Discover Geiranger: Hiking Trails, Waterfalls and Fjord

Geiranger combines hiking experiences at the Storfossen waterfall with a striking mountain road and the Geirangerfjord. When choosing your holiday accommodation, it is therefore worth considering what you have planned for your days: a longer hike, a shorter route by the waterfall, a drive along Ørnevegen, or several different discoveries.

Hiking: Fosseråsa and Fossevandringa

Fosseråsa starts in the centre of Geiranger and ends in the outdoor area of the Norwegian Fjord Centre. In 2019, it became Norway’s first authorised National Tourist Trail. The route is 3.90 kilometres each way, has an elevation gain of 576 metres and is expected to take two hours uphill. These details provide a practical basis for factoring distance, elevation gain and time into your plans for the hiking day.

Fossevandringa follows the Storfossen waterfall and offers another way to experience Geiranger’s waterfall scenery. It is approximately 1.04 kilometres each way, has an elevation gain of 96 metres and is expected to take 20 minutes uphill. A staircase with 327 steps leads to the World Heritage Visitor Centre. Comparing the two hikes lets you weigh up the longer Fosseråsa against the shorter Fossevandringa, which follows Storfossen. The respective distance and elevation details help you plan your hiking day to suit you.

A road with many hairpin bends

Ørnevegen is the steep section of National Road 63 from Geiranger towards Eidsdal. The road winds through 11 hairpin bends from the Geirangerfjord to the route’s highest point at Korsmyra, 620 metres above sea level. This makes the road one of the notable features of the drive in this direction. If you would also like to explore Geiranger by road, you can consider a holiday apartment as a base for days with different focuses: walking one of the trails or travelling along the winding road.

With a small electric car from eMobility, visitors can explore Geiranger and the World Heritage area independently and at their own pace. This is another way to make your stay about more than just a hike. Which activities you combine depends on whether you want to get around on foot or explore the area by electric car.

Fjord scenery and viewpoints

The Geirangerfjord is a 20-kilometre-long branch of the Storfjord between Hellesylt and Geiranger, and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the West Norwegian Fjords. It is considered one of the most beautiful fjords in the world. Flydalsjuvet is located about four kilometres from the centre of Geiranger, on Road 63 towards Grotli. There are upper and lower viewpoints, connected by a walking path. Visiting the viewpoints offers a different way to discover the scenery than hiking along Storfossen.

Church and fjord centre

Geiranger Church is also one of the village’s distinctive buildings. Built in 1842, the octagonal wooden church was designed by Hans Klipe and has 120 seats. Its octagonal shape and building material set it apart from the waterfalls and roads that feature in many explorations of Geiranger. For those who want to include architectural history in their trip alongside nature and outdoor activities, it offers another cultural point of interest.

The Norwegian Fjord Centre has a café serving light meals and a shop specialising in sustainable Norwegian products. This adds a visit featuring local products and a meal to the range of possible activities. When choosing where to stay, you can focus on what appeals to you: the longer hike on Fosseråsa, the route along Storfossen, the viewpoints at Flydalsjuvet, or a visit to the church and fjord centre.

For other destinations, you can also visit Liabygda, Stranda and Hellesylt.

Back to the main travel overview: Stranda.