Geiranger, Norway

[nigkar]

We will be cruising the Norwegian fjords this April.

could anyone inform us what we can do in Geiranger.

arrive 08.00 depart 17.00

are there any short hikes or view points.

any recommendations for restaurants or cafe.

also what type of clothing should we take for this cruise, is it cold in April ?

thanks in advance for any information.

[hallasm]

My preferred cruise port in Norway.

Geiranger is a UNESCO World Heritage site at the end of a long deep fjord. You must be at the upper decks at sunrise 4:30am (depending on month) to enjoy the beautiful sceneries - just before arriving to Geiranger you’ll pass the ‘Seven Sisters Waterfalls’ (left side of the ship).

The main attractions in Geiranger is the view points - Mount Dalsnibba and the Skywalk - one of the highest fjord viewpoint.

Another is Flydalsjuvet Viewpoint - you can  walk to the view point It takes around 80 to 90 minutes to walk there from the village.

There is also a hop-0n hop-off bus to the view points.

Link to Geiranger port.

 

sailing into Geiranger.

 

[kitkat343]

 

48 minutes ago, hallasm said:

The main attractions in Geiranger is the view points - Mount Dalsnibba and the Skywalk - one of the highest fjord viewpoint.

 

 

 

Our three favorite ports were Flam, Geiranger and Olden.   Visitors should please note that if you are planning on driving to the beautiful scenic viewpoints at Dalsnibba that Road 63 opens between mid-May and early June, depending upon how long it takes to clear the snow after the avalanche risk has ended (the engineers wait until a big spring avalanche occurs before opening the road). You should consider choosing a cruise that visits later to ensure you will be able to experience all of the beauty of Geiranger. It would be helpful if the cruise lines adjusted their itineraries and put Geiranger last on May cruises, since Road 63 opened the on our last port day, when we were in Bergen, but they may have logistical reasons for leaving the port stop in Geiranger earlier. We were told in Flam that the waterfalls all looked gorgeous in May because they are currently filled with snow runoff. This will melt, and then the waterfalls won’t be nearly as impressive later in the season so that might be one reason to choose a May cruise.  It is unlikely you will be able to access the Skywalk in April.   That being said, we still had an amazing day in Geiranger, but were disappointed that we were not able to visit the Skywalk.

 

The weather in mid-May on our cruise was very comfortable, but please note that it does rain a lot and you should bring layers and be prepared for the possibility of colder weather.

 

Also, if you are traveling in April, please contact the tour companies early to arrange tours.  They needed a bit more time than usual to arrange our tour in Flam because the goats hadn't moved to their spring farm (they have different farms for different seasons and move around so they keep getting fresh grass) and it took our tour operator some time to arrange the normal summer tour for us in mid-May.  There weren't that many private tour guides pre covid, so it could be a bit difficult to arrange private tours now.

 

 

In Geiranger, Geiranger Fjordservice is the dominant tour operator. We booked a private limousine tour for just our family to visit the various scenic viewpoints.  

 

Visitors should note that the viewing platforms in Geiranger are amazing (especially on a clear day) but there are hairpin roads to reach them, and it could be a little challenging if you are prone to car sickness. I would not recommend using Geirangerfjordservice for private transportation because our driver wasn't very good, but they do run a bus to the panoramic viewing stations and most of the tripadvisor reviews were quite positive for this company.

 

At the end of the tour, we decided to stop for lunch in Geiranger. We were a little scared to stop at Braserie Posten, since it is in a tourist trap location right near the cruise ship terminal, but the yelp reviews were positive and the food was excellent. There is seating with a beautiful view of the harbor in the back of the restaurant. We went through two bowls of fish soup, since the kids were so happy eating all of it. It is a very short walk from this restaurant to the dock, so this is a nice way to conclude your day in Geiranger. 

Edited January 27, 2022 by kitkat343

[hallasm]

2 hours ago, nigkar said:

also what type of clothing should we take for this cruise, is it cold in April ?

Forgot to comment on the weather.
In general cold in April and still a lot of snow in the mountains - roads might be closed - might be impossible to get to the view points.

Some statistics: The average minimum temperature during the night in Geiranger in April is -4.0°C (24.8°F). The average maximum daytime temperature lies around 3.8°C (38.84°F). April is a dry month with an average of 15mm (0.6in) rain. The driest month of the year with 140 hours of sunshine.

[nigkar]

Many thanks for the information, and the great video, thank you.

so it looks like the skywalk will be closed in April.

will you still be able to get to Flydalsjuvet viewpoint ?

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, nigkar said:

will you still be able to get to Flydalsjuvet viewpoint ?

April is quite early for a visit to Geiranger - still snow, but it might be possible to walk along the road.

Try to send an e-mail to geiranger@dgt.no  - however the tourist office might be close.

[nigkar]

Thanks again hallasm 

[waiting2retire]

@hallasm  we will be in Geiranger on May 5. We are not morning people and would like to know if there is a reason to be up and out for a 5:00 sunrise as opposed to enjoying the scenery on the way back out of the fjord at the more respectable time of 5:00 p.m.?

 

 Thanks 

[hallasm]

22 minutes ago, waiting2retire said:

we will be in Geiranger on May 5

It is the same voyage of the fjord both morning and sailing back in the evening - I think the entrance is especially beautiful in the morning light.  In the evening there is also dinner and show.  
I would suggest that you see the waterfall ‘The Seven Sisters’ just before arriving at Geiranger - on the left side of the ship at the entrance.