at the supermarket before driving up the mountain roads, where there is little on offer.

Café Olé · Coffee, waffles and cakes by the harbour, about 50-120 NOK
Geiranger Sjokolade · Handmade chocolates and hot chocolate, about 40-120 NOK
Olebuda · Soup, fish and lunch plates by the water, about 200-350 NOK
Brasserie Posten · Pizza and burgers in the old post office, about 250-350 NOK
Geiranger Bryggeri · Local beer and bar food, about 120-300 NOK
Joker Geiranger · Supermarket picnic, about 100-200 NOK
Djupvasshytta · Waffles and soup at the lake on the way to Dalsnibba, about 80-250 NOK

Museums in Geiranger

Norsk Fjordsenter · Fjord farms, rockslides and the UNESCO story
Union Oldtimer · Vintage cars and old hotel memorabilia at Hotel Union
Geiranger Church · An octagonal wooden church from 1842
Skageflå · Abandoned ledge farm high over the fjord
Knivsflå · Farm under the Seven Sisters, seen from the ferry

Nature and day trips near Geiranger

Dalsnibba · The highest road viewpoint over the fjord
Seven Sisters · Seven waterfalls side by side, best from the ferry
Flydalsjuvet · The classic view down the fjord
Storseterfossen · Walk behind a waterfall
Gudbrandsjuvet · Narrow gorge with walkways over the river
Trollstigen · Eleven hairpins down a mountain wall

Things to do in Geiranger with kids

Geiranger ferry · An hour on deck past waterfalls
Geirangerfjorden Feriesenter · Rent a kayak or small boat on the calm fjord
Norsk Fjordsenter · Films and models about life on the fjord
Dalsnibba · Snowballs in summer at the top
Valldal · Strawberries straight from the farm in July

Where to eat in Geiranger

Hotel Union restaurant · Buffet or set dinner in the grand old hotel above the village
Olebuda · Fish and local dishes in a boathouse-style restaurant
Brasserie Posten · Relaxed dinner on the harbour front
Grande Fjord Hotel · Dinner on the shore with the fjord in front
Hotell Utsikten · Dinner with the view from Flydalsjuvet
Vesterås gard · Farm restaurant high above the village, at the start of the Storseterfossen path
Geiranger Bryggeri · Local craft beer and simple food

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Frequently asked questions about Geiranger

What is there to see in Geiranger?

The top sights in Geiranger are Geiranger Church, Norsk Fjordsenter and Hotel Union and Union Oldtimer. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Geiranger?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Geiranger without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Geiranger?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Geiranger, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: From the harbour to the snow.

How do you get to Geiranger and get around?

The main ways are Geiranger ferry quay, Hellesylt ferry terminal and Eidsdal ferry. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Geiranger, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Geiranger that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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