How to Visit the Briksdalsbreen Glacier in Norway
The Briksdalsbreen Glacier in Jostedalsbreen National Park is a must-see for any Norway itinerary! It’s a very accessible glacier and leads to breathtaking views of the Briksdal Glacier and the beautiful Briksdalen Valley. In this guide, we share everything you need to know to visit Briksdalsbreen in Norway, including how to get there, when to go, what the hike is like, how to take a troll car to the glacier, and more!
The Jostedalsbreen Glacier in Norway is the largest glacier on continental Europe, covering nearly 200 square miles, and is found within Jostedalsbreen National Park in the southern fjords of Norway.
The massive ice cap has more than 50 glacier arms that cascade into scenic glacial valleys below, and many of these arms are actually quite accessible for hiking to, or even walking on (with the appropriate gear and guides!).
One of the most popular glaciers of Jostedalsbreen is the Briksdal Glacier, also called Briksdalsbreen (“breen” means glacier in Norwegian and you’ll see this word often when traveling through Norway!). Briksdalsbreen cascades down a cliffside above a beautifully blue glacier lake surrounded by a lush valley lined with mountains and waterfalls and scenery that makes you feel like you’ve entered a fairytale.
Briksdalsbreen sits in the Briksdalen Valley on the western side of Jostedalsbreen National Park, and is just a half hour’s drive from the popular cruise port of Olden. Once in the valley, it’s an easy 45 to 60 minute walk to the glacier, or you can pay to take a troll car most of the way, making it super accessible for almost anyone!
Because of this, the Briksdal Glacier can be a crowded place to visit, popular with tour groups and cruise ships, but despite this, we still think a visit to Briksdalsbreen is totally worth it- there’s a reason it’s such a popular place! The scenery here is breathtaking, and it’s a quick stop that can be added on to any southern fjords Norway itinerary.
Want to visit the Briksdal Glacier in Norway? Then stick around, because in this guide we cover everything you need to know to visit Briksdalsbreen, including how to get there, when to go, how to hike to the Briksdal Glacier (and how to take a troll car if you don’t feel like hiking!), where to stay, and more!
So, let’s get to it…
In this Briksdalsbreen Glacier guide:
Where is the Briksdalsbreen Glacier?
Hiking to Briksdalsbreen in Norway
The Briksdal Glacier is on the western side of Jostedalsbreen National Park, about a half hour drive from the popular tourist towns of Olden and Loen.
This park sits pretty centrally in Norway’s southern fjords between the popular towns of Bergen and Andalsnes, which often serve as starting and ending points for Norway road trips through the fjords.
Because of its central location and its proximity to Olden, which has a cruise port, Briksdalsbreen is very accessible and well-trafficked.
Here is a map that shows the location of Jostedalsbreen National Park and where the Briksdal Glacier sits within the park.
Briksdalsbreen lies in the heart of Jostedlasbreen National Park on the western edge, near Olden
How to get to the Briksdalsbreen Glacier
If you are renting a car and road tripping through Norway’s southern fjords, Briksdalsbreen is pretty straightforward to get to.
Here are the driving distances to Briksdalsbreen from popular towns in the southern fjords and from Oslo:
Bergen to Briksdalsbreen: 5 hours / 300 km
Odda to Briksdalsbreen: 6 hours / 350 km
Flam to Briksdalsbreen: 3.5 hours / 200 km
Olden to Briksdalsbreen: 30 minutes / 22 km
Loen to Briksdalsbreen: 35 minutes / 28 km
Geiranger to Briksdalsbreen: 3 hours / 110 km
Andalsnes to Briksdalsbreen: 4 hours / 220 km
Oslo to Briksdalsbreen: 7 hours / 500 km
No matter which way you come from, all roads lead to Olden. In Olden, you’ll turn off onto Fv724, or Oldedalsvegen, a 21 km paved road that heads into Briksdalen Valley and is jam-packed with epic scenery the whole way.
