Spectacular cabins in Fjord Norway's wild nature

Here, you can sleep safely on steep overhangs, enjoy the view of the ocean or stay overnight among the spruce trees nestled between the high mountains.

Treetop-cabin in Odda

Woodnest is a unique treetop-cabin built around a powerful spruce in a wood-clad mountain side above the town of Odda. Wake up and enjoy the spectacular views of the Sørfjord towards Hardanger. The snow-clad Folgefonna glacier towers in the west, and to the east you can see the southernmost tops of the Hardangervidda plateau lining the horizon. If you manage to look away from the magic view, take the short trip to the famous destinations Trolltunga, Dronningstien, Låtefoss, Buerbreen glacier, Folgefonna glacier and Bondhusvatnet lake. The two Woodnest Treehouses are 15 square metres with four beds and a toilet.

Three storey of panoramic views

A similarly spectacular cabin is located in Ulvik, to the north of the Hardangerfjord. Ulvik is a jewel among the legendary, beautiful scenery, tall snow-clad mountain tops and deep blue fjords. Hardanger Panorama Lodge can be found in the midst of this idyllic scenery, a three-storey tree-top cabin resting on 7–8 metre-tall pillars between the trees. The cabin is of a high quality and has panoramic views of the fjord and mountains. Hardanger Panoramic Lodge is an excellent choice for families or groups of friends who are looking for the magic and mystery of nature, sleeping up to six people in three bedrooms. Receive a gastronomic nature experience with local food from Hardanger served straight to your door.

Lysefjord - wild and untouched

Further south in Fjord Norway, in the majestic Lysefjord area, there are several cabin gems that very few people are lucky enough to experience in their lifetime. Skåpet is situated at 6–700 metres above sea level in the windswept Frafjordfjellene mountains vis à vis Preikestolen (the Pulpit Rock). The local tourist association has built a year-round sauna, which will give you the feeling of being on another planet – wilder, more brutal and untouched by humans. While you’re enjoying the heat and the smell of fresh birch wood, you will look out over rocky shores of the desolate Soddatjørn Mountain Lake. In the meantime, the starry sky rises above the mountains. The cabins, drawn by architects, include a tall glass wall that allows you to merge with the natural landscape. There is a bigger main cabin in Skåpet with food and a kitchen, in addition to six separate cabins and a toilet facility. Walking from the nearest parking in Frafjord will take you about an hour or longer depending on whether you have your family with you.

Bold enough?

On the other side of the deep Lysefjord, not far from the world-famous Preikestolen, there is an even more spectacular cabin project that you can rent for a night. The Bolder is, as the name suggests, not for those suffering from vertigo. Here, the architecture is wild and has built over a nest over hundreds and hundreds of metres of air and a bottomless gorge. It’s difficult to get nearer to the dramatic nature of Fjord Norway, and you also find Preikestolen nearby, in addition to Kjerag, Fantahola, Flørli and Lysebotn. If all the cliffs and the view of the snow-clad mountain tops and deep fjords get too much, you can take a detour to the hill behind the cabin and enjoy the calm among the old, crooked spruce trees with the sound of sheep bells in the distance.

On the rocks

If you go from the fjords towards the open sea in the west, there is hardly anything that can compete with Flokehyttene. Bolted to the smooth rocks of Sveio just north of Haugesund, these cabins are an open invitation to experience Norway as it was during times of old: Untamed, beautiful and windswept. The cabins have been constructed to incorporate nature, with five beds, a living room, kitchen and toilet. With a fireplace in each cabin, everything is set for you to experience the ocean’s edge when the autumn storm approaches, before savouring the warmth inside the cabin while the natural forces tug at the solid cabin walls.

Find inner peace

Another cabin that draws you closer to the elements is Engeset trehytter in Nordfjord. When the wind blows in the trees that bear the cabin, you will feel the movements – and the calm that finds its way from nature to the soul within. The cladding on the Engeset cabin has a built-in room for the birds, which you get to share lodgings with beneath the rustling treetops. The view from the Engeset cabin is spectacular, with the Nordfjord’s powerful alps situated directly in front of the tiny living room you're sitting in, sensing the magic of nature. From the cabin, you can take a short walk down to Gloppen with the famous cuisine at Gloppen Hotel and the cultural gathering place Lauget.

Romance

For romantic trips, there are a couple of alternatives that are perfect for cabin-goers in Fjord Norway. Birdbox Fauske in Sunnfjord is the ultimate destination for an unforgettable night. Like a blend of a mystical space probe and a vantage point for the shy birds of the forest, Birdbox is a hiding place for magic and surprises. Tucked away in the magic of nature and completely removed from work and commitments, a day together at Birdbox will be an unforgettable experience for you and your loved one. There is a big bed in cabin, which can be made up if you so wish.

Closeness to the river is the key for Elvasuiten, an outstandingly beautiful cabin concept in Sunnfjord. Close to the wild river Jølster is the small cabin shaped like a pyramid, with the entire wall facing the river made of glass. When you check in with your loved one, you will at once be at one with nature and the flowing water. The river suit comes with a premium king-sized bed and champagne cooler – that’s all you need for an unforgettable experience at one with the typical Western Norwegian Jølstra rapids.

Natural gem

Fjordtun in Hardanger is a natural gem in itself located between some of Fjord Norway’s absolute highlights. From the romantic treetop cabin or the functional-style cabin with a panoramic view of the fjord, you can find your way back to nature. The massive mountain top Samlen is a day’s walk from the cabin, or you can go rowing in the fjord and try your luck at fishing – as generations have done since before the Viking Age in Hardanger. Are you willing to take a short drive? In that case, you can drive to the foot of the majestic Folgefonna glacier, to the starting point for the trip to Trolltunga, or experience the typical apple villages in Hardanger, Jondal and Utne.

Sleep in the barn

If you want to see real nature, Tråfjosen at Voss might be just what you need. All the old history about summer pasture farms and dairy maids seeps through the walls of the tiny renovated farm after generations of farming. In Tråfjosen, you can still see the stalls where the cows once stood between the stone slab partitions chewing their hay while the diary maids milked them. The barn is spacious enough for three adults to sleep in, or two adults and two children. If all the history gets too much, you can also stay the night in an old barn further along Myrkdalen – surrounded by fabulous nature.

Comfortable glamping

If you’re up for trying out new types of cabins in nature, you should test out glamping. It’s known as a dome and is a sturdy tent that provides a completely different level of comfort than the classic camping tent from childhood that we've all tried but rarely miss. Arctic Dome has a hotel bed, comfortable chairs and dining table, and the heating is pleasant thanks to the multifuel stove. Choose between Trolltunga Dome, Arctic Dome in Fugelvåg and Skaarnesheimen Raw Ocean Lodge on the outskirts of Karmøy, with see-through glass ceilings and a 360-degree view of the fjord and mountains.

When the weather permits, your imagination is the only thing that sets the limits for how to glamp. Try sleeping in a hammock with a panorama view of Hanguren at Voss, or lodge in a Hiker's Nest in Preikestolen Basecamp. There is a mattress, heating and electricity.