Longest dayGuides
Language
EnglishCurrency
US dollar · $On GetYourGuide you see prices in this currency.
Guide · Sognefjord
A Sognefjord day trip from Bergen to the Fjærland glacier
No fjord in Norway is longer or deeper than the Sognefjord, and a Sognefjord day trip from Bergen can end beside a glacier. Here is the long guided day to Fjærland, the other ways onto the fjord, and what each one costs in time.
Check availabilityfrom $422 · cancellation is free
Editorial team, daytripfrombergen.comUpdated October 19, 2026Reading time about 6 minutes17 sources
Quick answer
- 02Glacier day
- The guided Fjærland tour takes 13 hours, back in Bergen around 20:45.
- 03Ashore
- About 2 hours 20 minutes in Fjærland, with the glacier museum and Bøyabreen.
- 04By boat only
- The express boat from Bergen enters the Sognefjord after about 2 hours.3
- 05Easier option
- The Nærøyfjord, an arm of the same fjord system, on a 10.5-hour loop.
The king of fjords, close to Bergen
The Sognefjord meets the sea north of Bergen and runs far inland. At 205 km it is the longest fjord in Norway, and it is also the deepest, dropping 1,308 m below sea level.12 For about half of its length it is more than 1,000 m deep.4
Several well-known sights of western Norway sit on its side arms. The Nærøyfjord and the Aurlandsfjord, where Flåm and Stegastein lie, branch off its southern shore, and the Fjærlandsfjord, with its glacier village, reaches north towards Jostedalsbreen. A Sognefjord day trip from Bergen can therefore mean several quite different days.
This page focuses on the longest of them, the guided day to Fjærland, and then sets out the shorter ways to see the fjord. If you only want the narrow, dramatic side arm, our Flåm page covers the Nærøyfjord in detail. Each option below gives the time it takes and what you actually see, so you can match the day to your energy and your interests.
The glacier day
Bergen to Fjærland and back
-
07:30
Leave Bergen
From the bus stop outside the Tourist Information.
-
09:30
Tvindefossen
A photo stop after more guests join in Voss.
-
11:00
Boat from Vik
Across the Sognefjord and into the Fjærlandsfjord.
-
13:10
Fjærland
Glacier museum, then the Bøyabreen glacier.
-
15:30
Boat back
Return to Vik across the fjord.
-
20:45
Back in Bergen
After a stop at Hopperstad stave church.
The guided Fjærland glacier day
The tour this page recommends sets off at 07:30 from the bus stop by Bergen's Tourist Information, picks up more passengers in Voss at 09:00 and stops at the Tvindefossen waterfall around 09:30. After a photo stop at the Storesvingen viewpoint above Vik, it boards the boat at 11:00 for the crossing of the Sognefjord and the sail into the Fjærlandsfjord.
The boat arrives in Fjærland at 13:10. A short bus ride takes you to the Norwegian Glacier Museum, then on to the Bøyabreen glacier, before the boat leaves Fjærland again at 15:30. Light meals can be bought on board, which matters on a day this long. The museum and the glacier together fill most of the time ashore, so do not expect a long lunch in the village.
On the way home the bus leaves Vik at 17:25 with a short stop at Hopperstad stave church, and you are back at the Tourist Information around 20:45. The tour runs 13 hours from $280, with guides in English and Norwegian, and holds 4.40 from 42 reviews.
Side by side
Ways to see the Sognefjord from Bergen
| Option | Length | Fjord part | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fjærland glacier tour | 13 hrs | Sognefjord, Fjærlandsfjord | from $280 |
| Railway and fjord loop | 10.5 hrs | Nærøyfjord, 2 hrs | from $422 |
| Stegastein day with lunch | 12 hrs | Nærøyfjord, 2 hrs | from $310 |
| Private Sognefjord day | 11 hrs | Gudvangen to Flåm | from $920 |
Lengths and from-prices from the GetYourGuide listings; check the private listing for what its price covers.
Decision helper
Which Sognefjord day suits you?
Decide by what you want to stand next to
Fjærland tour
The Bøyabreen glacier and the glacier museum.
Railway loop
A 2-hour Nærøyfjord cruise.
Stegastein day
30 minutes on the platform.
Fjærland tour
Hopperstad, built in 1130, on the way home.8
Private Sognefjord day
Hotel pickup for a private group.
Fjærland has around 300 inhabitants, and glacier tourism has existed here since the mid-1800s.
Fjærland and the glaciers
Fjærland is a small village at the inner end of the Fjærlandsfjord, which is approximately 25 km long.6 It has around 300 inhabitants, glacier tourism there goes back to the mid-1800s, and until 1986 it could only be reached by boat.910
The glaciers above it belong to Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier on the European mainland, which covers 487 square km and lies within Jostedalsbreen National Park.1112 Bøyabreen is one of its arms, and the tour stops there after the museum.
The visit to the Norwegian Glacier Museum comes first, so you reach the ice with some idea of what you are looking at. Take a warm layer even in summer: the air near the ice is noticeably cooler than in Bergen.
Checklist
For the glacier day
01
Pack
- A warm layer for the boat and the ice
- Snacks, or money for food on board
- Shoes with grip for the glacier path
02
Know
- The 07:30 departure time
- The bus stop outside the Tourist Information
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead
Cost calculator
What a Sognefjord day costs for your group
Pick your Sognefjord day and set the number of guests.
