The fjord flows through the municipalities of Aurland, Vik, and Lærdal.

The fjord is deep and narrow, reaching a depth of about 962 metres (3,156 ft) below sea level, and its width is generally less than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) wide.

About 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) south of the mouth of the fjord, the Nærøyfjord branches off from it to the west.

[1] Tremors of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami arrived 12 minutes later in Aurlandsfjord, causing 1.5 meter waves for a few hours.

[2][3][4] Large parts of the fjord are included in the Nærøyfjord section of the West Norwegian Fjords UNESCO World Heritage Site.