Top 10 Glaciers in Norway
Norwegian glaciers behave differently from Alpine ones — they sit lower, get fed by enormous winter snowfall from the North Atlantic, and many push tongues of ice almost down to sea level. Most are reached after a short walk from a fjordside road, which makes Norway one of the easiest countries in the world to see a "proper" glacier up close.
1. Jostedalsbreen
Mainland Europe's largest ice cap, around 460 km2, feeds more than fifty outlet glaciers across western Norway. Jostedalen and Briksdal valleys give the easiest road access.
2. Briksdalsbreen
A photogenic outlet of Jostedalsbreen ending in a small lake at 350 m above sea level. A short, well-graded walk from the cafe at Briksdal — the most visited glacier in Norway.
3. Nigardsbreen
Another Jostedalsbreen outlet, in the parallel valley of Jostedalen. Boat ferry across the proglacial lake plus a short walk to the foot of the tongue. Guided glacier walks leave from here.
4. Folgefonna
A three-part ice cap on the Hardanger peninsula. The southern lobe drops ice into Bondhusvatnet and is reached on a classic walk past the Bondhusbreen tongue.
5. Svartisen
Norway's second-largest glacier, north of the Arctic Circle. The eastern arm (Austre Svartisen) calves into Holandsfjorden after a short fjord crossing from Engenbreen — one of the lowest-altitude glacier fronts in mainland Europe.
6. Hardangerjokulen
A small ice cap above Finse station. Featured in "The Empire Strikes Back" as Hoth, and a popular ski-touring traverse.
7. Okstindbreen
An ice cap in the Helgeland mountains, with the Tustervatnet basin holding the longest series of mass balance measurements in northern Norway.
8. Blomstrandbreen
A tidewater glacier on Svalbard — technically not "mainland" Norway, but politically Norwegian and accessible from Ny-Alesund. Listed because no glacier tour of Norway is complete without an Arctic option.
9. Bondhusbreen
The Folgefonna outlet above Sundal. A wide gravel track leads to Bondhusvatnet; the glacier hangs above the lake. Old ice harvesting infrastructure from the 19th century is still visible along the path.
10. Engabreen
The most accessible arm of Svartisen, reached by boat from Holand. Norwegian research stations beneath the ice study basal flow — visits to the lab are sometimes possible.
Best base towns
Stryn for Jostedalsbreen outlets. Odda for Folgefonna. Mo i Rana or Bodo for Svartisen. Each is within a half-day drive of at least three or four major glacier fronts.
Where will you go first?
The interactive map shows every named outlet of Jostedalsbreen and Svartisen — over a hundred in total. Filter to Norway to plan a fjord-and-ice road trip.