People
Total from$560
per traveler from $280
Check availabilityfree cancellationThe calculator starts from the GetYourGuide from-price and switches currency at the day's ECB reference rate; the booking page has the exact total.
Video
A guide to the Sognefjord, from Flåm to Balestrand
No video data loads before you press play.
Vik and Hopperstad on the way
The tour crosses the mountains to Vik on the southern shore of the Sognefjord. The listing describes a drive over the Vikafjellet pass at over 1,100 m. By car, Visit Bergen gives about 2 hours and 45 minutes from Bergen to Vik.13 The descent towards the fjord on the far side of the pass is one of the moments to have your camera ready, as the water appears far below.
Vik is home to Hopperstad stave church, built in 1130 and one of the oldest stave churches still standing.8 The tour stops briefly for photographs on the way home, so you see its dark wooden walls in the evening light.
Between Vik and Fjærland the boat also calls at Balestrand, a village on the fjord shore. Another day tour from Bergen gives you about 5 hours there instead of continuing to the glacier, if you prefer a slower day in one place.14 Balestrand suits travellers who would rather sit by the water with a coffee than chase a glacier, and it makes a calmer alternative on the same route.
Other ways onto the Sognefjord
If 13 hours is too long, there are shorter ways to meet the fjord. The guided railway loop this site recommends includes a 2-hour cruise on the Nærøyfjord, a side arm of the Sognefjord and a World Heritage fjord, in a 10.5-hour day.
The Stegastein day sails the Nærøyfjord too and adds 30 minutes on the platform above the Aurlandsfjord, another arm of the fjord system. From the platform, 650 m above the water, you look along the fjord towards the main Sognefjord.15 From the platform you see why the region is called fjord country: water reaching deep between mountains in every direction.
For a full day on the main fjord by boat, the Norled express from Bergen, which runs from April to October, enters the Sognefjord after about 2 hours and continues to Flåm; the return leaves Flåm at 15:30 and reaches Bergen at 20:45.316 Families or groups can also take a private Sognefjord day with hotel pickup, from $920. Whichever you choose, the fjord itself is the star: deep, dark and wide on the main arm, narrow and steep on the side arms.
Planning tips for a long fjord day
A 13-hour day needs a little preparation. Eat a proper breakfast before the 07:30 start, pack snacks and water, and bring a book or downloaded music for the long road sections, when the scenery gives way to tunnels. Charge your phone and carry a small power bank, because the glacier and the fjord will use up your battery.
Dress in layers you can add and remove. You start in the city, cross a mountain pass, spend hours on a boat deck and stand near the ice, so the temperature changes several times. A waterproof jacket, a hat and light gloves cover most situations, and walking shoes with grip are better than trainers on the wet path to the glacier.
Finally, check the forecast the evening before. Low cloud can hide the mountains on the pass, but the glacier and the museum are worth the trip in most weather. If a storm is forecast, use the free cancellation window and move the day rather than spending 13 hours looking at rain.
Is the Fjærland day worth it?
It is a long day. The listing holds 4.40 from 42 reviews; the guide earns 4.9 from guests, while value for money gets 4.2. The landscapes are superb, but much of the time goes to the bus and the boat.
Choose it if glaciers are the reason you came to Norway, and if you enjoy long journeys through changing scenery. No other tour on this site combines a mountain pass, a fjord crossing, a glacier and a stave church in one day. It also suits photographers who like changing light, because the day passes through valley, mountain and fjord settings in one sweep.
If you are unsure, consider a shorter day first, such as the Nærøyfjord loop or the Folgefonna glacier lake in Hardanger, and keep Fjærland for a longer trip with a night on the Sognefjord. By car Fjærland is 249 km and 3 hours 52 minutes from Bergen with 1 ferry crossing, which makes an overnight stay the more relaxed plan.17
Plan your loop
Railway, fjord and Viking village in one day.
Hold your seat now, settle the bill later, and step back free of charge up to a day before.
You ask,we answer.
How long is the Sognefjord?
205 km. It is the longest fjord in Norway and the deepest, at 1,308 m below sea level.12
How long is the Fjærland day tour?
13 hours. It leaves Bergen at 07:30 and returns around 20:45.
How much time is there in Fjærland?
About 2 hours 20 minutes. The boat arrives at 13:10 and leaves again at 15:30.
Does the tour visit a glacier?
Yes, Bøyabreen. It also stops at the Norwegian Glacier Museum.
Is food included?
No, it is sold on board. Light meals and drinks can be bought on the boat.
Which languages do the guides speak?
English and Norwegian. The listing names live guides in both languages.
Is there a shorter way to see the Sognefjord?
Yes, the Nærøyfjord. The 10.5-hour railway loop includes a 2-hour cruise on this side arm.
Sources
Where the information comes from
- 1Visit BergenWhat is a Fjord? FAQs about fjords in Norway↩
- 2Visit BergenWhat is a Fjord? FAQs about fjords in Norway↩
- 3↩
- 4↩
- 5Visit BergenWhat is a Fjord? FAQs about fjords in Norway↩
- 6↩
- 7↩
- 8↩
- 9↩
- 10↩
- 11↩
- 12↩
- 13↩
- 14↩
- 15↩
- 16↩
- 17Statens vegvesen (Norwegian Public Roads Administration)Route planner: Bergen to Fjærland↩