As you head into the lush valley towards Briksdalsbreen, you’ll drive along the shore of Oldevatnet, a beautifully blue glacier lake, and on a still day, the reflections are amazing. You’ll also be surrounded by lush cliffsides dotted with snow and waterfalls, and as you head further into the valley, the Jostedalsbreen ice cap comes into view in the distance.
Views from the drive to Briksdalsbreen
You’ll spot tons of waterfalls on the drive to Briksdalsbreen
More stunning views!
Honestly, just the drive to Briksdalsbreen is half the fun of visiting this glacier! You’ll be tempted to stop at every turn off just to jump out, take pictures, and admire the views.
We do have to give you a bit of a warning about the road to the Briksdal Glacier, though. It can be a bit narrow at times, with some blind turns, and it has one short one- lane tunnel. As much as you want to admire the views, be cautious while driving and always look ahead for oncoming traffic and be prepared to pull over or back up to a good pull off spot. This road can get busy, and you might find yourself having to dodge big tour buses coming through. However, it’s not as narrow or bad with blind turns as a lot of other roads we drove in Norway and can for the most part accommodate two-way traffic so you should be fine.
The scenic road to the Briksdal Glacier
The road ends at the parking lot for Briksdalsbreen. It’s a pretty big lot, and even right in the middle of a nice summer day (we arrived just before 1 pm), we could find spots. The hike to Briksdalsbreen is short, so people are always cycling in and out.
The parking lot for Briksdalsbreen
The parking at the Briksdal Glacier is paid parking. When we visited, it cost 80 NOK for 10 hours (which is more than sufficient for a quick visit to the glacier), and 220 NOK for up to 24 hours. There is a kiosk in the parking lot where you can pay by credit card, or you can pay in the nearby shop by cash or card, or pay online at youpark.no within 48 hours. All the instructions are posted at the parking lot at a kiosk that you’ll see when you get there.
From the parking lot, there’s a short but steep climb up to the main area where all the facilities are found- a café (this has bathrooms but charge a fee for use), a gift shop, a lodge and campground, and the troll car rental services.
The area around the Briksdalsbreen trailhead
From the Briksdalsbreen parking area, it’s a short walk to the glacier, or you can get there by renting a troll car. We’ll talk more about each of these options in just a little bit.
Best Time to Visit the Briksdalsbreen Glacier
Summer views from the Briksdal Glacier trail in Norway
Because it’s at a low elevation, there is a pretty wide window for hiking to Briksdalsbreen when there is no snow or ice on the trail. Typically the trail is clear as early as April and into late October, potentially even into November. At the earlier or later end of this spectrum, we’d definitely recommend looking at recent conditions before heading there just in case.
In terms of weather in Norway, May and June tend to be the driest months, though the summer months in general (June, July, and August) have recently trended towards pretty stable weather. We hiked to Briksdalsbreen in July, and for most of our Norway road trip that month, the weather was clear, sunny, and hot.
There’s always a chance of rain in Norway’s fjords and mountains, but often it passes through as short spurts and showers during the summer months. Of course, always check the forecast before heading out (we found YR to be the most reliable forecast). Even in misty or overcast weather, the Briksdalsbreen hike can be beautiful.
As you head more into fall (September/October), the weather tends to be more unstable and you might experience more rainy or stormy days, so it can be a gamble, but we hear it’s still a beautiful time to visit Norway. Plus, the crowds will be much lower than the peak summer months.
Views from the Briksdal Glacier tral
Speaking of crowds, Briksdalsbreen is popular, and you’ll likely be enjoying the views with lots of other people. But is there a way to avoid the crowds at the Briksdal Glacier?
Well, the main reason this area gets so crowded is because of the cruise ships that dock in Olden and send big tours to the glacier. They generally come during the summer months, but not every single day. There’s a really handy website that lists the cruise schedules for ships docking at various ports around Norway, including Olden. It lists the name of each ship, the date it docks, and its arrival and departure time. If you look at this ahead of time, you might be able to plan your schedule around cruise ship days and plan to visit Briksdalsbreen on a day when no cruise ship is docked.
