Geo-cruises: glacier science in a hiking format
Beneath the surface of Norway's fjords lies an incredible 1.5 km-deep chronicle of ice: moraines, travelling boulders and the "beds" of ancient glaciers, all of which are polished to a brilliant shine. Geo-Cruise is an amazing combination of the comfort of a cruise with a geologist's outdoor seminar. In the morning, you'll glide past stunning emerald waterfalls, and an hour later, you'll be touching rock that has seen mammoths walk the earth!
The format was born on field scientist forums, and it's an amazing concept! A catamaran takes the group to a narrow pier, where a geologist guide leads a three- to five-hour hike along Norway's hiking trails. Then, in the evening, a lecture on deck turns the landscape into a living cross-section. A light backpack and a digital voice recorder are all you need to get started on your very own "field diary" as part of the amazing Outdoor Adventures Norway programme!
🗺️ Five Proven Geo Routes
| # | Geo-location | What You Will See | Trail / Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nigardsbreen Geo-Loop (Sognefjord) | 17 m glacier-polished “spoons”, blue ice caves, rock-filled rapids | 4 km loop / +120 m; DNT marked; family level |
| 2. | Tafjorden Rock Slide Trail (Norddalsfjord) | Giant 1934 debris, 62 m tsunami deposit; sediment “reading” | 6 km / +350 m to Ramnestind viewpoint; moderate |
| 3. | Folgefonna Moraine Ridge (Hardangerfjord) | Multicoloured moraine stripes; glacier core still moves 11 cm/yr | 8 km / +420 m; crampons recommended in June |
| 4. | Lyngen Erratic Hunt (Lyngenfjord) | 150 t “migrant” boulder carried 30 km; “cat’s tongue” polish | 5 km / +210 m; easy, hand-bike friendly (1 km) |
| 5. | Romsdalen U-Valley Traverse (Romsdalsfjord) | Classic U-shaped valley; see why Trollstigen serpentine mimics rifts | 9 km / +600 m; basic fitness required |
All routes lie within national-park corridors and connect to Norway’s top park hikes.
A day on the Geo-Cruise
08:00 — Deck briefing
The geologist guide distributes field journals, explains terms ("chipped granite," "glacial ridge") and shows the moraine line to be traversed on the map.
10:00 — Disembarkation and trek
The trail starts at the pier; every 500 metres there is a short stop where the guide shows you a polish, transverse scratches and a periglacial "sandbox" — a gravel embankment indicating the direction of ancient ice.
13:00 — Lunch
Lunch on a stone ledge where you can see the boundary between two eras of weathering. Tourists share their observations and record the GPS coordinates in their logbooks.
15:30 — Sample collection and return
Collect permitted "small items" (≤ 50 g according to park rules) and place them in zip-lock bags. The catamaran picks up the group, and a "live" profile of the fjord with your points marked appears on the screen in the cabin.
17:00 — Debrief
Coffee, waffles, analysis of drawings: you can already "read" the landscape without any clues.
🌋 What to Take in Your Geo-Backpack (≤ 6 kg)
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Field notebook A6 + HB pencil | Ink freezes, but pencil writes on wet granite |
| 10× magnifying glass (“geologist’s loupe”) | Reveals ice polish in microcracks |
| GPS tracker / smartphone with Norgeskart offline | Sample locations “linked” to coordinates |
| Handheld pH tester | Bonus experiment: measure acidity of meltwater |
| Liner gloves + membrane | Slippery boulders; water temperature < 5 °C |
| Sealed 1 L bag | Collect micro-sand and small crystals (≤ 50 g) |
Ethics and collection rules
● Do not touch active glacier tongues – any breakage can accelerate melting.
● Do not break boulders: only remove flakes that have fallen off.
● Do not take more than you need: one stone = one story for your field journal.
● Do not leave markers: all points are marked with GPS, not paint.
💰 Kostnad og varighet (2025-retningslinje)
| Tur | Sesong | Varighet | Pris (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigardsbreen Geo-Loop | Juni–september | 1 dag | 1 250 (inkl. lunsj, guide, magasin) |
| Tafjorden Rock Slide | Juli–august | 1 dag | 1 150 |
| Folgefonna Moraine | Juni–september | 1 dag | 1 350 |
| Lofoten Geo Week | Mai, september | 5 dager | 9 900 (dekkhytte) |
Forskjellen mellom kommersielle og NGO-cruise ligger i komforten i kabinene; man kan ikke spare på vitenskapen.
Geo-Cruise will blow your mind! You'll be amazed from the moment you set eyes on the fjord, as you'll be thinking, "Wow, beautiful!" and then, "I know how this granite was polished 20,000 years ago." You'll leave with a newfound sense of connection to the awe-inspiring process that carved these majestic mountains and created these beautiful valleys long before the first tourist arrived.
Plan your adventure, grab your magnifying glass, and share the coordinates of new "story stones" with the magazine: where you found striations, the vibrant colours of the meltwater, and the unique sound of the "glacial creak" under your feet. We are thrilled to announce that your data will be included in our joint field atlas, Norway National Parks. We can't wait to use it to inspire the next voyage, when glacier science will once again take to the deck of the catamaran.
