Folgefonna National Park & Glacier Lake Tour with Lunch from Bergen

Bondhusvatnet glacier lake

Bondhusvatnet is a lake at the end of the Bondhusdalen valley, fed by meltwater from the Bondhus glacier above it. Fine rock flour carried by the ice gives the water its milky turquoise colour, and on calm days the steep granite walls and the glacier are mirrored on the surface. In the 1800s, blocks of ice were cut here and carried down the valley on the old 'ice road' to be shipped abroad.

The path to the lake is a broad, well-trodden track of soil and small stones, about two kilometres each way with only gentle climbs, and it is even suitable for strollers with outdoor wheels. You spend around two and a half hours in the park, including the walk and a relaxed picnic at tables or on the boulders by the shore. Anyone looking for a Bondhus glacier hike that does not require mountain experience will find this ideal.

Folgefonna National Park

Folgefonna National Park was created in 2005 to protect the Folgefonna ice cap, Norway's third-largest glacier, together with the valleys, lakes and mountains around it. The ice sits on a high plateau between the Hardangerfjord and the Sørfjord, and its tongues spill down into valleys such as Bondhusdalen.

The park is a landscape of waterfalls, glacier-polished rock, birch woods and fast streams of clear meltwater. Your guide explains how the glacier has advanced and retreated over the centuries and points out the signs of its movement on the valley walls. The best time to visit Folgefonna is from late spring to early autumn, when the paths are free of snow and the waterfalls run strongly.

Steinsdalsfossen waterfall

Steinsdalsfossen is a waterfall about 50 metres high near the village of Norheimsund, on the northern side of the Hardangerfjord. What makes it special is the path that runs behind the curtain of water, so you can stand dry under the rock ledge and watch the river pour past in front of you.

The tour stops here for about 45 minutes, enough time to walk behind the falls, take photos from the front and visit the small shop and café nearby for snacks or souvenirs. The waterfall is most powerful in late spring and early summer, and you may feel some spray on the path, so a light rain jacket is a good idea.

The Hardangerfjord ferries and Jondal

The Hardangerfjord is Norway's second-longest fjord, stretching about 180 kilometres inland from the coast, and it is famous for its fruit orchards, which turn white with blossom in May. On this trip you cross it by car ferry, enjoying wide views of the water and the snow-capped mountains from the deck.

You land at Jondal, a small village on the southern shore, and continue by coach towards the national park. On the way back you take a different ferry, so you see the fjord from another angle before driving through the green countryside of Vestland. All ferry costs are already included, so there is nothing extra to pay on board.

Bergen and the Vestland countryside

The day begins and ends at the Fish Market in central Bergen, beside the harbour and the old Bryggen wharf. Leaving the city, the coach follows quiet roads through Vestland county, past farms, lakes and small villages that most visitors never see.

Your guide includes short photo stops at hidden spots along the route, and the drive back in the afternoon is unhurried, with more chances to capture the pastoral scenery. For travellers asking for the best day trip from Bergen that combines a fjord, a waterfall and a glacier in one day, this route covers all three without the crowds of the busier fjord routes. The tour returns to the Fish Market in the early evening, in time for dinner in the city.