Before the trip
Rosendal
A night or two to slow down before or after the trip - we can arrange a hand-picked stay through the same operator network.
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Walking · Hardanger, Western NorwayA walking week through the orchards and high plateaux above Hardangerfjord
A walking week through Hardanger - Rosendal to Trolltunga and Dronningstien
Fjord-side walking with a Lake District temperament: green, well-tended, properly steep.
Photo: Yrjan Olsnes / Rødne Fjord Cruise ·
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Duration
8 days · 7 nights
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On the move
~36 km on the big walking days
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Region
Hardangerfjord
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Lodges
5 fjord-side hotels
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Crossings
Bergen express boat · Lofthus-Ulvik fjord boat
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Style
Self-guided + 1 guided day
Available on request
Arranged on the dates you choose, within the May - September window.
The journey
A walking week through the orchards and high plateaux above Hardangerfjord.
Hardanger is the part of Norway that most reminds British walkers of home. The fjord is long and narrow, the farms cling to the slope, and the paths above them have been used for centuries. The walking is honest: one long guided day out to Trolltunga (20 km, 900 metres of ascent, 8 to 12 hours), one big day on Dronningstien or up Husedalen, and shorter walks of your choosing in between.
We arrange the week with a local operator who knows the routes properly and who books the hotels we would book ourselves. You walk with a daypack, your luggage moves between hotels, and the evenings are quiet. There is fruit cider at most farms; the cider trail is real and worth a day.
This is a good first Norway week if you have done the longer Lakeland rounds and want the same idea on a bigger scale; the Trolltunga day asks for proper hill fitness.
Is this for you?
Who this trip is - and isn't - for.
A good fit if
- ✓Walkers comfortable with two or three substantial days of 16-20 km in mountain terrain with 800-900 m of ascent
- ✓Travelers wanting the iconic walks of inner Hardanger without organising the logistics themselves
- ✓Couples, small groups of friends or solo walkers happy to travel by boat, bus and train rather than by car
- ✓Anyone drawn to the cultural layers of fjord country - orchards, cider, baronial gardens, hydropower history
Less good fit
- ·Walkers wanting a continuous route on foot - you move between five villages by boat, bus and train, with free and transfer days between the big walks
- ·Travelers who only want fully-guided group hiking - the non-Trolltunga walks are self-guided
- ·Anyone uncomfortable with long days on stony alpine terrain (the Trolltunga walk in particular)
The route
Numbered pins mark the day the night is spent. Tap a pin for details.Where the week takes you.
Day by day
The shape of the week.
8 days · 36 km
Elevation profile
~1 800 m of ascent across the week
Bar height = day's ascent · width = day number
Across 8 days · ~36 km on the move
You make your own way to the Bergen harbour for the Hardangerfjord Express - a fast catamaran that runs out through the islands of Sunnhordland and into the fjord proper. There are several departures; the earlier one you take, the more time you have in Rosendal. The afternoon is yours to explore: the 17th-century Baroniet Rosendal with its protected rose garden is a ten-minute walk from the hotel; the contemporary Salmon Eye floating visitor center sits in the fjord just offshore; and the trailheads for the foothills of the Folgefonna glacier are within easy reach if your legs need stretching.
Included
What is in the price.
- 7 nights at fjord-side hotels including breakfast each morning
- 5 packed lunches (the standard Norwegian nistepakke) and 5 evening meals
- Hardangerfjord Express boat from Bergen to Rosendal
- Guided Trolltunga walk with shuttle bus and lunch included
- Fjord boat from Lofthus to Ulvik
- Train from Voss back to Bergen
- Detailed route description and a navigation app
Not included
And what is not.
- Travel to and from Bergen
- Travel and cancellation insurance (we strongly recommend both)
- Drinks with meals and any extra snacks
- Two dinners in Tyssedal
- Local buses between stops (Rosendal-Tyssedal, Tyssedal-Lofthus, Ulvik-Voss)
- Optional activities (cider tasting, RIB safari, kayak hire, etc.)
Optional extensions
Ways to extend or shape this trip.
Many guests fold an extra night or two into a journey of this kind. Mention any of the below in your enquiry and we will fold them into the operator quote.
- Extra night in Bergen before the tripBergen · 1 night
Many guests arrive into Bergen and prefer to land properly before the boat to Rosendal. A night near Bryggen or in the quiet residential streets behind it gives you the right gentle start.
Arriving from a long-haul flight.
Indicative pricing is shown alongside each option in the enquiry form. Final pricing is confirmed with the operator quote.
Where you sleep
Lodges and stays along the way.
Hotel in Rosendal
Comfortable village hotel a short walk from the historic Baroniet Rosendal estate.
Nights
1
Hotel in Tyssedal
Quiet hotel near the Trolltunga trailhead; the right base for the long guided walk.
Nights
2
Hotel in Lofthus
Fjord-side hotel in the heart of the Hardanger orchard belt, well placed for both Dronningstien and Husedalen.
