Norway. Nærøyfjord Ferry Cruise

  After two days in the highlands - snowy ridgelines, frozen lakes, and that wild camp above the fjord—it was time to descend from the heights and return to sea level. The Nærøyfjord had been our distant backdrop from the peaks, but now we would glide through it up close: by ferry, from Gudvangen to Kaupanger.

  Map of the ferry cruise route...

  The ferry, Odda, was scheduled to depart at 12:30. The tiny harbor village, nestled beneath towering cliffs and draped in low-hanging cloud, felt like the calm after the storm. The terminal - little more than a wooden dock with a café and souvenir shop - marked the transition from alpine adventure to a quieter, water-bound voyage through the heart of the fjord...

 As we boarded the ferry, the fjord was still waking up. The wind stirred the water into gentle waves, breaking the reflections of cliffs and waterfalls into shifting patterns. We found seats on the open deck despite the chilly gusts and low, heavy clouds. After all, this wasn’t just a ride - it was the main event...

  The cruise through Nærøyfjord isn’t just a tourist route—it’s a chance to see the terrain you’ve hiked from a completely different angle. One of the narrowest fjords in the world, it’s framed by cliffs that rise 1,200 meters almost vertically from the water...

  

   Just yesterday, we watched the Odda ferry glide past us from the quiet village of Bakka - and now, here we were, sailing aboard it ourselves...

  We passed Bakka, one of the few still-inhabited fjord hamlets, with its white church and wood houses. Somewhere high above it, our tent had stood the night before, lashed by wind. Now, we were drifting peacefully beneath it.

 After Bakka, we passed Tufto Farm—a small cluster of traditional wooden buildings nestled on the hillside, with goats grazing peacefully on the green slopes and a waterfall cascading down the rocks above...

  Nærøyfjord is such a stunning spot - perfect for snapping a memorable selfie with those dramatic cliffs and serene waters as your backdrop...

  The fjord gradually widened as we passed from Nærøyfjord into the broader Aurlandsfjord. The sharp cliffs gave way to more open slopes, with scattered settlements and waterfalls appearing along the shoreline. The mood stayed subdued - clouds hung low and the light remained soft and gray...

   

  

 One of the most striking moments along the way was Fysseneset Waterfall. It cascades straight down the sheer cliffside, narrow but forceful, like a silver ribbon unraveling from the rock. You could hear it even over the hum of the ferry - constant, steady, like a thread pulling you back into the wildness of the place. It’s the kind of waterfall that doesn’t demand attention with size, but with presence. For a few moments, all eyes turned toward it...

  Later, as we entered the Lustrafjord, the landscape shifted again. The mountains pulled back slightly, and the water felt broader, quieter. Even under a thick blanket of cloud, the fjord had a calm presence - less dramatic than Nærøyfjord, but no less beautiful. This stretch felt more lived-in, with more visible traces of farming and old piers, hinting at centuries of life along these shores...

  As we approached Kaupanger, the wind eased and the water calmed. It wasn’t a grand finale, but more like an interlude - a moment to rest and reset before the next leg of our journey...

  After disembarking in Kaupanger, we took a short detour uphill to visit the Kaupanger Stave Church. Surrounded by a quiet grove of trees and a small cemetery, the church stands as one of Norway’s best-preserved stave churches. Built around the 12th century, it has the classic layered timber architecture - dark, tar-coated wood, steep pitched roofs, and intricate carvings that hint at a time when Norse tradition blended with early Christianity...

  From there, we continued to the nearby bus stop and caught a ride toward Bøyum. We planned to spend the night at the campsite there. By the time we reached Bøyum, the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Rain returned with renewed strength, drenching everything around us. The campsite was just beyond the Norwegian Glacier Museum  - the one with the mammoth statues out front. Thick clouds settled over the valley, hiding most of the landscape. Only the faint silhouettes of the surrounding mountains loomed through the mist, like shadows of something much larger. 

  The campsite was simple but welcoming - grassy pitches bordered by tall trees, a few red cabins scattered around, and a small service building with a kitchen and hot showers. The building had a traditional sod roof, covered in thick grass that blended it into the landscape. We pitched our tent right next to one of these charming cabins, enjoying a beautiful view despite the rainy weather. Despite the rain, it felt like a good place to pause...

  The next day, we planned to start a two-day hike along the Veitastrond trail, aiming for Austerdalsbreen Glacier as our main destination...