Meeting Time: 7:00 AM

Max # People: 6

Trip Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

Trip summary from Alpine Exploratory:

This Tour (self-guided) is a wonderful circuit of the Jotunheimen National Park, visiting the main valleys of the National Park and experiencing the best of hiking available with optional rest day and/or trip extension. We link fantastic, catered huts with solid days of walking in the amazing Norwegian scenery.  We also offer the option to climb Norway's highest mountain (Galdhopiggen).

The Terrain:

The terrain encountered varies greatly. Most days are generally a combination of good paths, and boulder fields. On these sections the path is less well defined, but cairns mark the way, generally visible on the horizon for navigation in poor visibility. Small streams are quite common and mostly easily crossed. Throughout summer there is a good chance of snow patches lying on the higher paths (and the snow slopes of Glittertind are guaranteed) but the lower paths are likely to be snow-free. There are also short sections of scrambling where hands will be needed for stability. These sections are within the realm of normal mountain walking and are not via ferrata.

Norway stands out as a country for hiking; the Jotunheimen is a gem among the nation's National Parks. It’s the highest in its mountain, it contains Norway's highest mountain Galdhopiggen (2,469m) and it's the most popular for walkers. We cross high plateaus, walk under imposing peaks, and traverse deep valleys running with streams, rivers and waterfalls. In a single day, hikers see glaciers, sweeping valleys, flourishing meadows, and Nordic forests. Since 2018 it has become one of our most popular trips, and we hope you’ll love it!

You'll find little sign of human life other than the huts and the paths. Our tour is a circular route through the park over 6 or 8 days. In 6 days, you cover most of the park’s varied landscapes but if you have more time, the wilder and trickier Eastern side can be explored further. (This replaces the Leirvassbu-Gjendebu stage with a 3-day loop via Skogadalsboen and Fondsbu). The huts are comfortable and provide an amazing Norwegian hut experience which our hikers have really enjoyed.

Rest Day or climb Northern Europe's highest mountain:

We don't include a rest day as standard on our Jotunheimen Tour; however, if you'd like to add in a rest day, we'd recommend taking one at Spiterstulen as this gives you the option to have a rest (maybe taking the morning bus to Lom and afternoon bus back) or to climb Galdhopiggen. At 2,469m Galhopiggen is Norway's highest mountain and can be summitted on a day trip from the Spiterstulen hut. This day is graded at Black 4. Please let us know if you'd like to add an extra night here.

Make the trip longer:

A great way to extend your trip is to add 2 further stages, making 8 stages in total (9 if you also include the ascent of Galdhopiggen). This fantastic extended tour would see you hike to Leirvassbu as normal and then split off to walk to Skogadalsboen, Fondsbu and then Gjendebu before completing the final 2 stages as normal. It's worth noting that the stage from Skogadalsboen to Fondsbu is probably the toughest of the whole tour due to its length and its bouldery terrain, often with no visible path.

Accommodations: 

The Norwegian hut system is possibly our favorite of any nation and typifies the Norwegian culture. For example, it is expected that you will be trekking with a thermos flask, as is the Norwegian way. Each evening guests line up their flasks on a trolley, labelled with their name and hot beverage of choice and miraculously come breakfast they are full. Food in the huts is chiefly Norwegian; it's hearty mountain food for dinner as you might expect! A packed lunch is also included at every hut. Guests make sandwiches from the breakfast buffet and wrap them in special DNT greaseproof paper. There is an art to the Norwegian hut sandwich!

The huts are comfortable, spacious and organized with most offering the option of private rooms. Meals are taken at communal tables and give an excellent opportunity to dine and chat with local hikers. Norwegians are proud of their excellent English. As standard we'll book your final night in a hotel in Otta. If you prefer to stay your last night in the Gjendesheim hut, this is an option and please ask us.

Trip summary from Alpine Exploratory:

This Tour (self-guided) is a wonderful circuit of the Jotunheimen National Park, visiting the main valleys of the National Park and experiencing the best of hiking available with optional rest day and/or trip extension. We link fantastic, catered huts with solid days of walking in the amazing Norwegian scenery.  We also offer the option to climb Norway's highest mountain (Galdhopiggen).

The Terrain:

The terrain encountered varies greatly. Most days are generally a combination of good paths, and boulder fields. On these sections the path is less well defined, but cairns mark the way, generally visible on the horizon for navigation in poor visibility. Small streams are quite common and mostly easily crossed. Throughout summer there is a good chance of snow patches lying on the higher paths (and the snow slopes of Glittertind are guaranteed) but the lower paths are likely to be snow-free. There are also short sections of scrambling where hands will be needed for stability. These sections are within the realm of normal mountain walking and are not via ferrata.

Norway stands out as a country for hiking; the Jotunheimen is a gem among the nation's National Parks. It’s the highest in its mountain, it contains Norway's highest mountain Galdhopiggen (2,469m) and it's the most popular for walkers. We cross high plateaus, walk under imposing peaks, and traverse deep valleys running with streams, rivers and waterfalls. In a single day, hikers see glaciers, sweeping valleys, flourishing meadows, and Nordic forests. Since 2018 it has become one of our most popular trips, and we hope you’ll love it!

You'll find little sign of human life other than the huts and the paths. Our tour is a circular route through the park over 6 or 8 days. In 6 days, you cover most of the park’s varied landscapes but if you have more time, the wilder and trickier Eastern side can be explored further. (This replaces the Leirvassbu-Gjendebu stage with a 3-day loop via Skogadalsboen and Fondsbu). The huts are comfortable and provide an amazing Norwegian hut experience which our hikers have really enjoyed.

Rest Day or climb Northern Europe's highest mountain:

We don't include a rest day as standard on our Jotunheimen Tour; however, if you'd like to add in a rest day, we'd recommend taking one at Spiterstulen as this gives you the option to have a rest (maybe taking the morning bus to Lom and afternoon bus back) or to climb Galdhopiggen. At 2,469m Galhopiggen is Norway's highest mountain and can be summitted on a day trip from the Spiterstulen hut. This day is graded at Black 4. Please let us know if you'd like to add an extra night here.

Make the trip longer:

A great way to extend your trip is to add 2 further stages, making 8 stages in total (9 if you also include the ascent of Galdhopiggen). This fantastic extended tour would see you hike to Leirvassbu as normal and then split off to walk to Skogadalsboen, Fondsbu and then Gjendebu before completing the final 2 stages as normal. It's worth noting that the stage from Skogadalsboen to Fondsbu is probably the toughest of the whole tour due to its length and its bouldery terrain, often with no visible path.

Accommodations: 

The Norwegian hut system is possibly our favorite of any nation and typifies the Norwegian culture. For example, it is expected that you will be trekking with a thermos flask, as is the Norwegian way. Each evening guests line up their flasks on a trolley, labelled with their name and hot beverage of choice and miraculously come breakfast they are full. Food in the huts is chiefly Norwegian; it's hearty mountain food for dinner as you might expect! A packed lunch is also included at every hut. Guests make sandwiches from the breakfast buffet and wrap them in special DNT greaseproof paper. There is an art to the Norwegian hut sandwich!

The huts are comfortable, spacious and organized with most offering the option of private rooms. Meals are taken at communal tables and give an excellent opportunity to dine and chat with local hikers. Norwegians are proud of their excellent English. As standard we'll book your final night in a hotel in Otta. If you prefer to stay your last night in the Gjendesheim hut, this is an option and please ask us.