Nights
2
Hotel in Ulvik
Long-established fjord-front hotel in the orchard village of Ulvik.
Nights
1
Hotel in Voss
Town hotel close to the railway station and the Voss Gondol cable car.
Nights
1
Extend your stay
Bookend the trip with a city stay.
Most travellers add a night or two at the start or end. We arrange these through the same operator network with the same single line of contact - write to us with your preference and we will fold it into your enquiry.
After the trip
Bergen
Two nights for the Bryggen wharf, the funicular up Fløyen, the morning fish market and a quiet evening at one of the city kitchens.
Add to my enquiry →Before you come
Know-before-you-go.
Practical Norway
- Visa
- Schengen - most Western travelers visa-free for 90 days.
- Currency
- Norwegian krone (NOK). Cards accepted almost everywhere; cash rarely needed.
- Plugs
- Type F (European two-pin), 230 V / 50 Hz.
- Tipping
- Not expected. Round up if service was exceptional.
- Language
- Norwegian. English is widespread and fluent - you will not need a phrasebook.
- Tap water
- Some of the cleanest in the world. Refill, do not buy bottled.
Typical conditions
Norwegian summer days are long and the light lasts late. Expect mixed weather even in July: 15-22 °C is typical at lower elevations, with the chance of rain and sub-10 °C days higher up. The weather can change inside an hour - pack for it.
What to pack - for this trip
The five-to-seven things most travelers underpack for a Norwegian hiking week.
Underfoot
- Mid-cut waterproof hiking boots, broken in (the single most underpacked item)
- Two pairs of merino hiking socks plus a thin liner pair
Layers
- Merino base layer (long sleeve) - worth more than any single-piece down jacket
- Lightweight fleece or wool mid-layer
- Waterproof shell jacket and trousers (Gore-Tex or equivalent - not a poncho)
- Light puffer for evenings at the lodges
In the daypack
- 25-30 L daypack with a rain cover
- Refillable water bottle (Norwegian tap water is excellent)
- Sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen - UV is strong above the treeline
- Buff or light beanie, even in summer
The operator gives you access to its travel app about a month before departure; the app includes a suggested packing list for the trip.
The country
What the week looks like.
Photo: Kristoffer Førstenberg
Photo: Øyvind Heen / Fjords.com
Photo: Norgeskart
Photography credits as shown on each image.
Practical questions
How serious is the Trolltunga walk?
It is a long mountain day - 20 km, around 900 m of cumulative climbing, and 8-12 hours on the trail. The shuttle to the Mågelitopp trailhead removes the steepest of the original ascent, but the ridge itself is stony and exposed. Recent walking fitness and proper boots are essential. The guide sets the pace and decides on the day whether weather allows the full route to the tongue.
How is the booking arranged?
We refer you to one of our long-standing Norwegian partners who runs this journey. The booking, contract, prepayment and consumer protection (under Norway's Reisegarantifondet) sit with the operator. The price is the same as booking the operator directly; we are paid a small referral commission and there is no extra cost to you.
When is the best time to go?
Trolltunga is reliably accessible from June through September; outside that window the upper trail can be snowbound. Hardanger orchards are in flower in May and into June, and in harvest from late August. We will help match the dates to your preference.
What is the booking lead time?
For high season we recommend committing at least three to four months ahead. The hotels and the guided Trolltunga slots are limited and book out well in advance.
Is travel insurance included?
No. We strongly recommend booking comprehensive travel and cancellation insurance separately, ideally at the time of booking the trip. The operator can suggest Norwegian providers if useful.
Further reading
See all Field Notes →Background reading on this kind of trip.
Regions Compared · 12 min read
Lofoten vs Jotunheimen vs Hardangervidda: which Norwegian region suits you?
Three regions, three different trips. Lofoten is Arctic islands at sea level. Jotunheimen is the high alpine country with the DNT lodge network. Hardangervidda is the open plateau. Here is the comparison we wish someone had written first.
Field Notes · 10 min read
Hut-to-hut walking with DNT: how the Norwegian system works
Norway has around 600 mountain huts run by a federation founded in 1868, opened with a standard key, paid for on your phone, and largely run on trust. For a British walker used to commercial walking holidays this is a different country. Here is how it actually works.
Field Notes · 11 min read
For Munro-baggers: Galdhøpiggen, Glittertind and the Norwegian tops
A British walker who knows their way around the Munros will find a great deal that is familiar in the Norwegian fjell, and a few things that are not. Here is how the two ranges really compare.
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Start a conversation
If this looks like your kind of week, write to us.
Tell us when you are thinking of travelling and how you would like to shape it. A curator will reply within one working day with a considered first option, the operator we would arrange it through, and an honest pricing range for your specific dates.
Travel Guarantee Fund memberFluent English support
Refined by Nordic Curator from a journey by one of our long-standing Norwegian partners. The booking, the contract and the consumer protection (under the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund, Reisegarantifondet) sit with the operator. We are paid a small referral commission and there is no additional cost to you. The price is the same as booking the operator directly. How we work.