The Western Fjords - Norway's best kept secret revealed

The Western Fjords remain one of Norway’s most spectacular yet lesser-visited regions. Our Scenic Fjords of Norway small group tour reveals this hidden landscape, combining iconic highlights with remote valleys, historic hotels and celebrated scenic roads.

The Western Fjords of Norway remain one of the country’s most spectacular and least understood regions. While many travellers focus on the most famous fjord corridors, this wilder stretch of coastline and deep inland valleys offers something quieter, more immersive and arguably more dramatic.

The best way to experience it is on our Scenic Fjords of Norway, a 10-day small group journey from Bergen to Trondheim that combines Norway’s iconic highlights with remote fjord landscapes, historic hotels and nationally recognised scenic routes.

Formerly operated in a semi-independent format similar to our Beautiful Norway tour, this journey now runs as a fully escorted small group tour with a tour leader throughout, while retaining the same carefully designed focus on the Western Fjords region.

Why the Western Fjords?

Many fjord itineraries focus on the most photographed stretches between Oslo and Bergen. The Western Fjords, however, sit slightly beyond that well-worn corridor. They require more deliberate routing and a deeper understanding of local roads, ferries and seasonal access.

That is precisely what makes them so rewarding.

Rather than moving quickly between headline attractions, this journey follows the natural geography of the coast and fjords. It begins in Bergen, travels by express ferry to remote Kalvåg, then continues inland through Nordfjord and Loen before curving north via Hjørundfjord, Ålesund and onward along some of Norway’s most celebrated scenic routes.

The route has been designed to reveal contrast: coast and glacier, historic hotel and mountain pass, village harbour and high alpine valley.

By travelling in a small group with a tour leader and dedicated transport between destinations, you gain access to narrow fjord roads, ferry crossings and lesser-known valleys that would be complex to coordinate independently. At the same time, the pace allows for spontaneous stops, short walks and time to properly absorb the landscape.

The result is not simply a fjord tour, but a carefully shaped arc through Western Norway’s most dramatic and least crowded scenery.

Below, we highlight some of the defining experiences that make the Western Fjords such a remarkable part of Norway to explore.

Nature lover's paradise

Western Norway’s fjord country is breathtakingly beautiful and remarkably varied. Glaciers descend towards emerald lakes, waterfalls cascade from sheer cliffs and narrow valleys open into wide fjord panoramas.

Travelling through the Nordfjord region, you visit the lesser-known Kjenndalen Glacier at the end of the Loen Valley. Quieter than its more famous neighbour Briksdal, it offers a more serene and spacious experience. The road winds along the fjord before narrowing into a dramatic valley framed by waterfalls and towering rock faces.

A highlight of this region is the Loen Skylift, which carries you 1,011 metres above the fjord to Mount Hoven. From the top, the landscape unfolds in every direction: winding lakes, distant glaciers, forested slopes and the long ribbon of Nordfjord stretching towards the coast. On clear days, the sense of scale is extraordinary. Even when mist drifts across the peaks, the atmosphere feels raw and elemental.

Continuing north, the journey follows Hornindalsvatn Lake, the deepest lake in Europe, before entering Norangsdalen, often referred to as “The Queen’s Route”. This narrow valley is one of Norway’s most beautiful drives, edged by steep mountains, waterfalls and alpine farms that appear almost untouched by time.

From here, the road traces the Hjørundfjord, widely regarded as one of Norway’s most idyllic fjords. With its dark blue waters, dramatic peaks and small farming communities, it remains far less visited than some of the country’s more famous fjords, yet it offers equally powerful scenery.

Local history & cultural encounters

Landscape alone does not define the Western Fjords. The region is equally shaped by centuries of coastal trade, farming traditions and maritime heritage.

A visit to the Sagastad Viking Exhibition brings Norway’s seafaring past vividly to life. Here, the reconstructed Myklebust ship – the largest Viking ship ever discovered – anchors the story of a culture built on ocean routes and exploration.

Traditional villages, wooden churches and historic bridges along the route provide glimpses into everyday life shaped by fjord and mountain. Beginning in Bergen, with its Hanseatic harbour of Bryggen and maritime atmosphere, the journey is rooted in both history and place.

Food and historic stays

A journey through the Western Fjords is also a culinary experience rooted in place.

In Loen, Hotel Alexandra combines fjord views with generous Nordic hospitality. Breakfasts and dinners showcase regional ingredients, from fresh seafood to locally sourced meats, served in elegant surroundings that reflect the hotel’s long history.

Further along the route, lunch at the historic Hotel Union Øye brings together landscape, architecture and gastronomy. Dating from 1891, this timber manor house has hosted royalty, writers and explorers. Today, it continues to serve locally inspired dishes in a setting framed by steep mountains and the quiet waters of Norangsfjorden.

In Ålesund, known for its distinctive Art Nouveau architecture, you have time to explore at a relaxed pace before the journey continues north via Trollstigen and the Atlantic Road, two of Norway’s most celebrated National Scenic Routes.

Beyond the Western Fjords

While the Western Fjords form the heart of this experience, the landscape continues to evolve beyond Ålesund.

From here, the route turns towards Åndalsnes, nestled within the dramatic peaks of Romsdalen. Surrounded by waterfalls and sharp alpine ridgelines, this area introduces a wilder mountain character to the journey. A guided activity in the region offers insight into the geology and natural history that have shaped this rugged valley.

The road then climbs towards Trollstigen, one of Norway’s most celebrated National Scenic Routes. Its eleven tight hairpin bends cut through steep mountain terrain, creating a drive that is as exhilarating as it is beautiful.

Further north, the Atlantic Road links a series of small islands and skerries with elegantly curved bridges across the open sea. Whether bathed in calm light or shaped by Atlantic winds, it provides a powerful coastal contrast to the deep inland fjords visited earlier in the tour.

The journey concludes in Trondheim, a historic city with deep medieval and Viking roots. Arriving here completes a remarkable arc through Western Norway: from Bergen’s harbour, through hidden fjords and glacier valleys, across alpine passes and out along the Atlantic coast.

A Western Fjords Journey, Reimagined

The Western Fjords remain one of Norway’s most compelling yet underappreciated regions. By combining iconic scenic routes with quieter valleys, historic hotels and locally rooted experiences, the Scenic Fjords of Norway small group tour reveals the region in a way that feels both expansive and personal.

It is not simply a fjord tour. It is a carefully shaped passage through coast, glacier, mountain and sea – a journey that explains, quietly and convincingly, why the Western Fjords are still Norway’s best kept secret.

Explore the full itinerary here:
Scenic Fjords of Norway Small Group Tour

Also see our full range of summer small group tours as well as independent fjord itineraries.