Quick Details
This is a magical sea kayak journey that takes you 60 miles (100km) down Western Norway’s Wild Arctic Fjords, with wild campsites ideally placed on the banks of the fjords or after short hikes up to historic mountain ledge farms with fantastic vistas.
Ålesund, Norway’s Art Nouveau City; also described as Norway’s cutest city, is a great starting point for the world-famous Norwegian Fjords Sea Kayaking Journey. The backdrop for our launching site is Ålesund’s southern harbor, which is speckled with green grassy parks, mountainous islands, a skyline of art nouveau interspersed with modern architecture, lazy marinas and pleasure-crafts bobbing on glistening fjords.
Exiting Ålesund’s harbor, a secluded sound leads you out to a unique string of islands running northeast of the city. This intricate archipelago stretches the length of Ellingsøy Fjord and with the sun at your back, we aim our kayaks northeast island-hopping our way down Ålesund’s northern fjord, gliding stealthily around islands laid out like a string of pearls dotted with abandoned farms, quaint cottages, secret meadows, and beacons bearing real maritime heritage.
Navigating the bridges of Skodje County and Solnor Canal takes us to the entrance of the Grand Fjord which has cut its path through the granite and gneiss mountains of the Sunnmøre Alps, creating a surreal landscape that is both awe-inspiring and breathtaking.
Formed like canyons with steep granite walls that begin 400 meters below the sea’s surface and reach 1,500 meters above, the fjords of western Norway make us feel infinitesimal in our sea kayaks as we paddle this venue of raw natural beauty with snow-capped mountains, towering granite walls, thundering waterfalls, mountain ledge farms, flowering fruit trees, and quaint villages tucked into small protective bays.
Rounding the point at Matvik marks the entrance to the world’s most photographed fjord, Geiranger Fjord. The rugged beauty is overpowering as we glide the jade-green waters, feeling small under the towering granite walls that stretch 1,500 m above. We paddle toward the end of the fjord, passing rushing waterfalls and historic mountain ledge farms perched precariously high; making the final turn, the hamlet of Geiranger rises in front of us marking your journey’s end.
Our sea kayak specialists were the first to design and operate commercial sea kayak trips along Norway’s Western Fjords. No one knows these waterways better than us, as we are without a doubt, the sea kayak tour company with the most guiding days on the fjords.
In 2020, we have guides available for weekly departures during June, July, and August! Also, for those who want to paddle the fjords during other months or who want our trip designers to create a custom itinerary we are more than happy to accommodate you, just send us an email to [email protected] with your proposed dates and your groups’ details. Please keep in mind that the earlier you send us your request the more likely it is that we can accommodate you.
Don’t miss out – book your trip today! We are excited to kayak the world-famous Norwegian fjords with you!
Arrival Day
Meet your guide! Sunday, 17:00 (5 p.m.) at the Scandic Hotel Ålesund.
Here, your guide will host a parley on what to expect in terms of weather, paddling conditions, route description with a complete day-by-day breakdown of the trip including tide calculations and morning departure times, as well an overview of our accommodation and a meal outline. Also, you will receive dry bags from us to pack your personal gear and a description of what to pack and how to pack it, etc.
Refreshments will be served.
DAY 1 – Ellingsøyfjord
After a solid breakfast, we meet in the lobby at 09:00, where we load up for the short drive to our launching site. Here, we finish packing our sea kayaks, before gearing up and pushing off.
We slip into our sea kayaks and our senses come alive with the buzz, aromas and the pastel colors of the art nouveau facades adorning the city’s waterways. Paddles slicing through crystal-clear water, our sea kayaks slide out onto Ålesund’s fjords speckled with historic features and sights, from stunning heritage art nouveau facades to over 100-year-old historical landmarks guarding the entrance to her harbors. The city skyline and mighty Borgund Fjord chiseled on a seemingly painted backdrop of the majestic Sunnmøre Alps.
Borgund Fjord, keeping the southern city sights, sounds & smells on our left we paddle its glistening waters; floating through Nørve Sound to the entrance of Ellingsøyfjord with its fairy tale islands. Cruising amongst poetic islands we leave urbanization behind and search out an island camp for the night.