Unfortunately, we had a pretty tight schedule in Norway, and even though we looked ahead of time at the cruise schedule, we weren’t able to work around it and we ended up visiting Briksdalsbreen on a day when a cruise ship was docked, so we went in expecting the crowds. And worst of all, we got there right at midday. So we were there in July (peak summer time), in the middle of a hot, sunny day when a cruise was in town- great timing, right?!
But while it was busy, it actually wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Most of the crowds were down at the bottom of the trail where Kleivafossen (the giant waterfall along the trail) is, and then up at the lake at the end of the trail. But we were able to find plenty of points of solitude along the trail surprisingly, and I think it’s because most people who come on tours from town or from cruise ships take the troll cars up instead of the trail, which reduces a lot of the crowding along the hike. Once we got to the lake at the end, there were a lot of people, but it’s a big area and you can spread out nicely, so again, it wasn’t too bad.
If we had gone on a day when a cruise ship wasn’t docked, I think the crowds would probably be reduced by about 50%.
To avoid the crowds at Briksdalsbreen, you can also come earlier or later in the day to beat the tour groups coming in. Before 9 am or after 6 pm is probably a good bet, and we’ve heard people say the trail is generally empty then. We drove out of the valley between 4 and 4:30pm and still had to dodge past tour buses heading in, so they do tend to come until the later afternoon/evening hours.
But that’s another good thing about hiking Briksdalsbreen, and in Norway in general, in the peak summer months between the end of June to early August.Since the southern fjords are close to the Arctic Circle, you’ll get lots of daylight during this time of the year. This area doesn’t experience the Midnight Sun persay, but it never really gets truly dark during this time- it stays more of a twilight at night. So it’s easy to visit Briksdalsbreen in the evening or early morning to experience more solitude on the trail but still have enough daylight to complete the hike!
How to Hike to the Briksdalsbreen Glacier
The best way to visit the Briksdalsbreen Glacier is to hike to it! We think that this particular hike is not just about the destination, but more about the journey to get there, because this hike is incredibly scenic from start to finish, and by hiking to the glacier, you really get to take it all in and savor it.
Plus, it’s also a pretty easy hike. In fact, we wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a hike, but more of an easy walk to a viewpoint.
Here, we’ll talk about our experience hiking to the Briksdal Glacier in Norway.
How long is the hike to the Briksdal Glacier?
Here our hiking stats for Briksdalsbreen:
Distance: 3.5 miles / 5.6 km roundtrip
Elevation gain: 700 ft / 213 m
Time: It should take about 1.5 hours round trip for the hike, plus any time you spend hanging out at the final viewpoint
Elevation Profile
Our elevaton profile for our hike to the Briksdal Glacier
Map of the Briksdal Glacier hike
A satellite view of our Briksdal Glacier hike
How hard is the hike to the Briksdal Glacier?
As we said above, we’d say the Briksdal Glacier hike is more of a walking path to a viewpoint than a hike and is relatively easy. There are never really any super steep places, just gradual inclines along the trail. There’s one place with stairs that climbs to the top of Kleivafossen, but this can be easily bypassed by taking the troll car/stroller route that doesn’t involve stairs. There are no other major obstacles or challenges, and the trail is very obvious and very well-signed so you can’t get lost!
Briksdal Glacier trail description
From the parking lot, you’ll walk uphill past the cafeteria and troll car rentals, and already you’ll have amazing views of waterfalls and mountains. This was seriously one of the most scenic parking lots we’ve ever been to! So you know that bodes well for the hike ahead…
The Briksdalsbreen trail starts at a clear sign and a fork- the left trail is for the troll cars and the right path is for hikers.
The Briksdal Glacier trailhead- stay right to hike to the glacier
The walking trail to Briksdalsbreen starts off on a wide paved path through the lush valley and is generally flat with just a slight incline to it in parts. You’ll be surrounded by shorter brush and trees and the path is oftentimes lined with colorful wildflowers. Don’t forget to look behind you back down to the mountain and waterfall views!
