Mountains to Fjords Hut to Hut
Oslo, Norway
5.0 (8 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Jotunheimen National Park
- Diversity of Stunning Scenery
- Famous Hikes
- Mountains, Valleys, Lakes & Fjords
- Exquisite regional cuisine
- Explore with Light Packs
- Hike the Famous Besseggen Ridge
- Charming Mountain Huts
- Amazing Fjord Cruise
Description
Our Mountains to Fjords Hut to Hut Trek is an incredible way to explore Norway’s best landscapes and most famous National Park, Jotunheimen. This Park boasts the highest mountains not only in Norway, but all of Northern Europe; the name Jotunheimen translates to “home of the giants.”
Utilizing Norway’s fantastic hut system, we intimately enjoy the Park and all of its spectacular, yet challenging, trails and jaw dropping vistas. After soaking up panoramic mountain views for days, we take you on a visit to one of Norway’s other famous natural features, the Nærøyfjord. This spot is so amazing and unique it is featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and we are proud to enjoy it via a sustainable, zero emissions cruise.
Also, this trip starts in the capital city of Oslo and ends in the charming town of Bergen, so we have the opportunity to see a large swath of Norway and learn about its many traditions and rich cultural history in one spectacular hiking-centered itinerary. Come explore the land of the Vikings with us on foot!
FROM $680 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
The single supplement on this trip provides for single rooms at our hotel stays on nights 5, 6, and 7. The mountain hut accommodations on nights 1-4 do not allow for single rooms.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 4
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
Hiking Distances:
Up to 10 mi
Backpack Weight:
15-25 pounds
Terrain:
Extremely Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
3346 ft
Heights Exposure:
Significant
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 15-25 pound backpack for 7-9 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on variable, uneven difficult terrain
- Hiking with occasional, significant heights exposure
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Norway hike a solitude 3. You can expect several hours of solitude at a time.
Minimum of 4 Guests
We require a minimum of 4 guests to confirm this trip. If a trip date is not confirmed yet, you can register and will be notified when the trip is officially confirmed. We recommend not making final travel arrangements until your trip meets the minimum number of guests and is confirmed.
In most cases, if a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 60 -65 days before the departure date.
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group or family!
In many areas we can run trips with group sizes larger than our normal capacity of 12 guests. There’s no minimum number of guests on a private tour, and in many cases, we have flexibility around minimum age as well.
For all international trips outside the United States, we quote private trip requests on a case by case basis. Please complete the form below to inquiry about a private tour.
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Itinerary
Day 1
- Driving Time: 4-5 hours
- Accommodation: Hotel in Gjendesheim
This Norway trek begins with rendezvous at the Thon Opera Hotel in Oslo for an orientation meeting with your guides and group. We’ll walk to the bus station to catch a comfortable coach to our lodging in Jotunheimen National Park. The drive takes 4-5 hours and includes a bathroom/snack break near the half-way point. The bus has deluxe seating and Wi-Fi available during the trip. Once we arrive at our destination, we’ll settle into our accommodations and enjoy a short walk to stretch our legs before sitting down for a 3-course dinner. Our mountain hut for this evening (and most other nights) is basic, but cozy and warm with bunkbeds and shared bathrooms. Tomorrow our Jotunheimen hiking adventure begins!
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 8.4 miles (13.5 km)
- Elevation Gain: 3346 feet (1020 m)
- Elevation Loss: 3346 feet (1020 m)
- Accommodation: Hut in Memurubu
After enjoying breakfast and preparing lunch matpakke style, the traditional Norwegian way of making lunch, we’ll pack our bags and ferry them down to the dock to be transferred to our next night’s lodging via boat. Our hike today is possibly the most famous route in Norway and a rite of passage for any Norwegian hiking enthusiast. Besseggen Ridge is a challenging hike — yet rewarding and allows for amazing views of towering coastal mountains and sprawling lakes. Bessvatnet and Gjende Lakes make up the majority of the day’s scenery with their spectacular contrasting colors. This trail requires a bit of scrambling as we make our way down the steep, rocky sections. We’ll also have the use of chains for more stability. Once we arrive at tonight’s hut, we’ll rendezvous with our baggage at the dock and transport it up to our rooms. Tonight’s dinner is well-deserved after our fantastic day trekking across Norway’s most famous ridge!
