The Geirangerfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most celebrated natural landscapes in Norway — 15 km of deep blue water between walls of rock rising 1,400 metres, with waterfalls pouring directly into the fjord. Ålesund is the main gateway, and the classic approach is the Ørnevegen (Eagle Road) mountain pass with its eleven hairpin bends dropping to the water.
The full trip from Ålesund — drive the mountain road, take the fjord ferry from Hellesylt to Geiranger, and return by bus — takes a full day and is one of the finest road-and-boat combinations in Scandinavia. Several operators in Ålesund offer organised day tours that handle the logistics. For those with their own transport, the route can be done independently and allows more flexibility at the fjord.