Landscape

15,000 square kilometres of this dramatic landscape were formed during the Ice Age. The terrain rises evenly from the beautiful fjords to almost 2,000 metres above sea level - from coniferous to deciduous forest and through the Hallingdal Valley with Hemsedal and Geilo.

The mountainous region is flat in the southwest, hilly in the north before it plunges into narrow valleys and fjords at sea level. To the west: The Hardangerfjord. To the north: The Flåm Valley, the Undredal Valley, the Nærøydalen Valley, the Aurlandsdalen Valley and Lærdal descend into the Sognefjord - the longest fjord in Norway.

Glaciers and waterfalls are natural here. Three quarters of the region lies between 900 and 1,900 metres above sea level. Treeless Hardangervidda, with its arctic climate, plant and animal life, is one of the largest high mountain plateaus in Europe. Hardangerjøkelen, Hallingskarvet and Reineskarvet are tilted thrust nappes.  

Historical perspective

Nature provided the basis for fishing, agriculture, hydropower and tourism. Stone Age people lived of reindeer, ptarmigan and trout in the mountains. Farmers found pastures and bog ore there as well. The forests provided timber for stave churches and solid dwellings.

At markets, mountains and fjords people exchanged goods and established bonds of trade and love. They had the Hardanger fiddle in common – dances, dress and food were different. Traditions continued while new industrial towns emerged. Hydropower development began about 1900.

The first tourists arrived in the area about 1850. They were interested in hunting, fishing and wandering in the mountains. Fjord cruises began more than 100 years ago and ski tourism took off shortly thereafter.

Today tourists share the facilities with about 50,000 permanent residents who work in tourism, transportation and communication, the service industries, agriculture, fishing and aquaculture, food processing, crafts, industry, wood product production and hydropower.

Important fishing rivers: Lærdalselva, Hallingdalselva and Hemsila.

Municipalities and inhabitants

In the Hallingdal Valley (in the county of Buskerud):

• Flå (1,030)
• Nes (3,500)
• Gol (4,400)
• Hemsedal (1,900)
• Ål (4,700)
• Hol (4,600)

In Hardanger (in the county of Hordaland):

• Eidfjord (900)
• Ullensvang (3,500)
• Odda (7,500)
• Kvam (8,400)
• Jondal (1,100)
• Ulvik (1,200)
• Granvin (1,020)

In the southern part of Inner Sogn (in the conty of Sogn og Fjordane):

• Aurland (1,800)
• Lærdal (2,200)

Infrastructure

Hallingdal, Hardanger, Sogn and all their large and small mountain roads are on the main highway between Oslo and Bergen. Tunnels, ferries and bridges have shortened the distances. The train, combined with buses and boats, make a car-free round trip possible.

Distances