Fjords & islands in Norway

Further north still and the islands of Svalbard provide polar bears with pack ice well above the Arctic Circle with small ice-strengthened cruise ships deploying Zodiacs amongst glass coated or fertile fjords whilst puffins, guillemots and pink footed geese squawk from rugged rocks above.

If you’re interested in fjords and islands in Norway, the locations below are certainly worth a second glimpse with organised tours with an expert guide the best way to appreciate the experience from a much deeper perspective. From cruising and cycling to railways and hiking, Norway’s islands and fjords offer every opportunity to see the very best of natural Norway, just as Slartibartfast intended.If you’re interested in fjords and islands in Norway, the locations below are certainly worth a second glimpse with organised tours with an expert guide the best way to appreciate the experience from a much deeper perspective. From cruising and cycling to railways and hiking, Norway’s islands and fjords offer every opportunity to see the very best of natural Norway, just as Slartibartfast intended.

Straddling Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane counties, in southwest Norway, Breheimen National Park is as creased and crinkled as an unmade bed on a Sunday morning thanks, in no small part, to the Jostedalsbreen – mainland Europe’s largest glacier. As you’d expect, the fjords within Breheimen are absolutely stunning with the UNESCO listed Nærøyfjord, an 18km offshoot from the second longest fjord on the planet, Sognefjord, making for one of the world’s most scenic ferry journeys.

The coastline south of Bergen, Sunnhordland – southern Hordaland – offers an old-fashioned representation of Norway where hundreds of islands, islets and miniature fjords, such as Innværfjorden, provide fishing and farming communities with exceptionally fertile landscapes. As Sunnhordland also features the start of the Hardangerfjord, the fourth largest fjord on earth, responsible travellers are in for a real treat with Rosendal, on the southern side of Hardangerfjord, an excellent point to start a hiking or cycling trip before catching an express boat back to Bergen.

Around 700km north of Bergen you’ll find the historic city of Trondheim situated on the southern banks of the third-largest fjord in Norway, Trondheimsfjord. Stretching for around 170km from Ørland in Sør-Trøndelag to Steinkjer in Nord-Trøndelag, Trondheimsfjord makes for a majestic passage into the Atlantic with several inhabited islands and timeless Norwegian fishing villages conjuring images of the area’s notorious Viking past.

The Lofoten archipelago stretches from the isolated islands of Værøy and Røst in the south to the much larger Austvågøy Island in the north with a highly impressive combination of mountains and Norwegian fishing heritage ensuring cyclists, hikers and nature photographers will be in their absolute element. Small ship cruising around the Lofoten islands is a fabulous means of getting closer to the abundant marine life to be found following the Gulf Stream and above the Røst Reef.

Setting out from the city of Tromsø there are few better places to head to other than Kvaløya Island which is renowned for orca and humpback whale spotting as the sheltered fjords and inlets become awash with migrating herring during the winter. Anchoring close to where whales are known to return to, year on year, offers the best chance of success with the added bonus of the Aurora Borealis helping to turn chilly nights into unforgettable lights.

A winning blend of steep, rugged mountains, agricultural fields and pine forests, filled with free-flowing rivers, turn Senja Island into an incredible natural paradise and a must for anyone hoping to spend evening star-gazing or watching out for the Northern Lights. Ånderdalen National Park is Senja’s scenic crown jewel with snowshoeing around the foothills of the Sukkertoppen Mountain adding to the thrill of watching whales, seals, porpoises and sea eagles offshore.