AMAZING HARDANGER FJORD: Private guided round trip from Bergen, 10 hours

Our tour starts in the city of Bergen - the Gateway to the Fjords. The city was founded in 1070 and contains many historical and cultural landmarks. We will pass some of them on our way from the city and also on our return to Bergen.

Sørfjorden or the South fjord is part of the Osterfjord which is a peculiar natural phenomenon: an salt water inlet that surrounds the largest inland island in Northern Europe - Osterøy Island - enclosed by continental land. We drive along the South fjord until we come the crossroads in Trengereid. (Usually we do not stop here.)

From the village of Trengereid we take Route #7 to the Hardangerfjord. (Usually we do not stop here.)

Hardangervegen or the Hardanger Road is Norwegian route #7. This road is a tourist attraction in itself. We will see beautiful sights along the way: mountains, lakes and waterfalls. On the way to the Hardangerfjord we will make two photo stops at 2 waterfalls: Fossen Bratte and Steinsdalsfossen.

We make a stop at Fossen Bratte waterfall – 259 feet (79 meters) tall. The view is great and you can take some memorable pictures here. A short walking tour to the bottom of the waterfall is highly recommended - you simply must feel the roaring freshness and gentle and pure water drops on your face.

The next stop is at Steinsdalsfossen waterfall – 164 feet (50 meters) tall. You can actually walk behind the falling water without getting wet. A walk behind the waterfall to the viewpoint is highly recommended.

The Hardangerfjord is the second longest fjord in Norway. We will be travelling along the fjord to Granvin, cross the fjord on the Hardanger bridge and continue our journey to Eidfjord.

After passing through two quaint small towns Norheimsund and Øystese, we take a short detour to the Goldfish Lake – Skårsvatnet – a special lake with a large population of golden orfe. The fish is tame and most of the times can be observed very close to the shore.

After the Goldfish Lake we continue on to Fyksesundet – a narrow fjord, which we cross on Fyksesund suspension bridge, built in 1937.

On the other side of Fyksesundet lies Steinstø – a small farming community with Steinstø fruit farm and fruit kiosk and café. We can stop there for a cup of coffee, a piece of apple pie and a view of the fjord.

We continue our journey along the fjord. Enjoy the views: natural beauty of the scenery with small quaint villages scattered along the coast.

After a while we come to one of the Hardangerfjord's narrower places. Here we will cross the fjord on the Hardanger Bridge – a suspension bridge from 2013 with a main span of 1310 metres (4300 ft). This magnificent structure is preceded by an 8 km (5 miles) long tunnel. Another tunnel awaits on the other side. We stop at the viewpoint overlooking the fjord and the bridge on the other side.

When we have passed the village of Eidfjord, a popular cruise ship destination, we drive to Øvre Eidfjord, where we visit the "Norwegian Nature Center – Hardanger", a museum and visitor center of the Hardangervidda National Park, dedicated to flora, fauna, geology and history of the region. There you may also watch a new panoramic film "Norway my country - fjords, mountains, waterfalls and Hardangervidda" a spectacular journey through fjords and mountain landscapes and mighty waterfalls. It is a beautiful film on panoramic screen about the magnificent sights on Hardangervidda plateau. After the museum, there will be time for lunch at a cozy yet spacious café. The museum and café open only during the season from April 1 to October 31. Out of season we can have lunch in a café in Eidfjord.

Our next stop, and the main destination of the journey, is Vøringsfossen waterfall, 182 metres (597 ft) tall, located at the very end of Måbødalen valley where the Hardangervidda begins. The viewpoint consists of several secure platforms overhanging the waterfall and the canyon. The view is mesmerizing: raging waters falling to the bottom of the canyon, the rugged valley with a stream meandering below surrounded by lush yet fragile tundra landscape. In case we have enough time, we may continue farther up into the Hardangervidda plateau above the timberline – where the landscape changes and we find ourselves in bare mountain landscape surrounded by rock and lichen. After Vøringsfossen waterfall, and possibly a short ride up the Hadangervidda plateau, we return to Bergen: the road goes back to the Hardangerfjord, across the bridge and via the town of Voss. The tour ends in Bergen.

On our way back to Bergen we take a short detour on an alternate road and make a stop at one more waterfall: Skjervsfossen, with its twin falls plunging out from a height of 150 metres.