Excursion From sacred staves to living vikings: a journey to gudvangen tour at Vik

This full day tour blends Norway’s sacred timber heritage with living Viking culture.

Hopperstad Stave Church

Depart from the pier and take a short drive to Hopperstad Stave Church, set on gentle slopes above Vik. Step inside to admire the soaring wooden construction and dragon-head carvings that echo Viking symbolism, while your guide unpacks how Christianity took root alongside enduring Norse motifs. There is time to walk the grassy perimeter for photos of the church against the fjord and farmland backdrop.

Vika Mountain, Gudvangen’s Viking Village

Rejoin the coach for a scenic 90-minute drive over Vika Mountain toward Gudvangen, with sweeping views of valley farms and the Sognefjord arms below. On arrival at the Viking Village, enjoy an included lunch and meet the costumed villagers for a guided introduction to long-ago lifeways. The afternoon is yours to tailor: explore the huts and workshops, chat with craftspeople about wood, leather, and metal work, or opt into light hands-on activities such as archery or axe-throwing (subject to availability). Benches and a café are available for those who prefer to relax and soak up the atmosphere.

As the day winds down, settle in for the 90-minute drive back to Vik, arriving at the pier with a richer sense of Norway’s medieval faith, frontier artistry, and fjordland drama.

Note

Please Note: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking of approximately 0.9 miles (1.5 km) in total across asphalt, natural grass, and hard-packed gravel, with 2 steps to enter Hopperstad and around 3 steps at the chieftain’s hut in the village; Hopperstad Stave Church is not wheelchair accessible and the tour may be challenging for guests with limited mobility; foldable wheelchairs/walkers can move around much of the Viking Village on maintained gravel paths, and guests may self-select how much walking they do; photography is for personal use only (no commercial photography; tripods not permitted); lunch is included (vegetarian/vegan options available if requested in advance; one drink included), additional drinks may be purchased; dress in layers with sturdy walking shoes, and bring sun/rain protection as the village is outdoors; routing may be reversed or adjusted for traffic and operating reasons.