At a glance
- Choose the Hjørundfjord for quiet water and alpine peaks, and Geirangerfjord when the famous waterfalls and a busier waterway are the draw.
- The Hjørundfjord stretches for 35km[1], and Slogen, 1,564 meters of rock, rises in the Sunnmøre Alps and plunges into Norangsfjord.[2]
- The RIB Ålesund - Fjordsafari Hjørundfjord runs 105 minutes, is listed from US$157 and is rated 4.88 from 150 reviews.[3]
- RIB Hellesylt: Fjordsafari Geirangerfjord takes 1 hour, from US$104, rated 4.94 from 238 reviews, with a live English guide.[4]
- The Hjørundfjord Fjord Cruise roundtrip from Ålesund takes 5 hours and calls at Trandal, Saebo, Urke and Øye, from US$115.[5]
- Top choice RIB Hjørundfjord, Ålesund from US$157 Duration105 minutes[3]Rating4.88 from 150 reviews[3]GuideLive guide in English[3]CancellationFree cancellation, 24 hours ahead[3]StopsHjørundfjorden[3] Check availability
- Hjørundfjord cruise, Ålesund from US$115 Duration5 hours[5]Rating4.58 from 282 reviews[5]GuideLive guide in English[5]CancellationFree cancellation, 24 hours ahead[5]StopsTrandal, Saebo, Urke, Øye[5] See this tour
- RIB Geirangerfjord, Hellesylt from US$104 Duration1 hour[4]Rating4.94 from 238 reviews[4]GuideLive guide in English[4]CancellationFree cancellation, 24 hours ahead[4]StopsSeven Sisters Waterfall, Friaren[4] 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.
Hjørundfjord or Geirangerfjord?
Worth knowing first
On the water
- Ålesund has cool summers and cold, rainy winters; dress for wind on the water.[6]
- Hold the rail and keep your hood up; spray comes over the side on open water.
- Sit where you can see both shores and swap sides for the best views.
- Book ahead if your port day is fixed and you cannot shift to another date.
Two fjords, one decision
Most travellers who land in Ålesund end up weighing the same two names. Geirangerfjord is the fjord they have already heard of, the one that turns up on postcards and in cruise brochures. The Hjørundfjord is the one they find while tracing a finger along a map of the Sunnmøre Alps, a long arm of water with a scatter of small villages on its shore. Both are steep, deep and cold. Both reward a day on the water. The difference is mostly in the shape of the day and in how many other boats you share it with.
Whether you are choosing between Geirangerfjord or Hjørundfjord on a map of western Norway, the tour you book shapes the day more than the name of the water does. You can see either fjord on a fast RIB, on a slower passenger boat, or from a car with a ferry in the middle. A RIB puts you close to the foot of the cliffs, covers ground quickly, and gives you the cold air and the spray as part of the experience. A cruise lets you stand on deck with a coffee and watch the mountains slide past at walking pace. Think about who you are travelling with, and pick the pace that suits them.
Hjørundfjord in a nutshell
The Hjørundfjord stretches for 35km.[1] It runs inland as a narrow arm of deep water, hemmed in by the peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps, with farms and villages on the flat green strips of land where the mountains step back from the shore. The peak most people watch for is Slogen, a 1,564-meter mountain rising in the Sunnmøre Alps, with a pyramid shape that plunges directly into Norangsfjord, an arm of Hjørundfjord.[2] On a clear day it looks close enough to touch, and it stays in view for a long stretch of the ride.
From the water, the scale is what stays with you. You see the cliff foot up close, the thin waterfalls that appear after rain and vanish again in dry spells, and the small jetties where boats call. The fjord is quiet in a way that surprises people who expect every Norwegian fjord to be crowded with ships. There are a few farm buildings, a church, a handful of moored boats, and then long minutes where there is nothing but rock, water and the noise of the engine.
Spray, low sun and the Sunnmøre Alps closing in on both sides of the fjord.
Geirangerfjord, seen from Hellesylt
Geirangerfjord is the fjord that appears on the classic Norway itineraries, and trips sold for it tend to start from Hellesylt rather than Ålesund. The RIB Hellesylt: Fjordsafari Geirangerfjord takes 1 hour, from US$104, and its stops run Hellesylt, Seven Sisters Waterfall, Friaren and Geirangerfjord.[4] It is rated 4.94 from 238 reviews and runs with a live English guide.[4]
The day feels different from a Hjørundfjord run. You are in a famous waterway, with the tall waterfalls as the set pieces and plenty of other boats around you. That is part of the appeal, especially on a first trip to Norway, and it is why so many shore excursions head that way. The Hjørundfjord answers a different wish: fewer boats, more silence, and the feeling that you have slipped behind the scenery rather than in front of it.