The views from the Briksdal Glacier hike are incredible from the very start!
Throughout this early part of the hike, you’ll also hear the sounds of rushing water, which only get stronger the closer and closer you get to Kleivafossen (the massive waterfall along the trail).
After about ten minutes of walking, you’ll come to this rocky overlook on the right. We loved this spot- it had probably my favorite views of the whole Briksdal Glacier hike! The mountains and massive waterfall view are just so picturesque here, almost fairytale-like.
My favorite views from the Briksdal Glacier trail
The trail continues slightly but steadily uphill through the shrubs and brush until the rushing river flowing from Kleivafossen comes into view. There is a smaller but powerful falls first, and up ahead is the bigger Kleivafossen. Again, we loved the views here, and we also loved that the falls were providing an air conditioning effect on an otherwise hot summer day!
The smaller waterfall before Kleivafossen
A view of the famous Kleivafossen waterfall
It’s right around here where the troll car path meets back up with the walking path for just a little bit as they both cross in front of Kleivafossen, so just keep to the side here and watch out for the cars passing by. It’s a little strange to see on a hike for sure, but it does make these beautiful views accessible to everyone, and the troll cars help manage crowds on the actual hiking trail.
Soon you’ll cross over the bridge in front of the famous Kleivafossen waterfall. It’s super powerful and loud, and you’ll likely get sprayed with its mist as you pass by.
Walking past Kleivafossen
After the bridge, the wide path makes an easy switchback as it climbs toward the top of the waterfall. We loved the view from the top switchback here because you can start to see the Briksdal Glacier peeking out over the top of the waterfall. We even saw a rainbow on the falls from up here which was super pretty.
The walking trail just past Kleivafossen
Briksdalsbreen is peeking out over Kleivafossen
At the end of the switchback, the trail splits again for troll cars and hikers, so the rest of the hike will be free from the cars for the most part.
You’ll head up a couple of short staircases up the cliffside to the top of the waterfall. Along the way, you’ll pass some informational signs about the glacial potholes that you can see here.
Climbing above Kleivafossen
Once at the top of the falls, take some time to admire the views back down into Briksdal Valley and over the river and the zigzagging trail.
Views over the Briksdal Glacier trail from the top of Kleivafossen
Past this overlook, you’ll cross the troll car road to continue on the walking trail to the Briksdal Glacier (it is well-signed through here so easy to follow the correct trail).
The Briksdal Glacier trail is well-signed, and now the views really start to open up to the glacier
Continuing along the walking path to Briksdalsbreen, you’ll follow a scenic flat trail towards the glacier. Through here, the crowds had dwindled down and the views of the Briksdal Glacier really opened up. We loved this part of the walk!
Enjoying the views of the Briksdal Glacier from the trail!
Looking back down the trail
Through here are also a handful of very scenic picnic spots to take a break, eat a snack, and enjoy the views.
Lunch with a view!
After a bit of flat walking, the gravel trail does begin to climb slightly and gradually. You’ll begin passing signs that mark where the terminus of the glacier used to be, which show just how much and how fast this glacier has been receding.
You’ll also pass by the trailhead for the Kattanakken hike, a demanding trail that has you climb straight up to a ridge overlooking Briksdalsbreen and its lake from an incredible vantage point. It does require some scrambling to get to the very top of the trail, but we also heard that even just going halfway up leads to seriously good views. We had this hike on our radar, but ultimately didn’t have the time (and quite frankly, the energy) to tackle this hike at this point in our trip, but it’s good to know about it in case you want to keep it on your radar, too! If you want to add this hike onto your time at Briksdalsbreen, plan for the entire day here.
Just a few minutes past the Kattanakken trailhead, you’ll cross over the river again on an incredibly scenic bridge. Upstream is a beautiful of view of Briksdalsbreen, and downstream you can watch the milky blue water carve its way through the rocky landscape. There’s also an incredible view of a massive waterfall running down the steep cliffsides nearby.
