While Norway might be famous for its breathtaking fjords, some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes can be found in other regions. The geological formations, created as glacial ice retreated and carved out the deep, narrow inlets with walls of precipitous drops, are some of the most breathtaking on Earth. The unique mix of towering cliffs, peaceful waters, and surrounding wilderness makes fjords a heaven for photographers and nature enthusiasts.
Here is a list of 20 beautiful fjords outside Norway that deserve equal recognition for their breathtaking beauty and distinctive features.
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Milford Sound, located in Fiordland National Park on New Zealand’s South Island, is often called the ‘eighth wonder of the world.’ The dramatic landscape features cliffs rising more than 3,900 feet from the dark waters, with waterfalls cascading down during rainfall.
The area receives incredibly high precipitation, which creates temporary waterfalls that appear like silver threads against the dark rock face.
Tracy Arm Fjord, USA
Located south of Juneau in Alaska, Tracy Arm Fjord stretches over 30 miles long and is surrounded by towering granite walls that reach 3,000 feet high. The waters are dotted with floating icebergs calved from the twin Sawyer Glaciers at the end of the fjord.
Wildlife spotting opportunities abound, with the possibility to see harbor seals, mountain goats, and even whales swimming through these pristine waters.
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Scoresby Sund, Greenland
Scoresby Sund is the largest fjord system in the world, extending roughly 220 miles into Greenland’s eastern coast. Its massive size encompasses numerous smaller fjords and islands within its boundaries.
The stark beauty comes from the contrast between multi-colored icebergs, red-tinged mountains, and the occasional Arctic wildlife against vast expanses of ice and water.
Chilean Fjords, Chile
The southern coast of Chile features an extensive network of fjords and channels stretching over 1,000 miles from Puerto Montt to Cape Horn. These waterways wind through the Patagonian wilderness, featuring ancient forests that come right to the water’s edge.
Many of these fjords can only be accessed by boat, preserving their pristine nature and the diverse ecosystems they support.
Western Brook Pond, Canada
The rugged coastline of Newfoundland and Labrador features the spectacular Western Brook Pond, a landlocked fjord that cuts deeply into the Long Range Mountains. Massive cliffs tower above crystal-clear waters that reflect the surrounding landscape like a mirror.
The area maintains a wild, untamed feeling with few settlements along its shores, allowing visitors to experience nature in its purest form.
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Kenai Fjords, USA
Found along the edge of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, these fjords are part of Kenai Fjords National Park and showcase the power of glacial carving. Nearly 40 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield into these marine valleys.
The interaction between ice, land, and sea creates a dynamic environment where visitors can witness active glacial calving—massive chunks of ice breaking off and crashing into the waters below.
Dusky Sound, New Zealand
Located on New Zealand’s South Island in Fiordland National Park, Dusky Sound offers a more secluded experience than its famous neighbors. The waters here are remarkably deep, reaching nearly 1,300 feet in some places.
Ancient forests cling to near-vertical cliff faces, creating a lush green contrast to the dark blue waters below.
Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
Iceland’s dramatic Seyðisfjörður is located on the eastern coast of the island. It features black volcanic cliffs that plunge into deep, cold waters. The stark contrast between snow-capped peaks and the dark waters creates a moody, atmospheric landscape that changes with the weather.
Geothermal activity in the region adds another dimension, with steam occasionally rising from the landscape.
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Misty Fjords, USA
Part of the Tongass National Forest in southeastern Alaska, Misty Fjords National Monument, lives up to its name. Frequent fog creates a mystical atmosphere. Vertical granite cliffs rise 3,000 feet above sea level, with some extending an additional 1,000 feet below the water’s surface.
The area receives abundant rainfall, supporting lush forests and feeding countless waterfalls.
Doubtful Sound, New Zealand
Doubtful Sound is the deeper and more serene cousin to Milford Sound, located in Fiordland National Park. Its remote location means fewer visitors, allowing for a more peaceful experience surrounded by ancient rainforests and cascading waterfalls.
The sound is a complex of inlets, islands, and coves that create endless opportunities for exploration and discovery.
