“This place looks like straight out of a storybook,” I exclaimed as our rib boat approached the village of Undredal right in the middle of the World Heritage area.
No wonder the breathtaking Norwegian landscape of the village of Undredal along the Sognefjord and UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord served as inspiration for Frozen, a Disney Movie.
Helpful Reads:
7 Days in Norway Itinerary
2 Weeks in Norway Itinerary
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Undredal: First Impressions
We arrived at a teensy-weensy, stunningly gorgeous, and rustic village down by the Nærøyfjord, superlatively tucked in a valley in Western Norway.
The bunch of colorful houses lying synchronously speaks about the social bonding here. With a population of just around 100 people and about 500 goats, Undredal is famous for its authentic goat cheese that’s produced locally by traditional methods. Yes, they have 5 goats per inhabitant in Undredal.
Geographically, Undredal is located in the Aurland municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.
The tiny town sits strategically along the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, the Sognefjord. Aurlandsfjord extends into Nærøyfjord towards the south.
Our journey to Undredal started with a Heritage Taste Fjord Safari on the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord from Flam to Gudvangen. We wore the floatation suits, gloves, glasses, beanies, and shoes provided by the tour operator.
Our guide, Mark, explained the safety conditions.
Fun Fact: The narrowest arm of Sognefjord, Nærøyfjord, is one of the most dramatic fjords in Norway. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our rib-boat cruised tantivy through towering cliffs, charming hillside farms, drooping valleys, stunning and myriad gushing waterfalls (Kjelfossen being the most imposing), aquatic wildlife (seals amused us with their game of hide-and-seek), and twee fjord villages.
The water of Norwegian fjords is a gorgeous turquoise color. It looks all the more ravishing as the summer sun shines on it.
We were transfixed by the stunning nature and the fjord landscape.
The best part was to see goats roaming free over the fjord-side slopes around the village.
Our guide told us that the villagers leave them here in summer to graze freely on the grassy slopes of the fjord mountainsides and take them back as winter approaches.
“Don’t they fall down into the fjord?” Mini-me asked the guide. “We rescue the goats if they fall in the fjord while grazing, which is very rare,” answered the guide.
Our guide, Mark, shared many interesting facts and stories about Undredal and the Norwegian fjords.
Our turbo boat sailed along Aurlandsfjord further into Nærøyfjord towards Gudvangen, our return point. It turned again into Aurlandsfjord towards the magical fjord town of Undredal.
Undredal Goat Cheese: Undredalsosten
The most iconic cheese of Norway, Brunost or brown cheese, is a traditional goat cheese prepared from leftover whey (white cheese byproduct).
The whey is boiled for hours until lactose caramelizes and the whey thickens.
Brown cheese is produced across Norway, but Western Norway is the hub of production.
You’ll find dairy farms snuggled against the beautiful mountainsides. They have been rearing goats and producing goat cheese for ages.
Undredal is known as the capital of Norwegian brown cheese, or Brunost. The locals of Undredal have done a great job in preserving the culture. They even erected a statue of a goat in the heart of the town to honor their legacy.
The locals of Undredal even celebrate their cheesemaking tradition once in two years around July as Geitostfestivalen (Norway’s greatest brown cheese festival) where they host interesting activities, live music, cheese-tasting sessions, and a farmer’s market.
We visited the Eldhuset Museum, which showcases the entire cheesemaking process and its history. We attended a program – Eldhuset Cookhouse, where our pleasant host narrated the folk tales about goat cheese production and pasture farming traditions.
He sang a beautiful Norwegian Song to put across his thoughts. His sense of humor made the tales of the past and present all the more interesting.
Note: Eldhuset is open from May 1st to September 30th.
We were told that three varieties of cheese, viz. Brown Undredal or Brunost (geitost); White Undredal (fresh and aged), and Brown Sweet, are made here at around eight farms from the milk of a goat.
Brown cheese is sugary and so creamy that it melts in the mouth. It is served in thin slices and is eaten with butter for breakfast.
White Undredal comes in two varieties – fresh and aged. Sogna, the traditional unsalted white cheese, is the regional specialty.
All varieties of cheese are made from raw, unpasteurized goat milk.
Undredal Stølsysteri’s efforts to preserve artisanal traditional raw-milk cheese-making methods made it the first authorized raw goat-milk cooperative dairy in Norway.
We savored local cheeses, smoked goat meat sausage, two varieties of local fruit juices, and jams.
We picked up a few varieties of cheese from the local cheese center – Undredalsbui.
Other Places to Visit in Undredal
There’s not much to see in Undredal except its virgin natural beauty. Do your eyes crave more than their immense natural beauty? Nah.
A guided tour by Undredal Guideservice takes you through the tiny town. You can talk to locals about the goat cheese tradition and the challenges of agriculture in the region.
The tour starts with a Norwegian medieval wooden church, Stave Church. Undredal is known for the Stave Church, which is the smallest church in the Nordics and the oldest one in Norway. The church was built around 1147.
