Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This is one of Norway's most popular natural attractions, with an endless stream of tour
buses in summer (the record is 43 buses at any one time). Public buses between Geilo and
Odda pass right by the falls.
Fossli Hotel
HISTORIC HOTEL
( 53 66 57 77;
www.fossli-hotel.com
;
s/d Nkr890/1290; May-Sep; )
If you fancy falling asleep to the roar of cascading water, the Fossli Hotel is set just back
from the precipice. The views from this historic hotel are stunning and though rooms
might be a little faded, they have character and modern parquet floors. Best of all, staying
overnight means enjoying the falls once the crowds disappear down the mountain.
The hotel is run by Erik, a quiet and engaging host with a treasure-trove of stories from
the Hardangervidda region, whose great-grandfather built the hotel in the 1890s. Edvard
Grieg composed his
Opus 66
in the hotel. The hotel is well signposted 1.3km off the Rv7.
The hotel's restaurant (mains Nkr190 to Nkr270) serves fine Norwegian dishes, such as
lamb, baked salmon and wild deer, and there's a waffle cafe downstairs.
Kinsarvik & Lofthus
Pop 3382
The towns of Kinsarvik and nearby Lofthus rest peacefully on the shore of Sørfjorden, an
offshoot of Hardangerfjord in the heart of a region known as Ullensvang, home to an es-
timated half a million fruit trees.
Kinsarvik wasn't always so serene - it was home to up to 300 Vikings from the 8th to
11th centuries. The small U-shaped patch of greenery opposite the Kinsarvik tourist office
is all that remains of the former Viking port. Kinsarvik offers an appealing access trail past
the four cooling Husedalen waterfalls, along what's known as the Monk's Stairway, and
onto the network of tracks through the wild forest of Hardangervidda National Park.
If driving here from the north side of the fjord, you'll get to use the recently completed
Hardanger Bridge
, the longest tunnel-to-tunnel suspension bridge in the world.
Sights
