The trekking paradise of Norway – the four most beautiful routes
Travel to Scandinavia has been a trend for years. The countries in the north attract with untouched nature and have a lot to offer especially for active vacationers. Norway in particular has some of the most beautiful trekking routes in the world. Here you can find out our top four routes.
A long, rugged coastline, fjords, mountains and lakes – Norway has a breathtaking nature. This attracts more and more trekking tourists. In addition, the Norwegian Everyman’s Right attracts: You can camp wild almost everywhere in Norway! The only condition is the respect for nature and the observance of a minimum distance to inhabited houses and villages. For those who don’t like camping in the wild, there are campsites and cabins run by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT). In addition, there is a well-developed network of signposted and marked hiking trails. So nothing stands in the way of a fantastic trekking vacation!
1. Jotunheim
240 kilometers northwest of Oslo lies the so-called “roof of Scandinavia” with the 2,469 meter high Galdhøpiggen, the highest mountain in Norway and all of Scandinavia. It is located in an area of about 3,500 square kilometers called Jotunheim, home of the giants, and is part of the Jotunheim National Park. Norway’s most popular hiking trail, the Besseggen Ridge, with 30,000 visitors a year, runs through here, and the rest of the trail network is also extremely well developed. A tour here is thus suitable for beginners as well as something for advanced hikers, who are rewarded with breathtaking scenery after a successful ascent of Scandinavia’s highest mountains.
2. Hardangervidda
Europe’s largest plateau in southwestern Norway offers a varied landscape of hills, wide tundra, rivers and lakes, as well as glaciers and waterfalls. The area lends itself to extensive trekking tours lasting several days for experienced hikers; for example the east-west crossing, which takes about five days. But day-trippers also get their money’s worth on the signposted trails and impressive viewpoints on the edges of the plateau. The DNT also operates a few cabins here, otherwise the Hardangervidda with its largely untouched flora and fauna and low population density is a perfect destination especially for adventurous wild campers.
3. Olavsweg
The great boom of the Way of St. James in northern Spain seems to have ebbed away somewhat by now, but its Norwegian counterpart is all the more interesting: the Way of St. Olav. With its varied landscape, this pilgrimage route has something to offer not only believers. It leads over 600 kilometers from Oslo to Trondheim. Already the start at the beautiful Oslofjord, the lonely mountains, plateaus and river landscapes as well as the Trøndelag, the area around Trondheim, at its end know to inspire also trekking tourists. The Olav Trail is suitable for those who like to explore the areas between Oslo and Trondheim on foot over several days, without being completely away from any civilization.
4. Trolltunga
To conclude our list of the most beautiful trekking tours in Norway, one more highlight: the Trolltunga. This spectacular natural monument southeast of Bergen consists of a huge rocky outcrop 700 meters above the ground! The ascent is something for professionals, as it is already a few kilometers steep uphill at the beginning. The demanding, 22-kilometer-long tour takes a whole day, but from the Trolltunga it offers one of the most beautiful views in Norway. After the ascent, the view of the Ringedalsvatnet lake opens up, which compensates for the previous exertions. And if that’s not enough, you can go down a zipline from Trolltunga and see the area from a new perspective.
Statement
The beautiful landscape of Norway offers not only adventurous trekking routes, but also breathtaking wildlife. Moose, wolves, lynx, brown bears and red deer live in the forests of Norway.
Source Cover Image: unplash/ Colin Moldenhauer
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