Seven Sisters Waterfall

De Syv Sostrene falls about 410 metres from the plateau into the Geirangerfjord, the longest free drop about 250 metres, in seven distinct streams running side by side, and the number varies with the season: in high snowmelt there can be more, in a dry August fewer. Across the water a single fall, Friaren or the Suitor, is said in the local story to be courting the sisters and being refused, which is why the shape of the water is sometimes read as a bottle. The falls can only be seen properly from the water, so every ferry and sightseeing boat between Geiranger and Hellesylt passes close beneath them. The Geirangerfjord and its neighbour Naeroyfjord are inscribed together on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The landscape

• The seven streams - parallel falls dropping side by side into the fjord.
• The Suitor - a single fall on the opposite shore, part of the legend.
• The abandoned farms - old ledge farms on the cliffs nearby.
• The fjord passage - the boat route between Geiranger and Hellesylt.

When to go

Late May to July, when snowmelt gives the fullest flow and all seven streams run; by late August several often dry up. Morning boats have better light on the northern shore.

Things to know

The falls are only visible from the water, so a boat ticket is required, and summer sailings are crowded with cruise passengers. The number of streams is genuinely variable and can disappoint in a dry year. Spray and wind on deck make photography awkward.

Nearby

Geiranger village and the Dalsnibba viewpoint lie east; Hellesylt and Norangsdalen are west.

Key facts