Things to do in Undredal, Norway [A Local’s Guide]

Undredal is an extremely picturesque, charming village along the banks of the Aurlandsfjord, and it will be an instant favourite of yours when you visit the area. One of my best friends grew up (and live) there, and I grew up just a short drive away, across the fjord in Aurland. The village is quiet, but you’ll still find that there are some great things to do in Undredal!

With its 70-ish inhabitants (depending on who you ask), you’d think there isn’t a lot going on in Undredal. But, in fact, it is quite a busy village, and growing up I remember being jealous of all the fun things the kids in Undredal got to do. From dock dances and annual festivals, to some gorgeous hikes, there are more than enough things to do here during your visit!

Undredal is the smallest of the fjord villages in the municipality, but what they lack in inhabitants they make up for in charm. The landscape of the mountains and fjord surrounding it is said to have inspired the landscape for Arendelle in Disney’s Frozen. If you have a look at the image below, you might see what I mean!

If you are unsure of which of the beautiful fjord villages to visit on your trip, this guide covers them all!

Things to do in Undredal, Norway

As mentioned, Undredal is quite small, and so there are only a handful of things to do there. However, the first thing on the list here is an important one: simply relax and enjoy the charm of this beautiful fjord village. Most people elect to stay in Undredal for the quiet and peacefulness of the village. Spending a night or two here will be the perfect break for those who want to get away from the world a little.

With that being said, here’s a local’s guide to what to do in Undredal.

#1 Undredal Goat’s Cheese – Cheese Tasting

Undredal is not only famous for being an incredibly cute Norwegian village, nor for its stave church. What really put Undredal on the map is the famous goat’s cheese made in the village! The inhabitants of Undredal are highly outnumbered by the hundreds of goats that live there, and together, three farms in the village make up Undredal Stølsysteri. My friend Maria owns one of the farms, and together with the other two, their goats make the best cheese in Norway!

Let me take a second to brag about my friend: if you can read Norwegian, here is a great interview with her and the work they do at the goat farm in Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv!

Whilst in Undredal, you can’t leave without trying their cheese. Undredal Stølsysteri make both white and brown cheese, and both have won prices across Norway (and the world). If you are visiting Bergen or Oslo, you’ll sometimes find them at the farmer’s markets there.

Fun fact: I have joined my friend Maria at the farmer’s market in Bergen a few times, and I have to admit that I love telling people about the village and selling their amazing cheese!

So, during your visit to Undredal village, make sure to drop by the cafe on the dock to sample som cheese. If the café is closed (it might be in the winter months), the local grocery store in Undredal sells the cheese year-round. The grocery store is called Undredalsbui, and is a great place to stock up on snacks and meet locals.

(Another) fun fact: for several years, Undredal hosted an annual Goat’s Cheese Festival to celebrate the making and traditions of the cheese-making. It has been a few years since the last festival now, but fingers crossed it makes a comeback! I remember it being loads of fun, with market stalls, cheese tastings, live music and games for kids.

What is brown cheese?

This might be the first you have ever heard about brown cheese, but trust me when I say it is much better than it sounds. In Norway, brown cheese is as common as white cheese, and much yummier (in my opinion)! It can be made with both cow’s and goat’s milk, and the cow’s milk brown cheese is a bit more mild.

You can buy it at any grocery store in Norway (like I said, it is as common as any white cheese), but the Undredal brown cheese is only at selected ones.

Visitors often say that brown cheese reminds them of caramel, and are surprised to find that it is quite sweet. You definitely cannot leave Norway (and Undredal) without having tried it. It is made with what is left over (whey, a byproduct of white cheese) when you have made “normal” cheese. So technically, some people will say that it isn’t actually cheese – but it is.

The whey is boiled to the point of caramelisation, which is what gives the cheese the “caramel-y” taste so many foreigners point out.

#2 Relax and take in the serenity of the village

As mentioned, Undredal is a quiet, peaceful village. This makes it the perfect place to escape, whether you are looking to spend a few days writing on a big project, studying for a test, or just take some time off. Undredal is the perfect place for this, and I swear I could spend days on end just watching the world go by from this place.

Regardless of how long you aim to spend visiting Undredal, make sure to enjoy a stroll around the village. On your walk, stop by at the stave church, which is next on the list!

#3 The Undredal Stave church

The stave church in Undredal is quite unique. This tiny church seats only 40 people, and is Norway and Northern Europe’s smallest stave church! It might even be the smallest in Europe, as I am not sure they made stave churches further south.

