03
Olden excursions, from the troll car to the kayak
The three Briksdal options come first, then the Skylift, then the quieter alternatives and the free one in the village.
For the quay, tenders, taxis and money, see our Olden cruise port guide. Durations and prices are as of October 28, 2026.
This is the Briksdal trip for most people — the glacier without the full climb.
The drive runs south up Oldedalen, past Lake Olden, to Briksdal. From there the troll cars, small open buggies run by Oldedalen Skyss, climb for about 10–15 minutes. You walk the last 700 m or so to the viewpoint.
Visit Norway puts the whole troll-car round trip, walking included, at about 1 to 1.5 hours. Hurtigruten sells a 3-hour version from Olden, from $153, rated moderate. An aggregator lists a 3.5-hour troll-car tour from $144.
The cars replaced horse carts in 2004. Before that, farmers in the valley had carried visitors up for more than a century.
- Time commitment
- About 3 to 3.5 hours from the pier — less if the troll-car line is short.
- Getting there
- Coach or minibus up Oldedalen, then the troll car to within about 700 m of the glacier.
- Suits
- First-timers, families and anyone who wants the glacier with less climbing.
- Ship or independent
- Either. At this length, a local tour leaves you plenty of margin on a full call.
Why it's worth considering
You get the signature sight of the Nordfjord in half a day — with the steep part done on wheels.
Visit Norway describes the cars as suited to families, older visitors and people short on time.
The catch
Troll cars must be booked ahead in May and from September 20. Outside those dates, tickets are sold on site too.
You still walk about 700 m at the top — short, not flat.
Verify before you book
- That the troll car is included, not an add-on
- Your return time against all-aboard
If you’d rather earn the view, walk it — but plan on effort, not a stroll.
P&O’s Briksdal Glacier tour runs 4 hours and is rated high activity. The path is about 1½ miles uphill — mostly paved, with exposed rock and steps, steep in places and flatter in others.
Its guides don’t walk up with you — you go at your own pace, and coffee and cake at the inn come afterward.
Shore Excursions Group sells a 4-hour Briksdal Glacier and Olden Lake Discovery at $159 per adult and $89 per child, meeting at the cruise pier. It puts the walk at about 45–60 minutes.
- Time commitment
- About 4 hours — with roughly an hour of that on foot.
- Getting there
- Coach up Oldedalen, then the walk from Briksdalsbre Fjellstove, the inn at the trailhead.
- Suits
- Active travelers, couples and first-timers who are steady on their feet.
- Ship or independent
- Either. SEG offers free cancellation up to 14 days out.
Why it's worth considering
P&O mentions crashing waterfalls on the drive, and the walk is part of the show.
Take the shuttle and walk it yourself, and it’s likely a cheaper way to the ice — no guide fee on top.
The catch
P&O warns it may not suit anyone with a fear of heights, and the route includes tunnels on the drive.
The glacier can’t be seen from the inn, and low cloud can hide it from the viewpoint too.
Verify before you book
- Enclosed walking shoes and a warm jacket
- The operator’s policy if the coach runs late
Want Briksdal without a group? The shuttle is the in-between option, with no guide and no fixed itinerary.
Olden Cruise calls its Briksdal Shuttle Bus its most popular service, with vehicles from 8 to 78 seats. One aggregator sells a return shuttle at 3.5 hours from $79.
At the top, you choose: buy a troll-car ride if there’s space, or walk. On foot from the parking area it’s about 3 km to the ice.
It’s cheaper than a tour, and the trade-off is that the bus schedule, not a guide, sets your clock.
- Time commitment
- About 3.5 hours on the listed return shuttle.
- Getting there
- Shuttle from the port; then the troll car or the walk.
- Suits
- Budget-minded travelers and active walkers who don’t want a guide.
- Ship or independent
- Independent. Book the shuttle before you sail.
Why it's worth considering
You spend your time at the glacier — on your clock, not a guide’s.
Add the troll car on site and you’ve built your own version of the tour.
The catch
Troll-car seats aren’t guaranteed on the day, and in May and from September 20 they must be booked ahead.
Olden Cruise doesn’t publish its shuttle times or fares on the regional tourism page — ask for both in writing.
