GEIRANGERFJORDEN

The Geiranger fjord is the crowing glory among Norway's fjord district's pearls of natural beauty. Majestic, snow-covered mountain peaks, beautiful and wild waterfalls, lush, green vegetation and the deep blue waters of the fjord - yes, it really is like something taken from a fairy tale. It has been named the best travel destination in Scandinavia by Lonely Planet. And since 2005, the Geirangerfjord has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

If you want to see Geiranger from the finest view-points, you can drive up to Ørnesvingen, Flydalsjuvet or Dalsnibba (toll road). Or you can walk up to Vesteråsfjellet or Skageflå.

Trollstigen is a mountain road and a popular tourist attraction due to its steep incline of 9% and eleven hairpin bends up a steep mountain side. Opened in 1936 after 8 years of construction.

The seven sisters is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Geirangerfjorden. It lies next to the abandoned farm of Knivsflå and a total of seven waterfalls thunder straight down to the fjord. The waterfalls have an average drop of about 250 meters and make an impressive sight when levels are high.

Geiranger is Norway's third biggest cruise-ship port, and receives about 160 ships during the four-month tourist season. Several hundred thousand people pass through every summer, and tourism is the main business for the 250 people who live there permanently. There are five hotels and over ten camping sites.

Geiranger is under constant threat from the mountain Åkerneset which is about to erode into the fjord. A collapse would cause a tsunami that would destroy downtown Geiranger.