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 6.2 miles (10 km)
- Elevation Gain: 2494 feet (760 m)
- Elevation Loss: 2494 feet (760 m)
- Accommodation: Hute in Gjendebu
Our hike today is another fulfilling one and chocked full of more amazing scenery to reward our efforts. After dropping our luggage at the docks, our deeper exploration of Jotunheimen National Park continues by hiking up to the high mountain plateau above us. From the plateau the views are expansive with many small mountain lakes to enjoy, as well as possible wildlife sightings such as the vast herds of reindeer that live in the National Park. We’ll stop for lunch at one of these lakes before descending off the plateau to our next night’s lodging again on the shores of Gjende Lake. The way down is steep and has chains to assist, but the comfort of Gjendebu hut, a hot shower, and another traditional Norwegian dinner will soothe our bodies after the day’s efforts and well-earned memories.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 10 miles (16 km)
- Elevation Gain: 1640 feet (500 m)
- Elevation Loss: 1640 feet (500 m)
- Accommodation: Hut in Fondsbu
A breakfast buffet starts off our day before we carry our bags to the dock to be ferried yet again to our next hut. Today our bags travel a bit farther then we do, and we may actually beat them to our next hut. The hike is more relaxing today than our past two hikes, but the views remain absolutely outstanding. Our trail takes us up out of the Gjende Lake Valley and over a mountain pass. Once over the pass, we’ll start to see more lakes and rolling mountains as we descend down into another large lake valley. Bygdin Lake makes up the large body of water here and is a stunning backdrop for our last night’s lodging in the park. Tonight, we stay in a legendary mountain hut full of tradition. The host of this hut is famous in Norway for her kindness, initiative, and voice. If we are lucky maybe we can hear a Norwegian mountain song before dinner!
Day 5
- Hiking Mileage: 8 miles (13 km)
- Elevation Gain: 1640 feet (500 m)
- Elevation Loss: 1640 feet (500 m)
- Drive Time: 1.5 hours
- Accommodation: Hotel in Aurland
Today is our final day of hiking in Jotunheimen National Park. This time we climb up between two of Norway’s most famous mountains, Uranostind and Falketind. As we pass under these giants, we’ll hike by many alpine lakes. One of the larger scenic lakes will be our goal for a picnic lunch before descending down to our awaiting vehicle and driver. As stunning as the views from our hike are today, the views from our drive are equally amazing. Our accommodations for the next 2 nights are in the small town of Aurland. Dinner tonight will be right on the water’s edge overlooking the fjord, a truly unique Norwegian experience.
Day 6
- Hiking Mileage: 3.7 miles (6 km)
- Elevation Gain: 1896 feet (578 m)
- Elevation Loss: 1896 feet (578 m)
- Driving Time: 1 hour
- Accommodation: Hotel in Aurland
After a full breakfast we’ll shuttle to today’s trailhead. En route we will stop by one of Norway’s National Heritage sites, Borgund Stave Church. This fabulously unique building is 800+ years old, and is a wonderful place to stop, stretch our legs and appreciate the history of Norway. Our drive continues to take us out of the mountains to the fjords. And what an amazing transition it is! Fjords are long, narrow strips of ocean tucked between towering cliffs. Often these natural features are created by the geologic submergence of glaciated valleys. Our hike today is up to the summit of Prest Mountain for stunning views down into the fjords and Aurland. We’ll enjoy another comfortable night and delicious dinner in this beautiful place by the fjord.
Day 7
- Boat Ride Time: 2.5 hours
- Train Time: 3 hours
- Drive Time: 15 minutes
- Accommodation: Hotel in Bergen
Our last day of exploration takes us to one of Norway’s most famous fjords, Nærøyfjord. Here we’ll enjoy a 2.5 hour ecologically friendly boat cruise down the narrow sea inlets of this breathtaking channel. High towering cliffs will frame every magical shot along the way. After our dazzling boat ride, we’ll head to Flåm for a relaxing lunch before continuing on by train to Myrdal. In Myrdal we will catch our last leg of transportation of the day on a relaxing train ride to our final lodging of the trip in the charming coastal town of Bergen. Tonight, we have plenty to celebrate and will celebrate with a final farewell dinner out in Bergen’s popular neighborhood, Bryggen.
Day 8
- Shuttle to Airport: 20 minutes
Today we enjoy one last breakfast together. Afterward we’ll have a shuttle planned for those who need a ride to the airport for morning flights. What an exciting, fun, and challenging 8 days it’s been! Many guests choose to spend an extra day/night in Bergen to see more of the city and it’s beautiful surroundings before traveling on.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however occasionally trips are subject to itinerary changes based on a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to: lodging/campground availability, extreme weather, political or bureaucratic obstacles, earthquakes, fires, flooding and more. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Transportation for the duration of the tour starting on Day 1 with a bus transfer to Jotunheimen National Park and ending Day 8 with the morning airport shuttle.
