Briksdal Glacier and Loen Skylift day Excursion

The big draw here is the combination of Briksdal Glacier and Loen Skylift in one carefully packed day. You ride a Troll Car up the steep road toward the glacier, walk the final stretch to its meltwater lake and river, then trade ice and waterfalls for a cable-car ride high above Nordfjord.

I like the small-group setup, with no more than seven people in the air-conditioned vehicle. I also like the practical touches: a Norwegian picnic lunch, snacks and drinks, included Troll Car tickets, and a guide who handles the driving while you watch the scenery. Guide Andreas from Trondheim is one name associated with this route.

The main drawback is the pace. Seven hours covers a lot of ground, and the weather can change quickly in western Norway. The glacier walk is short, and the Skylift view depends on clear conditions, so this is best for seeing several major sights rather than spending a long, quiet day at one place.

Key Points to Know Before You Go

• Troll Cars save your legs: The small vehicles carry you up the steep road toward Briksdal Glacier, leaving you with a roughly 15-minute walk to the glacier.
• Two major viewpoints in one day: You get the icy drama of Briksdalbreen and the broad fjord views from Loen Skylift.
• A private group keeps the day flexible: The vehicle holds a maximum of seven people, making pickup and timing more personal than a large coach tour.
• The lunch stop is scenic: Norwegian specialties are served picnic-style near Olden Lake, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals available if requested.
• The church adds local character: Olden Old Church, dating from the 1700s, offers a calm cultural stop before the mountain scenery takes over.
• Weather matters: Poor conditions can lead to a change of date or a full refund, and cloud may reduce the views from Loen Skylift.

Why This Olden Excursion Works So Well

Olden is a small place with unusually grand scenery packed close by. In one day, you can move from a historic wooden church to a glacial valley, then rise above the fjords on one of Norway’s most dramatic cable cars.

That variety is the strongest reason to choose this outing. You are not spending the whole day inside a vehicle, but you are also not committing to a long mountain hike. The Troll Cars deal with the steepest section near Briksdal Glacier, and the final walk is short enough for most people who can comfortably get in and out of the vehicle.

The group limit matters, too. With a maximum of seven people, you can expect a more personal outing than a standard shore excursion. The guide drives, explains the area, manages the tickets, and keeps an eye on the clock. That is especially useful if you are visiting Olden during a cruise stop and need to return to the ship on time.

The price is $400.27 per person, so this is not a budget excursion. Still, the cost includes a private air-conditioned vehicle, an experienced driver guide, the Troll Car ride, Loen Skylift tickets, and lunch. If you were to arrange several of those pieces separately, the convenience would quickly become part of the value.

Olden Old Church and the Road Into the Valley

The day begins with pickup from your cruise terminal or hotel, with the listed starting point at Fjordvegen 1562 in Olden. From there, the vehicle passes through Olden village and continues up the Olden Valley.

The first scheduled stop is Olden Old Church, a wooden stave church from the 1700s. This is not a grand cathedral visit. It is a smaller, quieter stop, and that is its appeal. You get a brief look at local church architecture and a chance to slow down before the main mountain sights.

The stop is planned for about an hour, including the church visit and the surrounding drive. If you prefer nonstop scenery, this may feel like time taken away from the glacier. I see it differently: the church gives the day a local human touch, rather than turning Olden into nothing more than a backdrop for photographs.

As the route climbs through the valley, Olden Lake comes into view. The water and mountains create some of the prettiest roadside scenery of the day. Keep your camera ready during the drive, since the views are part of the experience even when the vehicle is moving.

Briksdal Glacier by Troll Car

Briksdal Glacier, or Briksdalsbreen, is the centerpiece of the excursion. You first reach the base camp, where the Troll Cars take you up the mountain road. These open-sided vehicles are designed for the steep, winding route, and they remove much of the hard uphill work.

From the drop-off point, you walk for about 15 minutes toward the glacier. The path leads to the meltwater lake and river, with ice and snowy mountains framing the view. You spend about 15 minutes at the top before walking back down, making the glacier section roughly two hours in total.

That timing is useful to understand. This is not a full glacier trek, and you do not walk on the ice. You see the glacier from the viewing area and experience the force of its water and surrounding falls. One visit took place in rain and cold conditions, yet the scenery still made a strong impression. That tells you something important about this stop: weather can make it harder, but it does not necessarily ruin the sight.

Bring a waterproof outer layer and shoes suitable for a short mountain walk. The supplied information does not describe the trail surface in detail, so you should not assume a smooth city path. You need to be able to get in and out of the vehicle and manage the walk at a comfortable pace.

The glacier is also the section most affected by changing weather. Mist can hide the upper mountains, while rain can make the rocks and path feel less pleasant. On a clear day, the contrast between dark mountain walls, white ice, and moving water is the reason this excursion earns its place on your Norway itinerary.

A Norwegian Picnic Beside Olden Lake

After the glacier, the route returns toward Olden Lake, known locally as Oldevatnet. The picnic lunch is included and features Norwegian specialties.

This is more than a box lunch eaten in a parking area. The setting by the lake gives you time to look back at the valley, eat at a relaxed pace, and enjoy the scenery without trying to photograph everything at once. The lunch stop is planned for about two hours, making it one of the longer parts of the day.

You can request a vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free meal when booking. Do not leave that request until the morning of the tour, since the provider asks for dietary requirements in advance.

Snacks and drinks are also provided in the private vehicle. That is a small detail, but it matters on a seven-hour outing with a glacier walk and a mountain cable car. You will not need to spend part of the day searching for food or drinks.

The main tradeoff is that two hours is a generous lunch break in a schedule already filled with major sights. If your priority is to maximize sightseeing time, you may wish the stop were shorter. If you appreciate a proper pause between active stops, the timing works well.

