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We visited Briksdalsbreen and Kjenndal Glacier on the same Norway road trip day, and they felt like two very different glacier stops.
If you only have time for one, we would choose Briksdalsbreen.
It has the easier setup, a scenic but manageable walk and the option to use the Troll Car if you do not want to walk the full route.
Kjenndal Glacier felt quieter, more remote and much less visited.
The drive there was beautiful, with waterfalls running down the mountainsides, but the weather had turned wet by the time we arrived and visibility was not at its best.
We were still glad we visited both.
But if you are trying to decide between Briksdalsbreen and Kjenndal Glacier, the right choice depends on how much time you have, how confident you feel with the drive, what the weather is doing, and whether you want facilities or a quieter glacier stop.
This should help you decide which glacier is worth adding to your Norway itinerary, or whether it is worth making time for both.
Quick Verdict: Briksdalsbreen Or Kjenndal Glacier?
Choose Briksdalsbreen if:
You want the easier glacier visit, with better facilities, food options, toilets, paid parking, a scenic walk and the option to use the Troll Car.
Choose Kjenndal Glacier if:
You want somewhere quieter, more remote-feeling and you are happy with fewer facilities.
If you only have time for one:
We would choose Briksdalsbreen.
If you have time for both:
We were glad we visited both, especially because the drive to Kjenndal Glacier was scenic and peaceful.
Our honest verdict:
Briksdalsbreen gave us the better overall experience, but Kjenndal Glacier was still worth adding because it felt so quiet and remote.
How We Visited Both Glaciers In One Day
We visited Briksdalsbreen first, then drove on to Kjenndal Glacier later the same day.
This worked because we had our own car and were already travelling through this part of Norway on a road trip.
We had driven from Polfoss and came off Route 15 onto a scenic mountain road, which ended up being one of the most memorable drives of our trip.
Briksdalsbreen was the more straightforward stop logistically.
We arrived, parked in the paid car park, used the facilities, had food at the café bar and then walked to the glacier.
Afterwards, we continued towards Kjenndal Glacier.
That second part of the day felt more like a scenic detour than a main visitor attraction, with a narrower road, passing places, waterfalls along the cliffs and far fewer people.
There was a toll on the road to Kjenndal Glacier, which we paid on the way back out.
By the time we reached the car park, the weather had turned wetter, so the stop felt more remote and less polished than Briksdalsbreen.
For us, visiting both in one day made sense because the drive itself was part of the experience.
Glacier days like this fit more comfortably into two weeks of Norway’s best stops and scenery, when you have enough time for the walks, scenic detours and slower mountain roads.
Briksdalsbreen Glacier: What To Expect
Briksdalsbreen is the better-known and easier glacier stop, but it did not feel overly touristy when we visited.
Briksdalsbreen is an arm of Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier on mainland Europe, and sits within Jostedalsbreen National Park.
The glacier drops down into Briksdalen, a lush valley shaped by ice, waterfalls and meltwater over thousands of years.
It has retreated a lot over time, which is why the walk includes markers showing where the glacier once reached.
Visiting Briksdalsbreen was straightforward for us.
We arrived by car, parked in the paid car park near Briksdalsbre Fjellstove, then had food in the café bar before starting the walk.
There were good facilities here, including toilets, parking and several places to eat. Paid parking, food and optional transport such as the Troll Car are all worth including when considering how to work out a realistic Norway budget, particularly when several scenic stops have their own smaller charges.
That made Briksdalsbreen feel like the easier glacier to build into a road trip day, especially in changeable weather.
Glacier visits are also a good example of what each season in Norway feels like on the road, as access, visibility and walking conditions can vary considerably with the weather.
Good to know: there is a bit of a slope from the car park up towards the main visitor area.
If you have limited mobility, that first part may be worth bearing in mind.
From Briksdalsbre Fjellstove, you can either walk to the glacier or pay for the Troll Car.
You can check current Troll Car times, prices and visitor information on the official Briksdalsbre Fjellstove website before you go.
We chose to walk.
It was spitting with rain when we arrived, and the Troll Cars only seemed to be covered on the roof, with the sides still open.
We also wanted to do the walk properly, rather than be driven most of the way.
The walk took us about 45 minutes each way.
It felt steady and easy rather than tiring, with a wide path, river views, waterfalls and mountain scenery along the route.
Along the walk, we especially liked:
- crossing near Kleivafossen waterfall
- getting sprayed by the waterfall mist
- stopping to look at the potholes
- seeing the glacier retreat markers
- the views from the small bridge before the final stretch
Kleivafossen was one of the most memorable parts of the walk.
You get properly sprayed by the mist as you pass, so it is both fun and slightly chaotic if you are trying not to get soaked.
The glacier retreat markers also made the walk feel more meaningful, because you could see how much the landscape has changed over time.
When we reached the glacier viewpoint, there were only around 10 other people there.
There is a beach-like area near the lake where you could sit for a picnic, and the whole place felt quiet and scenic rather than crowded.
Because the glacier no longer reaches as far down the valley as it once did, it may not look as huge or dramatic as some older glacier photos suggest.
But the whole experience, with the walk, waterfalls, lake, facilities and mountain setting, made it a very worthwhile stop for us.
Kjenndal Glacier: What To Expect
Kjenndal Glacier, or Kjenndalsbreen, is another glacier arm of Jostedalsbreen.
It sits at the end of Kjenndalen, beyond Loen and Lovatnet, and the drive in is a big part of the experience.
The drive:
After visiting Briksdalsbreen, we drove on towards Kjenndal Glacier.
The road was very scenic, with mountains, cliffs and small waterfalls running down the rock faces. This stretch gave us a particularly memorable example of what it’s like driving through Norway’s landscapes, where the journey can feel just as worthwhile as the place at the end.
