City: Western Norway
Top Things to do in Western Norway
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The 10 Best Things to Do in Western Norway, Norway
Western Norway (Norwegian: Vestlandet, Vest-Norge, Vest-Noreg) is the region along the Atlantic coast of southern Norway. It consists of the counties Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, and Møre og Romsdal. The region has a population of approximately 1.3 million people. The largest city is Bergen and the second-largest is Stavanger. Historically the regions of Agder, Vest-Telemark, Hallingdal, Valdres and northern parts of Gudbrandsdal have been included in Western Norway.
Restaurants in Western Norway
1. Geiranger Fjord
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Flourpower - England
Avoid the shops/harbour area at disembarking and re-embarking times and you will also not get caught up in the hundreds of queuing cruise passengers and tens of buses they use for day trips.
If you get out of gerainger and onto the water or the hills around you lose sight of the large cruise ships that rock each day, then you just cannot beat it. The only good thing about the cruise ships is they give perspective to the magnificent size of the fjord. Wow! Highly recommend a fjord cruise as well as the walk up alongside the little waterfall to the centre/museum about the area and fjords.
We had a car and the drives in and out of Gerainger are a little hairy in terms of hair pin bends and elevation but consequently you get stunningly beautiful views.
2. Kjerag
Overall Ratings
5 based on 431 reviews
Reviewed By Pat F - Toronto, Canada
This will give any outdoor enthusiast a challenging way to spend 5-6 hours! Not a hike...it is a mountain climb with some slopes so steep and rugged you need chains to help.
Physically taxing but breathtaking every step of the way. We stopped after 2 of 3 ascents but if you make it all the way you can have your photo taken standing on a boulder wedged into a crevasse! Photo lineups can be long but worth it.
Overall Ratings
5 based on 138 reviews
Undoubtley, one of the world's most beautiful hikes! Enjoy hours with breathtaking scenery in a fantastic alpine environment, with balcony view to many of the most famous mountain peaks in Norway. Magnificent 365 degrees view from top of the ridge. Easy access from Åndalsnes in Norway. Daily bus service to the start point in Summer, departing every morning from Åndalsnes Train Station. Season Ultimo June - Ultimo September.
Reviewed By James W - Somers, New York
I hiked this trail with my daughter, and we both really enjoyed the stunning views from the ridge. Just spectacular. We were very lucky with the weather however (check the weather reports before starting out). A few tips:
- Take the bus from the Åndalsnes train station to start: you'll want to get away as early as possible to leave yourself plenty of time for hiking, without having to rush things.
- bring enough food + rain gear + especially water!
- It's quite a bit of climbing, and the downhill at the end might take a toll on your knees. Trekking poles are helpful here (although you may want to strap them to your pack for some of the steeper climbs)
- If you have the time, when you first reach the ridge, follow the path out to your left (south-easterly direction) to Blånebba. This part is out-and-back, but it's very nice
- as you can tell from the other reviews, this is not an easy hike, nor for people who are scared of heights. If the weather is bad, you probably shouldn't go.
- Leave plenty of time for taking pictures!!!
4. Trollstigen (Troll's Footpath)
Overall Ratings
5 based on 609 reviews
Reviewed By luli_mama - Brasov, Romania
The road from Alesund up to the visitor center is itself amazing: it goes along the fjord side to Valdal and then up to Andalsnes through beauty and momentousness. Finally, the visitor center is a great achievement: modern architecture, in harmony with nature, platforms to admire the breathtaking view of Mountains, Waterfalls and, of course Trollstigen, twisting and turning down to the valley. To drive on this spectacular road is a mixture of wows and oops, but, in the end you enter the flat area with the regret of ending such a beautiful experience.
5. Geiranger Skywalk - Dalsnibba
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 846 reviews
Reviewed By angeleyes27 - Marlton, New Jersey
We took a Mt Dalsnibba moutain bus trip with Fjordservice to the top of this mountain, reasonably priced. The journey was beautiful as you started at the green fjord with Waterfalls at Geiranger, through green pastures and Waterfalls on this winding road, then through tundra...MoreThank you for your excellent review, angeleyes27! Best regards from the Dalsnibba staff.
6. Trolltunga
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Eli V - Yehud, Israel
The tongue of the troll
A fascinating journey to one of Norway's spectacular natural trails. I and my dear wife will never forget the troll language experience. As a couple who experienced for the first time in his life a walking path with very high difficulty, we remained open-mouthed and have difficulty describing what we experienced at the end of the track. The troll tongue path is a recommended experience for anyone who likes to "tolerate" to see landscapes and sights. This is a very difficult physical track that requires continuous coping with severe increases and a volatile weather. The length of the route is 12 km, but the nice Norwegians do not tell the truth, its length exceeds 30 km. This is because the Norwegians do not count the distance we climb, but only the progress toward the troll tongue.
