Spring & Winter Fjord Cruising
Exploring Geiranger's Heritage
Before beginning our voyage into the Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Norway's most visited fjords, our guide, Nicole, gave us a quick introduction of the city of Ålesund, known for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture.
"The whole of Ålesund burned down," she recounted, telling us about the Great City Fire of 1904 that destroyed the wooden houses.
Despite the cold wind, the sun's warmth was comforting as we looked over the town, now filled with beautiful Art Nouveau buildings. We walked along the cobblestone streets, fascinated by the unique details of the stone buildings, on our way from Havila Voyages’ ship to our white and blue fjord cruiser, operated by the Fjord Rangers from the Norwegian Fjord Centre in Geiranger.
Once aboard, Kenneth, another guide, shared that future cruises visiting the world heritage fjord are obligated to do so with zero emissions by 2026, a move to protect its nature and wildlife.
Havila Voyages' ships are already capable of quiet, electric sailing for up to four hours, and they do this every time they visit a vulnerable fjord.
The journey took us past many small villages, nestled among increasingly imposing mountains.
As we approached Stranda, a significant village, Nicole suggested we go to the outer deck for a better view.
The Norwegian flag danced in the wind at the back of the boat.
Kenneth, who was waiting for us outside, talked about Stranda's importance, known for its mountain Strandafjellet which features gondola rides and local foods like Strandaskinka ham and Grandiosa, Norway's most popular frozen pizza.
Inside the cruiser, we enjoyed delicious snacks while listening to stories about the mountains and old mining operations.
After a while, we noticed the boat slowing down, yet Geiranger was still out of sight. What we saw instead was a breathtaking waterfall named “Friaren” (“The Suitor”). On the opposite side of the fjord, 'The Seven Sisters' cascaded down the mountainside. These two waterfalls were so named because from a distance, they resemble the flowing hair of seven women. Formed by the Knivsflåelvane rivers at the farthest end of the Geirangerfjord, the falls weren't full yet, but 'The Suitor,' with its bottle-like shape, was impressively powerful.
The tale of 'The Suitor' and 'The Seven Sisters' tells of a suitor who proposed to each sister for marriage, only to be consistently spurned. Rejected repeatedly, he ended up despondent, leading to the saying that he 'turned to the bottle'.
Near Friaren, we had a chance to take photos, capturing the waterfall's natural beauty and historical significance. This moment added to our collective memory of the trip.
Geiranger soon appeared, its arrival marked by warm weather and a refreshing breeze.
Our first stop was at Flydalsjuvet viewpoint, which offered a panoramic view of Geiranger, with the fjord and mountains as a backdrop and stunning views of the village.
This was followed by a visit to the The Norwegian Fjord Centre, which focused on Geiranger's World Heritage status, reached by a winding bus ride up steep hills. It's quite remarkable how a large bus is able to navigate the steep, sharp turns of the roads.
The return journey to the quay followed a specially constructed "stairway" that ran alongside the entire length of the Geiranger River. It gave us an up-close view of the region's powerful waterfalls, a testament to the strength of nature.
Leaving Geiranger on the fjord cruiser, cinnamon buns in hand, we reflected on our experiences and memories, ready to share them on our continued journey along Norway's beautiful coast.
You can read more about the excursion here: