At a glance
- One-way fjord cruises between Ålesund and Øye are listed from US$58 and take 135 minutes.[1]
- The Hjørundfjord roundtrip cruise is listed from US$115 and takes 5 hours, calling at Trandal, Saebo, Urke and Øye.[2]
- The RIB Ålesund - Fjordsafari Hjørundfjord is listed from US$157, runs 105 minutes and is rated 4.88 from 150 reviews.[3]
- A private Hjørundfjord cruise with a captain is listed from US$2619 and takes 4 hours.[4]
- The RIB safari lets you reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[3]
- Top choice RIB Ålesund - Hjørundfjord from US$157 Duration105 minutes[3]GuideLive guide, English[3]Rating4.88 from 150 reviews[3]StopsHjørundfjorden[3]CancellationFree up to 24 hours ahead[3] Check availability
- Hjørundfjord roundtrip from US$115 Duration5 hours[2]GuideLive guide, English[2]Rating4.58 from 282 reviews[2]StopsTrandal, Saebo, Urke, Øye[2]CancellationFree up to 24 hours ahead[2] See this tour
- Geirangerfjord RIB Hellesylt from US$104 Duration1 hour[5]GuideLive guide, English[5]Rating4.94 from 238 reviews[5]StopsSeven Sisters Waterfall, Friaren[5]CancellationFree up to 24 hours ahead[5] See this tour
At 1,564 meters above sea level, Slogen rises in the heart of the majestic Sunnmøre Alps. It is distinguished by its spectacular pyramid shape that plunges directly into the waters of Norangsfjord, an arm of the famous Hjørundfjord.
Is the Hjørundfjord RIB worth the price?
On the water
- Listen to the safety briefing and keep your hands inside the boat.
- Dress warmer than the town feels; open boats are windy and wet.
- Sunglasses help, since glare off the fjord is strong even under cloud.
- Turn up at the meeting point ahead of departure; groups are kitted out together.
Fares and booking
- Treat every figure as a from price; your date and availability set the rest.
- Listings are quoted in US dollars, so check your card's conversion fee.
- Reserve now and pay later is an option on the RIB fjord safari.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance on the RIB safari.[3]
Hjørundfjord cruise prices at a glance
Prices for a Hjørundfjord cruise start low and climb quickly once you add speed, privacy or a longer day on the water. A one-way fjord cruise from Ålesund to Øye is listed from US$58[1], and the roundtrip cruise from Ålesund is listed from US$115[2]. A RIB safari into Hjørundfjord is listed from US$157[3], a RIB option with Uteguiden.com is listed from US$158[6], and a private Hjørundfjord cruise with a captain is listed from US$2619[4].
Every one of those is a from price on a GetYourGuide listing, so the number you pay depends on your date and on how full the boat is. These are not the same product wearing different price tags. One is a fast open RIB with a live guide; another is a 5 hour cruise that calls at villages along the fjord[2]; the private options are booked as private groups[4]. Read the duration, the stops and the group size before you decide what the Hjørundfjord cruise cost really buys. A cheap ticket for the wrong day out is not a bargain.
The RIB Fjordsafari Hjørundfjord
The RIB Ålesund - Fjordsafari Hjørundfjord is the headline option on this stretch of water: a fast open boat, a live guide and one big stop, Hjørundfjorden[3]. It is listed from US$157[3] and runs for 105 minutes[3], with a guide who speaks English[3]. It holds a rating of 4.88 from 150 reviews[3], a solid score built on a large number of travellers rather than a handful of friends.
RIB means rigid inflatable boat, and the ride is the point. You sit low and open to the water, the engine does the climbing, and the mountains arrive on both sides long before you are ready for them. Dress warmer than the town temperature suggests, because wind and spray matter more than sunshine at speed, and keep a strap on your sunglasses. The listing offers reserve now and pay later[3], and cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[3], so an early booking does not lock you in.
Mountains drop straight into the water along Hjørundfjord, and the boat feels very small.
Cheaper Hjørundfjord cruise tickets
If the RIB price is the sticking point, the roundtrip cruise from Ålesund is listed from US$115[2] and takes 5 hours[2]. Its stops run Hjørundfjorden, Trandal, Saebo, Urke and Øye, then back to Hjørundfjorden[2]. It is rated 4.58 from 282 reviews[2], a large review base among the fjord options here. Slower and gentler than a RIB, with time to stand on deck and watch the villages slide past.
One-way cruises are the cheapest way onto the water. Ålesund to Øye is listed from US$58[1] and takes 135 minutes[1], calling at Hjørundfjorden, Trandal, Sæbø and Urke[1]. The reverse leg, Øye to Ålesund, is listed from US$58 as well[7]. Taking the legs separately gives you time in the villages in between, and ferry crossings link Ytre Standal, Trandal, Sæbø, Skår and Leknes[8] if you would rather not sail the same water twice. There is also a bus and boat combination from Hellesylt, a Hjørundfjord cruise and Norangsdal bus tour listed from US$94 that takes 3.5 hours[9].
