Tafjord: Hiking, hydropower and unique experiences

Tafjord combines marked trails through the Tafjord Mountains with insights into hydropower history and unique activities by the fjord. Families will find a heated outdoor pool, slides and play equipment at Tafjord Swimming Pool; those who prefer to head for the mountains can choose Tafjord as a gateway to Reinheimen National Park and a starting point for hut-to-hut hikes. Zakariasdammen and the experiences offered by Ville Krefter also give the village its own distinctive character.

Hiking and outdoor activities

Marked trails through the Tafjord Mountains start from Tafjord. The area is popular for hiking and other forms of outdoor recreation in both summer and winter. There are mountain huts in the area run by DNT Ålesund, as well as self-service huts. If you’re planning a trip focused on the mountains, you can use these trails and huts as a guide: Tafjord is a starting point for hut-to-hut hikes in the Tafjord Mountains.

The Tafjorden Explorer Tour offers a different combination of exercise and fjord experiences. It starts at 09:15 from the base at Sjoavegen 21 in Tafjord, covers about 14 kilometres and combines kayaking on the fjord with a hike to an abandoned mountain farm. The distance and early start are useful details to consider when planning this excursion into your holiday day.

Water, the dam and activities

Tafjord Swimming Pool has an outdoor pool heated to 27–31°C, a paddling pool, water slides and play equipment. This makes it a different holiday option from the mountain trails. Ville Krefter offers family-friendly activities such as indoor climbing and escape rooms. The former site of Tafjord 1, now part of Ville Krefter, also has a 20-metre-long pipe slide and a climbing wall with 10 different routes.

Zakariasdammen is a striking place to visit. The dam was built between 1966 and 1969 and rises 96 metres above the valley floor. A purpose-built footpath leads to the top of the dam and offers scenic views; it is suitable for visitors who are not afraid of heights. Rappelling is also offered at the dam as an organised activity in cooperation with Ville Krefter.

Hydropower history and Fundergata

After Tafjord 1 power station was decommissioned in 1989, it was converted into a museum. The original machinery has been preserved in the machine hall. Ville Krefter conveys the power of nature through interactive exhibitions and activities. These include information about the 1934 Tafjord disaster, the development of hydropower in the Tafjord watercourse, and avalanche and landslide activity. Alongside the activities, technology and the history of the landscape are also themes to explore during your stay.

Nearby, in Tafjord, is Fundergata, a distinctive historic streetscape with church barns, houses and a school. It is considered the only preserved ensemble of its kind in the surrounding area. Visitors interested in historic buildings and local streetscapes will find another cultural highlight here, in addition to the power station museum.

Which holiday apartment is right for your holiday?

When choosing your holiday apartment, consider which experiences you want to shape your stay: mountain trails and hut-to-hut hikes, water activities, climbing and escape rooms, or technology and local history. Tafjord offers a range of ways to enjoy your stay, without requiring you to focus on just one activity. For a family trip, you could include the swimming pool and Ville Krefter’s specifically family-friendly activities in your plans; for a trip focused more on nature, the trails and huts in the Tafjord Mountains take centre stage.

More places to explore: Eidsdal, Fjøra, Norddal, Valldal.

Back to the main travel overview: Norddal.