West Norwegian Fjords

West Norwegian Fjords
Photo by Linda van Leuken
The West Norwegian Fjords Geirangerfjord and Naeroyfjord, in the southwest of Norway, are among the world's longest and deepest fjords. They offer outstanding scenery, with crystalline rock walls that rise up to 1,400 metres from the sea.

Year Decision Comments
2005 Inscribed Reasons for inscription

Reviews

Ingemar Eriksson (Sweden):
Norwegian fjord nature is very special and I agree that it is a must see. First time for me recently, 48 years old and living just 1000 km avay. Expensive to drive nowdays, and Norway is extremely expensive even if it has its own oil. Anyhow, with car you can drive on 1300 m high just about 10 km from sea level and I passed a cut in the snow which vas about 3m high (16 june 2008) at Strynfjell.
Visit Norwegian fjords at least once in a lifetime!
Date posted: July 2008
Stephen Brooker (UK):
Only managed to do the Naeroyfjord - GLORIOUS, go, go, go it can't fail to impress!

We did the Norway in a Nutshell tour from Bergen, by train, boat and bus the cruise portion including Naeroyfjord which is stunning. Also on the trip was the Flam Railway which in my opinion should also be include in this WHS listing - which perhaps should be extended as West Norwegian Fijords and there environs.
Date posted: April 2008
Joyce (Netherlands):
In April I visited Norway and since I didn’t have a lot of time and most of the tourist sites were still closed, I did the Norway In A Nutshell Tour (to be booked at almost every trainstation and tourist office). You first take a regular train, and form there you take a special train (it has to descend into a steep valley) up to Flam where you take boat trip a along the Aurlandsfjord and into the Naeroyfjord which is truly beautiful: high fjords, very green water, high waterfalls, it was just perfect! You will have a busride and a trainride back, so it’s a pretty long day, and a bit touristy, but it’s a great way to see something of the fjords in a fast way. You can also take this trip from Bergen, so you can include Bryggen on your trip and see 2 UWHS in one day.
Date posted: December 2005
Klaus Freisinger (Austria):
If there is one thing that Norway is famous for, then it´s the fjords, and I agree that they are definitely worth a journey. I didn´t really make a cruise, like many people apparently do up and down the coast on the Hurtigruten, rather only a few ferry crossings, but I did see the Naeroyfjord, which is a very beautiful area with magnificent scenery, like almost all of Norway is. I don´t really understand, however, why only those two relatively small and obscure fjords were inscribed, and none of the more famous and no less beautiful ones like Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord. Maybe they´ll extend the site sometime in the future...
Date posted: July 2005
Paul Tanner (UK):
In my opinion, of all the new sites inscribed in 2005, possibly only the West Norwegian Fjords are in the “Worth a Journey” category. The 2 fjords chosen – Geiranger and Naeroy really are among the very best scenic sights in Europe and indeed many people do, quite rightly, travel to them for an entire holiday. I say that having visited every European country and most of their scenic sights – but then Norway is one of our favourite destinations so perhaps we are biased!

The 2 fjords are some distance away from each other and are each situated at the head of longer fjord systems – Sognefjord and Storfjord respectively. They are both characterised by being very “narrow” – but what else connects them for selection as a “pair” I do not know! Naearoy is very fine with the pretty village of Gudvangen at its head and is actually the “narrower” of the 2 with the ferry at times almost seeming to touch the 1000 + metre cliffs on either side. My favourite however is Geiranger. Our preferred way to approach is by the magnificent 1 hour ferry journey from Hellesylt and then leaving by the Eagle road to Eidsdal. But Geiranger itself deserves to be explored from every route so go out south first towards Grotli and look at the views from there. Preferably even stay and do some walking. Just pray however that one of the enormous ocean going cruise ships which can reach this far up the deep fjords isn’t in port to spoil the peaceful atmosphere. And if only Norway would pass a law to outlaw all those stupid wooden statues of Trolls which disfigure the towns, villages, restaurants etc!!
Date posted: July 2005


Have you been to West Norwegian Fjords - Geirangerfjord and Næerøyfjord? Share your experiences!

Add your own review