The church was built in 1147, and in the summer season you can book a tour of the church here. If you are visiting in the slower season, or the tour is not available, seeing the church from the outside is still fun – and definitely one of the must see sights in Undredal.

#4 Enjoy the view of the village from Hjødna Viewpoint

Just a short walk from the village center (20-30 minutes), you will find Hjødna viewpoint. This spot offers great views of the village below and the fjord, without taking too much effort. Note that it isn’t a viewpoint in the same sense as Stegastein in Aurland, but more of a resting spot (some say a starting point) for the heavier Hovdungo hike.

If you want to learn more about the Hovdungo hike, and the unique place you can stay at the top of it, I have covered it in detail below.

#5 Eldhuset

An “Eldhus” is an old Norwegian name for a building or house containing a fire and possibilities for cooking. “Eldhus” translated to English is literally “fire house”, and historically, the Eldhus was the house in the village where people would get together to cook or, in this case, make cheese.

In the center of Undredal you will find Eldhuset. It is used as a visitor center of sorts, where you can learn about the history and tradition of cheese making in Undredal. Sometimes they will also have cheese stored here, which is quite interesting to see (you will be told all about how long the cheese has been stored, and can see the difference on the cheese crust for yourself).

At Eldhuset, you can taste the local cheese, and get a tour to learn about the process of making it. In Undredal they have been making cheese in the traditional way for decades, and learning about it is a must when visiting the village. Head this way to learn more about the different programs offered, and what you can learn.

Eldhuset and their offerings are open in the summer months only, usually from May to September. Of course, if you are travelling in a larger group, you can contact them on the link above to see if they are able to open for a tour.

#6 FjordSafari with cheese tasting

I usually stay quite strict with these guides, and only mention things to do in the village I am writing about. That’s why, in the guide to Aurland, I have not mentioned the fjord cruise through the fjords, for example, even though it stops there.

Instead, I have mentioned the fjord cruise in the list of things to do in Flåm, as that’s where the trip starts.

However, I am making an exception in this guide. Fjordsafari is another experience by the fjords that starts in Flåm, but as they have an activity that is highly focused on Undredal, I can’t avoid mentioning it here. The Fjordsafari Taste experience combines the fast-paced Fjordsafari adventure on a RIB boat with going ashore in Undredal to learn about the cheese-making traditions and sample some goat’s cheese.

This is the perfect way to see Undredal if you are visiting Flåm and do not have a lot of time. Book this adventure here.

#7 Dock Dance

You might be wondering what a dock dance is, but all you need to know is that it is a lot of fun and something you’ll never forget! When I have explained this to my friends abroad, I have described it as “the barn dance of the villages by the fjords”.

Basically, there will be a live band playing on the dock of Undredal, and locals from all across the area will come (and leave) by boat to join in on the fun.

The dock dances usually take place 3-4 times throughout the summer months, and is always a great time. I mean, how often to you get to dance on the dock and then take a boat home from the party? Unless you opt (smartly) to stay in Undredal, of course.

In Norwegian, Dock Dance is “Bryggedans”, so if you hear any locals talking about this, make sure to ask who’s playing and when it starts! The Dock dance is usually on a Saturday, but some weekends they are held on both Friday and Saturday!

Stay up to date on the dances (and bands) here.

#8 Stigen Farm

A little further out the fjord from Undredal you will find a very interesting place. Stigen Farm was even featured on the Norwegian television show “Der Ingen Skulle Tru at Nokon Kunne Bu”. That’s a mouthful, and roughly translates to “where you wouldn’t think anyone could live”.

Stigen is nestled high above the fjord on a grassy mountain plateau, and at first glance from the fjord you will question how it is possible to even get there. In the olden days, there was a ladder you had to climb to get up to the farm. Rumour has it that in the olden days, the farm made its riches by avoiding taxes – they simply pulled up the ladder so the tax man couldn’t reach the farm!

I was also told when I was young, that the owners of Stigen Farm survived the plague when it came to Aurland, for obvious reasons it couldn’t reach them either.

Now, there is a small, narrow trail carved into the mountainside, and after a short hike you have made it to the farm. It is possible to visit the farm by boat or kayak, or by hiking down from Hovdungo (more on that below). If you want to immerse yourself in farm living, you can join the owners on a week-long camp (Camp NaTURligvis is a play on words, where “Naturligvis” translates to “of course”, whilst the highlighted “TUR” means “hike”. Additionally, “Natur” is Norwegian for “nature”).