Getting to each fjord
Ålesund is the natural base for the Hjørundfjord. In summer an express boat runs from Ålesund to Øye, calling at Trandal, Sæbø and Urke on the way.[7] That puts several fjord villages within reach on foot, and it means you do not need a car to spend a day among the mountains. One-way fjord cruises between Ålesund and Øye are also listed, taking 135 minutes.[8]
Drivers have more freedom. Ferry crossings link Ytre Standal, Trandal, Sæbø, Skår and Leknes, so you can string together a route along the water instead of driving back the way you came.[7] For Geirangerfjord the practical start is Hellesylt, where the RIB trips leave from.[4] Whichever fjord you choose, the last stretch is by water, and those minutes on deck are usually the best of the day.
from US$157
The tour booked from this site is a fast RIB run to Hjørundfjorden with a live English guide, free cancellation and pay-later booking.
RIB, cruise or a full day out
The fastest way to meet the Hjørundfjord is the RIB Ålesund - Fjordsafari Hjørundfjord. It takes 105 minutes, stops in Hjørundfjorden, is listed from US$157 and is rated 4.88 from 150 reviews.[3] A second RIB with Uteguiden covers the same fjord in 2 hours, from US$158, rated 4.93 from 13 reviews.[9] Both come with a live English guide and can be reserved now and paid later.[3][9]
If you would rather sit still, the Hjørundfjord Fjord Cruise roundtrip from Ålesund takes 5 hours and calls at Trandal, Saebo, Urke and Øye, listed from US$115.[5] From Hellesylt there is also a Hjørundfjord cruise with a Norangsdal bus tour, 3.5 hours, listed from US$94.[10] These run at a much slower pace and suit anyone who wants to stay warm and dry while the mountains pass.
Think about what you actually want from the day. A RIB is a ride: you hold on, you get wet, you cover a lot of fjord in a short time. A cruise is a view: you stand, you sit, you photograph, you eat the sandwich you brought. Neither is better than the other. They are simply two ways of moving through the same landscape.
History and wildlife on the fjord
The Hjørundfjord has been a quiet retreat for a long time. Hotel Union Øye was established in 1891 and gained fame among European aristocracy and luminaries who wanted nature without giving up luxury and comfort.[11] Further up the Norangsdal valley, Lygnstøylvatnet was formed by a rock fall from Keipen in 1908, and beneath the surface you can still see the old road, the foundations of the farmhouses and a gateway.[12]
Watch the water as well as the cliffs. Harbour porpoises are the fjord's most common cetaceans, appearing singly or in small groups as they hunt fish near the surface.[13] They are small and quick, so a ride that covers a lot of water gives you more chances to cross their path. Keep the camera on your lap rather than in a bag, and keep your eyes moving between the shore and the open water.
Weather, packing and picking your day
Ålesund has an oceanic climate, with cold, rainy winters and cool summers.[6] Treat any fjord day as a weather day: bring a warm mid-layer, gloves, a hat and a waterproof shell, and expect the air on the water to feel colder than the town. Sunglasses and sunscreen earn their place as well, because light bouncing off the fjord is bright even when the temperature is low.
If your time in port is short, the 105-minute RIB to Hjørundfjorden gets you out and back inside an afternoon, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[3] If you have a full day and want the villages as well as the cliffs, the roundtrip cruise fits more of the fjord into your hours.[5] If you are closer to Hellesylt, the hour-long Geirangerfjord RIB matches that schedule.[4] Book ahead, check availability for starting times, and leave a buffer before your ship or your flight.
From-prices for fjord tours from Ålesund and Hellesylt
Every value is the from-price listed for that tour:[3][4][5][9]
What each fjord tour is listed from, per adult
US dollar from-prices of the tour listings:[3][4][5][9]
When to be on the water
Plan your fjord day
Choose your fjord
Decide between the Hjørundfjord arm and the Geirangerfjord run, then match the trip to the hours you have.
Book the RIB
The RIB Ålesund - Fjordsafari Hjørundfjord takes 105 minutes and is listed from US$157.[3]
Check your start time
Departure times change with the day, so check availability for your date before you plan the rest of your port call.[3]
Dress for spray
Warm layers, gloves, a hat and a waterproof shell. Keep phones in a dry bag and wear shoes you do not mind soaking.
Watch the water
Harbour porpoises hunt near the surface in small groups, so keep looking out between the cliffs.[13]
Ride the Hjørundfjord on a RIB with a live English guide
from US$157Reserve now & pay later
