Eidfjord Norway: Hiking, Historic Walks and Waterfalls Blog

Rob J

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Four days in Eidfjord Norway

For most people Eidfjord is the fjord that people discover first off when visiting Norway. My stay here was part of a month-long road trip through Norway in the month of August.

I’d visited the Alps, plus other mountain regions before, so I was used to scenic valleys and giant rock formations. Nothing however prepares you for the sheer scale of a fjord.

Eidfjord is located in the Southwest of Norway in the municipality of Hordaland. The name conjures up images in the mind of vikings, as you’ll see later in the article, this incredible place does have plenty of connections to Norway’s ancient past.

How to get there

My method of travel was by car while on a month long road trip through Norway. I’d travelled from Oslo, then to Rjukan for 4 nights, followed by a stopover night in the winter ski resort of Geilo, and finally across the Hardangervidda plateau along the E7 route.

It’s a great way to introduce yourself to a fjord for the first time. Approaching the fjord requires driving through a set of very twisty and dark tunnels that take you down from the high plateau above and into this giant of a fjord. It’s quite an experience to travel by car.

I believe there are various train and bus connections from Bergen and Oslo so check them out here.

A lot of people see the fjord for the first time from the sea. Sailing up from Bergen for a day, as you may see in the video below of the cruise ship leaving the local dock in the centre of Eidfjord.

Where to stay in Eidfjord

Eidfjord Camping

My 3 night stay was at one of the local campsites in the centre of the town. My tent pitch was not further than 30 feet from the water.

A great way to experience all that this fjord could offer in terms of weather and it didn’t disappoint on my visit. During the second night a howling gale of what must have been gusts of over 40 mile an hour tested my tents extreme weather limits.

The campsite I stayed at was at best OK in terms of facilities. But the location did make up for the basic amenities on site.

Hotels and accomodation in Eidfjord

The one hotel that stands out in this small town is the Quality Hotel Voringfoss. The hotel is located in the centre of town next to the Cruise ship jetty. If I were to visit Eidfjord again on a greater budget then I’d definitely check it out first when looking to book a hotel.

Fossli Hotel is an interesting option for someone looking to experience Norwegian traditions. Located near the Vorringfossen waterfall, the hotel offers spectacular views of the Hardangervidda Plateau. I recommend having a coffee in the cafe at the very least while visiting the must see waterfall.

The hotel also has an interesting story behind it. It was built in 1891 and to this day still remains almost exactly as it was over a 100 years ago. 4 generations of the family have run the hotel which was built by carrying the building materials to the mountain plateau on horseback.

Things to do in Eidfjord

Vøringfossen waterfall

Vøringfossen waterfall is about a 15 minute drive from Eidfjord, or you can make use of the regular bus service from Eidfjord to Voringfossen tourist car parks near the waterfall.

The start point of the hike that leads to the bottom of the waterfall is only accessible either on foot, which I wouldn’t recommend or by car. So grab a taxi if needed.

To see the waterfall at it’s best you have to break it up into 3 stages. The middle section and top section are easy to find and with plenty of parking.

As I mentioned above, the valley hike to the base of the waterfall is only accessible by parking a car next to the path down the valley. The parking has limited spaces next to the main road.

Hike to Vøringfossen waterfall

I’ll start by saying, this is not an easy hike if you want to reach the furthest point, close to the base of the waterfall. There were plenty of younger, fitter people than me turning back around the halfway point when they realised this was not going to be an easy hike. I’m reasonably fit, but found it hard going in some places and had to push on at certain parts.

One of Norway’s most spectacular waterfalls

The final accent to the bank overlooking Vøringfossen waterfall is quite dangerous. You’ll be crouched over using your hands to grab hold of the slippery rocks. If you slide or fall on this part you could end up being injured, so it’s not for people who don’t like taking a small degree of risk. Just take your time and you’ll be fine.

If you’re planning on doing all 3 sections of the waterfall, I’d recommend setting aside at least 4 hours.

What to wear hiking to the waterfall

I suggest below the following gear you’ll need when hiking to the waterfall. I saw a number of people in jeans and sneakers attempting the hike, needless to say they didn’t get to the end of the valley and turned back.

The weather in Norway is very unpredictable. I remember starting the hike in fairly hot weather. On the way back it started to rain quite heavily. Also remember you’ll be working those legs hard while you climb over the large rock scree.

I would recommend the following hiking gear

Daysack with at least half a litre of fluid, plus snacks & optional photographic kit.
Lightweight waterproof hiking pants
Lightweight waterproof jacket
Several lightweight layers – Tee shirt and fleece
Hiking boots with good ankle support. Don’t even think about taking this hike without.
Sun hat – optional.

Final thoughts on Vøringfossen waterfall

Throughout my month long Norwegioan road trip, this was one of the many highlights of the trip.

The hike especially, although quite challenging was well worth the time and effort. The views at the bottom of the waterfall will make your spine tingle, plus the photographs to share on social media will be appreciated by your followers too.

Check out the video I filmed during the hike below on my YouTube channel.

Haereid Viking Burial Mounds Walk

This is a fairly short hike of around 5 km from the centre of Eidfjord onto the plateau overlooking the fjord.

The guides say it can be completed in 1 hour, which of course is possible, but you’ll want to stop a take in the scenic views on the way. I’d suggest between 2 to 3 hours to complete the circuit back to the centre of town.

Eidfjord Tourist Information Centre

I didn’t use the map from the tourist information centre. I checked the route online and used google maps on my iphone to navigate. It’s fairly well signposted along the way too.

The first section is a gentle flat walk along the river Eio. The river is famous for salmon caught by the locals in wooden traps. You’ll come across several historical info boards with the story of how the salmon were caught.

River Eio

The River Eio leads to Eidfjordvatnet, a small lake with a beach. It’s a great place to stop and take photos of the landscape, plus there’s a wooden shelter with seating to take the weight off your feet.

The remainder of the hike to the Haereid burial mounds takes you through a small pine tree wooden section with an accent of around 100m. As you leave the trees behind, you come across the plateau with small farmsteads dotted about. It is quite beautiful and atmospheric.

Finally the path leads to the burial mounds. There’s a further information board as you’ll see from my video of the hike. Various artefacts dating from the iron period as well as the viking period, 400-100 AD have been discovered.

Final thoughts on visiting Eidfjord Norway

Most people visiting Eidfjord will be cruise ship passengers from Bergen. The remainder will come with their own transport and stay at one of the hotels or campsites.

For me, Eidfjord is about the scenery and hiking, along with Svolvaer in Lofoten it was one of the highlights of my Norwegian tour.

The campsites are not the best it has to be said, however the spectacular views of the fjord and the history will far outweigh any of those minor concerns.

If you’re planning on a road trip, fly drive or backpacking holiday to Southwest Norway, I’d strongly recommend taking a look at his atmospheric and historical part of Norwegain heritage.

If your interested in historic Norway, take a read of my visit to Hopperstad Stave Church.