As with all activities in the area, make sure to book this early. To check availability and learn more, head this way.

From Undredal it is possible to visit Stigen by boat.

#9 Hovdungo and Ørnareiret (Eagle’s Nest)

A popular hike amongst locals, with a view that will give you goosebumps. Hovdungo is the name of two mountain farms/tops in Aurland Municipality (one in Aurland and one in Undredal). So if you are planning to hike either, make sure to specify which one.

The Hovdungo hike in Undredal is a rather strenuous hike, and it will take you 1,5-2 hours to reach the top. The hike is 8,2 kilometres long, from the center of Undredal to the top of the mountain, and the height difference/climb is around 700 metres.

Hovdungo is a mountain farm, with spectacular views of the fjord. As mentioned, this is a heavy hike, but as it doesn’t take more than a couple of hours each way, you can do this in a day trip, and enjoy your (packed) lunch at Hovdungo whilst looking over the Aurlandsfjord.

However, if you want to make this more of an outing, I recommend checking out Ørnareiret! Ørnareiret (English: Eagle’s Nest) is a unique little hut, available for one night’s rental at a time. You will find it a little further up the mountain from Hovdungo (around 250 metres higher up). You can book this stay here. This is the perfect place for those who love being one with nature, and want to fall asleep under the stars (and wake up as the sun rises).

Here is a map of the hike to Hovdungo to Ørnareiret.

#10 Stokko

Hovdungo (and Ørnareiret) is one of the most popular hikes in the area, but there are several other great ones in Undredal. So I wanted to mention another hike worth knowing about, and that is suitable for those looking for a different activity level. Not everyone is up for hiking to Hovdungo (above), and so perhaps the hike to Stokko is more to your liking?

This is an easier and shorter hike, and perfect if you just have a couple of hours to spend. The walk/hike to Stokko follows a tractor road along the fjord from Undredal to Stokko, around 2 kilometres along the fjord towards Stigen Farm.

The tractor road eventually ends, and is replaced by a narrow pathway. The whole time it follows the fjord without too much elevation, so this is a beautiful fjord walk that is suitable for most people.

How to get to Undredal

Undredal is reachable by car, bus and boat. From Flåm, it is a 15-minute drive to Undredal. From Aurland, the drive is 25 minutes.

If you want to visit Undredal using public transportation, this is best done by water. From Bergen, the express boat to Flåm makes a stop in Undredal if you notify them in advance, and the fjord cruise between Gudvangen and Flåm also stops here.

By bus, the nearest bus stop to Undredal is at Langhuso, along the main road (E16). From there, it is still a 8-10 minute drive to the village of Undredal (or a nice, 45-minute walk if you prefer).

Where to stay in Undredal

As I have mentioned several times throughout this guide, Undredal is a small village. As a result, there are only a handful of places to stay. However, if you manage to book one of them, Undredal might be the perfect place for you to relax and escape real life. Below is a list of places to stay in Undredal:

• Ørnareiret above Hovdungo (as mentioned above)
• Undredal Camping (contact them on booking@visitundredal.no to book)
• Apartments by Visit Undredal
• Undredal Guest House

Booking.com

When to go / The Best time to Visit Undredal

The high season for visiting Undredal is June to August, however visiting in May and September is also great. Most of the activities and things to do in the village are closed or inaccessible in the winter months (for example, Eldhuset is only open upon request and the hike to Hovdungo won’t be possible in the snow). So, travelling in the summer months is the best time to visit.

However, if you are visiting the fjords in the winter, don’t skip Undredal! It is still a beautiful place in the winter months, so if you are looking for serenity and calm, this is the perfect village for you.

Is it Undredal or Underdal? A note on spelling

If you keep seeing different spellings of the name Undredal, you aren’t alone. I thought I’d add this in to my guide, as I keep getting questions about it (and used to ask the questions myself).

There are three spellings you will come across: Undredal, Underdal and (less commonly) Undr’dal.

The latter, Undr’dal is said to be the old form of writing (and pronouncing) the village name. However, through the years, this became Underdal. Underdal is what has been written in the old church books and lists over baptisms and marriages in the village.

Thus, the last name deriving from the village is Underdal. However, Undredal became the official village name. So, when you read Underdal somewhere, it is in reference to a person with Underdal as their last name. When you read Undredal, it is the village.

I hope this was helpful!

Undredal, Norway FAQ