Hairpin bends, mighty waterfalls, rugged mountains, famous landmarks, and a UNESCO-listed fjord all feature on the thrilling and equally breathtaking Scenic Route Geiranger-Trollstigen.
Norwegian Scenic
Route Geiranger-Trollstigen
Winding roads through truly dramatic scenery
The Norwegian Scenic Route Geiranger-Trollstigen, one of 18 Norwegian Scenic Routes, is an exhilarating drive that takes you to insanely beautiful viewpoints.
An iconic road trip
Explore a scenic route that covers everything from vast fjord landscapes to outstanding mountain passes in the span of just a few hours. The 104-kilometre-long Norwegian Scenic Route Geiranger-Trollstigen runs between Åndalsnes and Geiranger, from Sogge Bru in Romsdalen to Langvatnet near Strynefjellet. This includes a ferry from Eidsdal to Linge.
It can be completed in one day, but we recommend that you stay for several days in the area, in order to explore these extraordinary surroundings.
The drive to Geiranger from Oslo or Bergen takes about 7 hours. From Trondheim to Åndalsnes it takes about 4 1/2 hours, and about 5 1/2 from Oslo. If you want to get there even faster, fly to Ålesund or Molde, rent a car, and drive for about 1 1/2 hours to Åndalsnes.
If you're travelling from the north you'll start the route in Åndalsnes, the alpine village by the fjord and great adventure hub!
A gondola will take you to the top of the Nesaksla mountain, where you can enjoy a meal at the unique Eggen Restaurant.
You can also hike up or down from Nesaksla, and on your way you'll find the famous viewpoint Rampestreken (pictured), that towers 550 metres over Åndalsnes.
Combine incredible views with adrenaline on one of the Via Ferrata trails in the area. For experienced hikers, the 11 kilometer hiking trail over Romsdalseggen is a true challenge!
Where to stay
Explore accommodation options in Åndalsnes.
Things to do
Åndalsnes has plenty of exciting activities!
ÅndalsnesTrain ride on the Rauma Line
The Rauma line is often referred to as one of Norway's most beautiful train lines. The train ride takes you through the Romsdalen valley and passes well-known attractions such as Kylling Bridge and the Trollveggen wall, and through the remote wilderness area Reinheimen National Park.
ÅndalsnesRomsdalseggen sunset hike with Hotel Aak
Everyone hikes the Romsdalseggen ridge by day. Why not hike it as the day draws to a beautiful close? Surrounded by the majestic mountains, you might be lucky and experience a magical sunset, as you watch the sun disappear below the horizon. You might even have the mountains to yourselves and have a front row seat for the magnificent views – a truly unforgettable adventure!
Book nowÅndalsnesHike to the top of Trollveggen - Store Trolltind (1788 m.a.s.l.) with Uteguiden
Experience Trollveggen from above. Join a spectacular mountain hike to Store Trolltind and get the most impressive view of Northern Europe's highest vertical rock face. The hike is long, demanding and requires you to be in good physical condition.
Book nowÅndalsnes3-Hour guided kayak tour in Åndalsnes with Uteguiden
Åndalsnes is known for its grand outdoor adventures like mountain hiking, climbing, and skiing in the winter. But here you can also go kayaking on the Romsdalsfjord, surrounded by towering, majestic mountains that provide an unforgettable backdrop.
Book nowÅndalsnesThe Golden train - Roundtrip ticket
The Golden Train and the Rauma railway, awarded by Lonely Planet as Europe’s most scenic train journey in 2012 and 2022. Admire the wonderful Romsdalen valley with the emerald green Rauma river, the world-famous Trollveggen, Europe’s largest vertical rock face, the engineering masterpiece Kylling Bridge, and impressive Verma waterfall as some of the highlights.
Before you embark on the scenic route, you can take a quick ten minute detour to Trollveggen (the troll wall). Towering 1,000 metres above the ground, Trollveggen is Europe’s highest vertical overhanging cliff.
Then drive for about five minutes to the starting point at Sogge Bridge.
The first landmark you'll encounter is none other than the famous Trollstigen, about 19 km from Åndalsnes.
