Before the trip
Espedalen
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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Ski Touring · Western Gudbrandsdalen, central NorwayCross-country ski touring on the Peer Gynt high plateau, hut to hut on prepared track.
Cross-country on the Peer Gynt ski route - Espedalen to Skeikampen
The classic Norwegian wide-track week: long blue afternoons, snow-quiet huts, and properly broken-in trails.
Photo: Tone B Haugerud ·
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Duration
8 days · 7 nights
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On the move
~61 km cross-country across three moving days
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Region
Peer Gynt upland, western Gudbrandsdalen
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Lodges
4 substantial mountain hotels
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Style
Self-guided · luggage moved · rest days at each base
Fixed departures
This is a guided journey on set dates.
The operator runs this on the weeks below. Other dates are not available.
- Open30 Jan - 6 Feb 2027
- Open13-20 Feb 2027
- Open20-27 Feb 2027
- Open22 Feb - 1 Mar 2027
- Open8-15 Mar 2027
- Open13-20 Mar 2027
- Open20-27 Mar 2027
The journey
Cross-country ski touring on the Peer Gynt high plateau, hut to hut on prepared track..
The Peer Gynt route is not what British skiers usually picture when they hear 'ski touring'. It is the Norwegian classic: groomed cross-country track, day after day, between staffed mountain hotels and DNT huts on the high plateau above Lillehammer. The skis are skinny, the climbs are gentle, the views are properly large.
We arrange it with a Norwegian operator who looks after the route notes, the hotel bookings, and the luggage transfer. You ski with a small daypack; you arrive each evening to a proper Norwegian dinner and a hot shower.
A surprisingly good fit for fit walkers who have never been on cross-country skis. The skill of staying upright comes within a day; the joy of moving 30 kilometres quietly through fjell snow takes a little longer.
Is this for you?
Who this trip is - and isn't - for.
A good fit if
- ✓Cross-country skiers comfortable with prepared-track skiing on rolling upland terrain at recreational pace
- ✓Travelers who want a moving ski week with substantial hotel-quality accommodation rather than mountain huts
- ✓Couples, small groups of friends and solo skiers happy with built-in rest days between moving stages
- ✓Anyone with a literary interest in the Peer Gynt landscape
Less good fit
- ·Beginners on cross-country - basic technique on tracked loipe is assumed
- ·Skate-skiers looking for high-mileage flat training - these are forest and upland loops
- ·Travelers wanting fully-guided group format with an instructor each day
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.
8 days · 61 km on foot
You take the included afternoon train from Oslo Airport to Vinstra (around three hours up the Gudbrandsdalen valley), with an onward hotel transfer up to Dalseter Fjellhotell in the Espedalen valley.
Included
What is in the price.
- Return train + hotel transfer between Oslo Airport and the route
- 7 nights at four substantial mountain hotels
- Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner each day
- Luggage transfer between all overnight stops
- Maps and a written route description
Not included
And what is not.
- Travel and cancellation insurance (we strongly recommend both)
- Drinks with meals and any extra snacks
- Cross-country ski rental (NOK 2,100 per person for the week, including return transport of skis)
Where you sleep
Lodges and stays along the way.
Dalseter Fjellhotell
Substantial mountain hotel in the Espedalen valley with the 220 km local loipe network at the door.
Nights
2
Fefor Høifjellshotell
Long-running upland hotel on the Peer Gynt loipe.
Nights
2
Gålå Høgfjellshotell
Family-run mountain hotel at the edge of the high plateau.
Nights
2
Thon Hotel Skeikampen
Upland resort hotel at 850 m on the eastern flank of the Peer Gynt country.
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.
After the trip
Lillehammer
A morning at the Maihaugen open-air museum and a walk along Storgata before continuing onward.
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
High season is March-April when the snowpack has settled and daylight returns. Daytime highs are typically −5 to 5 °C; evenings drop further. The snow is dry and consistent, but Arctic weather windows can change a planned route on short notice.
What to pack - for this trip
The five-to-seven things most travelers underpack for a Norwegian ski-touring week.
Skiing kit
- Touring skis with skins (typically provided by operator - confirm at booking)
- Avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel (provided on guided trips)
- Ski boots that you have toured in before - not new for the trip
Layers
- Heavy merino base layer (top and bottom)
- Insulated mid-layer (synthetic or down) for breaks
- Hardshell jacket and trousers - Norwegian winter weather is no joke
- Spare warm gloves (you will get one wet)
In the pack
- Insulated water bottle or thermos - plastic bottles freeze
- Goggles plus sunglasses (high-altitude sun on snow burns fast)
- Light headlamp for the early starts and late returns
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: Tone B Haugerud
Photo: Tone B Haugerud
Photo: Tone B Haugerud
Photography credits as shown on each image.
Practical questions
How much skiing experience do I need?
A few hours of prior cross-country experience is enough. The loipe is well-prepared, the moving days are short to moderate, and the hotels offer technique advice on arrival.
How is the booking arranged?
We refer you to one of our long-standing Norwegian partners who runs this journey. The booking, contract, prepayment and consumer protection (under Norway's Reisegarantifondet) sit with the operator. The price is the same as booking the operator directly; we are paid a small referral commission and there is no extra cost to you.
When is the best time?
Mid-February through mid-March - reliable snow on the prepared loipe and increasing daylight. The Norwegian school break in late February is the busiest week.
What is the booking lead time?
For the prime late-February dates we recommend committing at least four months ahead. The mountain hotels are popular with Norwegian winter holidaymakers and book out early.
Is travel insurance included?
No. We strongly recommend booking comprehensive travel and cancellation insurance separately, ideally at the time of booking the trip. The operator can suggest Norwegian providers if useful.
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 · 9 min read
When is the best season for walking in Norway?
July is not always the right answer. September sometimes is. Here is the regional, month-by-month version, written for a walker with one good week and a strong preference for being told the truth.
Field Notes · 8 min read
Lyngen Alps ski touring: a UK guide to Norway's arctic peaks
Bigger and more glaciated than anything in Scotland, less committing than the high Alps in spring: an honest guide to the Lyngen Alps for British skiers, covering the season, the skills, the kit and the logistics of a first arctic ski touring week.
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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.
Travel Guarantee Fund memberReply within 24hFluent 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.