Norway is not only rich in fascinating history but also in its natural beauty. The breathtaking physical landscape has been shaped by thousands of years of glaciation, just like the rich cultural landscape has been shaped by the people who have lived there. This blog explores the natural landmarks of Norway and some of the key places to visit.
Fjords
A fjord is an elongated, deep, narrow sea inlet that reaches a long way inland, with steep land on three sides, and an opening towards the sea called the mouth of the fjord. Fjords can be thousands of feet deep and are created by glaciers that slowly carve their way through the rock leaving behind valleys with steep walls.
In front of a glacier arm, there is often a large deposit of gravel and other material that the glacier was carrying, called a moraine of gravel. At the mouth of fjords, the glaciers often deposit this gravel and other materials. This leaves a shallow threshold that turns fjords into natural harbors where the water is calmer than the open sea.
Fjords are important to Norway’s history, culture, and landscape. The word “fjord” comes from the Norse word “fjǫrðr” and means “where one fares through”. Norway has some of the longest, deepest, and most beautiful fjords in the world. Two of the most spectacular are on UNESCO’s World Heritage List: Nærøyfjord and Geirangerfjord. The Geirangerfjord is known for magnificent waterfalls, sapphire-blue water, and pristine beauty, and is one of the places we visit on our tours of Norway. To learn more about the fjords of Norway, read our blog post.
Glaciers
Glaciers are bodies of dense ice that constantly move downhill under their own weight. Glaciers form when snow accumulates and is compressed into ice over time. The mass of ice then begins to flow outwards and downwards under the pressure of its mass.
Glaciers are the driving force that creates landscapes like the ones seen in Norway. They travel through terrain like massive, slow-moving rivers made of ice, snow, water, rock, and sediment, carving out geological features as they go. It was the Ice Age glaciers that created Norway’s characteristic fjords, valleys, and steep mountainsides.
Around 10 percent of the earth’s land area is covered by glaciers that remain from the last Ice Age. Glaciers give us important insights into the history of an area, as well as the impacts of climate change and possible future environmental scenarios.
Norway is home to an incredible 2,534 glaciers, making it one of the top destinations in the world to see them. Jostedalsbreen, in Vestland county in Fjord Norway, is the largest glacier in continental Europe. It covers 188 square miles and is up to 1,900 feet thick in some places. It splits off into more than 50 glacier branches.

Kjenndalen Valley and the Kjenndalen Glacier
Mountains
Norway’s wilderness consists of countless mountains and craggy summits. Many of Norway’s mountains erupt dramatically from sea level, which gives them their global fame and breathtaking views. There are over 1,000 mountain peaks in Norway that exceed 5,413 feet, the tallest of Norway’s mountains is Galdhøpiggen in Jotunheimen National Park, which soars to 8,100 feet above sea level.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls are a staple in Norwegian landscapes. Many waterfalls drop dramatically from a high mountain cliff down to the fjords. In fact, 10 of the world’s 30 tallest waterfalls are found in Norway. Many waterfalls drop dramatically from a high mountain cliff down to a fjord below, while others intersperse with rivers.
During spring and early summer, the meltwater from winter snow causes the waterfalls to flow in their full splendor. These cascading waterfalls are not just picturesque; they’re also a significant source of energy. Many generate electricity, powering the local area in an environmentally friendly way.
One of the most famous is the Seven Sisters Waterfall (“De Syv Søstre”) in the Geiranger Fjord. The waterfalls are 1,350 feet tall and consist of seven separate streams. The tallest of the “Sisters” has a free fall of 820 feet. It received its name because it is said to resemble the flowing hair of seven maidens. The Seven Sisters Waterfall sits on the northern side of Geiranger Fjord. Directly across the fjord lies a single waterfall called “The Suitor” (“Friaren”). The legend of the Seven Sisters is that they dance down the mountain, while across the fjord, the Suitor courts them from afar.

The Seven Sisters Waterfall in Geirangerfjord
Glacial Lakes
Norway is home to the Hornindalsvatnet, which is Europe’s deepest lake with a depth of 1,774 feet. However, one of the most stunning sights to see is Norway’s glacial lakes – another aspect of its incredible natural beauty.
There are multiple types of glacial lakes, which form in slightly different ways. As glaciers move through the landscape, they erode the terrain under them. This leaves depressions and grooves etched into the land. Most glacial lakes form when a glacier retreats and meltwater fills the hole left behind.
Natural dams, formed from either moraines or the ice of the glacier can also form glacial lakes. These dams can even close off valleys or fjords and prevent them from draining. Dams formed by moraines can be very stable, holding large lakes behind them for many years. They can also be leaky, allowing the lake to slowly drain into nearby rivers. Some glacial lakes also form along the edge of glaciers, where the land slopes towards the ice.
Many lakes near glaciers have a unique green hue due to the silt originating from the meltwater of glacier ice. This can also cause them to be very reflective and almost have a mirror-like quality.
Islands
Norway has one of the longest and most rugged coastlines in the world. The continental coastline of Norway is over 15,600 miles, but when you include all the 320,249 islands and islets along the coast, this more than triples to 51,700 miles. The Norwegian mountains intersect with fjords to create many islands after they meet the sea. Many fjords have skerries—small, rocky islands created through glaciation.
Caves
Norway is also home to a huge array of caves – karst caves, overhangs, gorge caves, and sea caves can all be found there. Most of the caves in Norway are karst caves, found in large areas of limestone and marble. Many of the karst caves are older than the ice ages, which means that they are between two and three million years old. Inside them, you can find beautiful marble formations and small streams. The caves of Norway contain many wonders; dripstones, animal and plant remains, unique microbes, and evidence of early humans.
Coastal Cliffs
Another one of Norway’s natural landmarks is the sea cliffs. A great example is Hornelen, a high sea cliff that’s been used as a navigational landmark since the Viking era. The cliff is infamous in Norwegian mythology as a gathering place for witches. It is also believed to have been scaled by King Olaf I of Norway, who ruled over the country from 995 to 1000. At 2,820 feet it is one of the highest sea cliffs in Europe.
Norway has so much to offer with its natural landmarks, and the Western Fjords are an ideal destination to experience so many of them. There are glaciers, fjords, and mountains to name a few, and the drives along the panoramic roads between them are breathtaking, with plenty of opportunities to stop off in charming coastal towns full of warmth and rich cultural heritage. To learn more about a trip to the Western Fjords, visit this page.

Troll Road-is a serpentine mountain road in Rauma Municipality, Mre og Romsdal county, Norway