Geography
The Sognefjord itself is 204 kilometres long and lies in the heart of Fjord Norway, where it carves its way from the coast, just north of Bergen, to the mighty mountains of the Jotunheimen National Park and the blue ice of the Jostedalsbreen National Park.
Skjolden is the innermost village.
The Sognefjord is not only Norway's longest fjord; it is also the deepest. At its deepest, the fjord plunges to more than 1,300 metres and the mountains along the fjord rise to more than 1,700 metres.
Every arm of the long Sognefjord has its own name. The most narrow and famous fjord arm, the Nærøyfjord, is only 250 metres wide at its most narrow.
Other picturesque and well-known fjord arms are the Lusterfjord, Fjærlandsfjord and Finnafjord. These fjords often have a beautiful emerald green colour because of the melt water from the glaciers.
Municipalities in the Sognefjord area
- Aurland
- Balestrand
- Leikanger
- Luster
- Lærdal
- Sogndal
- Vik
- Årdal
County
Sogn og Fjordane
Borders to
Hemsedal, Valdres, Lom, Skjåk, Stryn/Nordfjord, Sunnfjord, Outer Sognefjord, Osterfjord, Voss, Hardangerfjord, Hol/Geilo and Ål.
Regional centre
Sogndal
Airport
Sogndal Lufthamn
Population
The approximately 30,000 inhabitants live together in small, idyllic villages along the fjords and up in the valleys.
Language/dialect
"Sognamål" – a distinctive Norwegian dialect. The Sognefjord people can normally communicate well in English and some also in German, Italian, Spanish, French and so on.
History
Tourism started in the area more than 150 years ago. The first tourists were wealthy adventurers interested in the amazing scenery, salmon fishing or mountaineering. Many of them were British.
Most visited attraction
Flåmsbana – the steep and spectacular Flåm Railway
UNESCO World Heritage Sights
The Nærøyfjord and Urnes Stave Church (Norway's oldest stave church)
Scenic routes
National parks
Other landscape preservation areas
- Nærøyfjorden
- Stølsheimen
- Utladalen
- Breheimen
- Mørkridsdalen
- Nigardsbreen
There are also several bird and wetland reserves.
Most interesting glacier arms
- Nigardsbreen
- Bøyabreen
- Fåbergstølsbreen
- Tunsbergsdalsbreen
- Bergsetbreen
- Austerdalsbreen
- Austdalsbreen
- Supphellebreen
- Flatbreen
- Fanaråkbreen
Highest waterfall
Vettisfossen in Utladalen
Highest mountain
Store Skagastølstind (Storen) in Turtagrø, Luster (2,405 metres above see level)
Most famous construction
Lærdalstunnelen – the world's longest tunnel
National visitor's centres
- Norwegian Glacier Museum
- Norwegian Wild Salmon Centre
- Norwegian Book Town