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For the largest glacier (by volume) in Europe, you’ll need to go to Iceland. But for the largest glacier in mainland Europe, you’ll need to come to Norway. For this reason, the Jostedalsbreen Glacier has been a highlight on any campervan road trip around the country.
This article tells you everything you need to know about this fantastic frozen marvel and how to explore it via a campervan. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Where is Jostedalsbreen Glacier?
Jostedalsbreen Glacier can be found in the Jostedalsbreen National Park in Vestland County in Western Norway. The glacier covers roughly 800 square kilometers of the national park’s total 1310 square kilometers and sits nestled between two of Norway’s most famous fjords: Nordfjord and Sognefjord. So, as you can imagine, the landscape surrounding the glacier is just as breathtaking as the glacier itself.
A Few Interesting Facts About Jostedalsbreen Glacier
- The glacier is 60 kilometers (37 miles) long.
- It's 1975 meters above sea level at its highest point and 60 meters above sea level at its lowest point.
- The glacier causes a LOT of rock erosion (roughly 400,000 tons every year!).
- The first person credited for traversing the glacier's frozen landscape, end to end, was Ole Bosasva, who took on this endeavour in 1788.
- The first trail/pathway for the public was created in 1906.
- May is credited with being the best time to ski the glacier.
- If you do the maths, the water this frozen glacier holds could fill 300 000 000 000 bathtubs!
How to Get to Jostedalsbreen by Campervan
Some of the bigger cities visitors travel from to see the Jostedalsbreen Glacier are Bergen (roughly a 5.5-hour campervan drive away) and Trondheim (about a 6.5-hour campervan drive away). However, the details regarding how to get there will differ depending on which glacier arm you intend to visit:
Nigardsbreen: The Most Popular Arm of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier
The most popular arm of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier to visit is Nigardsbreen since it’s one of the few places you can get as close as possible to all the frosty action, and the road makes it very easy to access. Getting there is an adventure all on its own.
You’ll take the so-called Glacier Rd (Brevegen) into the Nigardsbreen Nature Reserve (which is the entrance to the Jostedal Glacier National Park). Please note that you will be passing a toll on this road.
There’s no boom gate or anything like that; your registration number will be scanned, and depending on the arrangement with your rental agent, you’ll either pay on the spot with a credit card, pay online via passpay.no, or pay all your tolls as a consolidated bill from your rental agent upon returning the camper.
The toll will set you back about 90 NOK ($13.34/€7.99). After having taken the road for roughly 3 kilometers, exit the Road 604 at Villa Fjellheim (you should begin to see the glacier and the Visitor Center by then).
The parking lot at the end of the road will literally be the end of the road for your camper. If you’d like to get even closer to the glacier, you’ll need to take the walkway down to the dock, where you’ll take the boat shuttle across the lake to the glacier.
There are no pre-bookings for the shuttle, and people are taken across on a first-come, first-served basis. The shuttle can be paid for at the boat, and the charges are:
- Adult (for a return ticket) = 85 NOK ($12.60/€7.55)
- Child (for a return ticket) = 60 NOK ($8.89/€5.33)
Visiting the Nigardsbreen arm of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier in your camper is easy to do during our warmer months, and you can expect good road conditions with the benefit of the warmer weather and the well-maintained paved roads. Please note that the road will be closed and inaccessible from November to late April.
Briksdalsbreen: Another Popular Arm of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier
While Nigardsbreen is the most accessible, Briksdalsbreen is most famous for its hikes (and not just the one that gets you closer to the glacier arm in the first place). Getting to Briksdalsbreen is an entirely different story from Nigardsbreen.
Start your trip from Olden, drive the Oldedalen Valley along Lake Odevatnet, and head towards Briksdalsbre Mountain Lodge, where you’ll park your camper. At the lodge, you will begin your official hike through the Briksdal Valley.
The trail will take you to the glacial lake where you can admire the glacier from afar (do not try to venture closer for your own safety!) The trail is about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long, considered easy, and shouldn’t take you more than 2 hours in total to complete (there and back). A few other popular hikes surrounding the glacier are:
The Briksdal Glacier Hike (A longer version of the shorter hike we’ve already mentioned)
Difficulty Level: Easy
Distance: 7.1 km/4.4 miles
The Average Time it Takes: Between 5 and 5.5 hours
The Kattanakken Briksdalen Trail
Difficulty Level: Extremely Challenging
Distance: 12.1 km/7.5 miles
The Average Time it Takes: This should be a full-day commitment.
The Briksdalen to Oldeskaret Trail
Difficulty Level: Hard
Distance: 9 km/5.6 miles
The Average Time it Takes: Between 5.5 and 6 hours
Why Visit Jostedalsbreen by Campervan?
There are many perks of traveling to Jostedalsbreen with a campervan or including it as a stop along a larger campervan road trip through Norway. These include:
- You can be the captain of your own frosty adventure. Unlike going on a tour or relying on third-party transport, you get to say how and where you want to spend your time, and you’ll be able to dictate how long you stay and what you do at the glacier.
- A camper gives you the freedom and flexibility to go wild camping or camping at beautiful campsites without having to plan too much ahead or do much pre-booking. This allows you to go whenever and wherever your Norwegian road trip adventure may take you. Just remember to adhere to our Right to Roam laws, as well as our wild camping restrictions, when it comes to national parks and the immediate surroundings around glaciers.
