Geiranger and

Hellesylt

are villages in Møre og Romsdal. The

Geirangerfjord

is one of the most beautiful mainland fjords and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Norway. In a rating of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Geirangerfjord (along with

Nærøyfjord

in Sogn og Fjordane) obtained top score in a survey conducted by prestigious National Geographic Magazine. A visit to Geiranger can be included in a trip along the Norwegian coast. The villages of Geiranger and Hellesylt sit at either end of the Geirangerfjord and is included in this article.

Understand

Geiranger is the tiny village and rural community at the eastern end of Geirangerfjord. Hellesylt village sits at the western end of Geirangerfjord, and from there the fjord does a sharp turn north with the name Sunnylvsfjord. The latter fjord is in turn connected to the main fjord, aptly named Storfjord (Large fjord), at small town Stranda. Strictly speaking Geirangerfjord is merely the last section of the larger Storfjord system. Storfjord is one of main fjord systems in Western Norway. While Geiranger and Hellesylt are small villages, Stranda is the municipal centre.
Several hundred cruise ships with some 300,000 passengers visit Geirangerfjord every summer, as cruise port only surpassed by Bergen. Many tourists arrive by charter bus. In addition there is a large number of independent travellers. Geiranger itself is a small village of 200 people, the influx of 5000 (or more) tourists daily makes Geiranger a relatively crowded place at day time.
The Geirangerfjord is one of Norway's oldest destinations for international tourism. Cruise ship tourism began in the late 19th century. Kaiser Wilhelm visited Geiranger every summer until the first war.

Get around

No need to use the tour boats. You can see just as much from the Hellesylt ferry with commentary in German and English as well as Norwegian - from a comfortable lounge with a good snackbar.
Adventurers take to the hills of Geiranger via walking and sometimes even biking. Winter closes most of the roads in the Geiranger fjord, so its best to visit in the summer. Watch out for campers, trucks, and tour buses, especially when biking, walking or hiking. Hills are steep and for more fit adventurers.
Plenty of photo opportunities in and around Geiranger, it is a lovely small Norweigan town that you must visit in the summer months. Cruising is one of the best ways to see the fjord.

See

• Dalsnibba (Detour from route 63 towards Grotli). summer only. Dalsnibba is a 1500 m (4920 ft) mountain summit. Faboulus view over the fjord and the mountain behind. Detour from road 63 (Geiranger mountain pass) direction Skjåk and Stryn. Tollroad: kr 80 (cars), kr 50 (motorcykles).
• Geirangerfjord (Ferry or cruise ship). The steep-sided fjord with its waterfalls, including the Bridal Veil and the Suitor. Geiranger-Hellesylt ferry, Hurtigruten (summer) and cruise ships travel the fjord.
• Norsk Fjordsenter, ☎ +47 70263810, fax: +47 70263141, e-mail: booking@fjordsenter.no. 1May-20Sep:. Visitor centre for the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Adults: kr 90, Children: kr 50.
• Ørnesvingen (The Eagles' Curve), Road 63 (On route 63 towards Eidsdal). View of the fjord and the village from high point.
• Ljøen panorama point, Road 60 (Hellesylt-Stranda road). Panorama point towards Geirangerfjord and Sunnylvsfjord from high point near Ljøen hamlet, between tunnels.

Do

• Coastal Odyssey, ☎ +47 95118062, e-mail: office@coastalodyssey.com. Guded tour start: 11AM. Kayaks for rent either by the hour or for a whole day. You can also take part in a guided tour. Kayaking down the fjord is a very enjoyable experience; it offers spectacular views of waterfalls, mountains, and even, occasionally, dolphins. Rent: 1 hour: kr 150 (price drops for longer rent); guded tour: adults: kr 700, children: kr 550.
• The "Sky-to-Fjord" trip, run out of one of the small gift shops by the ferry dock (easily identifiable by its green roof), is a spectacular 17 km bike trip from the top of the mountain (high enough to still have snow in August!) back down to the gift shop. The trip includes van transportation to the top of the mountain and bike rental. You can go at your own pace as long as you return your bike to the gift shop by the end of the day. Take your time, as the spectacular views can make for worthy detours!

Walk around the lovely, hillside town......main road wraps the coastline. Townsfolk are very friendly and engaging. Many different tour buses available in the Summer, June-late August. Weather changes many times during the day....warm, windy, cool, freezing, and do not forget the sunscreen, especially when leaving Geiranger and visiting the Geiranger Valley and glaciers, you might need some bug spray for the mosquitoes and sunscreen are a must!
Sadly many Geiranger citizens talk about the glaciers retreating more and more each year.

Eat

• Naustkroa, ☎ +47 70263230, fax: +47 70262220, e-mail: ragnhild@cafeole.no. Pizza.
• Olebuda Restaurant, Geiranger Sentrum, ☎ +47 70263230, fax: +47 70263170, e-mail: hg@hotel-geiranger.no.
• Weserås Restaurant, ☎ +47 92899187. Traditional norwegian food.

Drink

• Cafè Olè, Geiranger Sentrum, ☎ +47 95246488, e-mail: ragnhild@cafeole.no.

Local beers

• "Great Norweigan Beer, GRANS Local Norway favorite beer, delicious, light beer, enjoy it with a sandwich or fresh salmon. Available at most pubs and restaurants ask for Grans.
• The Grans Brewery (Grans Bryggeri AS) is a brewery founded in 1899 in Sandefjord, Norway.