For this Norway itinerary you will fly into Bergen, Norway. Bergen is the gateway to your Norway fjords holiday! Since you are traveling Norway with kids, this itinerary is meant to limit the amount of driving time, while still seeing some of Norway’s best fjords.
To make things even easier while traveling Norway with kids, this Norway itinerary has 2 main stops meaning you’ll only need 2 places to stay. These two places will be your launching pads for exploring some of the best nearby sights. Having two main stops mean you don’t need to unpack and repack a bunch of times and your children will feel more at home.
Norway rivals New Zealand as our favorite place we’ve ever been and should be on your travel bucket list if it isn’t already. In fact, they remind us a lot of each other. We guarantee the landscapes you will witness on your Norway fjords holiday will leave you speechless. Now let’s begin the ultimate Norway itinerary for traveling the fjords of Norway with kids.
Bergen, Norway
For this Norway itinerary plan to fly into Bergen, Norway. We have a ton of helpful tips for flying with a baby or kids to help make the flight a breeze.
Depending on the time you arrive in Bergen you may want to take this opportunity to see some of Bergen’s best attractions. If so, you can take a train from the airport to downtown Bergen and then rent a car from a downtown Bergen car rental. The city is extremely walkable and worth spending some time in if your Norway fjords holiday allows it.
The major attractions not to miss in Bergen are
- Bryggen – Old wharf & traditional wooden buildings
- Bergenhus Fortress – Harborside stone fortress & museum
- KODE 4 – Museum showcasing Norwegian painters
- University Museum – Museum of history, science & culture
- Akvariet i Bergen – Aquarium with sea lion shows & penguins. A favorite if traveling Norway with kids!
Hardangerfjord
The first fjord we are going to explore on this Norway itinerary is Hardangerfjord. The main cities along Hardangerfjord we will be visiting during this Norway fjords holiday are Rosendal, Odda and Tyssedal Norway.
Hardangerfjord is the 2nd longest fjord in Norway and home to the world famous Trolltunga hike! Hardanger is also known as “the kingdom of waterfalls” because it’s home to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in Norway.
A good place to stay that is in the middle of all these major attractions is Ænes Norway. We found an incredible Airbnb that was right on the fjord for an extremely reasonable price. The view is literally to die for!!
The drive from Bergen to Ænes is 2 hours and 20 minutes however that includes 2 ferry rides across fjords. The ferry rides are a great opportunity to get the kids out of car seats, give a bottle/nurse or have a snack. While driving around Norway with kids extra stops might be necessary which is why we are trying to limit the amount of time in the car on this Norway itinerary.
Rosendal
Rosendal is a small village on Hardangerfjord surrounded by a colorful countryside, rich agriculture and soaring mountains. The village is the launching point for many popular and incredible hikes and a few delicious restaurants.
Hattebergfossen
Hattebergfossen is an incredible waterfall hike near Rosendal. Along the trail you will see a lot of goats just minding their own business. If you are traveling Norway with kids they are sure to love watching the goats as they hike.
The hike is a nice easy walk through a valley until the very end where you have the option to climb to the top of the waterfall. This is a short but very steep climb, but the view at the top is incredibly. The valley is vibrant green and you can see Hardangerfjord in the distance.
Malmangernuten
Malmangernuten mountain is a difficult but beautiful hike you will want to have on your Norway itinerary. This hike has a lot of stairs that take you straight up the mountain so be prepared.
At the top you get a jaw dropping view of Hardangerfjord’s bright blue water against the Norway countryside. It was one of our favorite fjord views of the entire trip! It truly is a must see sight on your Norway fjords holiday.
Odda
Odda lies at the end of a narrow branch of Hardangerfjord called Sørfjord. Sandwiched between two national parks, the small town is surrounded by mountains.
Town of Odda
The town of Odda is worth exploring on your Norway fjords holiday. The village lines the fjord with red, blue, white and green houses, restaurants and magnificent shops to check out. Odda is a great stop when traveling Norway with kids. Spend a half a day shopping, eating at one of the restaurants and running around the parks.
Furebergsfossen waterfall
Furebergsfossen is an easy add to a Norway itinerary because you will pass it on the drive to Odda and you can’t miss it. This incredible waterfall gushes right next to the road!!! No hike required! There is a nice area to pull off the road to stop and admire Furebergsfossen and snap some photos before you continue on your drive.
Bondhusvatnet Lake and Bondhus Glacier
The hike to Bondhusvatnet Lake and Bondhus Glacier is the perfect hike to do when traveling Norway with kids. The hiking trail is very family friendly and can even acommodate a stroller if you’d like.
