The 10 Best Hiking Trips in Jotunheimen, Norway

Tour description

Svartdalen is referred to as Jotunheimen’s most beautiful valley and we do not disagree. After an easy and relatively quick ascent up Torfinnsdalen to approx. 1200m above sea level, the terrain flattens out somewhat. The further ascent to the summit at 1500 masl is easy and here you look out over Svartdalstjednet. Through and down in Svartdalen you walk with many mighty 2000m peaks on both sides, almost like an avenue. The sight of Mesmogtinden and Leirungskampen, among others, can take the breath away from most people. Remember to enjoy the view! After the last of three ponds, the river is crossed on T-marked rocks. Even if the river is crossed without a bridge, it is easy to cross once you have found the marked stones in the river bed. Along the descent towards Gjendebu you see i.a. Bukkelægeret and Besseggen on the north side of the green Gjendevannet. Right in front of you you see a number of 2000m peaks both towards Eidsbugarden in the west, Spiterstulen in the north and Memurubu in the east. A steep, but rather short descent towards Gjendebu ends the trip.

If you want to go on this trip as a day trip, you have exactly 6.5 hours from the boat arriving at Torfinnsbu until the boat leaves Gjendebu. This is sufficient for everyone who is in normal physical shape, including children from the age of 10-12. Feel free to ask the crew on M / B Bitihorn for a map that shows where you should be at a given time. This way you can easily follow if you need to adjust the speed a little.

Tour description

Start with a boat cruise to Memurubu. The entire trail is well marked and immediately rises steeply up the mountain from the boat pier. Hike slowly and don’t use all your strength yet as there is still lots of hiking left after reaching the first plateau. Follow the plateau until the path goes down to “bandet”, the end of Bessvatnet. Now it’s time to climb the ridge. It is fairly wide so most hikers will not experience any issues with the height yet. As you near the top of the ridge you will reach the point where most of the most famous pictures of the Besseggen Ridge are taken. Continue up and you reach a small plateau where the trail descends a bit before heading up towards Veslfjellet, the highest point on the entire hike at 1743 m.a.s.l. Follow the trail to the right down towards Gjendesheim.

Tip from the captain

• Remember good mountain shoes. The trail is rocky and has some steep, slippery passages down to Gjendesheim.

• Visit the Gjendesheim DNT lodge or Gjendeosen cafe to buy a good meal or a delicious waffle after your hike.

Tour description

Start with a boat cruise from Bygdin to Eidsbugarden, where the trail starts. The first part is fairly flat by the lakeside, until you leave lake Bygdin behind to take on a short ascent up into Veslådalen, following the well-marked trail to Gjendebu. Until about 6 km into your hike, you ascent very smoothly inside this open valley, crossing small streams and passing picturesque, small lakes. As the Velsådalen opens towards the east, you get a breathtaking view to turquise lake Gjende and the steep ridges surrounding it, just before descending to the small delta at Gjendebu, amidst light birch forest.

Tip from the captain

• Good to know: There is no phone reception on the most part of the hike. Make sure to have offline maps if you use your smartphone for navigation.

• Bring yourself enough snacks for the day, as there will not be much time to buy something at Bygdin, Fondsbu, Gjendebu or Gjendesheim.

Tour description

Take the boat to Torfinnsbu and return to Bygdin, or vice versa if you want the best view in front of you. The trail is well marked and runs along the water all the way. The trip is easy and very hilly terrain. An alternative route has been marked higher up in the terrain between Torfinnsbu and Hestevollen, but this is somewhat longer and heavier to walk due to. more hilly terrain. The last 3km from Bygdisheim to Bygdin goes along a gravel road. Feel free to have lunch at Hestevollen, an old farm area east of Torfinnsbu. The Germans also had a large camp at Hestevollen during World War II.

Tip from the captain

• Remember good mountain shoes. The trail may have some soft sections, especially early in the season or after heavy rain.

• Take the trip from Bygdin to Torfinnsbu. Then you have the best view in front of you.

Tour description

Start at Valdresflye and walk approx. 100m in the path towards Rasletind. Turn left at the crossroads (follow the signs to Torfinnsbu and Bygdin). Go approx. 4km to a new crossroads and turn right (follow the signs to Torfinnsbu). There is no bridge to cross the Breiløypa, but it is easy to cross it by walking over rocks in the river. With high water flow, you may have to water a little. From here you follow the path to Hestevollen where you enter the path to Torfinnsbu. Walk past Hestevollen and further west to Torfinnsbu. It is recommended to take the lower path from Hestevollen and not an alternative route (which goes higher up and is heavier to walk, especially due to more hilly terrain).

