Introduction to Geirangerfjord

85km (53 miles) SW of Åndalsnes; 413km (256 miles) NE of Bergen; 455km (282 miles) NW of Oslo

Most Norwegians consider Geirangerfjord, a favorite body of water for cruises, their most majestic -- and we agree. The fjord stretches out for 16km (10 miles) and is 292m (958 ft.) deep. The village of Geiranger, one of the most justifiably famous resorts in the fjord country, is set at the very head of this narrow fjord.

Perched on rocky ledges high above the fjord are a number of small farmsteads. Waterfalls, such as the celebrated Seven Sisters (Syr Søstre), the Wooer, and the Bridal Veil, send their shimmering veils cascading down the rock face.

Almost daily in summer, large cruising liners anchor in the Geirangerfjord, as they have done since 1869. Occasionally, some of the world's best-known vessels are moored here at the same time.

The fjord is so deep that the old behemoth Queen Elizabeth 2 once sailed safely this far inland. Such depth was created by the Ice Age, when mammoth masses of ice widened and deepened existing valleys. When the ice melted, former valleys became fjords. The Geirangerfjord is hemmed in by mountain walls rising to a height of 1,600m (5,248 ft.).