Aerial view down the Jostedalen valley to the Nigardsbreen glacier arm, with the braided glacial river and farms on the valley floor

Shore excursion · Skjolden Explore

The Glacier Valley

Walk two and a half kilometres over bare rock and moraine to the front of a glacier.

Nigardsbreen & Breheimsenteret · 6 hours

Duration
6 hours
Guests
10–45 a coach
Season
May–October
Tour code
SKJ-JOS

The coach runs down the fjord to Gaupne and up the Jostedal valley to the lake beneath Nigardsbreen, an arm of Jostedalsbreen — the largest glacier on the European mainland. From the car park a guide leads the way on foot: about two and a half kilometres each way over polished rock slab and moraine to the glacier front. The ground you cross was under the ice not long ago.

Afterwards, the Breheimsenteret glacier centre — the film, the exhibition, a short guided nature trail — and a Norwegian waffle with your coffee.

  • On foot to the front of Nigardsbreen
  • Rock slab and moraine the glacier left behind
  • The film and exhibition at Breheimsenteret
  • A Norwegian waffle to finish

The day, hour by hour

Six hours, gangway to gangway

  1. 00:00 – 01:30 Depart the pier by coach via Gaupne into the Jostedal valley, to the car park below Nigardsbreen
  2. 01:30 – 04:00 Guided walk to the glacier front — about 2.5 km each way over rock slab and moraine
  3. 04:00 – 04:05 Short coach transfer to the Breheimsenteret glacier centre
  4. 04:05 – 05:00 Breheimsenteret: glacier film and exhibition, a 20–30 minute guided nature trail, and a Norwegian waffle with coffee or tea
  5. 05:00 – 06:00 Back through Jostedalen and along the Lustrafjord to the pier

00:00 is the moment the group leaves the pier — not a clock time.