The tour proceeds with a visit to an old school. The chef-d’Å“uvre of the tour is a beautiful stroll along the raging river and breathtaking fjord.
How to Reach Undredal
Undredal is around 10 miles (16 km) from Flåm. Flåm can be reached by car, cab, bus, train, or boat from Oslo and Bergen. The nearest airport is Sogndal Airport, Haukåsen.
Up until 1988, Undredal was quite isolated. It was accessible only by boat through Flåm and Gudvangen.
The tiny town is now accessible by ferry or boat between Flåm and Gudvangen, and by car or bus via the E16.
The village is connected to Flam, Voss, and Bergen to the west, and to Laerdal and Oslo to the east by a beautiful road with endless tunnels.
We visited the village via one of the most dramatic and popular fjords, Nærøyfjord, by boat. A fjord safari with a stop at Undredal is a great option to explore this fairytale town.
Responsible Tourism
The fact that it was inaccessible helped villagers preserve the local tradition. The ferry tours with a stop at Undredal and the Norwegian road connection have actually threatened the serenity of the quaint town.
At the same time, the connectivity has paved the way for development in Undredal.
Travelers and tourists should understand the essence of responsible tourism and aim to improve the livelihoods of locals by boosting their local businesses.
As long as they practice the words “Take only pictures, leave footprints only,” Undredal will remain as is – charming and idyllic.
Where to Stay in Undredal
Undredal has a handful of utterly charming stay options. I’d strongly recommend staying in one of the homestays in this cute fjord village overlooking the picturesque Aurlandsfjord, just above Flam.
Imagine staying at a place where the only sound you hear is of the waterfalls falling gently into the mighty fjord, and the only sight you witness is of the pristine nature.
Here’s a list of places to stay in Undredal.
Visit Undredal
Visit Undredal Valley
Undredal Gjestehus
Dampskipskaia
KÃ¥restova
You can choose from a range of lovely options for staying in Undredal.
Best Time to Visit Undredal
Undredal is best visited in summer, from June to August.
However, tourists flock to these months, making them the peak season. I’d say visit during the shoulder season (mid-May to early June) to ditch the crowds and enjoy Undredal at its best – peaceful and quiet.
Undredal might be small, but packs a lot of punch.
There’s something special about it. A village nestled in the mountains by the deep fjords, dotted with colorful wooden houses, I mean, you can’t escape its charm.
What are you thinking about now? Pack your bags and get ready to experience the Norwegian fjords and the village of Undredal in Norway! Wait! You might need a Schengen Visa (Europe Visa) for Norway. Read our ultimate guide to the Schengen visa, which strives to make the visa process a cakewalk for you.
Like Undredal, there are a couple of other small fairy-tale villages along the Norwegian fjords. Have you been to any?
More Travel Resources to Plan Your Norway Trip
- Nordics Itinerary
- Best Places to Visit in Norway with Kids
- 7 Days in Norway Itinerary
- 2-week itinerary for Norway
- Oslo with Kids
- Where to Stay in Oslo
- The Train from Oslo to Bergen
- Driving from Bergen to Oslo
- Best things to do in Bergen
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This is such a detailed and awesome post about Undredal. Norway is on our bucket list and we have been planning on taking the Norway in Nutshell route and stay at Flam overnight. After reading your post I would love to visit Undredal as well since it is so close to Flam. Are there frequent bus services from Flam to Undredal? Loved the photos that you shared on this post.
Thank you so much, Aditi. I’m glad you liked it. You should absolutely add Undredal to your list. It’s a magical little place.
There’s a direct bus (Line 144) that runs from Fretheimshaugane to Bruasva. The journey takes around 21 minutes. Undredal is the second last stop just before Bruasva. The bus operates five times a week from Monday to Friday. You can check https://www.kringom.no/home.318872.en.html for the schedule and fares.
All the best for your trip to Norway :
Lovely guide to this quaint village.. would love to visit someday for sure!!
Thank you, Sneh 🙂 Hope you visit Undredal soon. Keep traveling!
What a neat little town! So quaint and charming. I really want to explore more of Nprway since I only really visit Bergen and Flam! Thanks for the idea!
Thank you 🙂 Norway is insanely beautiful. I too plan to explore more of it. I missed visiting Trondheim, Tromsø, and Lofoten. I would love to drive Atlantic Ocean Road next time I’m in Norway.
I am an Underdahl. Apparently the long red barn belonged to my great grandfather. Would love to visit someday. Many of my relatives have.
I am also an Underdahl. I am so excited to visit Undredal in May. My great grandfather left there in 1853 I’ve done some researching on Ancestry. Both my Grandfather and Grandmother have lineage from the area. She was a Marsaa.
Hey Marliss,
Undredal is gorgeous. I loved my time there. Wish you a beautiful trip to your hometown 🙂