Loen Skylift From Fjord to Mountain Top

The final major experience is Loen Skylift. The cable car rises from the valley to about 3,000 feet in roughly seven minutes, giving you a fast change from lowland scenery to mountain views.

At the top, look for views across the Loen Lake valley, Olden Valley, Nordfjord, and Loen village. The surrounding mountains reach roughly 4,500 to 6,000 feet, so the view is much broader than the glacier stop. Briksdal gives you a close look at ice and water. Loen Skylift gives you the large-scale view of fjord, valley, and mountain.

The ride itself is part of the attraction. You gain height quickly, and the changing perspective helps you understand how the valleys fit together. At the top, the weather decides how much you see. Clear conditions can open up a wide panorama, while low cloud may reduce the view to nearby slopes.

The schedule allows about two hours for this section, including the cable-car visit and the return drive. That gives you time to enjoy the summit rather than simply ride up, take one photograph, and go back down.

I would treat Loen Skylift as the most weather-sensitive part of the day. The glacier can still feel worthwhile in rain, but cloud at the mountaintop may block the fjord views. If the forecast is poor, ask about the cancellation policy before you go. The experience requires good weather, and a cancellation due to poor conditions brings the choice of another date or a full refund.

The Return Through Loen Valley

After Loen Skylift, the vehicle returns toward the ship or meeting point. If time allows, the route may include a quick drive up the Loen Valley, with a chance to buy local berries and jam.

This final detail gives the day a pleasant local finish. It is not guaranteed as a full shopping stop, so you should not book the excursion solely for the jam or berries. Think of it as an optional extra if the day’s timing and road conditions allow.

The return drive is also a chance to see the area from a different direction. By this stage, you will have experienced the valley floor, the glacier road, and the mountaintop. The drive back helps connect those separate views into one sense of the region.

For cruise passengers, timing is important. The tour is approximately seven hours, and the provider describes the excursion as returning to the meeting point. Confirm the pickup and return arrangements when booking, especially if you are using a cruise terminal rather than a hotel.

What the Small Group Adds

A seven-person maximum makes this a very different outing from a large bus tour. You have less time spent gathering people and fewer competing voices in the vehicle. The guide can also explain what you are seeing in a more direct way.

That does not mean the day becomes completely private or adjustable at every moment. The Troll Cars and Loen Skylift run according to their own schedules, and the planned route has four substantial stops. Still, a small group should make the practical parts easier.

The guide quality matters here. Andreas from Trondheim is one guide connected with the experience, and the day is built around an experienced driver guide rather than a separate driver and lecturer. A good guide is particularly useful on a route that combines a historic church, glacier access, picnic timing, cable-car tickets, and a cruise return.

The vehicle is air-conditioned, which is useful when you are moving between changing temperatures. You may be warm on the walk and chilly near the glacier, then back in the vehicle for the drive to the lake and cable car.

Who Should Book This Day?

I would choose this excursion if you want to see the two biggest natural highlights near Olden without arranging transport, tickets, and lunch on your own. It suits first-time visitors who want a broad introduction to the region in one day.

It is also a strong fit for cruise passengers. The pickup arrangement can be made from the cruise terminal, and the guide handles the route. That removes much of the worry that comes with trying to coordinate local transport during a limited port call.

The outing works for most people who can get in and out of vehicles and manage a short walk. The glacier section is not a long hike, but it is still a mountain outing. If you have mobility concerns, ask for more detail before booking, since the available information confirms general participation but does not describe every trail or vehicle transfer in depth.

I would hesitate if you want a slow, single-focus day. The church, glacier, lake, cable car, and return drive create a full schedule. You will see plenty, but you will not spend half a day sitting quietly beside the glacier or at the summit.

Price, Weather, and Cancellation Details

At $400.27 per person, the cost is high enough to deserve a close look. The value comes from the number of pieces included: private vehicle transport, driver guide, lunch, snacks, drinks, Troll Cars, and Loen Skylift tickets.

The small group is another part of the price. You are paying for a more personal setup and for the ease of having someone else handle the driving and route. For a cruise passenger, that convenience can be worth more than a lower-cost tour with a large group.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund. If bad weather forces the provider to cancel, you are offered another date or a full refund.

The experience operates daily from April 1 through October 1, with listed hours from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Confirmation is normally sent at booking. Bookings made within two days of the outing may take up to 48 hours to confirm, subject to availability.

Should You Book It?

Book this excursion if you want an efficient, well-supported day combining glacial scenery and fjord views. The Troll Car makes Briksdal Glacier accessible without a long climb, while Loen Skylift gives you a second viewpoint that feels completely different from the valley.

The best reasons to choose it are the small group, included tickets, scenic picnic, and wide range of sights. The main cautions are the price, the full schedule, and the dependence on weather at the glacier and mountaintop.

If those tradeoffs suit you, this is a strong choice for a first visit to Olden. If you prefer long hikes or unhurried time in one place, look for a more focused outing instead.

FAQ

Where does the excursion start?

The listed meeting point is Norway, Olden, Fjordvegen 1562. Pickup can also be arranged from a cruise terminal or hotel.

How long does the experience last?

The excursion lasts approximately seven hours.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is seven people.

Is lunch included?

Yes. A picnic lunch with Norwegian specialties is included. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals can be arranged if you provide the dietary request when booking.

Are the Troll Car and Loen Skylift tickets included?

Yes. Tickets for the Troll Cars and Loen Skylift are included.

How much walking is required at Briksdal Glacier?

The Troll Car takes you up the mountain road, followed by an approximately 15-minute walk to the glacier. You spend about 15 minutes at the top before walking back down.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor conditions, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund.