Bergen: Hardangerfjord, Waterfalls, Culture & Apple pie
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Bergen, Norway
- 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Leave Bergen behind–and take the guesswork out of sightseeing–on this half-day bus tour to Hardanger, with stops at landmarks including Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall and Hardanger Fjord itself. Learn about the landscape, take in picturesque views, and hear plenty of stories from your guide. Visit Norheimsund and explore its immersive maritime center. Before heading back to the city, savor a freshly-baked apple pie with coffee or tea made with local produce.
- Explore Hardanger and visit its top landmarks in an organized, efficient way
- Choose between two convenient departure and drop-off points in Bergen
- Discover picturesque landscapes and hear local insights from your guide
- Savor a hot drink with a slice of homemade apple pie, all included
What's Included
- Three waterfalls – including the spectacular Steinsdalsfossen
- Visit to the Hardanger Maritime Centre in Norheimsund
- Scenic bus tour to the famous Hardangerfjord
- Stone Age rock carvings and panoramic views over the fjord
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fee - Entrance fee
- Coffee and/or TeaWith a delicious apple pie baked with local apples
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Gamlehaugen (Pass By)
1
Mørkhølsfossen
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Fossen Bratte
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Kvamskogen (Pass By)
3
Salthammeren Stone Age Carvings
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Hardanger Maritime Centre
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
5
Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Osterfjorden (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 35 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.3
based on 58 reviews
V_G, Nov 2025
Long bus ride. Guide very talkstive. Beautiful countryside and great weather.
Don’t buy this excursion through your cruise. Much less expensive to buy it through Visturs.
JustynaAnna_B, Sep 2025
It’s only essential points like 2 waterfalls and visit at the apple farm . It should be more stops even for a few minutes and while trip would be more interesting.
james_p, Sep 2025
Easy to find meeting place the travel outside Bergen was beautiful. Tour guide was excellent!Very warm and friendly.
Hannah_S, Aug 2025
Learned a lot about Norwegian history + culture and saw some beautiful fjords! We had a marvelous time!
Trevor_S, Aug 2025
I would not do this again. Entire time spent on bus. Someone really needs to give feedback to the tour guide that her nonstop random chatter about her boyfriend etc needs to stop. I like hearing tour guides talk about what we are seeing etc but she literally never stopped talking for six hours and it was like nails on a chalkboard. You do NOT see the view in the photo of the orchard. The final waterfall was a cute stop but not worth a day on a bus. The apple cake was good, but again not worth a day on the bus. Do the Flåm full day tour instead, much better
CHARLOTTEA_J, Aug 2025
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable but we were on a bus for most of the trip with only a few stops to admire our surroundings.
Kaushik_D, Aug 2025
The trip is already chaotic from the beginning and we didn't get bus. No ferry ride as well. Now there will be reduced trip (maybe) and no announcement of refunds!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hi,
We sincerely apologize that the bus was nearly an hour delayed this morning. This has never happened before, and naturally, it should not happen again.
At the same time, we know that buses, planes, and trains can be delayed, and when that happens, we do our best to handle the situation.
On this trip, there was only a minor change in the itinerary. We didn’t take the ferry (which takes 15 minutes), but instead had more time to enjoy the waterfalls, the fjord, and the apple farm with apple cake. So it’s hard to understand how the trip could be considered a disaster.
But - thanks for your feedback. We deserve a little scolding when we don't deliver 100%.
Gary_D, Jul 2025
We spent most of the time on the bus, which was fine with me. It’s very pretty countryside and our guide was informative on my topics of Norwegian culture and economy. The two stops were for apple cake and waterfall.
Olya_S, Jul 2025
A day tour packed with stunning scenery! Absolutely loved it!!! Strongly recommend!
The tour guide was lovely!!
Jeff_J, Jul 2025
The tour was just ok. Almost your entire time is sightseeing from the bus. The weather affects the scenery (especially looking thru bus windows), so if it is rainy/misty, not great viewing. Also, our guide spoke non-stop. Not something I enjoy for 6 hours. Mostly trivial things that weren't pertinent to what we were seeing. The apple pie was very good.
Andrew_M, Jul 2025
This tour was a major letdown. The itinerary claims you’ll spend about 1 hour and 20 minutes on the bus across five scenic stops—but the reality is over 5 hours on the bus and only about 90 minutes off at three actual stops. It’s marketed as a fjord tour, but you never really experience the fjords. I would have much rather spent my time and money on the water, actually surrounded by the fjord landscape.
The “ferry ride” is less than 10 minutes long. You’re told you can step off the bus for five minutes—but if you’re not back in time, the bus leaves without you. There’s nothing to see while sitting inside the bus during the ferry crossing, and no commentary or direction from the guide about what you’re looking at.
Stop 1: The “Orchard”
Don’t let the itinerary fool you—there’s no orchard tour and no exploration. After a 3+ hour drive, you’re dropped off at a café that only serves cider, a slice of cake and coffee/tea with just 50 minutes, not the two hours promised. There is no lunch option all day.
If you’re not among the first off the bus, good luck getting a seat or any cake. My family of eight was told by the cider maker that if we wanted seats, we should’ve exited the bus first. When we asked about allergens, no help was offered. The staff were dismissive and rude, which unfortunately became a theme throughout the day. This stop was overcrowded, rushed, and deeply underwhelming.
Stop 2: Steinsdalsfossen Waterfall
The itinerary said we’d have 30 minutes to enjoy the waterfall and walk behind it. As we got off the bus, the guide announced we only had 15 minutes. When I asked how we were supposed to enjoy the stop or complete the short hike in that time, the guide publicly ridiculed me, then begrudgingly gave us an extra five minutes. Once back on the bus, he again called us out and told the group we were now “running late.”
