It is kind of special to wake up at the very end of a 110-km (70 mile) long fjord, surrounded by huge snow-capped mountains and fertile grasslands. Welcome to Olden on Norway's spectacular Nordfjord!

The village of Olden is tiny and has just a handful of shops, most of them catering to the locals. But then, you haven't come here for the shopping, have you? Olden is all about the spectacular nature. So why not rent a car (Hertz has an office at nearby Stryn) and discover all that the Nordfjord area has to offer.

The roads along the Nordfjord are remarkably quiet and well-kept, which makes touring a breeze. Only thing to look out for are the sheep in the mostly unlit tunnels. We drove along the north side of the fjord to Lote, where we took a ferry to Anda. Along the way, the views of the fjord and the mountains are nothing less of breathtaking.

As your Captain blows the horn to signal the departure from Olden, listen carefully and you will hear the echo over and over again.

The most popular excursion from Olden leads to the famous Briksdal Glacier, but equally impressive (and icy!) is the Kjenndals Glacier located a mere 20 km (14 miles) east of Olden. The road to the glacier is largely unpaved, but once you're 'shaken but not stirred' a fantastic panorama unfolds of a huge glacier clinging to the rocks.

If you are really adventurous (which we unfortunately are not), you can go ice hiking, glacier exploring, summer skiing and what not.  

The Nordfjord really showed its most friendly face when we visited in early September. The chill was in the air, the first snow could be seen on the mountains but the sun came out in full force. Still, when visiting the Norwegian fjords, expect the weather to be ... ehh ... diverse. Much like Alaska, Norway can be wet and windy. Or calm and sunny! 

Gliding down the Nordfjord after leaving Olden is surely one of the highlights of your cruise. If the weather cooperates, be sure to be out on deck to enjoy the breathtaking scenery as your ships heads back to the open sea; some 110 km (70 m) away.