Steamboat along Byglandsfjord & Open Air Museum

by coach, steamboat & on foot

Norway is famous for its breathtaking fjords, and the south is one of the best places to enjoy a unique form of cruising. This experience will take you on a drive from the pier in the city up the Setesdalen valley, where you’ll get an impressive look at beautiful Norwegian nature, passing several waterfalls and stunning scenery along the way.

Arriving in the village of Bygland you will board the vintage steamboat named SS Bjoren for a scenic cruise on the fjord. You will have the opportunity to take in the majestic mountains encircling the lake. SS Bjoren is Norway’s only wood-fuelled steamboat still in service that travels the route between Byglandsfjord and Bygland Ose on the lake Byglandsfjord in the Setesdal valley. Using wood to fuel the steam engine makes Bjoren a unique part of Norway's cultural heritage and a floating technical museum.

On your return to Bygland you will disembark the boat and visit the unique Setesdal museum for a guided tour. This is an open-air museum with old local farm buildings, the oldest dates from the 17th century. You will see a big open-hearth room from 1650 which gives a glimpse into the Middle Ages in Norway. The museum is beautifully located by the lake of Byglandsfjorden.

After this interesting visit, you will re-join your coach for the return journey to the pier