FjordSafari - Flam Guide Service AS — Attraction in Aurland

Disappointing Experience with Fjord Safari – Poor Coordination and Zero Flexibility

We recently traveled from the U.S. to Norway and booked a high-speed boat tour with Fjord Safari from Flåm to Gudvangen for our family of nine, as part of a package coordinated by Norway Active. The fjord experience was a major highlight of our trip, but sadly, it became one of our biggest disappointments.

Our itinerary included a scenic train to Myrdal followed by a bike ride to Flåm—an activity coordinated as part of the same package. Unfortunately, due to the natural timing of this self-guided portion and unclear logistics, we arrived at the Fjord Safari dock at 12:03 PM, just three minutes past the 12:00 departure. At the dock, we were told we had missed the boat and were informed of a mandatory 20-minute early check-in—a detail that was not communicated clearly in advance by either Fjord Safari or Norway Active.

Adding to the frustration, both boats had just left and we could see they were fully loaded, but the staff said they couldn’t call them back and there were no later departures available. We later learned from our booking agent that Fjord Safari claimed the seats were not filled, contradicting what we witnessed with our own eyes. This was incredibly disheartening and felt, frankly, dishonest.

What’s most disappointing is Fjord Safari’s lack of customer support or accountability. There was no proactive attempt to contact our booking agent, Knut Aarbakke, who has a working relationship with them and coordinated our trip. For a group of nine people—the majority of one boat’s capacity—you would expect at least a courtesy call or a brief hold. Instead, our seats were forfeited without effort or flexibility, and no refund was provided. We had to pay out-of-pocket for taxis to Gudvangen and missed the fjord tour entirely.

Fjord Safari later responded that the boats we saw were “private charters,” and reiterated that they could not delay departures due to safety regulations. While we respect the importance of safety and schedules, the way this situation was handled—especially for a large, pre-booked group traveling internationally—felt impersonal and dismissive.

Bottom line: While the fjords are spectacular and this tour might be great under the right circumstances, Fjord Safari showed zero flexibility or care when something went wrong. If you’re booking as part of a package or coming from a more complex itinerary, be very cautious. Missed minutes cost us hundreds of dollars and a once-in-a-lifetime experience—with no meaningful effort from Fjord Safari to make...

This morning, me and my husband were boarded with the MSC Euribia at Flam port. At 08:00, we decided to take the first tour—an extended fjord safari with Fjord Safari—at 09:15. First of all, despite the early hour, the crew was very friendly, greeting us and providing everything we needed to stay warm: goggles, gloves, waterproof overalls, additional sweatpants, and, of course, a life jacket for safety. The seats in the boat were well-balanced throughout the ride, so the two hours passed smoothly.

Our guide and captain, Robbie, was amazing. I highly recommend choosing his group if you have the option. I don't want to be disrespectful to the others, as I haven't experienced the other guides, but I am particularly interested in marine mammals, and Robbie made sure to let us know each time he spotted a seal. He even provided binoculars during the tour. We were incredibly lucky to see a breaching common dolphin on our round trip. Robbie was so kind to slow down whenever he spotted a mammal, which I found very respectful towards nature.

He explained each stop in great historical detail and shared any mythical stories related to the locations. He is an amazing storyteller! All in all, don’t waste any time—reserve your spot. This is something you shouldn’t miss if you're coming here. It's the best way to see the fjords. Thank you, team, for this incredible...

Wauw! This was GREAT! if you can, don't doubt and do this. It worth the money, we found. This was an amazing experience! Watch out: if you booked the extended version, like we did, the tour starts in Aurland, NOT in Flam. You drive to the centre of Aurland and close to the Spar, you take the narrow path to the water. Special thanks to Bjorn, according to my son the best boat driver in the world and I have to agree 😄. We did this with kids (7 and 10) and were on the water for 2,5h. Very relaxed and chill atmosphere. Safety is very well taking care of and Bjorn keeps checking during the entire trip how everybody is doing. He really makes sure that everybody has a personal experience. Especially the small ones. He tells good stories about the fjords, funny and educational. My kids loved how he navigates the waves of the big cruises so the boat goes a little more wild. We were lucky as storm was predicted but the weather turned out pretty sunny. Nonetheless dress warm, you get a warm suit at departure but it can be pretty cold on the water. There is a public toilet in the centre, opposite the church and also in the Spar shop. The parking at the church is paying area, in the...