Briksdalsbre: Glacier and trails in Briksdalen

The Briksdalsbreen descends into the lush, narrow Briksdalen, shaping the character of this destination. You can explore the landscape on foot or plan a Trollbil ride as a visit in its own right. The different routes and options give you a concrete basis for shaping your glacier visit around your interests.

Glacier and valley in Jostedalsbreen National Park

The Briksdalsbreen is a western arm of the Jostedalsbreen glacier and part of Jostedalsbreen National Park. It extends from an altitude of 1,910 metres almost down to Briksdalsvatnet at 350 metres. From an altitude of 1,200 metres, it descends into the narrow Briksdalen, which the glacier has shaped over thousands of years. The glacier, water and the landscape shaped by them are therefore at the heart of a visit to the valley.

The history of the glacier front is also part of the picture at Briksdalsbreen. After 2000, it retreated rapidly; by autumn 2007, it no longer reached the lake. This timeline describes a change that took place during that period. Kleivafossen is also a prominent landmark along the path over the bridge to Briksdalsbreen.

On foot through forest and glacier scenery

For a hike through the valley towards Briksdalsbreen, the Keisar-Wilhelms-sti is now used exclusively for outdoor recreation and hiking. The route is classified as easy (green) and is therefore considered manageable for most people. If you would rather spend your time on a circular hike, a path on the south side of the river makes it possible to walk a loop through lush forest and open glacier scenery. These routes offer different ways to experience the valley: a hike towards the glacier or a loop with changing landscape views.

For orientation at the upper end, the distance to the lake is useful: from the endpoint at Kleivane, it is about 500 metres on foot to the lake by Briksdalsbreen. Take this distance into account when planning to visit on foot. This makes it easier to decide whether to hike or combine your visit with a Trollbil ride.

Through Briksdalen by Trollbil

The Trollbil departs from Briksdal and travels through beautiful natural scenery alongside waterfalls and rapids in Briksdalen. A round trip takes about 1.5 hours and includes a stop at the upper endpoint. The ride therefore combines the journey through the valley with a stay at this endpoint. Ramps at the starting point in Briksdal and the endpoint in Kleivane make it easier to get on and off the Trollbil.

If you are weighing up different ways to visit, you can consider the hiking trails and Trollbil ride as separate options or include them in your day's plans. For a stay focused on Briksdalsbreen, the glacier scenery, valley trails and ride past waterfalls and rapids offer different points of interest. Briksdalsbre Fjellstove has welcomed tourists and guests from around the world for more than 140 years.

Briksdalsbre as a destination when searching for a holiday apartment

If you want to make the glacier and experiences in Briksdalen the focus of your trip, you can choose Briksdalsbre as your holiday-apartment search destination. When planning, consider whether you mainly want to hike, take the circular route through forest and glacier scenery, or include the Trollbil ride. This decision will help you determine how much of your stay to devote to visiting the valley.

Discover other places

More destination pages to help plan your trip: Blaksæter, Loen, Hjelle, Stryn, Innvik, Olden, Utvik, Oppstryn.

Back to the main travel overview: Stryn.