Norway Fjord Drive

Drive Above the Fjords
Then Cross Fjords On Ferries

And when you drive your car onto those ferries, you'll practically feel like you're on a cruise, not a fjord drive. We've used this photo before, but we just love it... and we loved the Norway fjord drive!

We cut over to the coast to see Trondheim. It's a lively and historic university town. There are also some ancient rock carvings in the area just north of town. You can visit its historic Nidarosdomen Cathedral and museums.... or just enjoy the colorful town as a great spot to start your Norway fjord drive down the coast.

Head southwest out of Trondheim on the E39. The road will take you over toll bridges and ferries. Ferries run fairly frequently, so you won't have to wait long. The scenery is great even while you wait.

Start early and drive along the Storfjorden to Geiranger. The hour ferry ride down the Geirangefjorden is spectacular. This narrow fjord with its waterfalls is visited by cruise ships and photographed often for tourist brochures.... and it's included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On this Norway fjord drive, you'll encounter lots of winding roads... so wind your way south through spectacular scenery. I know we keep using superlatives, but Norway demands that.

When you get to Sogndal on the Sognefjorden, turn north for a few miles so you can visit the Urnes Stave Church, the oldest wooden church in Norway. It was built in 1150, and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Return to Sogndal and head to Kaupanger where you can catch a really long ferry ride on the Sognefjorden. These ferries don't run quite so often, and because of the long ride, the last ferry is in the afternoon, so check the schedule or be prepared to wait until morning.


This ferry will take you to Gudvangen via the Sonnefjorden, Aurlandsfjorden, and finally the Naeroyfjorden. That last segment is part of the Norway in a Nutshell tour, so you know it's going to be pretty.

There is a hotel in Gudvangen, and there are more a few miles further up the road.

Drive the winding road up to Voss. From there you can take the E16 straight to Bergen, or since this is a Norway fjord drive, you can take the scenic route along the Samlafjorden, an arm of the Hardangerfjorden, before you connect back with the highway to get into Bergen.

Make arrangements to drop the car off in Bergen, and visit that historic town. You can fly home from there.

All of Norway does tend to be expensive, so one way to economize is to picnic... and you can't beat the scenery at the road side tables provided.

Language is generally not a problem in most of Norway. English is a strong second language, and you will have no problem getting hotels and meals.

Buying your tickets on the ferry can almost always be done in English.

A cruise along Norway's Fjords is great, but you really will see a more intimate view of Norway by taking a fjord drive.

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it!   Judy and Mark

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