Aurland to Hardanger

Exploring Norway’s Fjord, Mountain & Cider Heritage

This self-guided route follows a breathtaking loop through Aurland, Hardangerfjord, Hardangervidda National Park, and Ulvik — regions that together capture Norway’s essence: fjords carved by ice, mountain plateaus alive with reindeer, white stave churches, apple orchards, and music echoing from valley to valley.
Whether you begin in Aurland near Flåm or in Ulvik on the Hardangerfjord, the circular drive (around 200 km) is easily done over two or three days.

Aurland — Gateway to the Sognefjord

The name Aurland comes from aurr, meaning gravel or sand, a nod to its river delta formed more than 3 000 years ago.
Archaeological finds reveal hunting and fishing settlements dating back 2 000 years.
By the 1840s the valley was so overpopulated that many emigrated to America, yet today it thrives again on tourism, hydropower, and sustainable farming.

Geography & Nature

Aurlandsfjord, a 20 km branch of the Sognefjord, lies framed by towering cliffs and alpine farms.
Goats once formed a key part of its economy and still feature on the municipal coat of arms.
The highest peak, Blåskavlen (1 809 m), rises above the fjord, fed by Storskavlen and Blåskavlen glaciers.
The valley’s bedrock — light granitic gneiss, phyllite, and anorthosite — dates back 500 million years.

Lærdal Tunnel

Connecting Aurland with Lærdal, this is the world’s longest road tunnel at 24.5 km.
Completed in 2000, it includes three large blue-lit caverns designed to reduce monotony for drivers — a subtle Norwegian blend of engineering and psychology.

Hydropower & Local Life

Since the 1970s Aurland has become one of Norway’s richest municipalities per capita, thanks to five power stations and eleven dams producing more than 120 km of tunnels.
Most of its electricity is exported to Oslo.

Vangen Church

Built around 1200 AD, this stone church in Gothic style anchors the valley’s history.
Nearby Undredal, with only 80 inhabitants and over 200 goats, produces the world-famous Undredal brown goat cheese (geitost).
Its stave church, dating to 1147, is Norway’s smallest still in use.

Hardangerfjord — The King of Fjords

Stretching 179 km inland and plunging 800 m deep, the Hardangerfjord is Norway’s second-largest fjord.
It connects the fertile inlets of Eidfjord, Sørfjorden (Odda), Sæbø, and Kvinnheradsfjorden.
Fjord waters mix fresh meltwater at the surface with dense saltwater below — a layering effect that keeps the fjord ice-free even in winter, warmed by the Gulf Stream.

The very word fjord stems from ferd — “to travel” — reminding us that fjords were Norway’s first highways.

Lyse Monastery & Early Farming

Founded in 1146 by English Cistercian monks, Lysekloster near Bergen brought apple cultivation to Norway.
Their gardens spread fruit trees eastward through the Hardanger region — cherries, plums, cabbages, and hops — a legacy that shaped the region’s farming identity.

The Orchard of Norway

Hardanger today boasts nearly 600 000 fruit trees: apples, plums, pears, and sweet cherries.
The fjord’s microclimate, protected by mountains and warmed by sea air, produces 40 % of all Norwegian fruit and 80 % of its cherries.

Hardanger Cider & Syse Gard

At Syse Gard in Ulvik, cider-making follows centuries-old tradition: apples are hand-harvested (September–October) and pressed into a semi-dry cider (7–8 % alcohol).
Varieties such as Aroma, Gravenstein, Discovery, and Summer Red are fermented in stainless steel barrels.
Syse Gard produces around 150 000 litres of cider and 100 000 litres of juice annually, all under the protected designation Hardanger Cider PDO.
Brandy aged in re-used French oak barrels completes the range — a taste of Hardanger’s artisanal heritage.

Hardangervidda — The Mountain Plateau

At nearly 8 000 km², Hardangervidda is northern Europe’s largest mountain plateau.
Its southern edge meets the fjords near Eidfjord and Odda; its northern horizon fades into the glaciers of Hardangerjøkulen (1 863 m).
Formed from granite and gneiss nearly 1 000 million years old, the plateau is a fossil of ancient continents.

National Park & Wildlife

Established in 1981, the Hardangervidda National Park covers 3 400 km².
It holds Norway’s largest herd of wild reindeer — about 12 000 animals — whose seasonal migrations date back 8 500 years.
Mountain trout thrive in the countless alpine lakes.