The trail is 5 km round trip to the outlet of the lake or 7 km if you’d like to hike to the glacier. The trail is sandwiched between steep mountains and surrounded by cascading waterfalls. But the grand finale is the view of Bondhusvatnet Lake at the end.
Tyssedal
Tyssedal is the last area to explore on Hardangerfjord on a Norway fjords holiday. The main attraction here is of course Trolltunga which might be the most well known scenic cliff in Norway. However, there is more to do here than hike Trolltunga.
Trolltunga is a challenging hike to complete if you are traveling Norway with kids, but we have a guide on exactly how we hiked Trolltunga with our toddler.
Trolltunga
You’ve probably seen plenty of photos of Trolltunga on your Norway itinerary research. Trolltunga is a long and challenging hike that ends at a spectacular rock formation that hangs well above Ringedalsvatnet Lake. If you are a hiker this is hike you must do on your Norway fjords holiday.
Make sure to do your research before attempting this hike however. The weather changes quickly and conditions can get hairy quick. Plus availability changes with the seasons.
Lilletopp
Lilletopp is a short but steep hike that offers fantastic views over Hardangerfjord. We did this hike on a day we wanted to hike Trolltunga but found out the conditions weren’t great at the top. It’s short but basically straight up so you will want to take your time.
Lilletopp is located between Hardangervidda and Folgefonna National Parks so you can image how gorgeous the surrounding views are. This hike also features a hydropower plant which is something you don’t see everyday and another exciting addition to this hike.
Trail of 4 Waterfalls
The third and final hike to check out in Tyssedal is the trail of 4 waterfalls. As the name suggests, you’ll see 4 incredible and powerful waterfalls on this hike. The group of waterfalls together are called the Husedalen Waterfalls or individually named Tveitafossen, Nyastølsfossen, Nykkjesøyfossen, and Søtefossen (good luck pronouncing any of them).
Each waterfall you see seems bigger and more powerful than the last as it rushes down the Kinso River to Hardangerfjord. If you’re traveling Norway with kids they will love watching and feeling the mist in the air! Make sure this one is on your Norway itinerary.
Nærøyfjord
The second fjord we are going to explore on this Norway itinerary is Nærøyfjord. This fjord is on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its beauty and is the narrowest fjord arm in Norway. The narrow width and steep mountain sides make this the perfect fjord to experience on the water on a fjord cruise.
A good place to stay that is near Nærøyfjord and has plenty of other things to do near by is Voss, Norway. We stayed in a spacious home in the mountains that we found on Airbnb and loved our view.
The drive from Ænes to Voss is 2 hours and 20 minutes making it a very doable drive if you are traveling Norway with kids. You’ll pass plenty of scenery on the drive and even drive through a long tunnel that takes you through a fjord which is a super unique and exciting experience on its own.
Voss, Norway
Voss, Norway, also known as the adrenaline capital of Norway, is not short on things to do. Go white water rafting, mountain biking or even skydiving if you and your kids are adrenaline junkies. If you’re visiting Norway in winter this is the perfect place to hit the slopes.
If you are looking for less of a thrill, you can ride a gondola to the top of the mountains. It’s a great activity to do if you’re traveling Norway with kids. There are also two beautiful lakes in town you can walk around and the darling Voss church to check out.
Bordalsgjelet Gorge
The Bordalsgielet Gorge is a unique natural attraction that is walking distance from the town of Voss. If you’d like to take the long way, walk from town. But it you’re short on time you can also drive right to the gorge. From the parking lot it is a very short and easy walk to see the gorge.
The gorge is a very narrow crevasse with a river running through it. The train takes you along the green and mossy cliff side and gives you a great view of the rushing river before.
Tvindefossen
Tvindefossen waterfall is an easy add to a Norway itinerary because no hike is required to see this incredible waterfall! You can see it right from the road and chances are you will pass it multiple times as you explore this area. There is a place to park and a trail to get a closer look if you’d like.
Fjord Cruise
One of the best things you can do on your Norway fjords holiday is take a fjord cruise down Nærøyfjord. This is one of the most spectacular fjords in all of Norway and the best way to see it is from the water.
The fjord cruise begins in either Flåm or Gudvangen. The entire trip takes about 2 hours one way. If you begin from Flåm, you’ll start your sailing journey through Aurlandsfjord before continuing through Nærøyfjord and ending in Gudvangen. Or you can start in Gudvangen and do the journey in the other direction.
To get back to your starting point you can book a shuttle bus ticket.
Enjoy your trip!
That concludes our Norway itinerary if you are traveling through the fjords of Norway with kids. You can still have an incredible Norway fjords holiday without spending hours upon hours in the car. This Norway itinerary allows you to see two of the best fjords in the entire country, including one that is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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