For twenty years, players have wandered the mountains and fjords of Azeroth. In Kvinnherad, Norway, some of them are real.
At Nordrepollen, the screen is the smallest part of the view.
From the fjord, the road climbs into the mountains. Every bend changes the landscape.
Up at Lake Møsevatnet, the fjord is gone. Only rock, water and glacier remain.
A screen shows you the view. It can't give you the cold air or the silence between the peaks. Stand here once, and you'll see why the players felt at home.
For more than twenty years, millions of players have explored the fantasy world of Azeroth in the online game World of Warcraft. Now a new series has found the real-life Mount Hyjal and Loch Modan in Kvinnherad, on the Hardangerfjord in western Norway.
World of Warcraft, launched by Blizzard Entertainment in 2004, divides Azeroth into zones, each with its own landscape of mountains, forests, lakes and fjords. Few places have embraced the game like the Nordic countries.
To mark the launch of World of Warcraft: Forever on 4 November 2026, Blizzard sent a custom-built camper packed with gaming PCs across Scandinavia. The series, The Forever Journey, set out to find real landscapes that could have come straight out of Azeroth.
In Norway, the search led to Kvinnherad, a municipality on the southern shores of the Hardangerfjord, less than two hours from Bergen by express boat. Two very different places were chosen: Nordrepollen, at the end of a narrow fjord arm, and Lake Møsevatnet, high in the mountains below the Folgefonna glacier.
Blizzard Entertainment has described the fjords, mountains and coastline as more than a beautiful backdrop, with every landscape feeling as if it belongs in Azeroth.
On board for the Norwegian leg were comedian and presenter Stian Blipp and Twitch streamers Snupy and Guzu. They set up in the camper and played World of Warcraft with the real thing right outside the window.
"You don't necessarily expect to recognise that kind of world when you step outside at home in Norway. Then you arrive somewhere like this, with the mountains, the water and the sheer scale of everything, and suddenly the connection makes complete sense," says Stian Blipp.
Nordrepollen was chosen for its likeness to Mount Hyjal, the mountain region that is home to the World Tree, Nordrassil. The small village sits where the Maurangerfjord ends, with a handful of farms between the water and steep mountainsides that plunge straight into the fjord.
If you arrive from the Hardangerfjord through the Jondal Tunnel, this is where you come out. From the village, a road climbs to Jukla power station, where a three-hour return hike leads to Botnabreen glacier in Folgefonna National Park. For an easier walk, Lake Bondhusvatnet near Sundal is close by.
For Snupy, the landscape brought back several zones at once, including Howling Fjord and Grizzly Hills.
"The landscape in Norway changes so dramatically that you can turn a corner and feel like you've entered a different zone. The misty water, the steep green cliffs, that wild Nordic feel. Being Norwegian, those places in the game have always felt a bit like home," says Snupy.
Møsevatnet was chosen for its likeness to Loch Modan, one of the game's original zones. Loch Modan is known for the Stonewrought Dam, and Møsevatnet is dammed too. The lake lies in the Blådalen valley in the south of Kvinnherad, surrounded by bare rock and open mountain, with an arm of Folgefonna, Norway's third-largest glacier, close by.
In summer, you can paddle across the lake towards the ice on a glacier kayak tour with Folgefonni Breførarlag. The full-day tour starts in Rosendal.
"Definitely go see Møsevatnet! It was incredible," says Snupy.
All three guests describe something no screen can capture. For Snupy, it comes down to the senses:
"Games are great at showing you big views, but they can't give you the cold on your face or how silent it gets when you're surrounded by mountains and water."
For Stian Blipp, it is about scale:
"There is something about wild nature that you just can't replicate. Not in a painting, not in a game or a fairytale. The sheer size of it all makes you feel small in the best kind of way."
The two locations are in different parts of Kvinnherad, so plan for more than one day if you want to see both. Rosendal is a good base, and you can reach it on the Hardangerfjord Express from Bergen.
Nordrepollen is on the county road through Mauranger and is accessible all year round. Coming from the Hardangerfjord, drive through the Jondal Tunnel.
Lake Møsevatnet is about 25 kilometres up the Blådalen valley from Omvikdalen. The road is a toll road, and the final stretch is a service road past Blåfalli power station. Parking by the lake is limited, and the season runs from June to October. Until 2031, the road may close for short periods due to construction work at the dam, so check with Kvinnherad tourist information before you go.
Places to stay include the historic Hotel Sundal in Mauranger and Baroniet Rosendal, Scandinavia's smallest castle. For more ideas, see unique places to stay in Hardanger.
