Best of geirangerfjord OR scenery of Geirsngerfjord

[Courto05]

Hi,

I would appreciate any advice/opinions. I'm really struggling to see the difference between the two tours. Which would you choose? Both include lunch. Both 8 hours. $10 differnce. Does either tour have something major you wouldn't want to miss that the other does not have? There is also another tour which I'll add at the bottom. Tha KS for any help

 

Best of geirangerfjord

This all-day tour takes you on a scenic drive through the natural wonders of the Geirangerfjord District. You'll pass the Hornindal Bridge and witness the shimmering, turquoise waters of the nine-mile Stryn Lake. You'll continue to Grodås where a snack of coffee and cakes awaits. Next on your itinerary is a complimentary three-course, Norwegian country lunch at a local hotel. After a delicious meal, you'll have free time to shop for souvenirs and gifts. Close to Hjelle, at the start of the new Strynefjell mountain road is Buldrefoss Waterfall. Here the waters thunder and roar as they dive to the valley below. The immense Tystig Glacier comes into sight. Its slopes are home to the summer ski school, 'Stryn Summerski.' Your tour continues to Mt. Dalsnibba for breathtaking views of the powerful Geirangerfjord, and Flydalsjuvet, a popular sightseeing point from which to view the Norwegian fjord landscape.

 

Scenery of geirangerfjord

Experience the natural wonders of the Geirangerfjord District on all-day adventure that offers outdoor enthusiasts and photographers one jaw-dropping photo opportunity after another. Your scenic drive starts off with two delightful photo stops. Behold the shimmering, turquoise waters of Stryn Lake and the roaring water of Buldrefoss Waterfall as it travels to the valley below. Then, you'll make your way to Stryn for a delicious three-course lunch. Refreshed, you'll continue uphill the first part of the Strynefell road with 19 hairpin bends with an ascent of 1 in 11 before driving on partly via tunnels on the new Strynefjell road and finally up up the steep, winding road to the summit of Mt. Dalsnibba. At 4,757-feet above sea level, the summit offers panoramic views of the village of Geiranger, the fjord with its steep cliff and waterfalls, glacial peaks and the wild Flydal River Valley. Just when you thought your camera couldn't hold any more photos, you'll stop at Flydalsjuvet, and Eagle Bend's Viewpoint, two popular spots for soaking up the Norwegian fjord landscape.

 

Briksdal glacier hike and national park

Spend a day exploring the natural wonders of the Geirangerfjord District. Your tour begins with a two-hour, scenic drive to Briksdal Glacier, a massive glacier that flows some 4,000 feet down a mountainside into the Briksdal Valley. En route, you'll pass the Hellesylt Waterfall and the sparkling Hornindalsvannet, Europe's deepest lake. You'll continue along the Nordfjord to Olden, and make your way to Jostedalsbreen National Park, home to Norway's largest glaciers. Here, you'll embark on a self-guided hike (approximately 90-minute roundtrip) to the face of Briksdal Glacier, returning via the same path. After a three-course, meal at a local inn in Briksdalen, you'll travel via Stryn lake to the National Park Centre for a 45 minute visit before you continue via numerous tunnels to Mt. Dalsnibba. At 4,757 feet above sea level, the summit of Mt. Dalsnibba offers panoramic views of Geirangerfjord, the fjord, and the wild Flydal River Valley. From the mountain overlook, you'll descend the serpentine road to Geiranger for your return drive to the pier.

[kitkat343]

Our cruise stopped in both Olden and Geiranger.  For us, in Olden the highlight was the Loen skylift, not the Briksdal glacier.  Geiranger is an hour away from the Briksdal glacier, and an hour and forty minutes away from the Loen Skylift.  From Olden, I recommend that people do both the Loen Skylift and Briksdal Glacier.  To get to the Briksdal Glacier from Olden, it is a lovely bus ride, and then a really nice hike through a park to get to the glacier.  But it is very important to note that the glacier itself has been hit hard by global warming, and therefore you need to have reasonable expectations of what you will see once you get there.  So the reviews on tripadvisor for the glacier are quite mixed, with people who fully expected not to see much of a glacier happy to have experienced a lovely ride through the countryside combined with a nice hike and a scenic view of a much reduced glacier, whereas people who expected to see a glacier in all its splendor were greatly disappointed.  The Loen skylift is incredible in clear weather, but you won't know until close to sail date what the weather will be like, plus it is further from Geiranger.   I don't know if you'd have enough time or want to travel all that distance to the Loen Skylift, which was truly one of the absolute highlights of our trip but quite expensive.

 

In Geiranger, we visited the scenic viewpoints nearby.  We were not able to visit Mt. Dalsnibba., as the roads up there are seasonal and don't open until Mid-May to early June, depending upon when they are able to clear the snow and when the big annual avalanche occurs.  We did a tour similar to scenery of geirangerfjord, which was quite lovely.  All of the highlights of Geiranger can be covered in two or three hours such as this tour https://www.geirangerfjord.no/panorama-exclusive-bus  , or 1.5 hours if you aren't able to get to Dalsnibba https://www.geirangerfjord.no/panoramic-bus-geiranger-2 .  If your ship is in port all day,  you'd have time for one more activity, either in Geiranger or nearby.   Please also note that an amazing restaurant is located right next to the port of Geiranger, Brasserie Posten.  

Edited July 18, 2019 by kitkat343

[hallasm]

I cannot see any difference between the two Geiranger tours  - you might consider the panorama bus as suggested by Kitkat343 - and then have the lunch at Brasserie Posten - the highlight for Geiranger is the scenic sailing in and out of the fjords - be up early to enjoy the fjord  sailing - don't miss the Seven Sisters waterfall at your left side just before entering  Geiranger - or at your way out.

Going to Loen Skylift or Briksdal Glacier on your own will require to rental car - driving from Geiranger to Briksdal Glacier is at leat 2h 15 min - Loen Skylift is 1h 45 min.

 

 

 

[kitkat343]

sorry - I googled the distance between Geiranger and the other locations; please rely on hallasm's distance to Briksdal instead.  I traveled to Briksdal from Olden, not Geiranger so I don't have any firsthand knowledge of that distance.

[Courto05]

Thanks to both of you for the information and suggestions. So much to think about! I am under the impression with princess that I must book one of their tours if I want to go from hellesylt to geiranger. Their wording is along the lines of only passengers on this tour will disembark. 

[hallasm]

I can see that Sapphire August 14 is in Hellesylt from 8 to10 and in Geiranger from 12 to 18. Six hours in Geiranger is sufficient for a panorama tour.

Do not know Princess practice for Hellesylt- try to ask at the Princess Board.

Anyway - the sailing from Hellesylt to Geiranger is very scenic.