- Lodging for the duration of the tour
- All meals from Lunch day 1 to breakfast on day 8
- Experienced, professional Wildland Trekking certified guides
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
What's Not Included
- Transportation to Oslo, Norway and from Bergen, Norway
- Trip insurance that includes medical coverage and at least $200,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage (required)
- All expenses due to unavoidable events e.g. flight cancellation, personal illness, strikes, etc. (we recommend trip insurance coverage for these variables)
- Backpack and Trekking Poles
- Clothes, rain gear, and footwear – footwear should have good ankle support as terrain can be uneven
- Bar bills, drink bills, extra snacks, telephone bills, Wi-Fi bills and other personal expenses (shopping/laundry/spa or sauna)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles
- Guide gratuities are at the discretion of each customer. A suggested guideline is to reward outstanding service with a tip of 10% of the total trip cost. You may tip in either USD or local currency.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
Norwegian cuisine is very traditional and features a simple approach to breakfasts and lunches. Norwegians often eat Matpakke, which is a cold lunch made from breakfast supplies. Norwegians focus a lot of their diet on meat, fish, root vegetables, and heavy sauces. For dinners, ingredients are very high quality and are traditional Norwegian dishes. Menus are often set, and there is not an option to order something else at most of our accommodations. The remote huts can often have very similar cuisine during the trek. The ability to choose your meal off a menu depends on the restaurant and can be organized beforehand, when possible.
In addition, we provide you with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your convenience.
We can often accommodate vegan, vegetarian and non-gluten diets and make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee, and in some countries may be more difficult to accommodate than others. Please inquire with us for more information about the specific trip you’re interested in.
Lodging: What to Expect
This hut-to-hut trek in Norway offers incredible, unique lodging that Jotunheimen National Park is known for. These huts are all about the location!
There are some unique elements to the huts that are important for guests to understand:
- Mountain huts are basic – but cozy and warm.
- They feature double or communal rooms, often with bunkbeds and shared bathrooms. Bringing earplugs and an eye mask is recommended.
- Single rooms are not available in the huts; single rooms are available only for the lodge nights (nights 5-7).
Please see the Accommodations section for more information.
Gear We Provide
We provide the following on this trip:
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Please note we do not provide backpacks or trekking poles on this particular trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled the most frequently asked questions that Wildland Trekking guests have about visiting and hiking in Norway. Learn the answers to these commonly asked questions about traveling in Norway by using the link below!
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
You will meet your guide and group in Oslo, Norway on the first day of the trip. The meeting time will vary the morning of day 1 of the itinerary. It is dependent on the bus schedule for that day (approximately 8am-1pm bus departures are common). Typically, we will meet 1.5 hours before the bus is scheduled to leave for an orientation meeting and to get to know each other before walking to the bus station together. We recommend guests arrive in Oslo the day before and stay the night in a city central hotel.
Our pre-trip communication team will be in contact approximately 45 days before your trip to coordinate and confirm your rendezvous and answer any last-minute questions you have.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Oslo / from Bergen
For this Norway trek you will need to fly into Oslo, Norway and out of Bergen, Norway. We recommend guests travel into Oslo a day before their trip begins and spend a night in Oslo near the city center. We recommend the Thon Hotel Opera for convenience. This hotel is a 1-minute walk from the central train station, where you can get off the airport train and into the city. It is central, right next to the Opera House, National Gallery and Peace Center. You will meet the group and guide(s) on the morning of Day 1 for an orientation meeting.
On the last day of the trip, guests are together for breakfast and will have a scheduled transfer to the Bergen Airport at 9am-10am. This is included in the price of the trip. Departing flights should be planned after 12pm to utilize our provided airport transportation this day. Any airport transportation needs outside of this will be at the guest’s expense.
Flights to Oslo Airport and from the Bergen airport are the guest’s responsibility.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
In the interest of your safety, it’s important to refer to the Center for Disease Control website for up-to-date recommendations on immunizations before your trip.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guides
Our approach to international travel is to combine the best of two worlds: the dialed-in details, professionalism and consistency Wildland trips are known for; and the cultural immersion and intimate regional knowledge that only locals can provide. To excel with this approach, we vet and hire the best local guides, welcome them into the Wildland family and train them to meet our standard of excellence with every aspect of a trip. But along with managing logistics and safety, your guides will teach you about the area’s history and culture, and provide a level of familiarity and intimate detail only locals can.
Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 7 and older to join scheduled and private tours
Trip Insurance Requirements
Field evacuation, repatriation, and medical insurance is required on this trip as a condition of partnership terms with our European vendors (field evacuation and repatriation minimum coverage is a combined $200,000 USD).
We recommend IMG/iTravelinsured. They are one of the world’s leading providers of travel insurance and policies meet all requirements.
For information on the recommended IMG/iTravelinsured policies please click here.
If you already have the required insurance or wish to purchase from anyone other than IMG/iTravelinsured, we recommend careful consultation with the provider to ensure appropriate coverage. This is because many providers have a number of policy exclusions.
Weather in Norway
Norway’s weather is generally cool and wet. Precipitation is common, but least common in July and August. However, in July and August, it still rains most days if just small amounts. Weather changes quickly in the mountains of Norway, from bright warm and sunny, to windy and rainy. Guests need to be prepared for any weather on this trip. In Bergen, on the west coast of Norway, rain is extremely common.
Over the last 5 years, summers have been getting increasingly warm, with highs in the 30s Celsius (high 80s, low 90s Fahrenheit). In Jotunheimen National Park, the average high temperature in July is 19 degrees Celsius (66°F), with a low of -5 (23°F). In August, the average high temperature is 16 degrees Celsius (61°F) with a low of -1 (30°F). Wind in July and August is at its lightest of the year, and has an average of 12-14 m/s. Average rainfall in July is 69mm, August is 82mm.
Accommodations
MOUNTAIN HUTS
4 NIGHTS
The mountain huts we stay in are basic, but warm and cozy, accommodations in stunning locations. They feature double or communal rooms most often with bunkbeds and shared bathrooms. They have hot water with showers, flush toilets, bedding, and some have Wi-Fi. Single rooms are not available in the huts.
VANGSGAARDEN LODGE
2 NIGHTs
Surrounded by towering mountains and deep fjords, this lodge has been operated by one family since the 18th century. This is where the salmon-fishing British gentry came to fish throughout the nineteenth century. The historic buildings have been updated to modern, wonderful accommodations.
Klosterhagen Hotell
1 NIGHT
This small family owned hotel is perfectly situated in a quiet pocket of the Nordnes neighborhood in the city Center of Bergen and has wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. The converted 19th century building is now a modern, comfortable hotel that is part of a social program that provides work training, enabling people to return to work after struggling with physical, mental and/or social issues.
* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used.
Trip Reviews
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Elise C
The trip to Norway was fantastic.
WLT guides do an exceptional job at making the best trip experience whether it is the intended route or some detour to ensure safety. Magda and Oda were attentive to the potential weather threats to the hiking terrain and made decisions as the professionals as well as considering the travelers experience. They presented the hikes with full transparency on the difficulty and the challenges that would be confronted. Both guides had energy and enthusiasm that fed and complimented one another. The group all engaged in getting to know them and wanted to hear the knowledge they were sharing about the culture and society in Norway. They surprised us with an afternoon at the floating sauna after our hike needed to be modified because of wind and rain. Everyone participated and soaked up the heat in order to live like a Norwegian and jump into the fjord!
Kate C.
GREAT TRIP
This is an ideal trip for the adventure enthusiast who wants a trek (vs. day hikes from a base camp), some thrilling technical climbs, a seamless itinerary with good variety, and immersion in the gorgeous Norwegian landscape and hiking culture. Just reviewing that list makes me want to pinch myself; this was truly an amazing trip and maybe the trip of a lifetime. Wildland staff were very helpful during the training and preparation. Magda, our guide, was excellent: she made each of us feel at home, made expert decisions in the face of tricky weather (snow, wind, driving rain), and led us safely and confidently through a number of momentous climbs--Besseggen Ridge and Mount Prest being our favorites. She handled the many logistics with ease. Apart from the climbs, I loved the Aurland sauna with cold plunges into the fjord, and the quiet ferry through the intimate UNESCO-protected Naeroyfjord. This was my first Wildland trip, and it sounds like this level of craftsmanship and leadership is what we can come to expect. I'm impressed--!--and more than anything, very grateful.
Joanne R
Memorable Experience
The hut to hut hike in Norway was my first formal small group trekking trip and I was not sure what to expect but I had a fantastic time. It was so much fun for 2 reasons: 1) the guides, Magda and Oda, were constantly energetic, attentive and knowledgeable. 2) The schedule was seamless to provide ample challenging hiking while still being able to see and do things that you can only do in that country (for example taking a hot sauna and them jumping into the fjord). The guides went above and beyond and worked so well with each other that created an easy and warm atmosphere. The way the trip was planned and how it was executed by the guides made it a memorable experience.
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