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Voringsfossen is the best-known, most visited and most photographed waterfall in Norway. More than 650,000 visitors arrive annually to watch the falls plunge 597ft (182m) from the Hardangervidda plateau into the Mabodalen valley, alongside twin waterfall Tyssvikjofossen. Platforms built around the plateau provide wonderful views, as does a newly-completed pedestrian bridge over the flow. And…

The hike into the Husadalen Valley is considered one of the most beautiful in Norway because of the the spectacular scenery, including four major waterfalls along the way. The long-time tourist route Fossastien follows the river Kinso, with great views to 337ft (103m) Tveitafossen, 377ft (115m) Nyastolfossen pictured above, 200ft (60m) Nykkjesoyfossen and finally 800ft…

The town of Odda, at the head of Norway’s second longest fjord Hardangerfjord, has been a popular tourist destination since the early 19th century. Visitors have continued to flock there ever since to experience the spectacular natural beauty of Hardangerfjord and the surrounding area, particularly the famous rock formation Trolltunga. Besides the scenery, Odda also…

The Sunnhordland district of Fjord Norway includes the mountainous islands and waterways just north of Haugesund at the mouth of Hardangerfjord. The region is full of beautiful, sheltered anchorages and has many excellent view hikes and other attractions, highlighted in their informative tourism brochure. After three weeks leisurely cruising Ryfylkefjordane directly to the south, we…

After getting closer and closer to the Folgefonna Icefield with each hike, we finally reached the glacier from Sundal at Fonnabu. The hike was challenging, at 8 total miles (12km) one-way from Dirona with an altitude gain of 4,767ft (1,453m), but very much worth the effort. We initially walked on the wide and beautifully maintained…

Sundal has been a major tourist destination since the mid 1800s, when people flocked to the area to ascend the Folgefonna icefield. Initially visitors walked up to the glacier and crossed with horses and sleighs, but by 1890 demand was sufficient to build a carriage road up to the plateau. 150 years later, reaching the…

From the summit of Tysnessata, the complex group of islands we could see along the northwest shore of Stord looked ideal for exploration by boat and tender. We found sheltered anchorage there in the Eldoy Islands, where we stayed for three nights, extensively explored the area by tender and also waiting out a small weather…

Gripnesvagen is a beautiful, nearly land-locked anchorage at the north end of Tysnes with a great view to the islands’s highest point, 2467-ft (752m) Tysnessata. From the east side of Tysnes we cruised through the narrow and scenic channel Lukksund to spend two nights at Gripnesvagen, where we toured the area by tender, hiked up…

We enjoyed the anchorage below Hovlandsnuten so much that we spent a third night there. After climbing Hovlandsnuten and Melderskin, we gave our hiking boots and legs a break on that final day and toured Husnesfjorden by tender. After passing through the scenic waterway Laukhammarsundet south of our anchorage, we crossed to the east side…

The summit of 4678-ft (1426m) Melderskin has a spectacular view east to the Folgefonna Icefield. The vistas west along the way up are impressive too, but the eastward scene is breathtaking, all the more so because it’s hidden from sight until the summit is reached. With an average grade of 26% over a 3-mile (4.8km)…