One of my favourite activities during our Norway road trip was kayaking on one of the country’s majestic fjords. We ventured out for a three-hour trip of breathtaking views and paddling.
The kayaking tour we took with Best Adventures (formerly known as Flat Earth Adventures) started in Eidfjord. A small, picturesque town located in a bend of the innermost part of the Hardangerfjord – also known as the Simadalsfjord. Here the water is relatively narrow and flanked by mountains on both sides, making the Simadalsfjord a stunning location for a kayak trip. In addition, there isn’t much traffic on this section of the Hardangerfjord.
An easy start of the day … or so we had hoped
Every day in summer season there are two of these three-hour kayak tours on offer. One departs at ten in the morning, the other trip starts at two in the afternoon. As we booked our boat for the latter, we started our day rather relax. After all, we still needed our energy to kayak and we were hiking Trolltunga the day after.
While enjoying a drink on one of Eidfjord’s cosy terraces, the heavens opened up. We hadn’t seen that coming, but luckily the café owner had, saving us from getting soaked before we had even set foot in a kayak. While shopping for lunch at the local supermarket, where we would also gather for our adventure on the fjord, we wished for the weather to get better … but the day seemed to take a turn for the worse instead.
When leaving the shop, it felt as if we were struck by Murphy’s law. Someone had hit our rental car with his mobile home. So instead of enjoying our lunch, we were up for over an hour of phone calls, filling out forms and stressing about whether we would even make it to our long anticipated kayak adventure.
One of my friends warned our guide that we were running a tad late, because of our car incident. Luckily, he completely understood. The day finally got a silver lining, literally and figuratively, because the sun also broke through the clouds. We were finally ready to embark our little boats. Or were we?
Getting started
Before shipping out on the second deepest and longest fjord in Norway, your guide provides you with all necessary equipment. The use of a lifejacket, a watertight ton for your valuables, a spray skirt to prevent water from dripping into your boat, and of course a paddle and kayak are all included in the price of this tour. Most kayaks are for two persons, but if you’re group is uneven numbered, someone might be paddling in a single one.
You might want to bring some extra things yourself, like a rain jacket and sunglasses. As the Norwegian weather can change in the blink of an eye. Don’t forget to pack extra, fixed shoes that can get wet. I did forget, so I went kayaking on my flip flops. This isn’t a problem once you’re in the boat, but it sure isn’t ideal for getting in and out of the kayak.
Don’t worry if you have no kayak experience whatsoever. Before departure your guide teaches you the basics and even tests them briefly. As the fjord is connected to the sea, there might be waves depending on the weather conditions. Your guide will ‘simulate’ these waves by shaking your boat when you’re entering the water. That way he can check whether you know what to do when the water gets rocky. He’ll also explain what to do when you or someone in your group falls in the water.
All aboard
And finally we were off! Together with our guide and a small group of other adventurers we paddled over the Hardangerfjord. To me, the kayaking was a welcome change from all the uphill hiking we had done already. It’s also a great opportunity to see Norway’s magnificent mountains and fjords from a different perspective. While the fjords are wonderful to look at from above, kayaking on one really makes you realise how big they actually are.
In my opinion, this three-hour tour is doable for everyone who’s in decent condition. Best Adventures even allows children from the age of ten to participate. Of course the kayaking is quite a work-out, as you are paddling through a vast body of water, after all. But don’t let that scare you from going on this amazing adventure. The tour costs 599 Norwegian crowns (about 60 euros) for an adult and is worth every penny.
We kayaked about eight kilometres on the fabulous Hardangerfjord. Enjoying the views of the surrounding mountains and the tiny waterfalls that trickled down into the glimmering fjord from a kayak was a great way to spend an afternoon in Norway. Afterwards we gasped at the vistas some more from the shore, while snacking on the cookies the couple that hit our car had given us as an apology. What a day!
Are you up for a trip to Norway? Discover our full 12-day itinerary.
Want to know more about hiking the country? Read about my experiences with hiking Trolltunga and three hikes on the Lofoten Islands.
Fancy a Scandinavian city break? I compiled a list of highlights in Oslo’s city centre and things to see and do in Bergen.