Before the trip
Leirvassbu
A night or two to slow down before or after the trip - we can arrange a hand-picked stay through the same operator network.
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Walking · Jotunheimen, central NorwayLodge to lodge, finishing on the roof of northern Europe
Lodge to lodge in Jotunheimen, finishing on Galdhopiggen
Four days across Jotunheimen between three working mountain lodges, ending with a roped glacier crossing to the highest point in northern Europe.
Photo: Christian Roth Christensen / VisitNorway.com ·
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Galdhopiggen
2,469 m, guided
⌂
Highest lodge
Juvasshytta, 1,840 m
⤳
On foot
51 km over four days
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Bags
Moved between lodges
Available on request
Arranged on the dates you choose, within the june - august window.
The journey
Lodge to lodge, finishing on the roof of northern Europe.
Galdhopiggen is 2,469 metres, which makes it higher than anything in Britain by a factor of more than two, and the walk to it here is a proper crossing rather than a day out from a car park. Four days take you from Leirvassbu in the west, over Kyrkja, down Visdalen and up onto the plateau at Juvasshytta, with the summit itself on the last morning.
The ground is Jotunheimen ground: boulder, scree and old ice, with glaciers still visibly at work in the side valleys. Days run 9, 16, 14 and 12 km, which is not long, but the surface makes them feel it. If you are used to the Cairngorm plateau you will find the scale familiar and the rock less forgiving.
The summit crossing of the Styggebrean glacier is roped and guided, with the equipment supplied - that part is not optional and not self-navigated. The three lodges are working mountain lodges with a long history: Spiterstulen has been in the same family since 1836. Bags move by vehicle, so you walk with a day pack. A Norwegian operator runs the week with a coach from Oslo at each end, pausing in Lom for the stave church.
Is this for you?
Who this trip is - and isn't - for.
A good fit if
- ✓Walkers who want a named summit at the end of a real crossing
- ✓Anyone comfortable on rough rock and happy with a 16 km day
- ✓Travellers who prefer mountain lodges to hotels
- ✓People who want the glacier handled by someone who does it daily
Less good fit
- ·Anyone who has not walked on uneven mountain ground before
- ·Walkers wanting short days
- ·Those who need a private bathroom every night
The route
Numbered pins mark the day the night is spent. Tap a pin for details.Where the week takes you.
Day by day
The shape of the week.
6 days · 51 km on foot
Coach north from Oslo with a two and a half hour stop in Lom, long enough for the stave church and lunch.
Leirvassbu stands at the head of its own lake with Kyrkja rising behind it, and is the base for the first two nights.
Included
What is in the price.
- Five nights with linen and towels
- Five breakfasts
- Five packed lunches
- Five dinners
- Bag transfer between lodges
- Return coach from Oslo
- Guided ascent of Galdhopiggen with glacier equipment
Not included
And what is not.
- Travel and cancellation insurance
- Drinks
- Snacks
- Nights in Oslo before or after the trip
Where you sleep
Lodges and stays along the way.
Leirvassbu
Below Kyrkja at the head of Leirvatnet
Nights
2
Spiterstulen
In Visdalen, run by the same family since 1836
Nights
1
Juvasshytta
On the plateau at 1,840 m, the starting point for the summit
Nights
2
Extend your stay
Bookend the trip with a city stay.
Most travellers add a night or two at the start or end. We arrange these through the same operator network with the same single line of contact - write to us with your preference and we will fold it into your enquiry.
After the trip
Juvasshytta
A night or two to slow down before or after the trip - we can arrange a hand-picked stay through the same operator network.
Add to my enquiry →Before you come
Know-before-you-go.
Practical Norway
- Visa
- Schengen - most Western travelers visa-free for 90 days.
- Currency
- Norwegian krone (NOK). Cards accepted almost everywhere; cash rarely needed.
- Plugs
- Type F (European two-pin), 230 V / 50 Hz.
- Tipping
- Not expected. Round up if service was exceptional.
- Language
- Norwegian. English is widespread and fluent - you will not need a phrasebook.
- Tap water
- Some of the cleanest in the world. Refill, do not buy bottled.
Typical conditions
Norwegian summer days are long and the light lasts late. Expect mixed weather even in July: 15-22 °C is typical at lower elevations, with the chance of rain and sub-10 °C days higher up. The weather can change inside an hour - pack for it.
What to pack - for this trip
The five-to-seven things most travelers underpack for a Norwegian hiking week.
Underfoot
- Mid-cut waterproof hiking boots, broken in (the single most underpacked item)
- Two pairs of merino hiking socks plus a thin liner pair
Layers
- Merino base layer (long sleeve) - worth more than any single-piece down jacket
- Lightweight fleece or wool mid-layer
- Waterproof shell jacket and trousers (Gore-Tex or equivalent - not a poncho)
- Light puffer for evenings at the lodges
In the daypack
- 25-30 L daypack with a rain cover
- Refillable water bottle (Norwegian tap water is excellent)
- Sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen - UV is strong above the treeline
- Buff or light beanie, even in summer
The operator sends a complete packing list 6 weeks before departure, tailored to your specific dates and the forecast.
The country
What the week looks like.
Photo: Christian Roth Christensen / VisitNorway.com
Photo: Petr Pavlicek / JVB
Photo: Torild Moland
Photography credits as shown on each image.
Practical questions
Do I need glacier experience for Galdhopiggen?
No. The crossing of Styggebrean is roped and led by a guide, and the glacier equipment is provided. You need to be fit enough for a long day at altitude and steady on your feet.
Is there an alternative if the summit day is beyond me?
Yes. Juvasshytta is the base for both nights, so you can stay put or walk locally on the plateau while the group goes up.
How high is Juvasshytta?
1,840 metres, which makes it one of the highest lodges in Norway reachable by road. Expect cold mornings even in July.
What are the lodges like?
Working mountain lodges: simple, warm, good food, and shared facilities in places. Spiterstulen and Leirvassbu have been taking walkers since the 1800s.
Further reading
See all Field Notes →Background reading on this kind of trip.
Regions Compared · 12 min read
Lofoten vs Jotunheimen vs Hardangervidda: which Norwegian region suits you?
Three regions, three different trips. Lofoten is Arctic islands at sea level. Jotunheimen is the high alpine country with the DNT lodge network. Hardangervidda is the open plateau. Here is the comparison we wish someone had written first.
Field Notes · 11 min read
For Munro-baggers: Galdhøpiggen, Glittertind and the Norwegian tops
A British walker who knows their way around the Munros will find a great deal that is familiar in the Norwegian fjell, and a few things that are not. Here is how the two ranges really compare.
Field Notes · 10 min read
Hut-to-hut walking with DNT: how the Norwegian system works
Norway has 550 mountain huts run by a 158-year-old federation, opened with a standard key, paid for in a ledger, and largely run on trust. For a British walker used to commercial walking holidays this is a different country. Here is how it actually works.
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Start a conversation
If this looks like your kind of week, write to us.
Tell us when you are thinking of travelling and how you would like to shape it. A curator will reply within 24 hours with a considered first option, the operator we would arrange it through, and an honest pricing range for your specific dates.
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Refined by Nordic Curator from a journey by one of our long-standing Norwegian partners. The booking, the contract and the consumer protection (under the Norwegian Travel Guarantee Fund, Reisegarantifondet) sit with the operator. We are paid a small referral commission and there is no additional cost to you. The price is the same as booking the operator directly. How we work.