The guests' advice for the road:
"Go hiking around the fjords and mountains, and bring good boots, binoculars and a camera! Take your time, and make sure to try some of the seafood. I can recommend the blue mussels," says Guzu.
"Ask the locals where the good places are. They are eager to show you exactly why this is the place they settled down," says Stian Blipp.
Guzu says he is definitely coming back. Stian Blipp already wants to bring his friends for what he calls "a big old adventure". Hardanger has plenty of fjords and mountains to start with.
The Forever Journey is a World of Warcraft series filmed across Scandinavia. Episode 1 is set in Norway and features Stian Blipp, Snupy and Guzu. World of Warcraft: Forever launched on 4 November 2026.
Blizzard's announcement: Carve a new path with World of Warcraft: Forever
The Norwegian episode of The Forever Journey was filmed in Kvinnherad, on the Hardangerfjord in western Norway. The production used two locations: Nordrepollen, a small village at the end of the Maurangerfjord, and Lake Møsevatnet in the Blådalen valley, below the Folgefonna glacier.
Nordrepollen in Kvinnherad was chosen for its likeness to Mount Hyjal, the mountain region home to the World Tree, Nordrassil. Lake Møsevatnet, also in Kvinnherad, was chosen for its likeness to Loch Modan, one of the game's original zones, known for the Stonewrought Dam. Like Loch Modan, Møsevatnet is a dammed lake surrounded by mountains.
World of Warcraft: Forever is a new, permanent version of World of Warcraft, set in a reimagined take on the original Azeroth. It launched on 4 November 2026. To mark the launch, Blizzard created The Forever Journey, a series that travels across Scandinavia in search of real landscapes that resemble the game world.
Nordrepollen is on the county road through Mauranger and can be reached all year round, for example through the Jondal Tunnel from the Hardangerfjord. Lake Møsevatnet is about 25 kilometres into the Blådalen valley from Omvikdalen, on a toll road. Without a car, the Hardangerfjord Express runs from Bergen to Rosendal in under two hours.
Nordrepollen can be visited all year round. Lake Møsevatnet is in the high mountains, and the season runs from June to October. Glacier kayak tours on the lake run from 1 July to mid-September, depending on when the ice melts. To see both places, visit in summer or early autumn.
According to the production, Norway has had the third-highest search interest in World of Warcraft worldwide over the past three years, behind only Denmark and Sweden.
The Folgefonn Center is connected to the Folgefonna National Park. It includes modern, interactive exhibitions on topics such as geology, climate, the water cycle, and life in the Hardangerfjord. The Folgefonn center is easy to reach, for instance by speedboat from Bergen.
Folgefonna National Park was established in 2005 and is one of 42 National Parks in Norway. The Folgefonna glacier is the glacier furthest south in Norway, and the third largest. In the National Park and its surroundi...
A unique kayak tour amid icebergs and mighty nature. See Folgefonna glacier up close, glide across crystal clear water and be amazed.
Experience the blue ice on the Folgefonna Glacier with the Folgefonni Glacier Team! They take you on a glacier hike with a panoramic view of the fjord and mountain landscape on the Juklavass glacier. This part of the Folgefonna glacier offers both exciting terrains with crevasses and flat, easy-to-walk areas.
Through the second half of the 19th century, Odda became one of the most widely renowned tourist destinations in Norway. The wild nature attracted the tourists, and many had a wish to see Folgefonna Glacier up close. ...
The Norwegian Scenic Route Hardanger takes you through a mighty fjord landscape. On your way, you will get close to the fjord, mountains, waterfalls, and fruit farms.
Baroniet Rosendal is Norway's only barony and Scandinavia's smallest castle. The barony is centrally located in Rosendal and is known for its cultural program and its rose garden.
The Hardangerfjord Express takes you from Bergen to Rosendal, where you can visit the Barony with its magnificent rose garden, the world's largest art installation Salmon Eye, experience interactive exhibitions at the Folgefonn Center, and many more fantastic experiences!
Just 5 km from Rosendal, Guddalstunet offers an art gallery, accommodation, and dining in beautiful surroundings. Experience exhibitions by national and international artists and stay in the renovated Vangshuset.
Bondhusvatnet glacier lake near Sundal in Kvinnherad is a popular destination and one of the most popular hikes in the Hardanger region. The hike is short and not demanding and you can do it all year round.
Stay between fjord and glacier at the historic Hotel Sundal in Kvinnherad. Enjoy local food, nature's soundtrack, and easy access to Hardanger's top hikes like Bondhusvatnet and Trolltunga.
Hardanger House is a design hotel by the Hardangerfjord in Jondal. It has nine rooms and is a good base for exploring the region. Hardanger House is close to the Folgefonna Glacier and the FONNA Glacier Ski Resort.
