Blue Ice Hike -Folgefonni Breførarlag
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.
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The Folgefonni Glacier Team takes you on a guided blue ice hike on the Juklavass Glacier. This glacier arm of the Folgefonna consists partly of flat ice surfaces, partly of somewhat more demanding parts with crevasses. The guided tours will be adapted to the wishes and skills of the participants. From June to October, the Blue Ice Hike is a daily offer. The trip starts at the Fonna Summer Ski Center, 19 km from Jondal and the Hardangerfjord. The glacier tour lasts 5-6 hours, including a lunch break with a panoramic view of the glacier landscape, the North Sea, and the Rosendals Alps. During the whole excursion, your glacier guide will give you new information about the local cultural history, climate, and the glacier itself. In the afternoon you return to the ski center, then with a view of the beautiful fjord landscape.
The age limit for participation is 10 years. Bring warm, wind, and waterproof clothing, gloves, and hiking boots. Sunglasses and sunscreen are also necessary, and you will need enough food and drink, as well as a daypack with space for the glacier equipment. Crampons, ice axes, climbing harnesses, helmets, rope, and hiking boots are included in the price.
Other hiking equipment, like wind- and waterproof outer clothing, you can rent or buy from the Folgefonni Glacier Team. When ordering in advance by e-mail, you can also pre-book ready-made lunch packs.
FAQ
The Blue Ice Hike is a guided glacier walk on the Juklavass Glacier, an arm of Folgefonna — Norway’s third-largest glacier, in the Hardanger region of western Norway, about 2–2.5 hours from Bergen. A glacier guide leads you across both flat ice and more demanding crevasse terrain, fitted with crampons, an ice axe, harness and rope, adjusted to the group’s ability. The hike lasts 5–6 hours, covering 5–6 km with 300–400 metres of elevation gain, with a lunch break offering panoramic views of the North Sea and the Rosendal Alps.
Nigardsbreen, on the Jostedalsbreen ice cap, is the better-known name internationally and is often the first glacier people research, while Folgefonna is Norway’s third-largest glacier and the most accessible one from Bergen, at roughly 2–2.5 hours away by car and ferry. The two offer a broadly similar experience — a guided walk onto blue ice with full safety equipment, suitable for most fitness levels — so the practical deciding factor is usually logistics: if you’re based around Bergen or the Hardangerfjord, Folgefonna is the shorter trip; if you’re travelling through Sognefjord or starting from Oslo, Nigardsbreen may fit your route better. Briksdalsbreen, also part of Jostedalsbreen, is worth noting as a different case: due to rapid glacier retreat, it’s no longer possible to walk onto that particular glacier arm, and tours there are limited to a hike to a viewpoint.
It depends on how much time you have and how far onto the glacier you want to go. The Blue Ice Hike (5–6 hours) takes you furthest in, combining flat ice with more demanding crevasse terrain, and suits travellers who want a longer, more active glacier experience. The Panorama Glacier Hike (3–4 hours) is shorter and gentler, focused on the views across the glacier and fjord landscape, and can be done as a day trip from Bergen using public transport for part of the season. A Private Guide is the flexible option: the tour is tailored entirely to your group, with the length and difficulty adjusted to suit you — it’s also the only route available for children under 10, or if you want more advanced ice climbing than the daily tours offer.
Yes — no prior glacier or climbing experience is required. Folgefonni Breførarlag is a member of Norsk Fjellsportforum (the Norwegian Mountain Sports Forum), the body that trains and certifies mountain and glacier guides in Norway, and guides adjust the route and pace to the group’s experience level on the day. You’ll be roped together with your guide through any crevasse terrain, so the technical skill required is minimal — the main things you bring are reasonable fitness for a 5–6 hour day outdoors and suitable clothing.
During the main season, Folgefonni Breførarlag runs a direct bus connection between Bergen and the Folgefonna Glacier Centre timed to the Blue Ice Hike — check current dates and timetables, since this typically runs from late June into August rather than the full hiking season. Outside that window, the standard public route is bus line 930 or similar from Bergen to Jondal, followed by a pickup arranged in advance with Folgefonni Breførarlag for the final 19 km up to the Glacier Centre. Either way, allow a full day: with travel time on both ends plus the 5–6 hour hike itself, this is a long but doable single-day outing if you start early, though staying overnight in Jondal makes for a less rushed experience.
Yes, with a firm age limit: children under 10 cannot join the daily Blue Ice Hike. From age 10, children can take part, with the tour adjusted to the group’s level. For families with younger children who still want a glacier experience together, the Private Guide option is the only route in — it’s tailored exclusively to your group and is the sole option available for children under 10.
Bring warm, wind- and waterproof clothing, gloves, sunglasses and sun lotion — the light reflecting off the ice is strong even on overcast days. Bring your own food and drink, or pre-order a packed lunch when booking. The price includes crampons, an ice axe, harness, helmet, rope and mountain boots; Folgefonni Breførarlag stocks boots in sizes 33–48 (EU). You’re welcome to bring your own boots instead, though note that crampons can scuff the soles.
The Blue Ice Hike runs in almost any weather — rain doesn’t usually stop the tour, and the ice can look even more striking against grey skies. Strong wind and thunderstorms are the most common reasons Folgefonni Breførarlag has to cancel for safety reasons, in which case you receive a full refund. You can cancel your own booking up to 24 hours before the hike for a full refund or to change the date; cancelling later, or not showing up, does not qualify for a refund.
