Guidebook
Lonely Planet Norway
Lonely Planet · 2024
Current Lonely Planet covering the western fjords, Hardanger, Geiranger and Telemark roads past Norway's big falls.
Norway · Nærøydalen, Vestland
Kjelfossen
A thread of snowmelt falling in several stages down the sheer wall of the Nærøydalen valley above Gudvangen, where the Nærøyfjord ferries dock. It is among Norway's tallest waterfalls and one of the easiest giants to see, straight from the roadside.
Among Norway's tallest waterfalls, above the Nærøyfjord Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Kjelfossen drops 755 metres (2,477 ft) on the Kjelfossen stream. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Gudvangen, with BGO the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a tiered waterfall, a series of distinct drops, one below the other.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Kjelfossen itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Gudvangen are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Snowmelt-fed: fullest May to July, thinning to threads by late summer.
Entry: Free; seen from the E16 road and the Gudvangen fjord terminal
Getting there
- Base town Gudvangen
- Airport BGO
- Country Norway
- Region Nærøydalen, Vestland, Nordics & Baltics, Europe
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Kjelfossen
Norway
Height755 mWidth—
Most similar
Vinnufossen
Norway
Height845 mWidth—
Also a tiered waterfall, of similar height and in Norway too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
330 m
755 m
845 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerKjelfossenVinnufossenAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 1.3× taller than Kjelfossen. It drops 7.0× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Kjelfossen yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Kjelfossen
2:14
1:02
1:46
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
Guidebook
DK Eyewitness Norway
DK Eyewitness · 2024
Illustrated Norway guide, good for planning fjord drives such as Geiranger and Hardanger.
On the map
60.8741, 6.8571
Quick answers
Where is Kjelfossen?
Kjelfossen is in Norway (Nærøydalen, Vestland). The nearest base is Gudvangen and the closest airport is BGO. Its coordinates are 60.8741, 6.8571.
How tall is Kjelfossen?
Kjelfossen drops 755 metres (2,477 feet). It is a tiered-type waterfall on the Kjelfossen stream.
When is the best time to visit Kjelfossen?
Peak flow is May to July. Snowmelt-fed: fullest May to July, thinning to threads by late summer.
What can you do at Kjelfossen?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Kjelfossen?
The usual base is Gudvangen, and the closest airport is BGO. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Free; seen from the E16 road and the Gudvangen fjord terminal.
Nearby
Closest to Kjelfossen
Stalheimsfossen
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Rjoandefossen
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Kjosfossen
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Tvindefossen
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