Geirangerfjord Boat Tour with Stop in Hellesylt

The Geirangerfjord route from Geiranger to Hellesylt

The classic boat route between Geiranger and Hellesylt follows the entire Geirangerfjord, about 15 km of deep blue water between cliffs that rise over a thousand metres. Since 2005 the fjord has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the West Norwegian Fjords, valued for its untouched landscape, its waterfalls and the traces of farming life on impossibly steep slopes.

This Geirangerfjord boat tour lets you enjoy the full route without having to arrange a one-way ferry and a return journey. From the open deck you see the fjord narrow and widen, the mountains change shape and the village of Geiranger shrink behind you. If you are asking whether a Geiranger boat trip is worth it, this round trip shows more of the fjord than the shorter cruises, with a village stop added.

The Seven Sisters, the Suitor and fresh waterfall water

Halfway along the fjord the boat passes the Seven Sisters, seven separate streams falling side by side down the north wall, the tallest about 250 metres high. Opposite them is the Suitor, which local legend says is a young man who tried in vain to win one of the sisters; nearby you can also spot the old farms of Skageflå and Knivsflå clinging to the slopes.

A special moment of this trip is the chance to collect and drink fresh water from a waterfall, cold and clean from the snowfields above. The falls are fullest from late May to July, when snowmelt feeds them, and they remain beautiful through the summer. Have your camera ready on the side of the boat facing the falls, as the boat slows for photos.

Hellesylt village and its waterfall

Hellesylt is a small village at the western end of the Geirangerfjord, where it meets the Sunnylvsfjord. Its most striking sight is the Hellesylt waterfall, which tumbles through the very centre of the village under a road bridge and into the fjord, loud and powerful in early summer. The village is also the gateway to the Norangsdalen valley, one of the most dramatic mountain valleys in the region.

Your 60 minutes of free time are enough to watch the waterfall from the bridge, follow the riverside to the shore, and enjoy a snack from a local café. Many people ask how to get to Hellesylt from Geiranger; besides the car route over the mountains, the boat is the most scenic option, and this round trip brings you back to Geiranger the same afternoon.

Geiranger harbour, the starting point

The trip starts at the boat pier in Geiranger harbour, in the centre of the village at the head of the fjord. Geiranger has only a few hundred residents but welcomes visitors from around the world each summer, many arriving on cruise ships that anchor in the fjord and send passengers ashore by tender a short walk from the pier.

Arrive a little early to find a good spot on deck. The boat is wheelchair-accessible, and snacks and drinks can be bought at the kiosk on board. The best time to visit the Geirangerfjord is from May to September, when the boats run daily; combine this trip with a coach tour to Eagle Bend or Dalsnibba to see the fjord from above as well.