Modalen · 60°50′N 5°49′E · 8 hours
A full day where almost no one goes.
Modalen has roughly four hundred residents and more waterfalls than roads. Arriving by sea is the way it was always reached.
Most fjord traffic turns south toward Hardanger. This one goes north, into water that stays flat and empty all day.
The route leaves Bryggen with Bergen behind you — Fløyen and Ulriken on the skyline — then narrows into the Osterfjord system. The walls close in, the boat traffic disappears, and the waterfalls start arriving one after another.
Modalen itself is one of the smallest municipalities in Norway. There is very little there, which is the entire point. You can go ashore, walk, swim in mountain water, or stay aboard and watch it from the deck.
Because the boat is yours for the day, none of this is fixed. If the light is good in one place you stay longer. If someone wants to swim, you stop. The captain knows where the water is worth stopping and will tell you — but the day is yours to shape.
How the day runs
Indicative timings. Departure shifts with the season, the weather and what you want out of the day.
Bryggen, Bergen
Board at the harbour. Coffee on, lines off, and out past the old wharf.
Byfjorden & Osterøy
Open water first, with the city falling away behind. Fløyen and Ulriken stay in view for the first half hour.
Into the narrows
The fjord tightens and the traffic stops. This is the stretch people remember — steep sides, still water, waterfalls close enough to feel.
Modalen
Arrival, with time ashore. Walk, swim, or simply sit somewhere quiet. Lunch aboard or arranged ashore on request.
Turn for home
The same water in different light, which is not the same water at all.
Back at Bryggen
Alongside in Bergen, roughly eight hours after leaving.
Route and timings flex with weather and season
What is included
Included
- The whole vessel, your group only
- Local captain and crew
- Fresh fruit, snacks and mineral water
- Flexible route and stops
- Fuel and harbour fees
- Blankets and foul-weather gear
By arrangement
- Lunch aboard or ashore
- Alcoholic beverages
- Full catering and private dining
- Transfer to and from your hotel
- Extra hours beyond the eight
Aboard Fjord Queen
A 50-foot Prestige 500 Fly — flybridge for the crossing out, sheltered saloon for the weather that arrives anyway.
Questions
Is the boat private to our group?
Yes. The vessel is reserved exclusively for your group — there are no other guests aboard and no shared seating.
Can we stop along the way?
Yes. The captain will stop for viewpoints, photographs, waterfalls or short visits ashore. Because the charter is private, the route is not fixed.
How many people can come?
Up to twelve guests. The price is for the whole boat, so it does not change with group size.
What happens if the weather is bad?
West-coast weather moves quickly, and the captain will often reroute to sheltered water rather than cancel. If conditions make the trip unsafe, we reschedule or refund in full.
Can lunch be arranged?
Yes. Lunch aboard or a table ashore can both be arranged — tell us when you book and we will organise it.
Is Modalen busy with tourists?
No. It is one of Norway's smallest municipalities and sees very little tour traffic, which is the reason we go there.