Tip from the captain

• If you want a slightly harder trip, you can take the boat to Torfinnsbu first and go the opposite way. Then you get 440 meters of elevation gain.

• If you go in early July, there may be high water flow in Breiløypa. Bring a small towel in case you need to wade.

   

Tour description

The trip starts by following the path towards Gjendebu up Torfinnsdalen to where the terrain flattens out somewhat. Here you turn left onto an unmarked path up to the steepest part and into a gutter formation. Some sections up the gutter need to be split. This is where the hard part starts with finding the right drain up to the top. There are gutters that do not lead anywhere and there are gutters that also lead to the top, but which give a much more difficult ascent. Especially with poor visibility, it is easy to go wrong. Therefore, the trip should be accompanied by an experienced mountain guide.

For the really thrill-seeking and sporty mountain people, we recommend the trip over Torfinnstraversen. The trip starts with the ascent of Østre Torfinnstind, but continues over Midtre and Vestre before coming down to Langedalen and returning to Torfinnsbu. This trip offers both climbing and rappelling and you must have an experienced guide. The trip is so long that this must be combined with an overnight stay at Torfinnsbu before returning with M / B Bitihorn the next day.

Tour description

The trip starts by following the path to Gjendebu up Torfinnsdalen and into Svartdalen. About halfway along the first pond, the path goes up to the right to Svartdalsbandet (and Leirungsdalen). The path up to Svartdalsbandet and through Leirungsdalen was marked, but the marking was later removed. Still, the trail is easy to find and follow. Well up on Svartdalsbandet you turn right and follow the edge up to the forehead of Leirungskampen. Here you continue down a cut and around the west side of a small pointed peak before the main peak. There are some loose rock masses when you round the top, but it is not difficult and no problem if you exercise a little caution. You can also go over the top, but it requires a bit of splitting. The rest of the trip to the very top of Leirungskampen is easy.

Tour description

The hike from Leirvassbu to Fondsbu offers a varied and scenic journey through classic Jotunheimen terrain. The trail first follows a path west toward Gravdalen, climbing steadily to Høgvaglen before descending through boulders past the Høgvagltjønnen lakes. After crossing the stream from Nedre Høgvagltjønnen, the route ascends through Semmeldalsmunnen and over Rauddalsbandet, sometimes with a steep snow patch where trekking poles are useful. From here it drops toward Olavsbu.
From Olavsbu, the route initially follows the Gjendebu trail before turning south across easy terrain between small lakes. Rejoining the original route, it climbs to the pass between Mjølkedalstinden and Snøhøltinden, then descends past several junctions and the lake at Store Mjølkedalsvatnet. A final steep descent into Mjølkedalen leads to a bridge crossing and the last gentle section toward Fondsbu. This is a long, rewarding alpine day.

Tour description

This round trip on lake Bygdin is an easy way to explore Jotunheimen, its nature, and local food. The historical boat M/B Bygdin departs at 09:05 and crosses the lake in about 1 hour and 45 minutes to Eidsbugarden at the western end. Eidsbugarden is a small mountain village with long traditions, reachable in summer by gravel road and in winter only on skis or snowcoaches. Hiking options are excellent; we recommend the trip to Utsikten (“the View”) for a great panorama of the region. The hike is 6 km, takes 2–4 hours, and includes 410 meters of ascent. Stop by Fondsbu DNT beforehand to arrange lunch and get hiking tips. Those who prefer something lighter can stroll around Eidsbugarden. At 15:30, M/B Bitihorn takes you back across the lake, with impressive views of Jotunheimen’s high peaks.

Tour description

Cross the Muru River on an all-season bridge, then climb steeply over Sjugurdtinden. The route continues west up a narrow mountain ridge before heading across Lågtunga and Memurutunga to the large cairn above Bukkelægret. A junction here offers an alternative via Storådalen to Gjendebu. The descent down Bukkelægret to Lake Gjende is very steep and slightly exposed, with chains and railings installed in the most difficult places. From the lakeshore, follow the marked trail along the water to the cabin. Important: Do not leave the marked route, as it is the only possible descent. This hike is best done in the opposite direction for those who are afraid of heights, or you can choose the longer but easier route through Storådalen instead. The terrain is demanding, but the scenery is spectacular and truly rewarding.