Verify before you book
- The last bus back against your all-aboard
- Troll-car availability for your date
The Skylift gives you the high view with almost no effort — it’s the easiest big sight here.
Two cars, Hugin and Munin, run from the fjord at Loen to the top of Hoven, 1,011 m up. The ride takes about 5–7 minutes each way.
Tickets aren’t timed, so you pick your own return. For winter 2026–27 a round trip costs 530 NOK for adults and 270 NOK for ages 6–15. Summer prices sit on a separate list we couldn’t read.
A shuttle from the port bundles the lift ticket, and the ship can book it for you too.
- Time commitment
- Your choice. The lift itself is about 5–7 minutes each way; no tour duration is published.
- Getting there
- The Skylift shuttle from the port, a ship tour, or a taxi to Loen. Some small ships tender straight to the Skylift quay.
- Suits
- Limited mobility, families, couples and short calls.
- Ship or independent
- Independent works well with the combined shuttle-and-lift ticket.
Why it's worth considering
The Skylift says the whole facility is universally designed, which makes it a strong pick here for limited mobility.
At the top are marked trails, Hoven Restaurant and two ziplines, 125 m and 95 m, about 5–10 minutes’ walk away.
The catch
On a low-cloud day, you can pay for a view of the inside of a cloud — check the summit before you buy.
Vipps isn’t accepted for tickets or at Hoven Restaurant, so bring a card instead.
Verify before you book
- Summer 2026–27 prices on the Skylift’s own site
- The weather at the summit on the morning
Briksdal is the famous one. Kjenndal is the alternative — a different valley, a different arm of the same ice cap.
Kjenndalsbreen is the lowest glacier arm of Jostedalsbreen, at the head of Lodalen behind Loen. The road runs along Lovatnet, where, the Skylift says, fishing is free and needs no license.
Holland America lists Lovatnet Lake & Kjenndalen Glacier among its Olden tours. One aggregator sells a Loen Lake and Kjenndal Glacier tour at 4 hours from $179.
On selected summer dates, the MS Kjenndal, a 100-passenger boat, crosses Lovatnet between Sande and Kjenndal.
- Time commitment
- About 4 hours.
- Getting there
- Coach via Loen and along Lovatnet.
- Suits
- Repeat visitors who’ve done Briksdal, and couples after a lake-and-valley drive.
- Ship or independent
- Either. The boat runs only on selected dates, so check before you build a day around it.
Why it's worth considering
A glacier day that isn’t Briksdal — useful if you’ve called at Olden before.
The drive along the lake is the point of the day, not a transfer.
The catch
Holland America’s port page shows no duration or price. Look for both in your cruise planner.
If the boat isn’t running on your date, the day is all road — still scenic, but a coach day.
Verify before you book
- Whether the MS Kjenndal crossing is included and running
- Duration in your line’s listing
Half day · on the water
Kayaking on the Nordfjord, straight from Olden
A kayak puts you on the fjord, not above it — and it starts in the village.
Celebrity lists guided kayak trips on the Nordfjord, with a brief lesson first. One aggregator sells a 3-hour guided paddle from $199.
Olden Active, a family-run outfit on Fjordvegen in Olden, offers kayaking, RIB boat tours, hiking and e-bike rental, and says it tailors trips to cruise calls.
- Time commitment
- About 3 hours.
- Getting there
- From Olden itself — no long transfer.
- Suits
- Active couples and older kids who are comfortable on the water.
- Ship or independent
- Independent with a local operator can work; check Olden Active.
Why it's worth considering
No road time to speak of — and the cruise ship looks small from a kayak.
The catch
Ask what the operator provides in spray gear and warm layers.
Wind on the fjord can cancel a paddle, so keep the Skylift as your backup — it’s in Loen, one village over.
Verify before you book
- Weather cancellation and refund terms
- Minimum age and experience
For walkers who want a view without a cable car, there’s Huaren.
Shore Excursions Group sells a private scenic hike to the Huaren viewpoint. One aggregator lists it at 3 hours from $114.99.
It’s a private guided trip, so the pace is yours, not a group’s.
- Time commitment
- About 3 hours.
