Before the trip
Venabygdsfjellet
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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Cross-country skiing · Venabygdsfjellet to Lillehammer, central NorwayA week on cross-country skis across the southern Trolløypa, from the Venabygdsfjellet uplands down to Lillehammer
The southern Trolløypa - Venabygdsfjellet to Lillehammer on skis
Four moving days across open winter fjell, one night in a self-service hut, and a final run into Lillehammer down the old Birkebeiner trail.
Photo: Esben Haakenstad ·
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Duration
7 days · 6 nights
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On the move
~100 km cross-country across four moving days
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Region
Venabygdsfjellet to Lillehammer
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Lodges
4 mountain hotels and lodges and one DNT self-service hut
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Style
Self-guided · partial luggage transfer
2027 dates coming soon
The operator has not published 2027 yet. The trip runs on the dates you choose within the February - March window, so tell us your week and we will ask for you.
The journey
A week on cross-country skis across the southern Trolløypa, from the Venabygdsfjellet uplands down to Lillehammer.
The Trolløypa is a long marked winter route across the uplands between Rondane and Lillehammer, and this is its southern half: four days on cross-country skis from Venabygdsfjellet, on the southern edge of the Rondane massif, down to Lillehammer. It is the right length for anyone who wants a genuine moving ski week without committing to the full nine-day expedition from the north.
The skiing is rated moderate, but this is real fjell skiing: open plateau and birch forest at around 1,000 metres, on a mix of prepared loipe and properly ungroomed sections where the weather sets the pace. Moving days run from 20 to 35 kilometres. One night is spent at the DNT self-service cabin at Vetåbua, with simple bunks and food on site, which is part of the point rather than a hardship. We arrange it self-guided with a long-standing Norwegian partner who handles the Oslo Airport train transfer and moves your bags between lodges on most days.
This will suit skiers who already have a few multi-day tours behind them and are comfortable reading upland weather. The rhythm of long days between shelters is much the same as a Pennine Way week, only on skis, and it finishes on the Birkebeiner trail into Lillehammer.
Is this for you?
Who this trip is - and isn't - for.
A good fit if
- ✓Travelers comfortable on a self-guided format with daily pre-arranged logistics
- ✓Couples, small groups of friends, or solo travelers wanting flexibility on dates
- ✓Anyone who wants the journey to be quietly logistically perfect without being scripted
Less good fit
- ·Travelers requiring fully serviced, group-guided experiences with a leader present each day
- ·Travelers on a tight schedule - Norwegian weather can shift the rhythm of a 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.
7 days · 100 km
You arrive at Spidsbergseter Resort Rondane on the Venabygdsfjellet upland - most easily reached by train from Oslo Airport to Ringebu and a short transfer from there. Welcome dinner.
Included
What is in the price.
- Return train + hotel transfer between Oslo Airport and the route
- 5 nights at four mountain hotels and lodges
- 5 breakfasts, 4 packed lunches, 4 evening meals
- 1 night at the DNT Vetåbua self-service cabin with meals
- Partial luggage transfer between 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
- Cross-country ski rental (not offered on this trip, so bring your own skis)
Where you sleep
Lodges and stays along the way.
Spidsbergseter Resort Rondane
Nights 1-2
Nights
2
Friisvegen Turistsenter
Night 3
Nights
1
DNT Vetåbua
Night 4 - DNT self-service hut, you cook your own meals
Nights
1
Pellestova Hotell Hafjell
Night 5
Nights
1
Stasjonen Hotel Lillehammer
Night 6
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
The cross-country weeks run from February into April, with the days lengthening fast through the season. Daytime temperatures are typically between about −10 and 5 °C, coldest in February; evenings drop further. Mountain weather can still close a stretch of track or change a plan at short notice, and the hosts at each lodge can advise on the day.
What to pack - for this trip
The five-to-seven things most travelers underpack for a Norwegian ski-touring week.
Skiing kit
- Classic cross-country skis with NNN bindings, boots and poles - or rent them through the operator where the trip offers it
- A small daypack for the packed lunch, a thermos and a spare layer
- Cross-country boots you have skied 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
- Your own thermos - the lodges refill it on the winter trips, and plastic bottles freeze
- Goggles plus sunglasses (high-altitude sun on snow burns fast)
- Light headlamp for the early starts and late returns
The operator gives you access to its travel app about a month before departure; the app includes a suggested packing list for the trip.
The country
What the week looks like.
Photo: Frederik Garshol / Løten Kommune
Photo: Morten Nordli
Photography credits as shown on each image.
Practical questions
How is the booking arranged?
We refer you to one of our long-standing Norwegian partners who runs this journey. The booking, the contract, the prepayment and the 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 additional cost to you.
Can the itinerary be modified?
Yes. The standard itinerary is the most-walked or most-cycled version, but the operator routinely runs slower variants, longer stays at specific lodges, or extensions in Oslo, Bergen or other gateway cities. Tell us what you have in mind in the first conversation.
When does it run?
On a week you choose in February or March. The operator has no set departures on this route and arranges it on request.
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.
For British Walkers · 10 min read
Do you need a mountain guide in Norway? Where the line falls
On most Norwegian paths a mountain guide is a pleasant extra. On glaciers, in winter avalanche terrain and on summer routes walked out of season, a qualified guide is what makes the day sensible.
If this isn't quite right
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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 one working day 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.