Exploring Norwegian fjords on Hurtigruten

The Norwegian coastal voyages are visiting Hjørundfjord every autumn.

Between September and October, North bound Hurtigruten voyages visit the Hjørundfjord. Located close to Ålesund in the Sunnmøre Alps and Geiranger, this fjord is 35km in length, one of the longest fjords in Norway. This is a narrow fjord surrounded by majestic mountains.

The Norwegian fjords are world famous. And Hjørundfjord is perhaps the most idyllic and beautiful of them all. It has a wide mouth but the further in you go, the narrower it gets. And it is deep. On the eastern side the mountains plunge straight into the fjord and, although there is not much space for settlements here, a few tiny farms cling to the steep terrain.

The mountains to the west also slope steeply, and here you'll find small villages connected by dramatic mountain roads. If you find yourself in the Hjørundfjord, raise your eyes to the stunning Sunnmøre Alps, one of Norway's most famous mountain areas, and be completely enveloped by sea and mountains.

Even though the highly popular and visited mountains here are regarded as a national treasure, the fjord is something of a secret, left out of all other tourist routes.

You can further explorer the region around the Hjørundfjord during Hurtigruten's "A Taste of Norway" excursion. Departing by bus from the village of Urke in Norangsdalen, one of the wildest and narrowest valleys of the country, visit Hellesylt and Lyngstol Lake where it’s possible to see the remains of an ancient settlement which was lost as the result of a huge landslide more than a hundred years ago. From here, head to the town of Øye and the charming Union Hotel (not to be confused with the Geiranger hotel with the same name). This historic residence of the Belle Epoque hosted Europe’s finest since its construction in 1891 and has been recently renovated.