- Getting there
- With the guide, from Olden.
- Suits
- Active travelers and repeat visitors.
- Ship or independent
- Independent, through a third-party booker.
Why it's worth considering
A high view earned on foot, not bought with a lift ticket.
The catch
We couldn’t find a published distance or climb for the route — ask before you book.
Verify before you book
- Distance and elevation gain
- What happens in heavy rain
On a short call, or after a morning up the valley, the village takes care of itself on foot.
The center is about 700 m from the terminal. Celebrity calls Olden Old Church a short walk from the center, and one guide puts a church within about a kilometer of the port.
For a seated ride, Olden Cruise runs open-top glacier sightseeing. One aggregator lists an open-top trip at 1 hour from $15, though we didn’t find the route. Holland America sells Olden by E-Bike, and Olden Active rents e-bikes.
- Time commitment
- An hour or two, or longer with a bike.
- Getting there
- Walk off the ship.
- Suits
- Budget days, families and short calls.
- Ship or independent
- Independent — the walk needs no booking, though a bike on a busy day might.
Why it's worth considering
Close to free, and it pairs with a morning up the valley rather than replacing one.
The catch
The village is small — on its own, it won’t fill a long call.
Verify before you book
- Church opening times on your date
- E-bike availability on a busy ship day
04
Olden with the ship or on your own
Glacier days: either works
Briksdal tours run about 3 to 4 hours, which leaves room on a typical call — calls in a July 2027 sample last about 8 to 10 hours.
That’s why a local booking is reasonable here. Shore Excursions Group, for one, meets at the pier and offers free cancellation up to 14 days before.
The Skylift: the shuttle is the shortcut
The bundled shuttle-and-ticket covers most of what a ship tour does.
If your ship anchors off Loen, you may land at the Skylift quay anyway.
Where the prices come from
Hurtigruten publishes from $153 for its troll-car tour. P&O and Holland America show no public prices on the pages we checked.
Third-party prices come from Shore Excursions Group and an aggregator listing. Compare like with like: troll car included or not, and who covers you if the bus is late.
How each option compares in Olden
| Excursion | Lean ship excursion when… | Independent works when… |
|---|
| Briksdal by troll car | If you want the transfer, car and timing in one booking | Usually — about 3 to 3.5 hours |
|---|
| The Briksdal walk | If you want a guide on the coach and line-backed timing | With SEG’s 4-hour version or the shuttle |
|---|
| Loen Skylift | Rarely needed | Easily, with the shuttle-and-ticket bundle |
|---|
| Lovatnet and Kjenndal | For Holland America’s version on a shorter call | With a 4-hour local tour on a full call |
|---|
| Nordfjord kayak | If your line sells one | With a local operator in Olden |
|---|
| Olden on foot | Not needed | Yes — it’s a walk from the terminal |
|---|
Short answer
On a first visit, take Briksdal — by troll car if you’d rather not climb, on foot if you would. Add the Skylift on a long call, or swap in Kjenndal if you’ve seen Briksdal before. Book any of them locally or through the ship; the margins on a full call are usually comfortable.
06
Olden logistics: the quay, the shuttles and the weather
From the quay to the valleys
Most ships dock about 700 m from the village center. A second ship may tender to Olden Cruise Park, and smaller ships may anchor off Loen and land by the Skylift.
More on berths and the walk in our Olden cruise port guide.
- Briksdal is about 25 km (16 miles) south
- Olden Cruise: +47 90122389
- Olden Active: +47 571 18 070
Money and paperwork
The krone (NOK) is the currency. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted; the Skylift doesn’t take Vipps.
Norway is in Schengen. EES has been fully operational at its external borders since April 10, 2026, and ETIAS has no announced start date. Check travel-europe.europa.eu before you fly. The State Department’s national advisory for Norway is Level 1, exercise normal precautions. The U.S. Embassy in Norway’s site showed that level on October 29, 2026; the last travel.state.gov version we could open was issued July 6, 2026.
Season and weather
Local operators work April to October, and the troll cars normally run May to October.
Low cloud can hide both the glacier and the view from Hoven — so check the forecast the night before, and pack a warm, waterproof layer either way.
