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Norway | 10x tips what to see and do in Odda – the perfect holiday destination

Odda (location here) is really underrated! For us to our roadtrip started, we scoured the internet for all the places in Norway that we really had to see. By chance we drove through this town, while we had not heard anything about it in advance. And that while it is a beautiful place that the full Norwegian experience offers. It is located on one of the most beautiful fjords of Norway: it hardangerfjord. The town itself is the gateway to endless great activities. In this blog I am going to explain to you what you can do and see in the Odda area.

Plan your holiday to Scandinavia here

Things to do in Odda and surroundings

Odda is up 5,5 hours drive from Oslo en 2 hours and 45 minutes from Bergen. If you arrive by boat in Kristiansand, it is about a 5-hour drive to Odda (along a very beautiful route). Odda is located in the southwest of Norway in the province of Westland. From Odda, genuine die hards do the world famous hike: 'Trolltunga'!

1. Gateway to Trolltunga hike

Odda is best known as the starting point for the world famous hike 'Trolltunga'. Trolltunga is one of Norway's most popular hikes. It is a tough trip, you walk there in 12 hours. So prepare well! You get bright blue water, icy white mountain peaks, rugged rock formations and lush views in return. You can easily reach the starting point of the hike from Odda by bus or car.



2. Hardanger Fjord

Odda is the ultimate opportunity to holiday right on one of Norway's most beautiful fjords. Step outside from your accommodation and you will see a fjord stretching for miles. The blue-green water between the fjord and Odda brings the small town to life, giving breathtaking views wherever you go. We even saw a seal swimming in the fjord. 🙂 Also great to take a dip in the water of the hardangerfjord when the weather is good!

Odda: Hardangerfjord
Odda: Hardangerfjord

3. Buerbreen | Climb a glacier

One of us highlights of the holiday: climbing the glacier of Odda. Buerbreen! You can already see the glacier from afar in the hardangerfjord (see also the photo above). In conversation with an employee of the 'tourist information point' (location: here) we found out that you can also climb the glacier. 15 minutes drive from Odda and you are at the starting point. It is a hike that is easy to do if you are good on your feet and your condition is okay. I would say: intermediate level. It takes 2 hours to get to the top and 2 hours back. The route itself is breathtaking, so you don't just do it for the final destination.

Buerbreen Glacier Odda
Buerbreen Glacier Odda
Buarbreen Glacier Odda
Buarbreen Glacier Odda

4. Bondhusvatnet | Fairytale lake

Op 23 minutes drive from Odda you will find the starting point of an easy, short hike to a beautiful glacial lake called Bondhusvatnet. The hike is an hour's walk via an unpaved hiking trail, and for most people easy cake! It is a popular destination for tourists and locals because of the beauty of the glacial lake. The water is so clean that the mountains and rocks are reflected in the blue water. By the way, you are not allowed to swim in the water. Bondhusvatnet is located in Folgefonna National Park and along the way you will be truly enchanted by the lush nature. Recommended!

Odda: Bondhusvatnet
Odda: Bondhusvatnet
Odda: Bondusvatnet
Odda: Bondusvatnet

5. Vøringfossen Waterfall | Hardangervidda

If you want a day trip from Odda I would XNUMX% recommend going 1,5 Hours te drive to the vøringfossen waterfall (location: here). The view is truly unprecedented, and no photos or videos can express how beautiful it is. The drive there from Odda is a unique journey in itself and you won't get bored in the car. The massive, coarse, mountain plateaus along the winding road leave you hanging out of the car window in amazement.

Also read: Norway | The most beautiful National Scenic Routes for car and camper

The waterfall is located in Southern Norway located in the largest nature park in Scandinavia, namely the Hardangervidda. You don't have to hike for the view, because the waterfall is easily accessible by car. Sometimes tasty! You can possibly do a whole walk from the viewpoint right through Hardangervidda, and view nature from all kinds of different angles.

Voringfossen waterfall, Hardangervidda
Voringfossen waterfall, Hardangervidda

6. Låtefossen waterfall

The road Rv13 towards Odda leads directly to the Låtefossen. It is approx 20km drive south of Odda (Location: here). So small piece! The Låtefossen is also called the twin waterfall. The water flows down through two waterfalls and meet again at the bridge. The cool thing about the waterfall is that it flows under a road. So you can, as it were, drive over the waterfall. We came across this waterfall by chance when we were on our way to Odda. We looked to the right, to the left, and suddenly saw water plummet everywhere with enormous force. Fortunately there was already a parking lot 10 meters away and we could immediately start admiring Låtefossen. It is a popular attraction near Odda. Really beautiful to see, especially since you can stand right next to the waterfall (see photo below).