DAY 2 – Storfjord
The tide dictates our departure from our island digs this morning; timing the currents so that they are in our favor when paddling under the Skodje bridges and through the Solnør canal. Once we are through the canal, we stop to stretch our legs in Solnør Bay. This is our last stop before we enter the fjords. Paddling south, we cross directly over Storfjord before stopping on the south shore for a picnic lunch. Sticking to the southern coast of Storfjord, we make our way to Vollvika and the trailhead to the mountain ledge farm of Ytste Skotet.
Paddling across Ramstad Bay, we follow the southern coast of Storfjord to Ytste Skotet. Upon landing at the trailhead of Ytste Skotet we unload the gear that we will need for a night at the farm. The hike up to this historic farm takes about 40 minutes. After arriving at Ytste Skotet, a refreshing dip in the creek feels wonderful after two days of paddling.
Ytste Skotet is a living museum mountain ledge farm that takes you back to 1800s life on the fjords; it is here we camp for the night with breathtaking views of the fjords and Sunnmøre Mountains.
DAY 3 – Stordal & Stranda
After a hearty breakfast, we hike down to our waiting kayaks, load our gear and launch onto the waters of Storfjord. Today’s paddle takes us further down the Grand Fjord past the hamlets of Stordal and Stranda. The conditions and our fishing luck dictate our progress along the fjord. Tonight, we camp on the banks of Storfjord.
Relaxing, swapping stories around our campfire while our fresh fish supper is being prepared, the perfect finish to our paddle on the Grand Fjord!
DAY 4 – Sunnylvsfjord
Refreshed and sated from a glorious night and solid breakfast on the banks of the fjord, we push off, aiming our kayaks toward the navigational light that signals the entrance to Sunnylvsfjord. We round the headland and enter Sunnylvsfjord; heading south we paddle down this seemingly never-ending fjord. Searching out one of the few secluded landing sots on this fjord to refuel on a delicious picnic lunch. Feeling minuscule, the steep mountain walls give the impression of paddling down a deep canyon, we push on and on; then finally two thirds down the fjord we land at the takeout to the 18th-century mountain ledge farm of Åkernes.
Landing at Åkernes, we relax with a traditional KMT Anchor Aperitif before we unload our kayaks and organize the gear that we need for the night at the farm. The short hike up is a refreshing stretch of our legs after the long paddle down Sunnylvsfjord. The view is fantastic from this historic 18th-century farm; as the evening sun dips below the rugged mountains, we dine on another glorious supper overlooking a wild fjord.
DAY 5 – Geiranger Fjord
Hot coffee and a quick breakfast while we gather our gear before heading down to the shore. The short hike down to our kayaks is refreshing and wakes us up. We gear up for our final launch onto Norway’s Western Fjords. Crossing-over Sunnylvsfjord we follow the coastline down to the mouth of the Geiranger fjord. Rounding the point near the farm, Matvik we glide onto the famous Geiranger fjord. A welcomed stretch of our legs at Matvik, Geiranger Fjord’s historic fruit farm along with some nourishment to refuel our energy, while we survey our awe-inspiring surroundings. Casting off, our kayaks glide on down majestic Geiranger fjord.
Geiranger Fjord’s thundering waterfalls, Bridesvail, Severn Sisters, Suitor, Gjerde, and the historic mountain ledge farms of Blomberg, Skageflå, and Knivsflå entice us to stop and play as we float by, get your cameras ready as the world’s most photographed fjord boasts many postcard-perfect backdrops.
Past the waterfalls and mountain ledge farms, we round the final bend and the hamlet of Geiranger beckons us at the very end of this marvelous fjord. The village appears tiny as the mountain backdrop rises over 1500 m above marking the gateway to the Jotunheimen Mountain Range. As climb out of our sea kayaks for the last time at the town pier we toast our journey down the World-Famous Norwegian Fjords with a well-deserved Anchor Aperitif.
In Geiranger, there is time to explore this tiny village while your guides load up the gear and KMT’s van transports you back to Ålesund.