Mostraumen Fjord Cruise Bergen

Bryggen and Bergen harbour

Every Mostraumen fjord cruise from Bergen starts in the harbour below Bryggen, the row of pointed wooden gables that has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1979. This was the Hanseatic League's trading post in Norway, and from the water you see the wharf the way visiting merchants once did. Many guests walk through Bryggen's narrow alleys before or after the sailing, so it is worth planning the wharf visit around your departure time.

The boat leaves from the central harbour close to the Fish Market and needs a little while to leave the city behind, passing moored boats and the old Bergenhus fortress at the harbour mouth. It is an easy way to see Bergen from a new angle, and this is one of the most convenient Bergen fjord cruise departures because you can walk to it from most central hotels.

The Osterfjord

North of Bergen the Osterfjord opens into a long, calm fjord arm, and the further you go the more dramatic the landscape gets. Forested slopes give way to steep rock walls, small farms sit on narrow ledges above the water, and waterfalls drop straight into the fjord after rain. The audio guide, available in English, explains how the fjord was carved by ice and how people have lived on these shores for centuries.

Keep an eye out for sea eagles and other birds along the shoreline. The boat is a modern, low-emission catamaran, which keeps noise down and makes it comfortable to stand on the sun deck for photos. If you are wondering whether a Bergen fjord tour is worth your time, this stretch is the reason: you get real fjord scenery within an hour of the city centre.

The Mostraumen strait and waterfall

Mostraumen is the highlight of the day, a very narrow channel where the fjord squeezes between steep mountainsides and the water runs fast with the tide. The captain steers carefully through it, and at one point brings the boat close to a waterfall so that guests on deck can feel the cool spray. Expect wind and a few drops of water, so keep your camera in a dry pocket.

The Mostraumen cruise has been running for many years and is often called the original Bergen fjord cruise. Rain is not a problem here: the cabin is warm and dry, and heavy rain usually turns the mountainsides into a curtain of white water. Guests searching for the best time to visit Mostraumen will find that spring meltwater and wet weather both make the waterfalls spectacular.

On board: comfort, views and practical tips

The catamaran has a spacious indoor cabin with panoramic windows and an open sun deck, so you can move between warmth and fresh air as you like. Food and drinks are not included, but there is a kiosk on board where you can buy pastries, snacks and hot drinks. There is no hotel pickup; you meet at the departure point in Bergen shown in your booking confirmation.

The sailing takes around three and a half hours in total and normally departs in the morning, so you can still spend the afternoon in Bergen, for example on the Ulriken cable car or in the old wharf district. Anyone asking how to get to the Mostraumen cruise can simply walk to the central harbour, as the departure point is in the city centre.