Olden Shore Excursion: the Amazing Briksdal Glacier
Description
Experience unspoiled beauty during this half-day excursion to the Briksdal Glacier. You will depart from Olden by bus and drive through the valley, passing the 'little red church,' the Olden Lake, colorful farms and numerous waterfalls. Once you arrive at the Briksdal Inn, a beautiful track surrounded by waterfalls and mountains will lead you to the viewpoint at the glacier lake, from where you will be able to enjoy this amazing natural treasure. You can also rent a 'troll car' if you cannot or prefer not to walk the glacier.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The pier in Olden, start point of the tour
Drive through Olden, passing the Old Church
Photo stop at the turquoise Lake of Olden
Start point of the walk to the Briksdal Glacier
Walk to the Briksdal Glacier and the glacier lake, surrounded by nature at its best
Drive back to the pier in Olden, endpoint of the tour
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide in English due to mixed groups
- Tours conducted in April or October may be guided in English only, due to limited guide availability during the shoulder season.
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking "ship name"
- We advise all our guests to wear appropriate shoes and clothing
- All vehicles support foldable wheelchairs
- Terrain/surface are quite uneven for wheelchair access
- Contact us before booking if wheelchair ramp is needed!
- Bring child/infant seats with you
Reviews(474)
This was a fun and breathtaking excursion. It was a 45 minute hike each way to see the glacier, but even though it was uphill the path was easy to hike. Our guides were informative and friendly. Would recommend this to others.
The tour was well organised. We took a bus ride from the cruise center and reached the glacier viewpoint after about 45 minutes walk. I feel the views are underwhelming. The glacier has been receding and one cannot see much of the glacier's expanse.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're glad to hear you found the tour well organized. We understand that the glacier viewpoint may not have met your expectations. Like many glaciers around the world, this glacier has changed significantly over the years due to natural processes and climate change, which unfortunately affects the view. While this is beyond our control, we appreciate your comments and hope you still enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the overall experience.
The scenery was stunning. I have been all over the world, and it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Our guide gave us great advice, get to the glacier, don’t stop and take pictures. We started walking and didn’t stop, it took us 42 minutes from the parking lot to the top. Once we were there we enjoyed the glacier, and then took all the pictures we wanted as we worked our way back down the mountain.
The hike up to the lake and glacier view wasn’t too bad. It’s mostly on a mix of a paved and packed gravel path. There’s one short section where you have to walk over rocks, but they have installed hands rails that make it pretty easy for most people to handle. The path is steep in places, but not too bad. There are “troll cars” available for an extra cost for people who aren’t up to the walk, but you’ll miss out on some nice scenery if you take that option. Part way up, there’s a really powerful waterfall that will give you a bit of a cold shower on the way up and back. There are also a number of other nice views. Back at the parking area, there’s a gift shop, cafe, and restaurant. The coffee has nice snacks and coffee options that are reasonably priced. The cruise line offered the same excursion, but the price was much better through Viator. Highly recommended.
Very nice tour. Beautiful place. Tour guide excellent.
Awesome. What it said on the box and more. Very helpful guide dropping us at the new church to explore
Great and timely pickup from cruise pier to Glacier. Safe driver. Audible presentation on bus loudspeaker prepares you in advance. Walk up to Glacier is steep but incredibly scenic with many photo ops. Takes about 45 to 60 minutes if you are in great shape. I would rate incline as strenuous, but some leveled off areas. Alternative was extra cost with troll cars with driver on narrow road to almost the top then Walking 10 minutes on a steep trail to see Glacier up close, view waterfalls, snow capped mountains, and beach. Stunning views and photo ops available the entire trip. WC available before ascending and at top. Gift shop available. Olden was an amazing port to visit.
Beautiful hike! Little strenuous at the beginning but then it evens out. Scenery is awesome, views at waterfalls were unlike anything I have ever seen before. Loved this excursion! Plus the scenery on the drive to and from the glacier was so beautiful! Don’t let the little bit of strenuous hike keep you from doing it.
Exceptional guide and driving. Very well paced with enough time to trek to the glacier and return, laving time for souvenir shopping and a welcome stop on the way back to port. Well structure and informative day. Highly recommend as an alternative shore excursion to those offered on your ship.
The cost is just for the shuttle bus ride. Not much of guide. Expensive. Hike required to reach gracier. Beautiful hike route. Gracier is melting so may not be there in few years or maybe less.
Thank you for your feedback. While we respect your opinion, we feel it is important to clarify that this excursion is not a shuttle service. It is a guided sightseeing tour operated with modern coaches and experienced guides who provide commentary and local knowledge throughout the journey. The hike to the glacier is an integral part of the experience and is clearly described in the tour details before booking. Many guests specifically choose this excursion because it combines scenic transportation, local insights, and the opportunity to experience the glacier area on foot. We are glad to hear that you found the hiking route beautiful and appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