Private and small-group Hjørundfjord cruises
At the top of the range, a private Hjørundfjord cruise with a captain is listed from US$2619 and takes 4 hours[4], with a live English-speaking guide[4]. Another private Hjørundfjord cruise is listed from US$3667 and also takes 4 hours[10], and it is limited to 10 participants[10]. Both are private group listings[4][10], which is a different style of booking from a shared seat on a scheduled boat.
In the middle sits another RIB option to Hjørundfjord with Uteguiden.com, listed from US$158[6]. It takes 2 hours[6] with a live English-speaking guide on board[6] and is rated 4.93 from 13 reviews[6], with breakdown scores of 5 for guide, 5 for transportation and 4.7 for value for money[6]. If a RIB on Hjørundfjord is what you are after, it is worth reading the listings side by side before you pick a date.
from US$157
The RIB safari runs 105 minutes[3] with a live English guide[3] and a 4.88 rating from 150 reviews.[3]
Geirangerfjord RIB safaris and other day trips
The other famous fjord safari in the region leaves from Hellesylt. The RIB Hellesylt: Fjordsafari Geirangerfjord is listed from US$104[5] and takes 1 hour[5], with stops at Hellesylt, Seven Sisters Waterfall, Friaren and Geirangerfjord[5]. It is rated 4.94 from 238 reviews[5], and a live English-speaking guide is on board[5]. If the waterfalls of Geirangerfjord are the draw for you, this is the boat that goes there.
Closer to town, Ålesund add-ons include a hop-on hop-off bus tour listed from US$41[11] and a small-group walking tour of the Art Nouveau streets and sea views listed from US$68[12]. A Viking tour with a ship experience and tasting is listed from US$89[13]. They are useful on a day when the fjord is hidden in low cloud, or as a way to fill the hours before an afternoon sailing.
What you see for the money
Hjørundfjord stretches for 35km[14], an arm of the larger Storfjord, running beneath the jagged peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps. Slogen is a 1,564-meter mountain in those alps[15], a pyramid shape that plunges straight into Norangsfjord, itself an arm of Hjørundfjord[15]. From the water the scale is what stays with you: small farms on improbable green slopes, waterfalls falling in long threads, and snow still sitting in the high gullies when the villages are in full summer.
Keep an eye on the surface for harbour porpoises, the fjord's most common cetaceans, which appear singly or in small groups as they hunt fish near the surface[16]. At Øye, Hotel Union Øye was established in 1891[17] and gained fame among the aristocracy and luminaries of Europe who sought nature without sacrificing luxury and comfort[17]. Inland at Norangsdal, a rock fall from Keipen formed Lygnstøylvatnet in 1908[18], and beneath the water you can still see remains of the old road, the foundations of the farmhouses and the gateway[18].
When to go and how to book
Ålesund has an oceanic climate with cold, rainy winters and cool summers[19], so build in a spare day and pack a waterproof layer whatever the month. In summer there is an express boat service from Ålesund to Øye that stops at Trandal, Sæbø and Urke[8], and ferry crossings link Ytre Standal, Trandal, Sæbø, Skår and Leknes[8]. Weather on this coast changes quickly. A grey morning often lifts by lunchtime, and a boat trip is about being on the water rather than under a perfect sky.
On the booking side, the RIB Fjordsafari Hjørundfjord can be reserved now and paid later[3], and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[3]. Starting times appear when you check availability, so look at the day you actually plan to travel rather than a sample date[3]. Popular dates can disappear while you are still deciding, and holding a slot costs nothing until you pay. Book the boat first, then fit buses, ferries and meals around it.
From prices on Hjørundfjord and nearby fjord cruises
Every value is a GetYourGuide from price in US dollars:[1][2][3][5][6].
Hjørundfjord and fjord safari from prices
Amounts are US dollar from prices of these listings:[1][2][3][5]. Each listing shows a single from price.
When to book a Hjørundfjord cruise
Plan your fjord day
Decide on speed or scenery
A RIB gets you deep into Hjørundfjorden fast[3], while the roundtrip cruise takes 5 hours and calls at villages.[2]
Compare the from prices
One-way from US$58[1], roundtrip from US$115[2], RIB safari from US$157.[3]
Fit it around your arrival
Tours invite you to check availability for starting times, so plan around your ship or flight.[3]
Book with a way out
The RIB safari is reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[3]
Dress for the water
Open boats run colder than the harbour, so bring a windproof layer and gloves even in midsummer.
See dates and from prices for the Hjørundfjord RIB safari
from US$157Reserve now & pay later