The route started at 10:00 am (we had to start earlier). The little information we managed to gather did not prepare us for the course optimally. From conversations with other travelers and people we met the beginning is difficult. 2 km of steep stairs that cause you to think more than once to return back pain in the legs and curses in any possible language and endless laughter about our faulty fitness helped us finish the first part, which took us two whole hours exhausted and satisfied knowing that "the hard part "Behind us we continued on a flat path filled with small lakes and Waterfalls, with improvised wooden Bridges used to move from place to place, the air was wonderful and around us, snowy peaks accompanied us, marching vigorously and giggling at the ease of the trail (except for the first 2 km) Extreme weather and another climb ahead of us. The winds were cold and hard, and because we were not ready, the cold was intense. In spite of the situation we tried to swing and we began to march toward the wind. The trail was steep and a little slippery but spectacular in its beauty! All the landscape around us turned to ice, the snowy peaks we saw on the horizon became the route we took. Slowly we advanced on the ice (in a frenzied Penguin walk), on the one hand all frozen and white, on the other, spectacular Waterfalls and turquoise lakes, some of which are frozen. After adapting to walking in the ice and weakening winds the climate changed completely and the landscape as well. A pleasant sun warmed us the reliefs of the landscape located small streams and many basalt stones that formed small rust lakes in places where the flow was not strong. Walking in this part was more convenient but a short time passed and again we challenged our muscles with multiple increases, water from all sides and mud. The route was difficult but the landscape around us did not stop us, amazing lakes and Waterfalls within touching distance, and on the horizon there is a landscape in the colors that only Nature can provide. And again the track changes its face, everything becomes white at the moment and cold winds accompany us along the way. The last part of the route before the desired destination is fraught with ups and downs in the landscape configuration. Many basalt Mountains, streams and Waterfalls and of course ice change quickly. The signs that accompanied us all along indicate that one kilometer is left to end the route. The adrenalin in the body and the desire to reach the troll tongue help us to walk the distance at an uncharacteristic speed. On the far horizon we are already beginning to identify a gathering of travelers and understand that we have arrived. In front of us we see the famous Troll tongue cliff overlooking over the Ringedalsvatnet Lake and a long convoy of people waiting with typical European patience. Everyone waits for the time for him to walk slowly (there were those who wanted, skipped and even walked on their hands) to the tip of the tongue and win the picture. We sat down and watched what was going on, the knowledge that we had to go back all the way back a little, so we did not take too long. And after getting organized, we set out again. The weather became cooler but the landscapes and all the elements of nature that were around us helped us to finish the magical experience we had started in the morning. It is important to note that what we experienced and saw during the course of the route we were able to digest only the next morning.
a little information
* Duration of track: 8-12 hours. * It is recommended to arrive with a car and there is parking at a paid location (55 NIS per day). * Required camera * Bag with food, energy bars, fruit and water (not much water needed to drink from the waterfalls) * Suitable clothing - wool cap Short or long walking shorts, thermal windbreaker. * Sunglasses * No services do everything in nature. * August is the most recommended period of the year.
7. Pulpit Rock
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
Reviewed By Ståle C - Stavanger, Norway
This is a fairly easy hike, and the view when you get to the top is simply breathtaking, and really awarding. This is also one of the locations for the filming of Mission Impossible 6, starring Tom Cruise. Expect an increase in visitors after the film is released. You can get here by own car, or by ferry/bus. PS, even the hike is fairly easy, do remeber good shoes, hiking shoes are ideal. Do not walk this hike on sandals or pumps.....
8. Naeroyfjord
Overall Ratings
5 based on 132 reviews
Reviewed By ianwyj - Singapore
Starting at Gudvangen and ending officially at Beitelen where it meets Aurlandsfjord, Naeroyfjord is approximately eighteen kilometres long and named after the Norse god Njord (god of the sea, and of seafarers). Essentially, it's a branch of the massive Sognefjord but certainly one of the most beautiful and best enjoyed from a cruise or on a hiking trail. No less than a quarter-kilometre wide at its narrowest point, and about a kilometre at its widest, the dramatic views of the fjord are enhanced by the Mountains on either side that rise to about 1400 metres in height. And with stunning vistas and small picturesque villages along most of its length, visitors should have no difficulty understanding why, along with Geiranger Fjord, Naeroyfjord has been inscribed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 381 reviews
Reviewed By Coralie B - London, United Kingdom
My friend and I did this short hike in the end of September as a way to kill a couple of hours being in the area and stuck outside of Bergen because of the cycling races.
We read that it was short and steep hike on google maps and thought that we would give it a try given that we were intending on hiking Trolltunga a couple of days later.
Unfortunately it was raining that day so we were not very lucky with the weather that day and perhaps we would have had a better experience on a sunny day.
I found this trek to be rather difficult - we were not wearing the correct gear and climbed up the 800 or so steps in 50 minutes.
We were being overtaken by several groups of runners whom we later learned were training for an annual race up and down these steps.
We would have perhaps thought that we were doing good timing if not for the constant overtaking!
Once at the top, the trek is very rewarding, the view is beautiful! It was a shame because we got a lot of fog and rain so our pictures probably didn’t come out as well as they would have on a good day.
To go down we took the back road which is a concrete road down (rather than steps again) and got to see a lot more of the forest an several water spots which made for incredible photographic opportunities.
Go prepared - this wasn’t as easy as we’d read!!!
10. Lysefjord
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Kevin H - North Walsham, United Kingdom
Took a small cruise along Lysefjord were our cruise ship could not go, very scenic views along the fjord viewing the pulpit rock from underneath and waterfall, stopping off for waffles and cream, very pleasing trip.
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