Five days walking in Jotunheimen, finishing with the Bergen boat down the Sognefjord.
Anyone who has walked the Coast to Coast knows the particular satisfaction of a route that finishes at water rather than back at the car park. This is the Norwegian version of that idea. Five days on foot in Jotunheimen, the highest ground in northern Europe, and then a bus over the watershed to Flåm and the Bergen boat down the length of the Sognefjord. Eight days, seven nights, around 55 km of walking, and one continuous line from the high inland fjell to the west coast.
The walking is organised around two bases rather than a fresh bed every night, which is what keeps it moderate. Two nights at Bygdin, with Synshorn on the afternoon you arrive and Bitihorn the next day; the boat across the lake to Torfinnsbu and the crossing of Svartdalen to Gjendebu, where you have two nights and a choice of Gjendetunga or Bukkelægre as a day walk; then the last stage up Veslådalen to Fondsbu. Only one day is genuinely hard, and it is Svartdalen: 14 km and 610 m, stony underfoot, several burns to cross and a steep drop at the finish that is markedly less pleasant in the wet.
Two of the seven nights are in staffed DNT huts with shared bathrooms. If your reference point is a Scottish club hut or a busy SYHA hostel, Gjendebu and Fondsbu are a good deal more civilised than either: a made bed, a three-course dinner and a packed lunch in the morning. Gjendebu has been doing it since 1871. A Norwegian operator arranges the week self-guided, your bag is carried between the lodges, and the boat over Bygdin, the buses and the fjord cruise are all built into the booking. There are no fixed departures, so you choose the week within the June to August window and they confirm it.
Is this for you?
Who this trip is - and isn't - for.
A good fit if
✓Walkers who want the highest mountains in Norway without a new hut and a packed bag every single night
✓Anyone who would rather finish a mountain week at the coast than back where they started
✓Travelers happy in a staffed DNT hut with shared bathrooms for two of the seven nights
✓Couples, friends and solo walkers who want to choose their own week rather than fit a fixed departure
Less good fit
·Walkers who need a private bathroom every night: Gjendebu and Fondsbu are mountain huts and do not have them
·Solo travelers who need a single room throughout, since Gjendebu has none at any price
·Anyone looking for a guided group with a leader on the trail each day
·Walkers unwilling to take on one hard stage: Svartdalen is stony, has stream crossings and finishes with a steep descent
The route
Where the week takes you.
Numbered pins mark the day the night is spent. Tap a pin for details.
Day by day
The shape of the week.
8 days · 55 km on foot
Elevation profile
~2 696 m of ascent across the week
Bar height = day's ascent · width = day number
Across 8 days · ~55 km on the move
You make your own way to Oslo and stay at a Thon hotel close to the central bus terminal, which is where the next morning starts. Dinner is not included tonight, so the evening is your own: the opera house and the Munch museum are a few minutes on foot from the terminal, and the harbour is a short walk beyond them.
Included
What is in the price.
One night with breakfast in Oslo
One night with breakfast in Bergen
Five nights in Jotunheimen, bed linen and towel included
Five breakfasts, packed lunches and dinners in Jotunheimen
Coach from Oslo to Jotunheimen
Boat across Bygdin
Bus from Jotunheimen to Flåm
Fjord cruise from Flåm to Bergen
Luggage transfer (one item)
App with maps, route options, vouchers and travel documents
Not included
And what is not.
Travel and cancellation insurance (we strongly recommend both)
Drinks with meals, and snacks
Dinner on days 1 and 7, in Oslo and in Bergen
Where you sleep
Lodges and stays along the way.
Thon Hotel, Oslo
City hotel a short walk from the central bus terminal, which is where the mountain leg begins the next morning.
Nights
1
Bygdin Høifieldshotell
Traditional high-mountain hotel at the M/S Bitihorn quay on Bygdin, and the base for both Synshorn and Bitihorn.
Nights
2
DNT Gjendebu
The oldest staffed hut in the DNT network, built in 1871 at 990 meters at the western end of Gjende. Shared bathrooms, and no single rooms at all.
Nights
2
DNT Fondsbu
Staffed DNT lodge at historic Eidsbugarden on Bygdin, shared bathrooms, and a name among Norwegian walkers for its hosts and its food.
Nights
1
Central hotel, Bergen
A central Bergen hotel for the last night. The operator confirms the specific hotel with the booking.
Nights
1
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.
Before the trip
Oslo
Two or three days for the Munch Museum, the new Opera waterfront, the New Nordic kitchens we list separately, and a slow walk along the Akerselva.
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: Samuel Taipale
Photo: JVB
Photo: JVB
Photo: JVB
Photography credits as shown on each image.
FAQ
Practical questions
When does it run, and how do I choose dates?
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The season is June to August and there are no fixed departures on this itinerary. You tell us the week you want, and the operator confirms availability at each of the lodges. Confirmation of all the accommodation can take up to three working days, so do not book flights or connecting transport until it is in hand.
How hard is it really?
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Moderate overall, with one hard day. Four of the five walking days are 5 to 16 kilometers with 450 to 600 meters of ascent, from a fixed base, which is comfortable for anyone who walks in hills a few times a year. The exception is the Svartdalen crossing on day 4: 14 kilometers and 610 meters, six to eight hours, stony underfoot with several streams to cross and a steep descent at the end.
What are the DNT huts actually like?
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Gjendebu and Fondsbu are staffed mountain lodges rather than hotels. You get a bed with linen and a towel, a cooked three-course dinner and a packed lunch, and you share the bathrooms. Gjendebu has been running since 1871 and is one of the best-known buildings in Norwegian mountain culture. Bygdin, Oslo and Bergen are conventional hotels.
I am traveling alone. What does the single supplement cover?
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The single supplement is NOK 4,500, and it covers the nights where a single room exists. Gjendebu has no single rooms at all, so the two nights there are shared regardless. If that is a problem, tell us early and we will look at alternatives with you before you commit.
How is the booking arranged?
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We refer you to our long-standing Norwegian partner, who runs this itinerary. The booking, contract, prepayment and consumer protection under Norway's Reisegarantifondet sit with the operator. The price is the same as booking them directly; we are paid a small referral commission and there is no extra cost to you.
Can I add nights at either end?
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Yes. Extra nights in Oslo at the start and in Bergen at the end are the operator's own listed extras, and Bergen in particular rewards a second day. Tell us in the first conversation and we will build it into the quote.
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.
Travel Guarantee Fund memberFluent English support
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.
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