Hellesylt is a charming Norwegian village at the end of Sunnylvsfjorden, boasting an impressive waterfall and stunning views all around. The village also sits on a branch of Storfjorden, which connects with the famous Geirangerfjord, which is UNESCO protected. We visited Hellsylt on P&O’s Iona, making it a simple way to explore this gorgeous area. Logistically, it is much easier to arrive at Hellesylt via cruise ship than it is by car! The village is small, with around 300 residents, making it a perfect way to spend a day off a cruise ship. The ship docks right at the village, and you walk right into town! There’s something so magical about visiting these quaint villages deep in the fjords.
If your cruise ship is docking in Hellesylt there is plenty to do for such a small village, especially if you don’t mind getting on a smaller boat. We decided to explore the village and waterfall, before taking the ferry to Geiranger. Hellesyltfossen is hard to miss as it’s right in the center of the village in between two bridges that provide great photo opportunities! There is also a trail that goes alongside it so you can “climb” the waterfall. It’s worth checking out before heading off to another excursion. A bridge over the stream makes for the perfect photo opportunity.
We booked the ferry to Geiranger as an excursion through P&O that included several hours of free time in Geiranger. This was a great way to see two places on your cruise stop, and also get deeper into the beauty of the fjords. You can take your chances and hop on the ferry without booking through the cruise line, but we wanted to guarantee a spot, and I liked knowing it was all booked ahead of time. Heading to Geiranger was a must do for me, as the ferry ride takes you through more stunning fjord landscape. The mountains surrounding the fjords are much taller than those we saw in Olden. The ferry docks in the town of Geiranger, which is larger than Hellesylt and boasts incredible fjord views.
The view on the fjord cruise is absolutely breathtaking. The majestic mountains tower over the UNESCO protected Geirangerfjord. The deep blue-green water sparkles. As you look up from the narrow fjord, you’ll see lush, green, vegetation reaching towards the snow-capped mountains. Each view is better than the last.
You’ll pass by the Seven Sisters Waterfall emptying in to the deep blue fjord waters. This is one of the most photographed waterfalls on the fjord. The falls are about 250 meters tall, but the volume of water fluctuates throughout the year, depending on the snow melt above. As you get closer to the town of Geiranger, quaint wooden homes dot the landscape.
The ferry excursion booked through P&O gives several hours of free time in Geiranger and you have a guaranteed ticket for the way back. The journey takes about an hour each way. When you arrive in Geiranger, you walk right from the dock to the small town. There are some shops to browse and several restaurants or cafes, all with a spectacular view of Geirangerfjord. While the town only has 250 inhabitants, it does offer more excursions than Hellesylt.
A popular thing to do in Geiranger is to see the stunning fjord from above, at the Flydalsjuvet viewpoint. The viewpoint is 4km from town, accessible by a steep, winding, road. If you’ve rented a car, it’s easy to get there and has plenty of free parking. You can also take a bus tour which stops at the viewpoint, and continues on to Mount Dalsnibba. Some people choose to hike to Flydalsjuvet, and there’s a trail from town. It’s considered moderately challenging due to the elevation, and takes around an hour each way, depending on fitness level.
An easy (and exciting) view to see the fjord is to rent e-bikes and ride up to Flydalsjuvet. We rented bikes through Geiranger Fjord Service. I emailed them ahead of time to reserve the bikes at the time we needed, and they were able to accommodate us. They do half or full day rentals. We really enjoyed rented bikes, and the ride down from the viewpoint was exhilarating as you fly down the hill.
Another must visit in Geiranger is Geiranger Sjokolade. Stopping by for a chocolate bar or ice cream on a sunny summer day was so refreshing. The chocolate is made on site, and sourced from local ingredients with no preservatives or additives. Did I mention it is also delicious?! The shop is unique in that it’s in a boathouse, and has a turf roof! It’s definitely worth checking out when in Geiranger and getting a tasty chocolate treat.
Other things to do in Geiranger
1.If your home base is Geiranger, you can always take the ferry to Hellesylt.
2.Take a tour of the stunning Geirangerfjord with RIB Geiranger. If you’re arriving by cruise to Geiranger you may be able to book directly through the cruiseline.
3.Take a bus tour high above the fjord to Mount Dalsnibba and the Skywalk. This was offered as an excursion from Hellesylt on our cruise and included ferry from Hellesylt.
4. Go on a panoramic bus tour to Flydalsjuvet and Eagle Bend and enjoy the stunning views.
5. Go kayaking in the fjord by renting them or taking a tour.
6. Take a tour using mini electric cars.
7. Visit the NaturePark with zipline.
8. Visit Eagle’s Bend viewpoint – many tours take you there or you can rent bike as we did
Other things to do in Hellesylt
1. Take a rib boat ride on Geirangerfjord with RIB Hellesylt. This tour looked amazing, both an adrenaline and gorgeous scenery. I was pregnant when we visited Hellesylt, otherwise I might have booked it!
2. Kayak the fjords! We opted to do a kayaking excursion in Olden which was amazing. I have no doubt it’s a similar experience in Hellesylt. You can book through the cruise line or book privately through a company such as GoFjords.
3. Explore the town and visit Sunnylven Church (if you don’t mind an uphill walk).
4. Take an e-bike tour of mountains surrounding Hellesylt.
Have you visited the Fjords of Norway??
My Weekend Wanderlusts 
This looks like another fun trip!! Thank you for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We will be there at Gerainger 10am to 10pm. I found the e mini cars 3pm-5pm and the kayaks at 10am. I’m also considering the rib boat or the e bikes. Which of the these would you do? I feel like I need one water and one that takes us to high elevation for the view. We won’t see as much on kayak as we will on rib due to distance, correct?
LikeLike
You won’t go far on the kayaks, whereas the rib boats will cover a larger distance in a short time. I loved the e-bikes and you will have plenty of time to explore and get good views!
LikeLike