沃林斯瀑布2026年：99级阶梯桥、全新Fossatromma观景平台以及通往谷底的1200级台阶

Vøringsfossen is the most visited waterfall in Norway. In summer the tour bus convoys from Bergen start arriving at 10:00. By 11:00 the car parks fill and the upper walkways are congested. By 13:00 the crowds begin to thin. The waterfall does not change. Your experience of it depends on when you arrive and which of the three viewpoints you choose.

The National Tourist Route project around Vøringsfossen started in autumn 2015 and finished in September 2024. It is now a different site from the one described in older guides. There are new platforms at Fossatromma directly on Rv7, a pedestrian bridge of 99 steps and 47 meters spanning the river above the falls, cliff-edge fencing and metal walkways around Fossli Hotel, and a staircase descending the gorge to the valley floor. Here is what each one offers and how to sequence them.

The three viewpoints

There is no single best viewpoint. There are three. Each shows a different geometry of the falls.

• Fossli Hotel platforms. The original viewpoint, now expanded with cantilevered steel platforms and cliff-edge fencing. The platforms sit above the falls at the lip. The view looks down the drop and along Måbødalen.
• The pedestrian bridge. Opened in 2020. 99 steps up and over, 47 meters across, spanning the river directly above the waterfall edge. The bridge connects the Fossli side to the Fossatromma side. Walking it puts the falling water directly beneath you.
• Fossatromma platforms. Opened September 2024. Direct access from Rv7 with a new car park, toilets, and EV charging. Platforms and walkways extend over the gorge. The angle shows the waterfall against the full vertical of the canyon.

The walkway system connects all three. You can park at either Fossli or Fossatromma and walk the circuit in roughly 45 to 60 minutes including photographs.

The valley floor staircase

This is the view most visitors miss. A newly built staircase of approximately 1,200 steps descends the gorge from the upper platforms to the base of the falls. The descent takes around 30 to 40 minutes. The ascent takes 45 to 60 minutes and is a serious workout. Budget 1.5 to 2 hours total for the valley floor visit on top of the platform tour above.

From the bottom the geometry is different. The full 182-meter drop is visible as a single column. Spray reaches the base on windy days. The sound at the plunge pool is loud enough that conversation becomes difficult. The crowd is consistently smaller because many visitors are not prepared to climb 1,200 steps back up. Good footwear matters here. The staircase is steep in places and the steps can be wet.

The Måbødalen valley floor trail

Separate from the gorge staircase, the original valley floor trail runs along the floor of Måbødalen below the falls. Park at Fossatromma or at the lower trailhead further down the valley. The path is graded easy and follows the valley floor with views up toward the falls. Distance from Fossatromma to a good viewpoint of the base is roughly 1 km each way. Total time: 1 to 1.5 hours at a relaxed pace.

Timing the visit

Arrive at 09:00 or earlier to see the upper platforms and cross the bridge before the tour bus convoys from Bergen arrive at 10:00 to 11:00. Do the valley floor staircase or the Måbødalen floor trail while the upper decks fill. Return to Rv7 by 12:00 ahead of the peak traffic on the Hardanger plateau road.

Alternative: arrive after 17:00 when the buses have cleared. The light late in the day through the valley is significantly better for photographs, and the flow of water (regulated to a minimum 12 cubic meters per second in summer) is the same.

Driving and parking

Vøringsfossen sits on Rv7, 2 km east of Eidfjord.

• From Eidfjord: 4 minutes on Rv7.
• From Bergen: 2 hours 20 minutes via E16 and Rv7 through Voss.
• From the Hardanger Bridge: 45 minutes east on Rv7.
• From Geilo: 1 hour on Rv7 across the Hardanger plateau. Rv7 has seasonal closures in winter between Haugastøl and the Hardangervidda descent. Check vegvesen.no before you drive.

Parking is available at Fossli Hotel (paid) and at the new Fossatromma lot directly on Rv7 (paid, with toilets and EV charging). Both lots operate from April 1 to October 31. Weather and snow can shorten the season at either end.

What works

• Arriving before 09:30. The early window gives you the bridge and platforms without queues and with soft morning light.
• Walking the full circuit. Fossli to bridge to Fossatromma and back takes under an hour and shows all three angles. Skipping any one of them is skipping the point.
• Doing the 1,200-step descent. It is the view the tour buses do not get. It is also a significant cardio effort. Treat it as a short hike, not a detour.
• Booking lunch at Fossli Hotel. Open since 1891, directly at the upper platform. Kitchen serves from 12:00. The dining room faces the waterfall.

What does not work

• Arriving midday in peak season. Between 11:00 and 14:00 in July and August the upper platforms can feel like a queue.
• Skipping the valley floor. The upper views are good. The view from the base is the one that gives you the full vertical of the falls.
• Inadequate footwear. The 1,200-step staircase and the Måbødalen trail have wet rock and metal grating. Trainers with grip work. Flip-flops do not.
• Winter drive-by attempts. The Rv7 crossing of Hardangervidda closes frequently from November to April. Confirm road status with vegvesen.no the morning of travel.

Practical information (2026)

• Location: Rv7, 2 km east of Eidfjord, Hardangerfjord
• Height: 182 meters total drop (main free-fall section 163 meters)
• Upper platforms and pedestrian bridge: 2020 bridge, 99 steps, 47-meter span
• Fossatromma platforms: Opened September 2024 with car park, toilets, and EV charging
• Valley floor staircase: Approximately 1,200 steps down and back
• Circuit time (all three viewpoints): 45 to 60 minutes upper + 1.5 to 2 hours valley floor
• Season: April 1 to October 31 for parking and toilets. Winter access to the bridge and platforms is restricted by snow.
• Drive from Bergen: 2 hours 20 minutes via E16 and Rv7
• Drive from Eidfjord: 4 minutes on Rv7
• Drive from Geilo: 1 hour via Rv7 across Hardangervidda (seasonal closure applies)
• Fossli Hotel: Serves breakfast from 08:00 and lunch from 12:00

Vøringsfossen sits at the junction of the Eidfjord access road and the Rv7 crossing of Hardangervidda. Every tour in this region stops here, and every tour sees roughly the same thing: the upper platforms for 30 minutes, back on the bus. Do the bridge, do Fossatromma, do the 1,200 steps down. That is the version of Vøringsfossen the tour buses do not deliver.