RIB Geiranger Fjordsafari review
My verdict: the best-rated boat on the fjord, and the one I point people to when they ask what I would do with a single spare hour. 4.8 from 1,320 reviews, a maximum of twelve guests, and a skipper who narrates live instead of an app. No other boat gets as close to the waterfalls or to Skageflå from sea level. The trade: it is a fast open boat, and it is not for everyone — pregnant women and people with back problems should not ride.
Planning your fjord day?Summer departures sell out days ahead, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before. Reserve a spot now, decide later.
Check availabilityWhat the safari is like
A RIB is a rigid inflatable — low, fast and open, so you feel the fjord rather than watch it through glass. The skipper runs the same headline route as the big boats but stops where the big boats cannot: under the Seven Sisters, below the Skageflå ledge, close enough to the falls that the spray reaches you. There are photo stops throughout, and with twelve seats every one of them is a front-row seat. The live guiding is the part reviewers keep coming back to — it is a running conversation, not a recording.
What reviewers say
“Fantastic guide Super Mario.”
— Eule, Germany
“Informative and professional from start to finish.”
— Hind, Saudi Arabia
“Great explanations and a good atmosphere on board.”
— Alberto, Spain
Elena from Germany wrote about “stunning nature and interesting stories”; Katrin noted that her skipper, Jacob, explained everything well; Heike said he showed them many details in the fjord they would have missed. Julia’s summary was shorter: a lot of fun. Across 1,320 reviews the skippers are the recurring reason for the score.
What works
- Closest any tour gets to the waterfalls and the cliff farms
- Twelve guests maximum — no queue for the view
- Live guiding from the skipper, not an audio app
- Photo stops built into the hour
- Life jacket and goggles provided; free cancellation up to 24 h
Worth knowing
- Not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems
- An open boat — you will take wind, and sometimes spray
- One hour on the water, with no cabin to retreat to
- A seat costs more than a seat on the big sightseeing boats
Departures leave at about ten past the hour, and you should be at the meeting point ten minutes early: Maråkvegen 35, Geiranger Brygge — the old boathouse by the fjord centre, about 100 m from the cruise dock.
Who it suits
Anyone fit enough for a bumpy ride who wants the fjord at its most direct — and, because the meeting point is a two-minute walk from the cruise dock, it is the single best fit for a port day; the cruise-passenger guide does the timing maths. The operator provides the safety gear, so dressing for it is mostly about warm layers underneath — see what to wear on the fjord. If the ride itself is the problem, the sightseeing cruise and the waterfall tasting boat cover the same water at a gentler pace.
Other boats to consider
Bucket listGeiranger: Fjord & Waterfalls Sightseeing Cruise
Waterfall tastingGeiranger Fjord Boat Tour with Waterfall Tasting
Full dayÅlesund – Geirangerfjord Round Trip by Hybrid-Electric Boat
Frequently asked questions
Is the RIB safari safe — and who should skip it?
The boats are run by a local operator with life jackets and goggles provided, and the skipper adjusts speed to conditions. The listing is explicit about who should not ride: pregnant women and people with back problems, because a RIB slaps the water at speed. If that rules you out, the regular cruises from Geiranger see the same fjord from a steadier deck.
What should I wear on the RIB?
Warm layers and a windproof outer — the operator adds the life jacket and goggles. Even in July the airflow on an open boat at speed is cold. The packing guide has the full list for every boat type.
Is the RIB better than the sightseeing cruise?
It rates half a point higher and gets much closer to the falls, but it is a different product: one fast hour with twelve people versus a calm deck with a cabin. My review of the sightseeing cruise makes the comparison honestly — families with small children usually belong on the bigger boat.
Where does it leave from?
Geiranger Brygge, the old boathouse by the fjord centre at Maråkvegen 35, about 100 m from the cruise dock. Meet ten minutes before departure; boats leave at roughly ten past the hour in season.