Comau Fjord, Chile
Located in northern Patagonia, Comau Fjord is unique for its thriving cold-water coral communities, which thrive despite challenging conditions. The fjord cuts through the Andes mountains, with temperate rainforests covering the steep slopes.
Local communities maintain traditional fishing practices that have evolved in harmony with this special marine environment.
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Tufjord, Svalbard
The remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard features the stunning Tufjord, where ice-blue glaciers meet the dark waters of the Arctic Ocean. The landscape is transformed into a monochromatic wonderland during winter, while summer brings the midnight sun, which bathes everything in golden light.
The fjord is an important habitat for Arctic wildlife, including polar bears and walruses.
Saguenay Fjord, Canada
The Saguenay Fjord stretches 65 miles from Saguenay to the St. Lawrence River, cutting through Quebec’s forested landscape. This fjord’s remarkable feature is its unusual layered water structure, with fresh water from the Saguenay River flowing atop the saltwater from the St. Lawrence.
This unique environment supports diverse marine life, including a resident population of beluga whales.
Nancy Sound, New Zealand
Captain Cook sailed near Nancy Sound during his voyage of discovery, noting the area’s remarkable tranquility. This remote fjord in Fiordland National Park remains one of the most isolated and pristine in the region.
Conservation efforts have restored many small islands within the sound to their pre-human condition, allowing native birds and plants to thrive again.
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Prince William Sound, USA
Prince William Sound contains many fjords formed by receding glaciers in southcentral Alaska. One of the world’s fastest-moving glaciers, the Columbia Glacier, consistently calves huge icebergs into the sound.
The region has recovered impressively from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, and rich wildlife teems in these bountiful waters.
Nordvest Fjord, Greenland
Nordvest Fjord is a part of Northeast Greenland National Park and boasts some of the highest coastal cliffs on the planet, which rise over 6,500 feet from the sea level. Huge icebergs, much bigger than buildings, float along the fjord throughout the year.
Due to its remote nature, human presence is scarce, and this untainted wilderness remains largely unaltered.
Tasermiut Fjord, Greenland
Often called the ‘Arctic Patagonia,’ Tasermiut Fjord in southern Greenland attracts climbers from around the world who come to scale its sheer granite walls. The fjord is flanked by three of Greenland’s most challenging peaks: Ulamertorsuaq, Ketil, and Tinniteertuup.
Ancient Norse ruins, remnants of the earliest European settlements in North America, can be found along the shores.
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Knight Inlet, Canada
British Columbia’s shoreline boasts the dramatic Knight Inlet, where coastal ranges drop precipitously into the Pacific Ocean. The landscape is dominated by old-growth temperate rainforests, where giant cedar trees stand for centuries.
For thousands of years, First Nations people have inhabited these shores, establishing intimate relationships with the cycles of this dynamic ecosystem.
Preservation Inlet, New Zealand
Linked to the greater Fiordland system, Preservation Inlet provides a more personal fjord experience with less spacious passages and steeper surrounding peaks. The clear water is an ideal mirror, reflecting magnificent images of the surrounding mountains and sky.
Early morning mist frequently lingers a few centimeters above the water’s surface, adding mystery to the magical scene.
Beagle Channel, Argentina/Chile
The Beagle Channel, named after Charles Darwin’s historic ship, borders the southern coast of Tierra del Fuego, part of the border between Chile and Argentina. The channel cuts through subpolar forests, mountains, and many small islands.
Darwin’s meticulous descriptions of this region played an important role in his concepts of natural selection and evolution.
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The Enduring Beauty of Earth’s Fjords
These breathtaking geological formations remind us of the dynamic nature of our world and the huge forces that have shaped its surface over millions of years. From the frozen fjords of Greenland to the temperate fjords of New Zealand, every location has its unique character yet shares the necessary beauty that renders fjords irresistible.
As global climate change impacts continue to take increasingly heavier tolls on our world, such vulnerable ecosystems are crucial ecological barometers and reservoirs of diversity that must be preserved for future generations.
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