Latefossen waterfall Odda
Latefossen waterfall Odda
Latefossen waterfall Odda
Latefossen waterfall Odda

7. Go skiing in Fonna (in summer!)

When we asked at the Tourist Information Point for tips on activities in the area, we were told that we could ski. This was in July, our summer vacation. We checked to see if we had understood correctly, but this was correct. An hour's drive from Odda you can ski and in the Fonna glacier Ski resort (location: here). It is located on the glacier, and there is so much snow in the winter that you can often still ski here in the summer months! How cool. We have opted for a different activity ourselves, but it seems to be very nice with a view of the glacier! The route to it should provide beautiful views, because you drive up the mountain.

Also read: Norway | Tips and good spots to see the northern lights

8. Visit the center of Odda

All the active activities you can do in Odda and its surroundings are so spectacular that we almost forgot to mention the center of Odda. Because if you book a holiday to a destination, it is of course also important that there is a nice center. Odda is small, but nice. You don't have to expect a huge shopping mall, but it has nice and charming streets. Here you can enjoy walking through and sneaking through the shops. There are several supermarkets, clothing stores, various tourist shops and nice boutiques. Enough to do!

Shopping center of Odda l Norway
Shopping center of Odda l Norway


9. Good food in Odda

  • Smeltehuset Mat-Prat-Bar: For a nice cup of coffee, lunch, a Norwegian specialty, and a delicious dinner! Located on the water.
  • Glacier restaurant: Located in the center of Odda. European, Asian and Arabic food. Vegetarian and meat options, and you can also go there for a cocktail evening.
  • Ferskvaren AS: Hip place for lunch, snacks, drinks, dinner and a choice of everything; burgers, tapas, fish.

10. Campsites in Odda

There are 2 campsites in Odda where you can spend the night. If you would like to camp outside Odda, read the blog about it Wild camping in Norway.

  1. Campsite Hildal (location: here). We slept the first night at this campsite. We soon found out that a lot of Dutch people come to Norway, because the campsite mainly consisted of Dutch people. There are places to pitch your tent and park your motorhome. You can shower, do the dishes, wash, cook (you share the kitchen with many others, so be patient for this) and that's all it really is. Purely a lawn to spend the night with de basic facilities. We didn't need more than this and we were completely fine with it. Bonus point at this campsite is the waterfall! You have a view of a beautiful waterfall and hear the sound of it while you fall asleep (see photo below).
Camping Hildal Odda
Camping Hildal Odda

2. Trolltunga Campground (location: here)

The second night we continued to Trolltunga Camping. We actually wanted this the first night, but the campsite was full then. If you go in the summer months I recommend staying here a spot in advance te reserve, because the campsite is super popular. We get this! The campsite is located right on the fjord, so as soon as you open the tent you look out over the hardangerfjord! We really loved this! You can dive into the (ice-cold) water in warm weather. In addition, you can walk around the fjord from your sleeping place. We found this a very good campsite, made good food on the water and were able to watch the sunset. On the photo below you can see part of the campsite, our tent was about 5 meters behind it. The facilities at the campsite are also well organized.

Camping Trolltunga l Hardangerfjord
Camping Trolltunga l Hardangerfjord

Conclusion

In short, Odda is the ideal place for nature lovers and there is something for everyone. The adventurers can do the craziest hikes, and Odda is also a good base for quiet walks. You have access to Hardangervidda, a beautiful nature park where you can choose many routes. In any case, a holiday directly on one of Norway's most beautiful fjords is already very unique. I would recommend this city to everyone! Be prepared for many tourists.

Plan your holiday to Scandinavia here

Ilse

Hi! I'm Ilse, 23 years old. Since a backpacking trip through Scandinavia, my love for travel has grown and so has my bucket list! I fell in love with Norway and have since returned to the beautiful country twice. I have already seen many places in Europe. In September and October I will travel to Indonesia and Thailand, and in March next year I will explore Central America.

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