The Briksdal Glacier
Beautiful views near the Briksdal Glacier
At the far side of the bridge is where the trail from the restrooms below meets back up with the hiking trail. Since the restroom area is where the troll car path ends, everyone who took these cars will have to hike the rest of the way to the glacier, so from here the path will feel a bit more crowded now.
From here, the rest of the hike to the Briksdal Glacier is easy and flat, and you’re only about 5 minutes away. You’ll pass through a small rock tunnel, turn a corner, and you’re pretty much there!
Almost there!
You’ll first come out to pretty views of the milky blue river sitting below lush green hills and a massive waterfall cascading down the cliffs. The contrast of the bright colors throughout the valley were so mesmerizing and stunning.
Loving these views near the Briksdal Glacier!
To the left, you’ll see a small hill, likely with a crowd of people on it, because just over this small hump is the Briksdalsbree lake sitting beneath the Briksdal Glacier, the grand finale view of the hike.
When we first set our eyes on the glacier lake, it was a bit of a wow moment. The bright blue color of the lake was super intense and was made even more stunning with the greens of the brush and white of the glacier surrounding it.
The final Briksdal Glacier viewpoint
There were a lot of people here, but it’s a long shoreline and most of the crowds stayed right at the initial view. As we walked further along the shore and closer to the glacier, we were able to find a lot more solitude. Just be sure to obey the signs that caution you from walking any further along as it can be unsafe.
The crowds at Briksdalsbreen
We stayed up at the Briksdal Glacier viewpoint for an entire hour just admiring the views and eating snacks and we even heard the glacier crack once. The skies did get gloomier over time while we sat there, but the views were still just as good.
Enjoying the view of Briksdalsbreen!
The hike back was equally as stunning as the hike in, as now we were facing views of the Briksdalen Valley and I couldn’t get over how beautiful it all was.
Gorgeous views from the hike back from Briksdalsbreen
Tip for your hike back
If you want to get some slightly different views on your hike back from Briksdalsbreen and avoid the crowds a bit, we have a suggestion for you!
When you get back to the point in the walk where you cross over the troll car road, instead of continuing on the same trail you came up on, head right on the troll car road to cross the bridge over the river, and take the trail on that side of the bridge. We first just happened to walk over the bridge just to get views of the river and glacier, but then noticed this other trail and decided to take it!
The trail on the other side of Kleivafossen
This trail gives great views over the valley, but it’s much quieter- we didn’t see anyone over here! It does bypass the bridge over Kleivafossen, but we had already experienced that on the way up and we preferred to take this much quieter path back down.
Beautiful views over the valley and the Briksdal Glacier trail
The trail turns into a relatively steep path down through the woods as it switchbacks down into the valley. It joins back up with the main hiking trail right near the beginning. We thought it was a nice little hidden trail to avoid the crowds, at least for a little bit, because we found them again when we rejoined the main path- right at the beginning of the trail as late as 4pm, we encountered huge tour groups still starting up the path!
The path as it winds back down the valley
How to Take a Troll Car to the Briksdalsbreen Glacier
Though the hike to the Briksdal Glacier is pretty easy, if you don’t have the time or ability to make the walk, you can still visit the glacier!
From May to October, you can take a troll car tour to Briksdalsbreen. These troll cars use an old road that used to bring people to the glacier on horse and carriage.
Briksdal Glacier troll cars
The troll cars leave right from the parking area, cross the bridge in front of Kleivafossen, and then bring you to a point about 700 meters from the glacier viewpoint. This drop off point has the only restrooms along the trail, and from here, it’s a steep but short walk to join up with the main walking trail at a scenic bridge with gorgeous views of Briksdalsbreen. From this bridge, it’s an easy flat 5 minute walk to the glacier lake and viewpoint.
The cost as of writing this is 300 NOK per person for a return trip on the troll car and 200 NOK one-way (to the glacier only, not back). You can check out the troll car website for their schedules (they generally run about every 30-45 minutes from the starting point), updated pricing, and to book (it’s recommended you book in advance!).
Is the Briksdal Glacier Worth Visiting?