Hydropower & Engineering

The Sima Power Plant, built in 1980, is Norway’s second-largest hydroelectric station.
Its main hall lies 700 m inside the mountain, with tunnels totaling 61 km.
The system channels water from high reservoirs through shafts 200 m deep to turbines 40 m high.
Operated by Statkraft, it remains a monument to Norway’s renewable-energy ambition.

Øksen & Agriculture in Western Norway

Mount Øksen rises 1 241 m above the Hardangerfjord, its slopes a patchwork of grass, cereal, and potato fields.
Across Norway, only 2 % of land is used for agriculture, and the self-sufficiency rate hovers around 50 % due to limited grain production and climate.
About 70 % of cultivated land grows grass for hay and silage, 25 % cereals, and 4 % potatoes.

In Voss municipality alone, there are around 1 100 farms, each averaging 18 acres.
Traditional breeds such as Westland cattle and Valley sheep (Søfjordsau) remain vital for maintaining landscapes and heritage.

Hardanger Culture — Music, History & Art

The Hardanger Fiddle (Hardingfele)

Norway’s national instrument, the Hardanger fiddle, carries eight or nine strings, with sympathetic ones resonating beneath the melody.
The oldest known fiddle, the Jaastad fiddle (1651), is kept in Hardanger, symbolizing the valley’s fusion of craftsmanship and music.

Edvard Grieg & Romanticism

Composer Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) spent summers at his cabin in Lofthus, composing piano works inspired by Hardanger’s rhythms and landscapes.
This period marked Norway’s National Romantic movement, celebrating rural identity through art and folk melodies.

Lyse Monastery to Modern Times

Farmers once paid taxes in apples and cherries; later, the region industrialized through hydropower and tourism.
By the early 20th century, roads and ferries connected fjord communities long isolated by cliffs and glaciers.

Ulvik — Cider, Farms, and Fjord Views

Ulvik, with roughly 1 000 inhabitants, lies on a quiet bay of the Hardangerfjord.
Its name may mean Bay of Wolves or Bay of Ullr, the Norse god of skiing.
Steep hillsides host family farms producing cider, jam, and goat cheese.
White wooden houses, many over 100 years old, line the harbor.

The Hjeltnes Horticultural School, founded in 1901, was Norway’s first gardening college, later becoming a fruit-growing school.
Its gene bank still maintains over 110 apple varieties.

Self-Guided Route

Option 1: Aurland → Hardangerfjord → Ulvik → Aurland

1. Aurland – Undredal – Eidfjord (Rv 50 / Rv 7) – pass through the Lærdal Tunnel and cross the Hardanger Bridge (1 380 m).

2. Eidfjord – Hardangervidda Plateau – detour to the Vøringsfossen viewpoint and Hardangervidda Nature Centre.

3. Hardangerfjord – Ulvik – follow orchard routes, visit Syse Gard for cider tasting.

4. Ulvik – Granvin – Aurland (via Voss / Flåm) – return through waterfalls and tunnels, completing the circle.

Option 2: Ulvik → Hardangervidda → Aurland → Ulvik

Ideal for travelers arriving from Bergen. Start with Ulvik’s cider farms, cross the Hardanger Bridge, explore Eidfjord and Aurland, then loop back via Flåm or the mountain pass toward Voss.

Travel Notes

• Distance: ~200 km (round trip)

• Best months: May – September for driving; December – April for winter sports

• Must-see stops: Aurlandsfjord viewpoint, Lærdal Tunnel, Hardanger Bridge, Vøringsfossen, Hardangervidda National Park, Syse Gard Cider Farm

• Keywords: Aurland travel, Hardangerfjord guide, Hardangervidda plateau, Ulvik cider route, Norway self-drive itinerary

Option 1 – Aurland → Hardangerfjord → Ulvik → Voss → Flåm → Aurland (Loop)

Stops: Aurland → Eidfjord → Ulvik → Granvin → Voss → Flåm → Aurland

Google Maps link:
Open route in Google Maps – Aurland Loop

Option 2 – Ulvik → Hardangervidda / Eidfjord → Aurland → Flåm → Voss → Granvin → Ulvik (Loop, good from Bergen side)

Stops: Ulvik → Eidfjord → Aurland → Flåm → Voss → Granvin → Ulvik

Google Maps link:
Open route in Google Maps – Ulvik Loop