- It is the ultimate convenience. Not only does it mean camping in the ultimate comfort, but your “home” is always just a few steps away. You’ll never have to worry about forgetting anything back home or lugging a bunch of things around on your travels. This is especially handy after a cold and wet adventure out on the glacier.
- A campervan makes for a super affordable road trip. Not only have you essentially taken care of both your transport and accommodation under the umbrella of one expense, but you also get to take advantage of our affordable campsites and wild camping opportunities (the ultimate immersive experience in our breathtaking nature). You can actually camp practically next door to the Jostedalsbreen Glacier!
Campervan Parking and Overnight Options Near Jostedalsbreen
Please note that parking overnight in the parking lots of Jostedalsbreen is not permitted unless in a specifically designated and clearly marked overnight parking spot.
Wild camping is also not permitted in the protected Nigardsbreen Nature Reserve, and you’ll also struggle to find a legal overnight parking/wild camping spot at and around the Briksdalsbre Mountain Lodge.
However, with the surrounding camping grounds being so close to the glacier and these popular glacier arms, it really doesn’t matter all that much. If you’d like to stay the night near the glacier, the following campsites come highly recommended for those on a campervan glacier adventure:
- Nigardsbreen Camping
- Jostedal Camping
- Melkevoll Bretun Camping
- Olden Camping
- Gryta Camping
- Oldevatn Camping
Things to Do Around Jostedalsbreen
Below are a few interesting things to see and do at as well as around the glacier:
Going on a Jostedalsbreen Glacier Hike
Traversing a frozen landscape that’s thousands of years old is a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Glacier hiking at Jostedalsbreen is an activity you can only do via a guided tour, so be sure to book your spot. You’ll even find family-friendly glacier hikes so the kids can join in the fun. All gear and equipment will be provided to you by the tour operator.
Visiting the Norwegian Glacier Museum
The Norwegian Glacier Museum promises to be fun for the whole family. Here you can learn all about Jostedalsbreen, glaciers in general, as well as climate change and its impact, in an interactive way that won't leave you feeling like you’re just bombarded with loads of information.
Going Skiing on the Jostedalsbreen Glacier
You will find all sorts of skiing at Jostedalsbreen: cross-country skiing, forest skiing, actual ski camps, etc. Because of the glacial conditions, the ski season here is much longer than usual, and you can already begin your ski season from October!
Exploring the Village of Fjærland
Fjærland is no ordinary village and an absolute must for any book-lover. This picturesque village nestled along the banks of the Fjærlandsfjorden has only 300 permanent residents, but boasts 10 second-hand bookshops in revamped abandoned buildings. A visit to Fjærland is a truly unique experience.
Going Kayaking Through the Icy Landscape
If you’d like to keep a little distance from the ice, then the go-to for exploring Jostedalsbreen is to get into the water! Kayaking on the glacier lakes (there are numerous) is a peaceful and serene way of exploring the frosty landscape.
Due to safety concerns during the warmer months (ice melts and big chunks can break off), this is a seasonal activity that only starts in May.
Taking on Adrenaline-Pumping Rafting
This is essentially the kayaking experience at a much faster pace and with plenty of adrenaline-inducing moments. So, if you like a little adventure that gets the blood pumping, rafting the Jostedola River might just be the activity for you.
Experiencing the Blue Ice Cave
The Blue Ice Cave can be found at the Nigardsbreen arm of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier. As far as glacier caves go, they change every year due to the constant melting and freezing process throughout the seasons. So, the Blue Ice Cave you visited last year may not be the same Blue Ice Cave you’re visiting this year.
In the same sense, we keep tabs on the cave to ensure your safety, and there may be times when it’s simply not safe to view the cave from the inside. It’s also because of these safety reasons that exploring the Blue Ice Cave can only be done via a pre-booked guided tour. Please also note that this is an activity exclusive to the winter season.
A Few Practical Tips for Those Visiting Jostedalsbreen Glacier by Camper
If this will be your first time visiting Jostedalsbreen by camper, the following tips and advice may be helpful to you:
Road Conditions and Vehicle Size
As we already mentioned, the roads to the various arms of the Jostedalsbreen Glacier are paved and well-maintained roads and are perfectly suitable for a campervan as long as you stick to the warmer months, and also take note of the road closure periods.
We do, however, recommend sticking to the smaller campervans since these roads can be quite narrow with steep stretches and have a few curvy bends. A smaller campervan will also allow you to zip in and out of parking spots at the glacier much more easily.
Weather and Safety
We’ve already touched on the colder months and the annual road closures as well as certain activities in the area. However, the weather is not something that can only affect your campervan road trip during the colder months.
You also need to be prepared for sudden weather changes during the warmer months (hiking in the pouring rain is no fun, right?). We would generally recommend packing clothes you can wear in layers (this way you’ll always be able to take something off or put something on as the weather allows), and always pack gloves, a scarf, and a warm, woolen beanie, irrespective of the season.
These also always come in very handy on any icy adventure. Whilst we’re on the subject of packing, we’d also recommend always packing sturdy hiking boots with good grip (once again, this can come in handy all year round for various activities).
To stay one step ahead of the weather throughout your campervan road trip, please keep a close eye on the Norwegian weather forecast.
Time to Discover the Jostedalsbreen Glacier on Your Own Campervan Road Trip!
Now that you know everything there is to know about the Jostedalsbreen Glacier and all the exciting things to see and do at the glacier and its nearby surroundings, it’s time to jump into your own glacier adventure.
Rent your campervan in Norway for the ultimate freedom and comfort, and road trip your way around the country and the breathtaking Jostedalsbreen frozen landscape!
