A waterfall, a combination of the basic elements of nature: earth, water, and air, turns into a magical spectacle in the presence of man. You must agree: watching tons of water falling down with tremendous velocity, accompanied by discordant accompaniment, is an incomparable pleasure. For many people, watching a waterfall has a calming effect, often bordering on trance.
There are several hundred waterfalls (foss) in Norway, and each of them is beautiful and unique in its own way. In our rating we will take part only the most famous of them, and the main criterion for evaluation will be the total height of water fall.
Opened our top number 7 falls Vettisfossen, which since 1924 is protected. The height of the free fall of water is 275 meters. This height is enough to turn a huge mass of water into a wet cloud, for which tourists call Vettisfossen “silent” in comparison to its noisy counterparts. This unique object is located in Western Norway, deep in the Sognefjorden, fed by the waters of a tributary of the Utla River. The nearest settlement is Øvre Årdal.
You can admire the wonder of nature all year round, as Vettisfossen is one of the few waterfalls that do not have a hydroelectric power plant (HEPP). Every traveler who goes hiking in Jotunheimen National Park cannot resist the temptation to look into the Sogne Fjord Gorge and enjoy the pristine wilderness area.
The sixth place is occupied by Turlifossen waterfall, the total height of which is almost 400 meters, and its width – 18 meters. It is fed from a small glacier, located in the southern part of Sogne-fjord. Terlifossen flows near the town of Aurlandsvangen, just 300 meters from the famous attraction: the world’s longest Lerdahl tunnel length of 24.5 kilometers. Therefore, many tourists (and residents of the neighboring city) simply fly past the waterfall without paying attention to this stunning sight.
In winter, Terlifossen turns into a huge block of ice, which deserves wide popularity among ice climbers. And for “ordinary” people the waterfall shows its beauty during 9 months of the year. And now you, knowing about Terlifossen, will be able to feel all the power of an inconspicuous waterfall and avoid the mistake of most uninformed tourists.
The next cascading waterfall – Langfossen – impresses not only by its height of 612 meters, but also by its width – 76 meters (!). This fact gives him a stable fifth place among the waterfalls in Norway and in our rating. It is located on the river Vaulaelva in the west of the country in the municipality of Etne.
Among competing waterfalls Langfossen stands out for its unceasing flow of water throughout the year. Also worthy of note is its convenient location: at the very base of the waterfall runs the European Route E134, which offers a wonderful view of the reunion of Langfossen with the mirror-like waters of the Akra Fjord.
In fourth place is Mardalsfossen, which literally translates from Norwegian means: Mara – “dig”, dal – “valley”, foss – “waterfall”. It is one of the ten largest waterfalls in Europe. Its total height, depending on the method of measurement, is from 645 to 705 meters, and the height of the free fall of water – from 250 to 320 meters. The waterfall is located in the municipality of Nesset of Møre og Romsdal.
If you get to see the giant between June 20 and August 20 you are lucky! The reason for this is simple: the rest of the year the water from Mardalsfossen flows through the hydrosystem installed upstream of the hydroelectric power plant.
We are close to the top three finalists and the bronze medal goes to Mongefossen, aka “The Falls on the Monge River”. With a height of about 773 meters, this Norwegian landmark is one of the ten highest waterfalls in the world. Like many waterfalls in Norway, Mongefossen is used to generate energy through hydroelectric power. Therefore, during the tourist summer season there is a significant reduction in water flow.
It is located in the municipality of Røuma in the province of Møre og Romsdal. Mongefossen’s trump card against other waterfalls is the nearby Röuma railway line. Everyone can take advantage of this advantage: just step onto the platform of the railway station, where you will get an unforgettable view of the “Falls on the Monge River”.
In second place is the cascade waterfall that flows from the Ramnefjellet mountain from a height of 818 meters, and its biggest drop is 600 meters. In addition to the silver medal for second place in our top list, Ramnefjellsfossen is the 12th highest waterfall in the world. It starts at the edge of Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier in mainland Europe, with an area of 487 square kilometers. The nearest settlement is the village of Loen.
The view of the surrounding nature with the crystal-clear Lovatnet Lake, into which Ramnefjellsfossen flows, inspires inner peace and harmony. And only the information boards near the lake plunge us deeper into history, where we find evidence of two deadly tsunamis resulting from the partial collapse of Mount Ramnefjellnet. The first 40-meter wave washed away the nearby village in 1905, and the second, 70 meters high, confirmed the power of natural elements in 1936. In the end more than 100 people died. Today, tourists from all over the world come here to admire the peaceful yet powerful scenery of Mount Ramnefjellet.
The leader of our top, the highest waterfall in Europe and the 6th highest cascading waterfall in the world is Vinnufossen. The water of this giant falls from 860 meters, and its highest stage is 420 meters. Falling from Mount Vinnufjellet, the waterfall is part of the Vinnu River. In the spring and summer melt water from the Vinnufonna glacier makes it the most full and beautiful.
The waterfall is located east of the village of Sundalsora in Møre og Romsdal. An unquestionable advantage of the waterfall is its location: just a short walk from Route 70, you can admire the European champion of waterfalls and feel the drops of meltwater from the hidden glacier on your skin.