Yes! We think so, even despite its popularity. Jostedalsbreen National Park in general has a lot of amazing stuff to do and see and the area around Loen and Olden is beautiful, so it’s likely that you’ll be in this area on your Norway road trip. So, if you’re in the area, the Briksdal Glacier is a quick and easy stop to make.
These views definitely make the Briksdal Glacier trail worth it
Often, when researching the Briksdalsbreen hike, we only saw pictures of the final viewpoint at the glacier lake, but we think that this is one of those hikes that’s more about the journey than the final destination. Yes, that final viewpoint is absolutely worth seeing, but the glacier has receded a lot and you only see a small portion of it tumbling down the cliffside above.
However, the whole journey to get there- the beautiful drive in, the walk through the valley with fairytale views of mountains, waterfalls, and rushing rivers- is really what makes this whole experience worth it.
And even though it was crowded and is a bit built up, we still found moments of solitude both on the trail and at the final viewpoint.
So yes, we absolutely think Briksdalsbreen should be on your Norway road trip itinerary!
Where to Stay Near the Briksdalsbreen Glacier
If you want to stay right by Briksdalsbreen, the Briksdal Mountain Lodge is located right at the trailhead! Check out their site to request booking in advance.
The next closest place to stay to the Briksdal Glacier is right in Olden or Loen, where you’ll be about a half hour drive away.
We actually stayed on the other side of the park in the town of Sogndalsfjora and made a day trip to the area. It was a two hour drive each way, so it was a long day, but doable. If you really want to take advantage of everything to do in this area around Loen and the Briksdal Glacier, we would recommend staying in Olden or Loen for a night or two.
If you are camping your way through Norway in a campervan or tent, there are also several super scenic options for camping near the Briksdal Glacier, including Melkevoll Bretun, which is located right at the trailhead.
We also saw handful of scenic campgrounds along Oldevatnet on the road into Briksdalsbreen, including:
There are a handful of very scenic camping options on the way to Briksdalsbreen!
Other Things to Do Near the Briksdalsbreen Glacier
While you are in the area, it’s easy to do other things nearby since a visit to the Birksdal Glacier is generally pretty quick. And fortunately, there are lots of fun things to do near Briksdalsbreen!
Loen Skylift and Via Ferrata
One of the coolest things to do is to ride the Loen Skylift to the top of Mt. Hoven. It’s a pricey experience, but at the top you’ll get breathtaking views over the fjords, mountains, valleys, and towards Jostedalsbreen National Park. There’s also a restaurant with a view up here, some hiking trails, and even ziplines for the more adventurous.
If you’re really looking for an adrenaline rush, instead of taking the skylift to the top of Mt. Hoven, you can climb it via the Loen via ferrata! This looks like an insanely epic route with various features such as the longest via ferrata bridge in Europe, wire bridges, ladders, and you can pay extra to do the ziplines at the top. There are different routes to the via ferrata that you can choose from depending on what features and difficulty level you want. And to get back down off the mountain, you can ride the Loen Skylift, so it’s the best of both worlds.
You can do the Loen via ferrata with a guide (recommended!) through Loen Active or you can rent gear with them and do it on our own (you can only do the via ferrata on your own after 2 pm and after paying a maintenance fee and registering with Loen Active).
Easy Activities and hikes
Some more relaxed activities you can do near Briksdalsbreen include:
Sightsee around Lovatnet: Lovatnet lake is seriously the most gorgeous lake we’ve ever seen. Found just outside of Loen in Lodalen Valley, this glacial lake is a gorgeous emerald blue, and on a clear still day, it reflects the beautiful mountains around it.
We drove about halfway up the road around the lake and stopped at some viewpoints, and we couldn’t get over the scenery around us.
Lovatnet is stunning
Mountain views around Lovatnet
We will say, though, the road around Lovatnet was probably one of the most stressful roads we drove on in Norway! It’s a very narrow road (single lane in many places) with lots of blind turns, and it was relatively busy, so instead of enjoying the views while driving, you really have to drive cautiously, and be prepared for quick stops for oncoming traffic, back-ups, and pullovers. This is common on a lot of the backroads in Norway, but we had a particularly anxious time on this road!
