In 60 seconds
The crown of Nordfjord where milky emerald glacial waters of Lake Lovatnet meet the Loen Skylift, the dramatic sheer cliffs of Mount Hoven and the blue ice tongues of Briksdalsbreen and Kjenndalsbreen.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You are looking for urban museums rather than pure outdoor glacial landscapes and high-mountain nature.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Loen & Nordfjord fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
One of the steepest cable cars in the world, climbing from fjord level to the summit of Mount Hoven at a 60-degree gradient in 5 minutes
Walk the cliff-edge boardwalk trails at the summit, cross the Gjølmunnebrua suspension bridge on the via ferrata and dine in the panoramic sky restaurant.
Legendary 11-kilometre turquoise glacial lake flanked by towering vertical rock walls and hanging waterfalls
Drive or cycle down Lodalen to Kjenndalsstova to catch the scenic lake boat MS Kjenndal and walk to Kjenndalsbreen glacier.
Celebrated blue-ice glacier outlet plunging 1,200 metres from Jostedalsbreen into a green mountain lake
Hike the 45-minute scenic riverside trail through Oldedalen past the roaring Kleivafossen waterfall, or ride in open-top electric 'Troll Cars'.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Worth planning the evening around.
Glass-walled summit restaurant perched on the cliff edge at 1,011 metres above the fjord
Dine on local Nordfjord venison, fjord salmon and cloudberries with clouds below your table.
Grand dining room in Loen's legendary 1884 family resort hotel serving lavish regional buffets and multi-course dinners
Savour fresh western Norwegian meats, shellfish and local farm produce.
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Idyllic grass-roofed lakeside café and restaurant at the far southern end of Lake Lovatnet
Order traditional Norwegian fish soup or sour-cream waffles by the emerald water.
Modern specialty café in the base station of the Loen Skylift
Pick up barista coffee and fresh cinnamon rolls before boarding the cable car.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Thrill-seeking climbing route up Mount Hoven featuring the Gjølmunnebrua, Europe's longest via ferrata suspension bridge (120 m) hanging over a 160-metre canyon
Book a guided equipment ascent for an unforgettable climbing adventure.
Quieter, more wild glacier arm at the far end of Lake Lovatnet reached by an idyllic lakeside gravel road
Enjoy freshly baked waffles at the lakeside café before walking to the glacier viewpoint.
Glacier ski resort on the Tystigbreen glacier along the historic Gamle Strynefjellsvegen road (Fv258)
Ski in a t-shirt in June and July or drive the single-lane 1894 stone-slab road.
After dark
Sophisticated lounge bar with live music, fjord views and an extensive Norwegian gin and whisky selection
Unwind in the grand salon after a day of hiking.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Lakeside and fjord hamlet where the skylift, historic hotels and valley mouths meet
The primary activity base for Nordfjord.
Neighbouring village 10 minutes south where cruise ships dock and the valley leads up to Briksdalsbreen
Gateway to the majestic Briksdal glacier tongue.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Iconic historic family resort hotels in central Loen with thermal spa pools and gardens
The premier luxury and relaxation base.
Lakeside turf-roofed cabins and camping right on the turquoise water
Unmatched natural tranquility and mountain views.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Catastrophic rockslides from Mount Ramnefjell plunge into Lake Lovatnet, generating colossal tidal waves that destroyed the farming hamlets of Bødal and Nesdal.
Markus Loen opens a coaching inn that grows into Hotel Alexandra, pioneering five generations of hospitality in Loen.
Her Majesty Queen Sonja officially inaugurates the Loen Skylift, transforming access to the high alpine terrain of Mount Hoven.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
UNESCO Geirangerfjord, Dalsnibba and the Flydalsjuvet viewpoint
Cross the pass into Geiranger on a connected fjord itinerary.
Central Sognefjord, Kviknes Hotel and Urnes Stave Church
Connect Nordfjord with the King of the Fjords.
