Is It A Good Use Of Time To Visit Both Sognefjord and Geiranger Fjord?
Mar 22nd, 2007, 01:10 PM
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Is It A Good Use Of Time To Visit Both Sognefjord and Geiranger Fjord?
My friend and I are trying to use our limited travel time wisely, but don't want to miss a unique or memorable experience for want of an extra day or two on holiday.
Our preliminary itinerary has us visiting both Sognefjord
( either as part of a Bergen-to-Bergen Norway in a Nutshell, or with one night in Balestrand)and Geiranger Fjord
( roundtrip from Alesund, with one night spent in Geiranger). Is there much distinction between the two fjords, in terms of the visual experience or the nature walks/easy hikes available?
We are willing to take the time to visit both fjords, since we are attracted to that type of setting. However, we would be disappointed if the two experiences were almost exact duplicates of each other.
Our other plans include the Hurtigruten from Bodo to Tromso and city visits in Bergen and Oslo.
This site has given us much good information on Norway already. Thanks for your help.
Our preliminary itinerary has us visiting both Sognefjord
( either as part of a Bergen-to-Bergen Norway in a Nutshell, or with one night in Balestrand)and Geiranger Fjord
( roundtrip from Alesund, with one night spent in Geiranger). Is there much distinction between the two fjords, in terms of the visual experience or the nature walks/easy hikes available?
We are willing to take the time to visit both fjords, since we are attracted to that type of setting. However, we would be disappointed if the two experiences were almost exact duplicates of each other.
Our other plans include the Hurtigruten from Bodo to Tromso and city visits in Bergen and Oslo.
This site has given us much good information on Norway already. Thanks for your help.
Apr 25th, 2007, 08:06 AM
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Hi Marthag
I am visiting the Sognefjord via the Nutshell in a few weeks for the first time. After much research (on this forum and others), I got the impression that you can get a little fjord'ed out. So we decided to only do one. I also considered going to Alesund for the town, not just the fjord but decided to use my extra days elsewhere (in Denmark actually).
Below is quote from forum user Huntergatherer on a question I had posted a while ago on a similar topic...
"LM3682,
If you have already been to Bergen and done the Nutshell tour, then Ålesund might not add that much to your trip, unless you include some specific nature activity or if your not a huge fan of Scandinavian Art Nouveau...
It is by all means a lovely town, but at some point "fjord fatigue" might set in if you've already seen a lot of the natural beauty Norway has to offer."
I hope that helps a little! Enjoy your trip!!
I am visiting the Sognefjord via the Nutshell in a few weeks for the first time. After much research (on this forum and others), I got the impression that you can get a little fjord'ed out. So we decided to only do one. I also considered going to Alesund for the town, not just the fjord but decided to use my extra days elsewhere (in Denmark actually).
Below is quote from forum user Huntergatherer on a question I had posted a while ago on a similar topic...
"LM3682,
If you have already been to Bergen and done the Nutshell tour, then Ålesund might not add that much to your trip, unless you include some specific nature activity or if your not a huge fan of Scandinavian Art Nouveau...
It is by all means a lovely town, but at some point "fjord fatigue" might set in if you've already seen a lot of the natural beauty Norway has to offer."
I hope that helps a little! Enjoy your trip!!
Apr 25th, 2007, 08:21 AM
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I am not going to be a great help beacuse we drove all over the Sognefjord area and the Geirangerfjord area on July 2005 and LOVED both! The roadside geology for the Geirangerfjord is a bit more stark looking, but very unique. The Sognefjord is spectacular as well with more lushness, steeper waterfalls by the roadside, and picturesque towns. What would give the Sognefjord the edge for me would be access to more Stave churches, which are an unbelievably unique experience to get to visit even one of those. Hope this helps.
Apr 25th, 2007, 08:26 AM
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I did a car tour of Norway a few years ago and you will get "oh look another world class waterfall" every ten minutes. Equally reindeer moss is reindeer moss etc. The country is really just a massive fjord with a few pwoplw scattered on it.
Actually a great visit but there is almost too much of it.
High point for me was the voss railway but you chose.
Oslo has a couple of good museums while Bergen and Oslo have viking ships in big boxes. Tromso catherdral is great but its a catherdral. I like the little dragon churches so try to catch one or two on the trip.
Hope this meander (not something you will see in norway) helps.
Final point you going in summer or winter, it makes a big difference
Actually a great visit but there is almost too much of it.
High point for me was the voss railway but you chose.
Oslo has a couple of good museums while Bergen and Oslo have viking ships in big boxes. Tromso catherdral is great but its a catherdral. I like the little dragon churches so try to catch one or two on the trip.
Hope this meander (not something you will see in norway) helps.
Final point you going in summer or winter, it makes a big difference
May 15th, 2007, 04:47 AM
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I found my words of wisdom (?) quoted above, and I'll happily provide some more:
Sognefjord is the longest fjord in Norway (more than 200 km) and quite wide, while Geirangerfjord is a fairly short one and quite narrow. Several places along Sognefjord are incredibly beatiful and resemble Geiranger, but Geiranger is considered to be perhaps the quintessential fjord, in the most beautiful setting. For nature lovers I would recommend seeing both, especially if you enjoy hiking. Still, as I've said earlier, "fjord fatigue" might set in at some point.
I personally found Geiranger too full of tourists (Of which i was one...) but otherwise very beautiful, and well worth seeing.
In May there will still be (melting) snow in lots of places in the mountains, and the waterfalls will be at their most dramatic. Be prepared hiking conditions can be wet/soggy, pack warm clothes and lots of socks.
Sognefjord is the longest fjord in Norway (more than 200 km) and quite wide, while Geirangerfjord is a fairly short one and quite narrow. Several places along Sognefjord are incredibly beatiful and resemble Geiranger, but Geiranger is considered to be perhaps the quintessential fjord, in the most beautiful setting. For nature lovers I would recommend seeing both, especially if you enjoy hiking. Still, as I've said earlier, "fjord fatigue" might set in at some point.
I personally found Geiranger too full of tourists (Of which i was one...) but otherwise very beautiful, and well worth seeing.
In May there will still be (melting) snow in lots of places in the mountains, and the waterfalls will be at their most dramatic. Be prepared hiking conditions can be wet/soggy, pack warm clothes and lots of socks.
May 15th, 2007, 05:43 AM
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Totally agree with post above. Me personally couldn't get enough of the fjords and waterfalls.
Biggest difference for me between the two fjords (besides the earlier points from Hunter); Geiranger is best seen from a boat and/or hiking along the edges of it, only a few places (but they are beautiful places!) can be reached by car, the Sognefjord is much easier accesible by car.
Biggest difference for me between the two fjords (besides the earlier points from Hunter); Geiranger is best seen from a boat and/or hiking along the edges of it, only a few places (but they are beautiful places!) can be reached by car, the Sognefjord is much easier accesible by car.
May 18th, 2007, 06:52 AM
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As a Norw. I'd say one fjord is like another (they're not really) Go for one of them, like a 1 day Nutshell tour, take time to visit places on land, the western parts are spectacular,both in culture and nature.
