Jondal national park village and Juklafjord Information Centre
An important gateway to Folgefonna is Jondal, the charming national park village. Jondal, situated right on the Hardangerfjord to west of the national park, is known for its beautifully preserved old wooden houses and its venerable boatbuilding traditions. And this is where you find Juklafjord.
Jondal is one of only six villages in Norway to be awarded status as an official national park village. The criteria are that the village has a strong environmental focus, a commitment to sustainable development, and excellent access to the nearby national park. In addition, the national park village of Jondal has strong cultural traditions, with natural and cultural attractions of its own, good accommodation, and offers a wide range of holiday activities. At the Juklafjord Information Centre, experts will gladly give you up-to-date, in-depth answers to all your questions about Folgefonna National Park.
From fjord to glacier – tempting adventures
The national park village of Jondal offers a wide range of services and amenities, making it the perfect base for exploring Folgefonna National Park and the rest of the peninsula. Jondal has exceptionally convenient access to Folgefonna glacier, which is situated just 19 km from the village centre – and you can drive up almost to the glacier’s edge! During the summer there is a daily bus service, up in the morning and down in the afternoon.
You can start the day by skiing the glacier, and in the evening go kayaking on the Hardangerfjord, or enjoy a cup of coffee and the fjord view in Café Juklafjord. Believe it or not, it can get rather hot up on the glacier on a summer day – so afterwards you might consider cooling off with a swim in the fjord! The beach at Vik has a diving board and sanitary facilities, as well as a sand-volleyball court.
At the Juklafjord Centre, you can rent kayaks, canoes, boats and bicycles. Explore one of the trails near the village, which offer GPS-based guiding. Join a guided walk on the glacier! A wide range of regional maps is available, including hiking and bicycling maps.
Juklafjord Information Centre
Juklafjord is the place to get detailed information and to plan your holiday adventures in the area. Under one roof, you will find a pleasant café, the Tourist Information Office, and the customer service centre for Folgefonni Breførarlag; this is the local association of glacier guides who know the area like the back of their hands!
The building that houses the information centre dates from 1895. In 2009, the glacier guides moved the village’s old schoolhouse to a new location on the waterfront, and then lovingly restored the building. The charming café proudly offers the Hardanger Menu – traditional homemade fare based on local ingredients – and a great view of the fjord. The Juklafjord shop sells local products and specialities.
An exhibition that yields many insights
The exhibition Folgefonna and the Fjord Villages casts light on such themes as: the local fjordside villages and hamlets, Folgefonna glacier, climate change, the landscape, the wilderness and the adventures available in it, plus Jondal’s boatbuilding traditions. Ten giant posters show the region’s flora, fauna, geology and cultural landscape, and illustrate other interesting topics. One of the exhibits is a 2×4 metre relief map of the Folgefonn Peninsula, where you can lift up the glaciers and explore the secret lakes and topographical structures hidden beneath the ice layers.
The Drama of the Mountains, an exciting 20-minute multimedia presentation, includes images by some of Western Norway’s finest nature photographers. A second multimedia presentation, Life in the Fjord, yields insight into the unique ecosystem of the nearby fjords.
Activities
Contact
Juklafjord / Jondal tourist information
N-5627 JONDAL
Email: post@visitjondal.no
Tel. 5366 8531 / 9511 7792
www.visitjondal.no