Langfossen drops 612 metres straight into Åkrafjorden, right next to the E134. You do not need to hike anywhere. You just pull over, get out, and it is right there. Very few major waterfalls in the world are this accessible.
In 2011, CNN named it one of the ten most beautiful waterfalls in the world. That brought attention, but the parking area is still small and can fill up quickly in summer. There is a small pull-off on the road, and a slightly larger area a bit further along.
What makes Langfossen unusual is that it has never been tapped for hydropower. In a country where nearly every waterfall of this size has been diverted into turbines, this one still flows freely. The water spreads across the rock face in stages rather than falling as a single column, which gives it a different character depending on the season. During spring snowmelt it is a wall of white water. By late summer it thins out considerably.
There is a hiking trail to the top, but it is steep and takes 3-4 hours round trip. Most people just enjoy it from below.
In 2011, CNN named it one of the ten most beautiful waterfalls in the world. That brought attention, but the parking area is still small and can fill up quickly in summer. There is a small pull-off on the road, and a slightly larger area a bit further along.
What makes Langfossen unusual is that it has never been tapped for hydropower. In a country where nearly every waterfall of this size has been diverted into turbines, this one still flows freely. The water spreads across the rock face in stages rather than falling as a single column, which gives it a different character depending on the season. During spring snowmelt it is a wall of white water. By late summer it thins out considerably.
There is a hiking trail to the top, but it is steep and takes 3-4 hours round trip. Most people just enjoy it from below.