It then became clear that we would not be stopping in the village of Øystese as promised, nor at any scenic viewpoints of the Hardangerfjord. When we asked the driver, he said we had “plenty of time” to take photos from the bus during the 3+ hours drive to the orchard cafe. Despite hours of commentary, the guide never once mentioned where to look for fjord views or when to have your camera ready.
Stop 3: Fossen Bratte
This final stop was off the beaten path and surprisingly beautiful—honestly, the best part of the day. But again, stop times were shorter than expected. Also, access is not mobility-friendly. The path is unpaved, muddy, and steep—dangerous for anyone with balance or mobility concerns. No warning was given about this in advance.
Final Thoughts
While the guide was knowledgeable and offered constant information, the attitude, inaccuracy, and lack of scenic engagement made this tour incredibly frustrating. This is not a fjord tour. It’s a long drive to a café and two waterfalls, with minimal opportunity to actually experience the natural beauty Bergen is known for.
If you’re comfortable with narrow, winding roads (think: foggy Road to Hana), rent a car, do your research, and tour the region at your own pace. I traveled all the way to Bergen hoping to see stunning fjord landscapes—and left feeling like I’d seen more from a slideshow. I could’ve saved money and just Googled it.
Lastly, from the start, it was clear the tone would be off. Early in the day, the guide stated he “wasn’t a feminist” and proceeded to make repeated comments about women belonging in the home. He concluded the tour by telling the women on the bus to leave their men alone when they get home because coming home from work is like “returning from the hunt.” These kinds of remarks were sexist, outdated, and completely inappropriate for a professional setting.
In addition to the gender-based comments, the guide made several jokes about Chinese people and repeatedly claimed that “Norway is better than every other country.” It went from light commentary to uncomfortable nationalism and cultural insensitivity. This behavior was not only unprofessional but made my entire group uncomfortable—and it certainly overshadowed any historical or cultural information he shared.
Ratings:
• Apple Orchard Experience: 1/5
• Guide: 1/5 (informative but insensitive and dismissive)
• Driver: 5/5
• Tour Accuracy vs. Itinerary: 0/5
• Overall Value: 0/5
Do yourself a favor: skip this tour. I would love a refund.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Hi Andrew
Our tours are supposed to be well described as bus tours, and as you know from our phone conversation, we have checked with the bus log that the stops on the tour were according to the program, and significantly longer than you describe.
We are sorry that you booked the wrong tour in relation to what you wanted, and that is also why we offered you a partial refund.
David_L, Jun 2025
We had a very knowledgeable guide. She was great and very friendly. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. We had a very good experience. I highly recommend it.
markrguillet, Jun 2025
Water falls were great. Guide was wonderful and the bus driver was also wonderful. The apple pie is to die for.
Bonita_R, Jun 2025
We thought there was a boat tour of the fjord however we did enjoy what it was. The bus was very clean and Anita was a very good bus driver! Maria our tour guide was knowledgeable about the history of the area and had a great sense of humour!
Dennis_Z, Jun 2025
Generally it's good. However, I wish there could be more stops to see the fjords, and we sit too long on the bus.
Marilyn_K, Jun 2025
Our guide, Jam, was very knowledgeable about the area. He also gave us insight to the Norwegian way of life and customs. Very funny stories! Excellent apple pie at the orchard stop! Well worth the 6 hour trip since we were only in Bergen for 2 days.
Jane_C, Jun 2025
A nice scenic day out but tiring. The scenery was beautiful.
I thought instructions about the meeting place could have been better communicated though. Although, the guide worked hard, I would have preferred less talking from her on the bus. At times, I wanted to switch off and read my book on the journey.
Also, on the apple farm, there was very poor provision for vegans. I was given stewed apple while everyone else was given apple pie and cream. I didn't eat the stewed apple. For non vegans, it was easier.
Cathy_L, Jun 2025
Very delightful. We went on this tour on a beautiful sunny day so we get a clear view of the fjords, the waterfalls and the towns. The apple cake at the farm was delicious and it’s interesting to get an insight on some agricultural heritage in Norway. The timing was good and we even had time to stop and see some Bronze Age carvings on the way.
The only thing I think needs improvement is there should be a stop for lunch and not just dessert somewhere. I was able to pack a meal for myself but I imagine how uncomfortable it was for the rest of the tour group that didn’t get to have lunch.
John_M, Jun 2025
Beautiful countryside! Loved the waterfalls! And the “best apple cake” was the best apple pie we ever tasted! Great time!
Benjamin_H, May 2025
Overall, this excursion was great. While the vast majority of the time is spent driving around the region (seeing some good sites) you do have a few opportunities to be off the bus and exploring the stops. The apple cake and coffee was phenomenal. Also they allow for some great waterfall photo opportunities along the way.
Deb_T, May 2025
The trip was a very long bus ride. Around 2 hours max you were off of the bus. There was beautiful scenery though. The guide said the word basically in every sentence so that was a bit distracting. It was nice to see a different area.
Rachel_E, May 2025
Everything we had hoped for and more! Could not have had a better guide! Exceptional!! He was a proud Norwegian with vast ledge and a few jokes. Unreal views throughout the trip. Hardanger fiord and waterfalls were stunning. We learned so much! Great driver, too. Totally would recommend this!
Harald_M, Apr 2025
We had a great guide, and the area is beautiful. Tasty cake at a lovely orchard in Hardanger. A really nice day.
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