Guided Cidery Tour to Balestrand by the Sognefjord

This guided cidery tour will take you to the charming  family run ciderhouse called Ciderhuset - in Balestrand by the  Sognefjord. Sogn is the  oldest apple area in Norway, where apple trees have been blooming since the Viking age. You will taste high quality ciders and  learn about ciders, fruit wines and fruit brandies from one of the family members.

This tour is a fully guided tour.

Departure from the Tourist Information:
The tour starts by minibus outside the Tourist Information in Bergen, before heading east. After about 1,5 hours we make short stop in Voss if we need to collect passengers starting from Voss.

From Voss we continue towards the village Vik.  We drive across the Vikafjell passage, high up in the mountains, through stunning landscapes. On these hights there might be snow close to the road, even in the summertime.

Viewpoint “Storesvingen”:
On the decent from Vikafjell mountain to Vik, the bus will stop at the viewpoint “Storesvingen”(about one hour from Voss). The viewpoint offers excellent photo opportunities with magnificent views of Vik Village and Sognefjorden.

Vik village and Hopperstad Stave Church:
Back on the bus we continue down to Vik. The village of Vik has a rich cultural heritage. The main attraction in Vik is the richly decorated stave church “Hopperstad Stavkirke”. Hopperstad was built in 1130 and is, together with Urnes, the oldest stave church in existence. There will be a 30 min. stop to visit the Church. You can join a guided tour of the church or explore at your own pace. The local guide speaks English and Norwegian and the tour is included in the price.

Fjordcruise across the Sognefjord to Balestrand:
From the church we take a short drive to the harbour in Vik where the tour continues by boat to Balestrand. The fjord cruise last about 30 minutes and the ticket is included. The boat has indoor seating as well as the possibility to stand outside on deck and take in the beautiful scenery. 

Lunch:
On arrival Balestrand lunch will be served, with fish soup, fresh bread and butter, vegan and vegetarian alternative. Lunch is included in the price of the tour.

After a tasty lunch, the next stop on the program is Ciderhuset (the Cider House). Ciderhuset is located a 15 minute walk from the harbour, the distance is approximately 1.3 kilometres.

The Cider House:
The Cider House is a family run micro cidery (winery). They live in an organic orchard with a range of different fruits. They produce ciders, fruit wines and brandy.

At The Cider House we join one of the family members and learn about how they grow fruit in their organic orchard, and how they turn fruit and berries into juice, cider, fruit wine, and brandy. You will learn how they make exclusive sparkling cider using the "méthode traditionnelle" (Champagne method). 

The program ends with tasting of five different ciders in the restaurant. (Alternatively non-alcoholic samples)

The beautiful village of Balestrand:
Balestrand is known for spectacular nature and fantastic light conditions. Several painters have taken the trip here to capture the special light, and traces of German and English architecture can be seen in the many villas.

There are also several galleries and exhibitions that are open throughout the summer.

After the Cider tasting, there will be approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes available time to explore Balestrand on your own as Balestrand has several other attractions.

You can walk back to the centre of Balestrand, or alternatively, you can go for a cultural walk on your own along the idyllic road by the fjord. Read information posters and maps along the route to learn more about the history of Balestrand as a tourist destination and art village.

Back at the pier in Balestrand the same boat will take you back to Vik. From Vik the tour continues by bus to the spectacular Tvindefossen waterfall.

Tvindefossen waterfall:
Tvindefossen waterfall is 110 meters high and popular among tourists. There are many myths related to Tvindefossen waterfall and we will leave it up to the guide to tell you about some of them. Most visitors find the waterfall impressive as you can walk close to the water.

Return to Bergen:
From the waterfall we continue by bus towards Voss. We take a short stop in Voss to let off any passengers before we head back to Bergen. We arrive at the Tourist Information around 20:35.

Driver / guide:
Your driver and guide speak English and Norwegian.

Included in the tour price:
All transport (bus and boat) is included as well as all the guided tours and entry to all attractions we visit. Lunch at The Sognefjord Aquarium and Cider tasting at the Cider House is included in the ticket.

Timetable:
07:30: Departure by minibus from the Tourist Information in Bergen
09:00: Arrival Voss Bus Station  
09:15: Departure from Voss Bus Station                                                        
10:20: Arrival at Storesvingen Viewpoint
10:35: Departure by bus from Storesvingen Viewpoint
10:40: Arrival at Hopperstad Stave Church
11:10: Departure by bus from Hopperstad Stave Church
11:15: Arrival at the pier in Vik
11:20: Departure by boat from Vik. Fjord cruise across the Sognefjord to Balestrand.
12:00: Arrival at Balestrand
12:10: Self-guided walk to The Cider House
13:00: Lunch & Cider tasting at The Cider House.
14:45: Self-guided walk from The Cider House back to the center of Balestrand
16:50: Departure by boat from Balestrand pier to Vik
17:20: Arrival in Vik
17:25: Departure by bus from Vik pier
18:30: Arrival at Tvindefossen waterfall
18:45: Departure by bus from Tvindefossen waterfall
19:00: Stop in Voss to let off any passengers
20:35: Arrival at the Tourist Information in Bergen

Handicap access:
The bus and the boat have a ramp suitable for both electric and non-electric wheelchairs. Please note that the Hopperstad Stave Church is not accessible with a wheelchair. If you need to use our handicap ramps the booking must be done minimum 48 hours prior to departure and is on condition that the tour is not already fully booked as we then remove two seats from the bus.

Exclusive tours:
If you travel in a group of 10 or more passengers and you are one cohort, you can request to reserve the bus exclusively for your group. Please call us to make sure there is no other reservations done before making the booking. The price per person will remain the same.

ONLINE BOOKING OF TICKETS:
The tour must be booked no later than 16.00 the day before departure.

Cancellation:
If cancelled up to 2 days before date of departure, the full amount will be refunded. Cancellation after this will not be refunded. Cancellation is made by sending an email to post@glaciertour.no.

Tickets:
Your email confirmation is your ticket for this tour. The tickets for the cruise will be provided by the driver.

Children:
For children under 135 cm remember to book a child seat as an extra (no additional cost).
Car cushions for older children are available in the car. Minimum age is 4 years old.