Services
The hikes and tours listed are just suggestions - please call +47 9478 9479, email info@destinationherand.no, come by at Herandsvegen 272, Herand, or send your wishes using the form below and we will tailor the tour/hike accordingly.
Epic crossing of the mountain from west to east! We walk in the opposite direction from the description you find online.
We go by car to Botsvatn, where we head up the sherpa steps and continue on the path marked by stone piles. The hike is 17 km long and very hard! Only for experienced mountain hikers with proper equipment (shoes, clothes and walking poles).
We are picked up at Reisete. If you wish, we can visit one or more sider farms for a taste of the famous Hardanger sider and perhaps with dinner at Siderhuset Ola K?
This hike is a secret. It is unmarked and not used by many, as the path travels literally over the doorstep to the various old farms and homes along the way. We start from Herand either by car or boat and walk back to Herand. We can also be picked up at Hardanger Art Gallery. The path takes us through the most amazing cultural landscapes going back in time to slower times when we rowed or walked where we needed to go.
Every day the Hardanger Fjordcruise sets out from Norheimsund and calls at Herand at 9.23. We board the boat, and I will tell you all about the ports we call - Utne, Lofthus, Kinsarvik - before we step off in Ulvik. We will visit the centre, then walk up to the three Sider farms to taste and perhaps buy local products. We enjoy lunch at Den grøne cafe (excellent Fish and Chips) before returning to the boat to Herand.
Not up for a grand hike? It is perfectly OK; we can take a leisurely stroll and see all the sights that Herand can offer. Starting from our house, we look at the old Viking boat house ruins before exploring our very own General shop museum. We walk on to the Boatbuilder museum and then to the Cultural Historical center at the old school. We look at the stone paintings before we check if we can have a break and a coffee at Vassel. We walk through the lush forest that makes up part of the legendary cultural path, ending at the waterfall with the old sawmill. Depending on the time we can have lunch at Meieriet Restaurant.
Jonstein mountain can be seen from all around, which means that the view from the top is spectacular. We head out from Botsvatn and the sherpa stairs on the same path as Bufærveien, but then we venture on unmarked "paths" to the very top of Jonstein. We go back down following the marked path and the access road back to the starting point.
This hike takes 3-4 hours and requires experience, proper equipment, mountain boots, clothes and preferably walking poles.
A not-so-hard hike where we go by car up into the mountain area and follow unmarked and marked paths to visit Sjusete, Eggjasete, Vatnasete and Fodnastøl. We will see beautiful lakes, views and the old farms that now are used as "hytte" for local families. We will meet sheep, perhaps some cows and probably find cloudberries and blueberries. This is a great hike for kids!
To get to Haugsvarden, we start at the very special and scenic lay-by and picnic stop at Herreiane. Most of the hike up is on bare hard rock, but it is surprisingly easy to walk on. The view is magnificent all the way up, before we pass through a marshy area with some special pools shaped by the folding in the mountain before we reach the summit with a great view of Herand and where we enjoy a light lunch. We walk back to the village through the old path and pastures. This hike cannot be done in rainy weather.
The view from Mount Samlen is spectacular. It is a hard and steep hike through rocky boulders and forest, marches and rock, but on the top, after about 1hr 30 min (depending on shape and experience in walking), all will be worth it. We enjoy the view and listen to see if we can hear the ravens “Kah” on top. After taking a lot of pictures, and eating a light lunch, we go back down where we are picked up and driven back to Herand.
600 m above Herand, you come to the end of a mountain road and a parking lot with the most amazing view. This place is Våhaug. From Våhaug, we can choose from many marked paths (and some unmarked) to experience the Hardanger mountains.
Easy: Grimenuten and/or Såta (2-3 hrs)
Medium: Tostøl – 10 km (4-5 hrs) (easy, but long walk)
Hard: Vatnasetenuten – 9 km round trip (4-5 hrs)
Price
Every hike or tour is tailormade
The prices are calculated based on number of people and length and difficulty of the hike. A 4-5 hr hike with a family of 2 grownups and 2 kids would normally be around NOK 2000, plus expenses (road-toll, lunch, tickets).