It twists through 11 hairpin bends up to Stigrøra, 858 metres above sea level.
Note that the winding Trollstigen road may close at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances, such as rockslides. It's only open in summer/early autumn. Driving along this road is quite an experience, but please ensure that you drive responsibly and remain aware of your surroundings and other vehicles.
Head up to the plateau for a panoramic view from the spectacular viewing platforms! There's also a café, souvenir shop, toilets, and parking.
Continue along the scenic route for another 20 kilometres until you reach Gudbrandsjuvet ravine. The viewing point is located in Valldal, the "strawberry valley".
Over time, the Valldøla river has cut intricate formations into the surrounding rock, creating this beautiful natural phenomenon. There's also a café right by the river during the summer season.
It's also worth staying in Valldal for a night or two, as it's a perfect place for exciting summer activities! Valldal Adventure Park has something for the whole family with zip-lines, climbing trails, bouncy castles, and more. How about canyoning and rafting at Gudbrandsjuvet, or hiking and peaceful fjord kayaking?
If you really want to spoil yourself, stay at the Juvet Landscape Hotel in Valldal. This architectural beauty is expertly blended with the surrounding nature, making it the perfect escape.
Detour possibility: From Valldal, you can decide if you fancy taking a little 15 kilometre detour to Tafjord. Located at the end of the fjord, it's a perfect place for enjoying nature and the great outdoors.
If you're an adventurous type, how about rappelling down the 100 metre high Zakarias Dam?
Once you're back from the detour, drive for another five minutes until you reach Linge ferry quay, which will transport you across the fjord to Eidsdal. If you're early, there's a large waiting room with views of the fjord, as well as its own orchard.
Detour possibility: East of Eidsdal you can visit the cute village of Norddal, about five minutes away. This hidden gem between Geiranger and Trollstigen offers tasty local delicacies like cheese and toffee made from goat's milk and ripe, juicy berries.
Head even further up the valley to the magical Herdalssetra (pictured), a summer farm area that lies 520 metres above sea level. Try traditional food and goat milk caramels at the farm café and say hello to the cute farm animals.
Where to stay and what to do
Explore activities, eateries and accommodation options in Valldal, Tafjord and Norddal.
TafjordThe Zakarias dam
The damming of Zakariasvatnet with a 96 metre high concrete dam in 1968 was one of the largest encroachments into the natural environment in our district. Amongst other results of the development was that three farms were submerged by the flooding. In its time the dam was the highest in Northern Europe. When the magazine is at low level you can still see the walls of the farms that were lost to the waters. There is surfaced road up to the dam, which is an impressive sight. You can walk out along the dam and when the magazine is full, which is a seldom occurrence, and water is released over the fall, you can feel the forces of nature. The wall of the dam holds back up to 70 million cubic metres of water, which is used to drive the hydroelectric power generating plant. Zakariasvatnet was named after Zakarias Knudson Uri, who drowned in the waters in the autumn of 1793, when his horse spooked and ran into Rødalselva. Both were carried by the current into Zakariasvatnet. Before this incident the waters were called Nedstedalsvatnet.
From Eidsdal, follow the road for about 18 kilometres to Ørnesvingen. This lookout point marks the start of another winding mountain road, Ørnevegen, that will take you down to the UNESCO-rated Geirangerfjord.
Feel free to stop and enjoy the view from the viewing platform, but note that there are limited parking spaces right by a sharp bend, so be cautious around other vehicles. Do not stop on the road!
In the well-known village of Geiranger, wander along the cosy streets lined with old wooden houses and try some local treats like fish cakes at Fiskekaka!
Explore beautiful hiking trails for all levels, such as the fairly easy Fosseråsa waterfall hike, or the more challenging Vinsåshornet.
Drive or hike up to Westerås farm for a meal with an incredible view. Then top it off with an overnight stay at Hotel Union Geiranger and a relaxing spa visit.
You should definitely stay for a while and not just drive through! Geiranger is a fantastic place for nature experiences. In addition to hiking, you can explore the UNESCO-listed fjord in a kayak, a high-speed RIB boat, or on a fjord cruise that takes you to majestic waterfalls like "The Bridal Veil" (pictured), "The Seven Sisters", and "The Suitor".
You can even combine a fjord cruise with a hike to the historic fjord farm Skageflå.
From the village, drive four kilometres up another winding mountain road to Flydalsjuvet (pictured). This rest area and viewpoint is perfect for panoramic pictures of the beautiful Geirangerfjord.
For an even more dramatic view, continue driving up the mountains for another 12,5 kilometres to the top of Dalsnibba mountain. Here, you'll find Geiranger Skywalk, Europe's highest fjord viewpoint from a road at 1,500 meters above sea level. The viewpoint also has a shop, café and toilets.
Note: The Nibbevegen road from Djupvatnet lake up to the viewpoint is private, so you have to buy tickets at the toll booth to gain access. It's also closed during the winter months.
Carry on from Flydalsjuvet to Langvatnet for the last 20 kilometres of the scenic route. It will take you further into the mountains past several serene lakes and vast landscapes.
Maybe this is your starting point if you're coming from the south?
Take in all the scenery and if you're hungry for more, how about driving about 15 kilometres to either Øvstefoss or Grotli, where you can embark on a new scenic route called Gamle Strynefjellsvegen?
Where to stay
Find somewhere to stay in the Geiranger area.
Fun activities!
Explore the beautiful Geiranger area one activity at a time!
TafjordMuldal-Muldalsfossen
Muldalsfossen – The Muldal Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in the Kingdom, with its free fall of almost 200 metres. However, since the hydro-electric development at the end of the 1950's, the volume of water in the falls is considerably reduced.<br><br> The walk up to falls, which is situated between the tunnels to Tafjord, is on a good footpath that was made up at the close of the 19th century. The path snakes its way through 13 loops for about 2 kilometres up the steep mountain sides, which are also a nature reserve for the old indigenous forests. The walk should take you about an hour. <br><br> The landscape flattens out, and you will see two abandoned farms with large farmhouse and hay barns situated at the edge of the hanging valley of Muldal. To see the falls in a real panorama view, follow the footpath between the farmhouses and down a path on the other side to where you walked up. Here you will find a viewpoint with guardrails, constructed in around 1890.<br><br> Muldal is a good starting point for walks into the mountains on well-marked footpaths.
GeirangerVinsåshornet
Hole Hytteutleige - Grinddalssætra - Vinsåshornet - Grinddalssætra- Hole Hytteutleige The walks gives a superb panorama view of the Geirangerfjord. Route description: Our walk takes off from Hole Hytteutleige in the upper part part of the Geiranger community. Parking space may be scarce, please ask the cabin staff for advice. You head off on the gravel road toward Vesterås, but turn to the right on a tractor road just after passing the cabin cluster at Hole. The road branches off at a gate, and you turn right. Follow the gravel road. After a few turns a sign points left to Holebakk. If you pick this route you can also see the Holebakk farm and a memorial plaque from the snow slide in 1907, which took 10 lives. Count on 45 minutes on the gravel road before you get to a very good trail. A few vantage points have steep cliffs facing the river from Vesteråsdalen. The walk to Grinddalssætra will take another 45 minutes, and from the steep hillsides in Geiranger you now come to an idyllic, flat mountain valley! So far a fine trip for families with children. At the dairy farm site a signpost shows names and altitudes of nearby summits. Here you may take off towards Vinsåshornet, the distinct summit south of the head of the valley end. You follow the path uphill from the summer farm. Cross the river on a solid bridge after ca. 500 meters. Marked tour route diagonally up the valley towards low point of the ridge leads to Vinsåshornet. Along the route you may see remnants of "bogestøer" (archers`hides) and reindeer traps. From the pass you follow the ridge northwest towards the summit itself (1343 m.a.s.l). Here is a panorama view of the Geirangerfjord! A more demanding summit route runs at the front of Vinsåshornet. It is marked as well, but the trail is not always too distinct. Rock climbing part of the way. This route calls for experienced people! (Source: Opptur Geirangerfjorden)
Nice to know before you go
As mentioned above, take your time on the challenging, winding mountain roads, and keep an eye out for lay-bys so you can let oncoming traffic pass on narrow sections. Driving here is not for the faint-hearted. Expect a lot of traffic during the busy summer months.
Note that parts of the route can also be closed at short notice due to extreme weather.
Large sections of the route (including Trollstigen) close for winter between October and January and reopen between late April and mid-June. Therefore, the best time to visit is from late June to September. September is a very good month to visit this region, with less traffic.
Information for cyclists: Be aware that this is a demanding mountain ride where you'll encounter long and steep climbs and descents. For the easiest ride, start at Grotli. During the summer there's a lot of traffic along this route, so it's best to go in early June or September.
Source: Norwegian Scenic Routes
Discover more
Norwegian Scenic Routes
Explore the most beautiful drives in Norway! Find out what to experience along the routes, including lesser-known gems, accommodation, and wonderful detours.
Get the best deals on transport
Travel comfortably around Norway with our partners.
7 Hours ・ April - SeptemberBook nowPreikestolen express bus
Roundtrip from Stavanger to an iconic trailOne of the most popular hikes in Norway. Our bus provides easy and comfortable round trip transport from Stavanger. Be aware that this hike is unguided, however, the trail is well marked with distance markers. Relax and enjoy the view. / Go FjordsPrice From 389 NOK
11 Hours ・ June - SeptemberBook nowKjerag express bus tour
Our bus offers easy access to KjeragHike to the Kjerag boulder and explore the sight that attracts thrill seekers from all over the world. Our express bus brings you directly from Stavanger to the start of the hiking trail and back. / Go FjordsPrice From 880 NOK
All yearBook nowNorway’s camper van rental
Norway’s camper van rentalDo you want to try van life? Explore Norway in comfort and style with our smart and cosy campervans. / Arctic Campers ASPrice From 1 390 NOK
All yearBook nowNOR-WAY Bussekspress
Norway's most comfortable bus journeysEnjoy scenic views on comfortable bus trips to the fjords and from city to city with our express coaches. / NOR-WAY BussekspressPrice From 99 NOK
All yearBook nowAuto Europe - car rental
The perfect vehicle for your tripAlways a smooth car rental experience. Search and compare rental rates. Free cancellation up to 24 hours prior to pick-up. Great prices and service since 1954. / Auto EuropePrice From 800 NOK
All yearBook nowTrain journeys with SJ Nord
Norway's most beautiful train journeysThe adventure starts on the train / SJ NordPrice From 199 NOK
All yearBook nowNorwegian - cheap flights
We'll fly you wherever you want to goNorwegian offers cheap flights in Norway and direct flights from more than 70 European airports. Book flights through our low fare calendar to your destinations. / NorwegianPrice From 549 NOK
All yearBook nowRent-A-Wreck - car rental
The smart and affordable car rental alternative.Excellent service at reasonable rates. / Rent-A-Wreck of Scandinavia ASPrice From 790 NOK
All yearBook nowTravel in comfort with Vy Bus
Travel with bus throughout NorwayDiscover Norway on comfortable express coaches that take you between major cities, mountains, and fjords. / Vy expressPrice From 79 NOK
All yearBook nowTraveling by train with Vy
See Norway from the train!Travelling by train has never been easier. Glide through beautiful scenery on a train between Oslo and Bergen on the Bergen Railway and explore the greater Oslo region. / Vy TrainPrice From 44 NOK
All yearBook nowCruise with Hurtigruten
The world’s most beautiful sea voyageAre you ready for a once-in-a-lifetime journey along one of the world’s most beautiful coastlines? With Hurtigruten, you can explore everything the Norwegian coast has to offer – from fjords and iconic towns to northern lights and the midnight sun. / HurtigrutenPrice From 1 551 NOK
All yearBook nowBenzini Campers
Campervan rental in NorwayDiscover the beauty of Norway with our top-rated campervan rental service. Located in Sandefjord near Torp Airport and Oslo City. Enjoy unlimited mileage as you explore Norway's nature and cities. / Benzini CampersPrice From 1 290 NOK