Luster

Luster is a district in Sogn og Fjordane county. Luster sits right at the intersection of central alpine mountains, great glaciers and the iconic fjords. Luster is also the name of one of the villages. The great Luster fjord, a major branch of Sognefjord, is surrounded by Jostedalsbreen, Breheimen and Jotunheimen.

Skjolden is known for Ludwig Wittgenstein's lodge and Urnes is a UNESCO world heritage site. Luster offers all of Norway's grand nature as well as some of the finest cultural heritage.

Understand
Luster is at the inner (eastern) end of the 204 km (127 mi) long Sognefjord. Parts of Jotunheimen (Norway's high alpine summits) and Jostedalsbreen (Norway's great glacier) are within Luster municipality. Luster's grand nature is created at the intersection of Norway's largest fjord, largest glacier and tallest mountains. Numerous rivers transport "thick" (opaque) glacial meltwater to lakes and to the fjord, giving fjords and lakes a milky turquoise appearance. Luster is also home to numerous pretty waterfalls. Luster fjord (Lustrafjorden), easily recognized by its emerald-turquoise color, is a major arm of the great Sognefjord, and is more than 600 meters deep at Urnes. The area is sparsely populated, and is primarily glaciers and barren uninhabited mountains.

Some 5,000 inhabitants share more than 2,500 km2, making it a sparsely populated area, built up areas and farm land is limited to narrow shores and narrow valleys. About 15 % of the area is glacier or permanent snow. There are no towns in the area, only small villages and settlements.

Villages

 * Skjolden
 * Dale
 * Gaupne
 * Hafslo
 * Solvorn - once an important trading place, now peaceful village with a fine hotel.

Get in
Luster is in western Norway so overland transport from East Norway runs through mountain passes.

By plane
There is a small airport in Sogndal. The nearest airport with international flights is Bergen airport, while the drive from Oslo airport (Gardermoen) is only slightly longer.

By bus
Seven times daily from Sogndal. Buses twice daily from Lom, July-August only.

By car
Luster is on route 55 between Lom and Sogndal. Route 55 is a national tourist route that includes the Sognefjell mountain pass - Norway's highest public road and closed during winter.

Road 55 connects to the private Tindevegen at Turtagrø, road to Årdal through high mountains.

By ferry
Lustrabaatane is a ferry connecting Solvorn to Ornes (Urnes) respectively on the west and east shore of the fjord. The ferry is running 9 times a day in summer, 4 times in winter and it costs 34 kr per person and 93 kr for vehicles less than. The crossing takes about 15 minutes.

The last ferry of the day is often very crowded, and it is possible that vehicles are left behind. If you just want to visit the church in Urnes from the western (Solvorn) side, do not take your car, but cross as a foot passenger instead — you won’t need a car in Urnes if you can manage to walk up the small hill the church stands on.

Culture


Due to its fame, the stave church in Urnes tends to be quite crowded. You can only access the church through a guided tour, which will give you very good information but also very limited flexibility in discovering the details of the building for yourself (or taking pictures). Plan accordingly.



Do

 * Other hiking:
 * Molden for spectacular views at 1118 m above sea level up and down the Lustrafjord.
 * Solvornnipa for full day hike
 * Other cycling ideas
 * Skjolden-Urnes road
 * Veitastrond
 * Solvornnipa for full day hike
 * Other cycling ideas
 * Skjolden-Urnes road
 * Veitastrond

Go next

 * Route 55 to Lom is a scenic road and named one of 18 national tourist routes of Norway. It is the highest mountain pass in Norway at 1434 m (4705 ft). Closed during the winter (Nov-May). Private road from route 55 at Turtagrø to Årdal.
 * Route 55 to Sogndal.