Hardangerfjord & Trolltunga

Hardangerfjord is Norway's orchard — a 179-kilometre fjord lined with apple and cherry trees that bloom in a spectacular white canopy each May. The contrast between the gentle fruit farms and the savage mountain plateau above is what makes this route so compelling.

The drive follows the fjord's southern shore from Norheimsund to Odda, passing through villages where cider-making has been a tradition for centuries. The road hugs the waterline, with the fjord on one side and orchards climbing the hillside on the other. In May, the blossom is extraordinary; in autumn, the harvest brings roadside stalls selling fresh-pressed juice.

At Eidfjord, the route climbs to the Hardangervidda — Europe's largest mountain plateau. The landscape shifts abruptly from fjord-side lushness to an Arctic tundra of lichen-covered rock, wind-sculpted snow, and wild reindeer. The Vøringsfossen waterfall plunges 182 metres into the Måbødalen valley — one of Norway's most photographed sights.

The route's emotional peak is Trolltunga — the "Troll's Tongue," a horizontal rock formation jutting 700 metres above Lake Ringedalsvatnet. The hike is demanding (10-12 hours round trip), but the viewpoint is one of the most dramatic in Scandinavia. Even if you don't hike, the drive to the trailhead through the Skjeggedal valley is worth the detour.