One of the world’s longest and deepest fjords, Geirangerfjord is one of Norway’s headline acts, and kayaking is a fulfilling way to experience it. It’s a delight to paddle here, as the fjord’s location means the water is calm and there’s little wind. Being at water’s level in a kayak also allows you to really appreciate the vast height of the fjord’s almost-vertical rock walls which tower up to 1,400 m (4,593 ft) high.
On this private, three-hour tour, you’ll be accompanied by an experienced kayaking guide as you make your way out into the fjord. You’ll then be able to view two of the fjord’s most famous waterfalls, De syv søstre (the Seven Sisters) and Friaren (the Suitor), from out on the water. Throughout the trip, your guide tells you all about the fjord’s geology, wildlife, human history, and the legends surrounding the falls.
You’ll either be driven from your hotel to Geiranger Harbour or you’ll meet your kayak guide directly at the kayak base on the waterfront. After a safety talk, you’ll be given your equipment and possibly a short briefing on paddle skills, depending on your level of experience.
Then it’s time to head out onto the fjord. Your guide might advise you not to rush, no matter how swiftly you can paddle — we find that kayaking here is really about gliding along peacefully and taking in the beauty of the landscape.
You’ll see how the walls of the fjords are covered in deciduous and conifer forests, while glacier-striated mountains rise up beyond them. The crystalline walls also extend 260 m (853 ft) below sea level.
As you approach two of the fjord’s main waterfalls, keep an eye out for local wildlife. You might see seals and birdlife, and it’s even possible to see sea eagles.
Your guide will find a good vantage point from which to admire the Seven Sisters and Suitor waterfalls. The Seven Sisters cascades down one side of the fjord, with the bottle-shaped Suitor running down the opposite side.
Legend has it that the Suitor repeatedly proposed to the Seven Sisters — so-called because these streams of water tumbling down the rocks resemble the long, flowing hair of seven women — but was continuously rejected.
The seven individual cascades of the Seven Sisters are especially impressive in May and June, when there has been a lot of snowmelt.
As you view the Seven Sisters, look out for an abandoned farm, Knivsflå, clinging precariously to the fjord walls nearby. (Too precariously, as it turns out — its residents left around 1898).
After exploring the fjord, you’ll then make your way back to Geiranger Harbour where you’ll be driven back to your hotel.