Explore Hardanger with Norled's fjord cruise. This daily route connects the entire Hardangerfjord. You choose where to step off – and what to discover along the way.
This is a journey through the traditions that shape Hardanger – from the orchards of Ulvik to the fiddles of the Hardanger Folk Museum, from folk costumes to old crafts. The fjord connects them all.
Some stops bring you so close to the waterfalls you can feel the spray on your face. Others lead to viewpoints where the fjord stretches out below you. The cruise is not just about the journey – it's about the places you step into along the way.
Every bend brings something worth photographing. The Hardangerfjord is more than a quick stop – it's a region that rewards those who take their time.
From May to September, the boat runs daily between Norheimsund and Eidfjord. Check the schedule – and find your day on the fjord.
Some of Norway's most spectacular scenery lies along the Hardangerfjord – the country's second longest, and the one Norwegians call the queen. Norled's daily route from Norheimsund to Eidfjord takes you past orchards, steep cliffs and thundering waterfalls, with six villages where you can step off whenever you like.
This is how travellers reached Hardanger long before the roads were built – by water, between cliffs that rise straight from the sea, past waterfalls that thunder down to the fjord. Norled's daily fjord cruise from Norheimsund to Eidfjord follows the same route, easily accessible from Bergen but rewarding far more than a single day. The landscape opens up at the pace it was meant to be seen: slowly, with time to take it in.
The fjord cruise runs the full length of the Hardangerfjord, but the journey is not fixed. Step off at one of the six villages along the way – walk to a viewpoint above the water, find a café, follow the shoreline – and rejoin the boat when it passes back later in the day. Some travellers stay on board all the way from Norheimsund to Eidfjord. Others build their own pace, an hour here, half a day there. The schedule allows it. So does the fjord.
Six villages line the route between Norheimsund and Eidfjord. Norheimsund itself, where the Hardanger Maritime Museum keeps the wooden boatbuilding tradition alive. Herand, a small harbour with views straight across to the Folgefonna glacier. Utne, where the Hardanger Folk Museum gathers folk costumes, fiddles and farm buildings from across the region. Kinsarvik, with one of Norway's oldest stone churches, dating from the 1100s. Lofthus, where Edvard Grieg's composer cabin still stands in the garden of Hotel Ullensvang. Then Eidfjord, where the fjord ends and Hardangervidda begins.
The boat has two ways of being on board. Inside, a heated lounge with large windows, hot drinks and a café counter. Outside, an open sun deck where the wind is cold and the cliffs rise close on both sides. Most travellers move between the two during the journey. The shift from quiet warmth to open air is one of many things that make the route memorable.
Some travellers move on after a day on the fjord. Others find that the route is only the beginning. In Ulvik, award-winning fruit farms open their orchards to visitors, with apples, pears and plums grown on the same slopes for generations. The Hardanger Folk Museum in Utne deserves more than a quick stop, with centuries of craft and music on display. From Eidfjord, the road climbs to Vøringsfossen, where 182 metres of water fall straight down into the gorge. Above the fjord lies Hardangervidda, Northern Europe's largest mountain plateau, with marked trails for walkers of every level. A day shows the fjord. Longer shows the region.
The fjord cruise runs daily from May to September, between Norheimsund and Eidfjord. Departures from Norheimsund are at 09:00, with the boat back at the pier at 18:10 – a full day with stops at six villages along the way. Tickets can be booked in advance or bought on board. Whether the plan is a single day on the water or a longer stay in Hardanger, the boat leaves the same way: from the pier in Norheimsund, at nine in the morning.
Book your ticket at norled.no.
Experience the Vøringsfossen waterfall - the most famous waterfall in Norway!
The fruit and cider route in Ulvik connects the fruit farms Ulvik Frukt & Cideri, Syse Gard and Hardanger Saft- og Siderfabrikk. Join in on a guided tour for a unique peek "behind the scenes" or sample some scrumptious goods from the farmyard shops.
Mikkelparken in Kinsarvik is perfect for kids aged 1-10! Enjoy water play, climbing adventures, a petting zoo, train rides, and more.
Discover the majestic Husedalen waterfalls on a 3-6 hour hike from Kinsarvik to Hardangervidda. The well-marked trail offers spectacular nature and varied routes.
Experience "Dronningstien" in Hardanger – one of the most beautiful and popular hiking trails in Norway. Get up close to mighty nature and enjoy the beautiful views from one of H.M.Queen Sonja's favorite hikes.
The Hardanger Folklore Museum is part of the Hardanger and Voss Museum and is located in Utne. In the main building you will find Hardanger embroidery, traditional costumes, and folk music exhibitions. An open-air museum with several historical buildings is also part of the folklore museum.
Olav H. Hauge (1908–1994) is one of our foremost poets and translators, and he lived his entire life in Ulvik. At the Haugesenteret, you can get to know Hauge's life story and poetic works better, and experience poetry in many forms and across language barriers. The museum offers experiences for both children and adults. Located beautifully by the fjord, with views of the mountains from the old municipal building in Ulvik.
High above the fjord, at an altitude of 600 meters, the two farms are located at Kjeåsen. You can both drive and hike up to enjoy the spectacular views.
