Aursjøen

Welcome to Aursjøen, a place where human engineering and the raw, untamed forces of the Norwegian wilderness meet in spectacular fashion. I am delighted to be your guide through this extraordinary high altitude landscape, nestled…

Our journey physically begins here at the lower toll station, the gateway to the formidable Aursjøvegen. To pass this point, travelers must pay a fee of approximately one hundred Norwegian Krone, a modest sum for the privilege of…

We have now reached a magnificent vantage point offering sweeping views down into the Eikesdalen valley, a deep glacial trough characterized by nearly vertical stone walls and thunderous waterfalls. Far below, you can glimpse the…

Prepare yourself for a dramatic shift in sensory experience as we approach one of the most infamous features of the Aursjøvegen, the pitch black mountain tunnel near Finnsetlia. Unlike the highly engineered, brightly illuminated…

We now step away from the gravel road to approach one of the most awe inspiring and terrifying natural lookouts in all of Scandinavia. This is Aurstupet. …

Continuing our journey just a short distance from the road, we arrive at a fascinating geological phenomenon known locally as Jettegryte. Translating roughly to giant's cauldrons, these are perfectly smooth, cylindrical…

Veering off the gravel track, we embark on a short hike across the untracked, spongy tundra. Our destination is an old, weathered mountain cabin, a relic of a time before the modern road brought recreational tourists to this…

Our journey culminates here at the colossal Aursjøen Dam, the very reason the tortuous road we just traveled was built in the first place. As we drive slowly across the crown of the dam, the contrast between the two sides of the…

We conclude our exploration on the high plateau itself, at an elevation of roughly one thousand meters. Here, the landscape flattens out into a vast, lunar expanse of gray stone, stunted vegetation, and scattered pools of…

As our time on the high plateau draws to a close and we prepare for the long, winding descent back toward the fjords, it is worth pausing to reflect on the magnitude of the Aursjøen experience. We have traversed a landscape that…