Nærøyfjorden

Gudvangen is a small settlement, and its inhabitants live mainly from tourism. There are two dynamically operating hotels comparing to only a few or a dozen houses. In addition, on the main road E16, running through the valley, we also have a gas station with a grocery store, a Viking open-air museum and a restaurant served by residents dressed in medieval costumes. On the edge of the fjord, right next to one of the hotels, there is a replica of a Viking rowing boat, probably known to everyone who browses photos from Gudvangen on the Internet. However, all of this is just an addition to the real travel destination. Tourists come to Gudvangen, because this is where one of Norway’s most famous fjords, the 18-kilometer long Nærøyfjorden, begins (or ends, depending on your point of view). The fjord is only 250 meters wide at its narrowest point, making it one of the narrowest fjords in Norway (some sources say it is the narrowest at all). The depth varies from 10 to 500 meters, while the height of the surrounding mountains reaches 1,400 meters. Along the Nærøyfjord are the settlements of Gudvangen, Bakka, Styvi and Dyrdal. The last two are not inhabited during the winter, as no roads have been made to reach them.

The Nærøyfjorden is a branch of the larger, 29 km long Aurlandsfjord, which connects with Norway’s largest fjord, the Sognefjord.

On July 14, 2005, Nærøyfjorden and another landmark of Norway, Geirangerfjord, were entered on the UNESCO cultural heritage list. This is a list of sites of exceptional value for mankind kept by the United Nations UNESCO organization. This list was established under a convention ratified by 194 countries by 2017. The list includes objects or places of particular historical, natural and cultural importance. There are 8 such places in Norway (Nærøyfjorden and Geirangerfjord appear in one position, probably because they were entered simultaneously). For comparison, Poland has 17 sites on the list, and China is the record holder with 56 places.

As soon as I returned from the trail on Saturday afternoon, I had a plan ready to do with the rest of the day. I went back to the campsite, took a shower, got in the car and went to Flåm, 19 km away, from where the cruise boats departed towards the Nærøyfjord. I managed catch the last cruise of the day. A ticket to Gudvangen cost 500kr and I had to buy also return bus ticket from Gudvangen to Flåm for 110kr to get to the car I left in the parking lot. The cruise is worth this money. It takes two hours and the boat stops in Aurdal and Myrdal along the way.

The vessel itself is also worth mentioning. It was called Legacy of the Fjords and it is the sister unit of Future of the Fjords, which also runs on this route. Both vessels are catamarans made of carbon fiber. They are fully ecological, powered by two electric motors with a power of 450 kW each and able to reach a speed of 19.5 knots. The basic dimensions are 42 m long, 15 m wide and 1.5 m draft. The unique design with a spacious, two-level interior and viewing decks allows to embark up to 400 passengers. A characteristic feature of the units are zigzag passages on both sides, stretching from the lower to the upper deck, imitating many mountain paths. A cruise on such a boat is a real pleasure, even when the rush of air almost blows your head off your shoulders.

In conclusion, the Nærøyfjorden has been included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list not without a reason. This is a unique place, worth visiting and seeing not only during a short stop in Gudvengen. The several-hour trail on Bakkanosi can perfectly illustrate that we are not dealing with another Norwegian fjord, like many. Nærøyfjorden is unique, spectacular and magical.