All the people I know who have cruised the norwegian fjords she has come back amazed. Nature in one of its most beautiful and intimidating expressions. But what is a fjord, how is it formed, what characteristics does it have, how many are there, which ones we can visit?
All those questions are answered today in this special article on the Norwegian fjords. To travel!
The fjords
First, it is worth explaining correctly what is meant by a fjord: it is a narrow, coastal sea inlet that is formed when a valley excavated totally or partially by a glacier floods. That is to say, glacier tongues that through the centuries were shaping the landscape. The water, when it reaches freezing temperature, creates many fractures and forms a submerged valley shaped like the letter U. One part above the water and the other under it.
The fjords in general they are very deepThey can be more than a thousand meters deep, registering important depths in the most inland part of the coast. Fjords are found where there used to be a glacier so it is not that they are all over the world but in areas of high altitude, higher than latitude 50 in the northern hemisphere and from latitude 40 in the southern hemisphere. In Norway, for example, or in Chile, on the other side of the world.
Finally, the part of the fjord that faces the sea is known as the "mouth of the fjord", and the inner part is the bottom of the sea. If the geological formation is wider than it is long, it is not a fjord but a bay or a cove. The fjords are very calm and it is that right in front of the arm of the old glacier, stones and gravel and sand were deposited that over time formed a submarine barrier. This feature has also turned the fjords into natural harbors.
Some extra data: UNESCO included two Norwegian fjords in the list of World Heritage Sites and thanks to the Gulf Stream and the air currents produced by the coriolis effect, the climate is relatively temperate and almost ice-free.
The Norwegian fjords
Norway has many fjords, some more famous than others. We can focus them on eight fjords so let's get to know them. First of all we have the Lysefjord, the southernmost of the fjords of western Norway. It is a very popular destination and has two beautiful vantage points, the famous Preikestolen and the Kjerag.
It is followed by hardangerfjord, south of Bergen, it is an especially beautiful national icon in spring and with a hill full of apple trees. It has in turn two offshoots, two arms, very popular, the Eidfjord and the Sorfjord, and it extends for 179 kilometers.
El aurlandsfjord it is also an arm of the Sognefjord, narrow and heavily wooded, and has a beautiful village called Flam. The high-speed train is coming so it's a tourist destination. It is followed in this list by the one that integrates the list of World Heritage, the Naeroyfjord, with its narrow passage of only 250 meters in some corners. It has vertical mountainous walls and waterfalls, a beautiful postcard at just 18 kilometers long.
The Sognefjord is the 'king of the fjords'. It is the longest of all with 200 kilometers and 1.308 meters deep at its deepest point. It is also among the widest fjords and has numerous branches that open from the main one.
To see waterfalls there is also the Geirangerfjord, World Heritage. Vertical mountains on the sides, decorated with snowflakes and many waterfalls, some of them very popular as the so-called Seven Sisters, the Friaren or the Bridal Veil.
For a dramatic fjord we have the Hjorendfjord. It is a destination little visited by tourism and that stands out for its nature and its small villages. It is 35 kilometers long. Another fjord known for its nature is the romsdalsfjord since it has numerous islands on its coast and also mountains that shine for their verticality. There are three well-known tourist spots here: the Trollstigen mountain road, the viewpoint over the town of Andalsnes, Rampestreken, and the Romsdalseggen climbing route.
A fjord much visited by summer cruises is the Trollfjord in the Lofoten area. It is only 100 meters at its narrowest point and barely 3 kilometers long. Matt Damon's movie, downsizing (the one where people become miniature), was filmed here.
Fjords and others
It is not only about fjords but about villages what's there and the tourist destinations that can be visited. The Storfjorden village It is in a remote place and is popular for its wildlife as you can see whales and dolphins when you go out in the water. Also in winter it is very popular as a ski destination and has a gondola that rises high up the mountain to provide wonderful views of the fjord and the Sunnmore Alps.
Through the seldom frequented waters of the Hjorundfjord you can ride in small boats, tour lakes, mountain farms and super quiet rural communities. The Norwegian essence. To see the famous norwegian stave churches in the area it is best to visit the sognefjord. In the region there are five of these ancient and valuable churches and the oldest, the Urnes, dates from the XNUMXth century and is under the protection of UNESCO.
Above we talked about Flam railway and the village of the same name, on the banks of the Aurlandsfjord. It's a gorgeous train ride through tunnels and steep landscapes. It stops at the Kjosfossen waterfall, in addition.
On the other hand, one of the sites that, it is said, inspired some landscapes of Frozen, the Disney movie, are in the Naeryfjord. The quaint little Gudvangen villageBarely a hundred people live, it is the gateway to a series of caves that can be explored.
We also talk about Pulpit, Prekeistolen, a rocky platform that looks like a balcony over the fjord. You have to climb a while to reach it but it is worth it. Did you see Mission Impossible Fallout? Well, this is where Tom Cruise fights Henry Cavill.
If cinema is not your thing, maybe the viking history? For that he heads to the village of Eidfjord, on the banks of the Hardangerfjord. From here you can take a beautiful little train that in 50 minutes reaches a Viking burial site, at Haereid.
These places are some of the many tourist destinations that you can visit in the Norwegian fjords.