Nostalgic and elegant boats allow you to experience cultural history, bustling crowds and a constantly changing landscape. The canal still remains almost as it was over one hundred years ago.

Authentic

All in all, the canal consists of 18 lock chambers, lifting the boats from 0 to 72 metres above sea level during the trip from the sea to the mountains of Telemark. A bus service brings you back to your starting point.

Many possibilities

On the Telemark Canal you can choose between trips lasting from 2 to 11 hours, and there are a number of possible combinations. Why not take the boat one way and cycle back? For those who wish to enjoy a bit more, there are package deals where you treat yourself to an overnight stop at one of the area’s comfortable hotels.

In your own boat

The Telemark Canal allows you to spend your holiday in your own boat. You can take a refreshing morning dip, and reel in your dinner over the side of your boat if you wish. You can spend the night in your own little bay, or moor at one of the guest piers along the canal. With Langesund as a starting point you should calculate three to four days to Notodden and back, and a week to Dalen and down again.

History

The Telemark Canal was blasted out of the rocks by hand, and, when completed in 1892, Europeans described it as “the eighth wonder of the world”. 500 men had worked for five years to dynamite their way through the rocks.

The canal became known as "the fast route" between Eastern and Western Norway and was also the most important transport route between upper and lower Telemark for people, domestic animals, goods and timber.

Season

May to September

Prices

A journey with one of the passenger boats start at NOK 325 for adults and NOK 165 for children.