It felt narrow in places and eventually turned into more of a gravel road, but there were passing places if you met another vehicle.
Roads like this are worth bearing in mind when choosing the right vehicle for a Norway trip, as a reasonably compact car can feel easier when meeting other traffic on narrower scenic routes.
The toll:
There is a toll road into Kjenndalen.
We paid 100 NOK through YouPark as we left, which felt a bit steep for what was ultimately a short stop in poor weather. Knowing how to avoid being caught out by tolls in Norway is useful on smaller scenic roads like this, where the payment process may not be obvious when you first drive through.
Facilities:
At the glacier car park, there was parking, but no real visitor facilities that we noticed.
There was no café, toilet or visitor centre at the glacier car park itself.
The walk:
From the car park, it was a short and easy walk towards the viewpoint.
It took around 15 minutes and felt more like a gentle stroll than a proper glacier hike.
You cannot get right up close to Kjenndal Glacier, but you can still see it from the viewpoint at the end of the path.
Our experience:
By the time we arrived, the weather had changed from spitting rain to proper rain, and visibility was not great.
Staying closer to the glacier areas can give you more flexibility when planning overnight stops in Norway, particularly if you want to adjust your visit around changing weather and visibility.
Because of that, Kjenndal Glacier probably did not show itself at its best for us.
We would have explored more if the weather had been better.
Even so, we were glad we went.
Kjenndal Glacier felt:
- quieter than Briksdalsbreen
- more remote
- less set up for visitors
- more dependent on good weather
- worth considering if you enjoy scenic drives
It is not the glacier we would choose if you only have time for one.
But if you have a car, enough time, and you enjoy scenic drives as much as the actual stop, Kjenndal Glacier is worth considering.
Briksdalsbreen Vs Kjenndal Glacier: Key Differences
If you are trying to choose between Briksdalsbreen and Kjenndal Glacier, the biggest differences are access, facilities, walking time and how remote each stop feels.
| Question | Briksdalsbreen | Kjenndal |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | More first-time visitors | Quieter, more remote-feeling stop |
| Facilities | Toilets, food, parking and visitor setup | Parking only at the glacier car park |
| Walk | Around 45 minutes each way for us | Around 15 minutes from the car park |
| Transport Option | Troll Car available | No shuttle |
| Road Access | Easier and more straightforward | Narrower, with toll road |
| Crowds | Quiet when we visited, but more popular | We saw no one else |
| Weather Impact | Still worked well in light rain | More affected by poor visibility |
| Overall Feel | Scenic, accessible and complete | Peaceful, simple and remote |
If you want to visit both in one day, do Briksdalsbreen first. Visiting both glaciers makes most sense as part of a scenic route for travellers with a bit more time, rather than squeezing the detour into an already packed driving day.
That way, you can do the longer walk, use the facilities and eat before continuing to Kjenndal Glacier.
Kjenndal works better as the quieter second stop, especially if you are driving and the weather is still clear enough to make the detour worthwhile.
Deciding whether to include 1 glacier or both is part of the step-by-step process for planning Norway, as the extra driving time needs to make sense within the rest of your route.
FAQs About Briksdalsbreen And Kjenndal Glacier
Is Briksdalsbreen Worth Visiting?
Yes, Briksdalsbreen is worth visiting if you want a scenic glacier walk with good facilities, waterfalls, mountain views and the option to use the Troll Car.
The glacier itself has retreated a lot, but the whole experience still felt very worthwhile to us.
How Long Is The Walk To Briksdalsbreen?
The walk to Briksdalsbreen took us about 45 minutes each way.
It felt steady and manageable rather than difficult, with a wide path, waterfalls, river views and glacier retreat markers along the route.
Do You Need To Take The Troll Car To Briksdalsbreen?
No, you do not need to take the Troll Car if you are happy walking.
We chose to walk because the route was scenic and manageable, although the Troll Car is useful if you want to avoid most of the uphill walk.
Is Kjenndal Glacier Worth Visiting?
Kjenndal Glacier is worth visiting if you have a car, enough time and enjoy quieter, more remote-feeling stops.
It has fewer facilities than Briksdalsbreen, and you cannot get very close to the glacier, but the drive and peaceful setting made it worth adding for us.
Can You Visit Briksdalsbreen And Kjenndal Glacier In One Day?
Yes, you can visit Briksdalsbreen and Kjenndal Glacier in one day if you have your own car and enough time.
We would visit Briksdalsbreen first, then treat Kjenndal Glacier as the quieter scenic add-on afterwards.
Which Is Better, Briksdalsbreen Or Kjenndal Glacier?
For most visitors, Briksdalsbreen is the better choice.
It has easier access, better facilities, a more scenic walk and the Troll Car option. Kjenndal Glacier is better if you want somewhere quieter and more remote.
Planning More Scenic Stops In Norway
Briksdalsbreen and Kjenndal Glacier worked well for us because they fitted naturally into a bigger Norway road trip day.
The glaciers were memorable, but so was the driving between them, especially the mountain roads, waterfalls and quiet valleys along the way.
If you are continuing through this part of Norway, it is also worth deciding if this fjord stop is worth prioritising, particularly if Geiranger could fit naturally alongside your glacier and mountain-road days.
Meet Angela
Angela is the founder and writer of GlobalGadding, a travel resource for road-trip lovers and independent travellers.
She’s explored 40+ countries, and road tripped across New Zealand, Alaska, Australia, Canada, UK, Sri Lanka, USA, Namibia, and Europe.
She creates detailed, easy-to-follow itineraries that take the stress out of planning. Her mission is to help readers craft their own self-drive trips.