Typical views along Lovatnet, and a good example of the many blind turns along this narrow road!
You can also rent a kayak to explore out on the lake, or take a tour of the lake on the MS Kjendall II. See booking options here.
You can take a cruise through the scenic Lovatnet
Seeing the Kjenndalsbreen Glacier: This is another glacier arm of Jostedalsbreen and is found in the next valley over from Briksdalsbreen, at the end of Lovatnet Lake. To get here, you’ll drive the road around Lovatnet that we described above. From the parking area, the walk to the glacier view is short (15 minutes) and flat, making this a very accessible area.
Do note that the last 5 km of the road to Kjenndalsbreen is a toll road. Based on recent reviews, it looks like it costs 100 NOK for cars (or 200 NOK for campervans) and you can pay online within 48 hours of your visit.
Hike to Rakssetra: This short but relatively steep hike takes you to an old farmstead on a hill overlooking the valleys, fjords, and mountains surrounding Loen and Olden.
Challenging hikes
If you’re looking for more challenging hikes near Briksdalsbreen, there are plenty of good ones to choose from:
Kattanakken: This challenging hike branches off from the Briksdal Glacier trail and heads straight up to a ridge overlooking the Briksdal Valley, lake, and glacier. The last part to the final viewpoint does have some scrambling, however we have read that you don’t need to go all the way to the top to get amazing views. But be prepared for a full day on a very steep trail that climbs over 4,000 feet!
Klovane: This is a mountain whose trailhead can be found in Oldedalen Valley on the drive to Briksdalsbreen. The summit has a stunning view over Oldenvatnet Lake and the surrounding mountains of Jostedalsbreen National Park, however it’s an incredibly steep climb to get there. Plus, the year we went, there were tons of reviews of the Klovane hike detailing how muddy the trail is that it seemed like it would just be an overly difficult and unenjoyable climb for us, so be sure to check conditions if this is something you’re interested in!
Skala:This mountain towers over Lovatnet, and its claim to fame is that it’s Norway’s longest climb on a hiking trail and is Norway’s tallest mountain that touches a fjord, so you can be sure this will be a challenge!
Erdalsbreen: Yet another glacier tongue of Jostedalsbreen, this glacier is tucked into the valley just north of the Kjendall Glacier, however, it’s a bit more effort to get to than either Kjendalsbreen or Briksdalsbreen, requiring a full day’s hike.
Tips for Visiting the Briksdal Glacier in Norway
Here are our final tips for visiting Briksdalsbreen!
Make sure to check the weather before you head out
The weather in the Norway fjords can be unpredictable, so I recommend checking the day before and even the morning of your visit to Briksdalsbreen. We checked a lot of weather apps and found YR to be the best and most reliable.
Check trail conditions before heading out
This is particularly recommended if you’re visiting Briksdalsbreen in the shoulder seasons (April/October/November). We like using All Trails for recent trail reviews.
Packing for the Briksdal Glacier
We recommend having layers, as the weather can change fast or be chillier by the glacier. We also recommend having an outer coat or rain coat that you don’t mind getting wet when walking by Kleivafossen.
The Briksdal Glacier hike is more of an easy walk so you don’t necessarily need hiking-specific boots or trekking poles, but wear at least a good pair of walking shoes.
The hike is not long enough to warrant needing tons of food or snacks, but there are amazing picnic spots along the Briksdal Glacier walk if you do want to have a scenic lunch!
We also suggest having sun protection as you’ll be exposed to the sun for the entire walk.
Carry some cash or your card to pay for parking and any food or souvenirs you may want at the trailhead.
More Norway Guides
Heading to Norway and need help planning your trip? Check out more of our Norway guides for all of our tips and travel inspiration!
Are you planning a visit to the Briksdal Glacier in Norway? Let us know if you have any questions or how your visit was in the comments below!