Recently I shared a post with shots from hiking Trolltunga. Here, I provide a detailed Trolltunga hike guide with everything from Trolltunga camping, car park and parking in Trolltunga, a Trolltunga packing list with what to pack, what to expect and when the best to hike Trolltunga and everything in between about the hike in Norway.
Many have this trail on their sights so I wanted to address many of the questions I had before doing the hike and answer them for those that want to know about camping on top of Trolltunga, what to pack for Norway and Trolltunga, where to park and all that good stuff.
Also See:
- Guide To Packing For Norway & Trolltunga Hike
- What To See And Do In Bergen
- Camping In Odda
- Where To Get The Best Views Of Fjords In Bergen
CONTENTS
- 1 Norway Trolltunga Hike Guide Q&A
- 2 Hiking Trolltunga In Norway
- 3 Trolltunga Hike Difficulty, Duration And When To Hike Trolltunga
- 3.1 What’s the Trolltunga hike like?
- 3.2 Can you hike Trolltunga in the rain | How do Trolltunga hike?
- 3.3 How long is the hike to Trolltunga? – (Trolltunga Hike Duration)
- 3.4 When Is the best time to hike Trolltunga? Can you hike Trolltunga in Winter?
- 3.5 Trolltunga Hike Info: When Does Trolltunga Open?
- 4 Is Trolltunga Hike Dangerous
- 5 Trolltunga Hike Parking, Toilets And Facilities
- 6 Travel & Transport | Trolltunga Hike From Bergen Or Oslo
- 6.1 How to get to Trolltunga hike?
- 6.2 What is the closest/nearest airport to Trolltunga?
- 6.3 Oslo to Trolltunga and Bergen To Trolltunga Travel
- 6.4 Are there hotels near the Trolltunga hike? (Accommodation near Trolltunga)
- 6.5 Where can you camping before your Trolltunga hike?
- 6.6 Trolltunga Camping – Is camping on the top of Trolltunga allowed?
- 6.7
- 7 What To Pack For Trolltunga Hike And Norway
- 8 More On Norway & Europe:
Norway Trolltunga Hike Guide Q&A
Norway has so many beautiful landscapes and so many amazing hikes in Norway to add to your list, that it is hard to imagine how a country could have such amazing scenery all to itself. Our drive to Trolltunga from Bergen involved a stop in Odda, which is the starting point from most on the little expedition that is the Trolltunga hike.
All along the way, the road trip from Bergen to Trolltunga had us oohing and ahhing at waterfalls, lakes and beautiful mountains that you drive past. A lot of people want to do this hike so I thought a to Trolltunga blog post answering as many of the questions I get in addition to those I had myself. So my second post on a Guide to Hiking to Trolltunga a Q&A aims to answer as many of the answers you might want to know when planning a trip for a Trolltunga hike.
Hiking Trolltunga In Norway
What is Trolltunga Hike (Norway)?
Which city is Trolltunga located in?
Trolltunga Hike Difficulty, Duration And When To Hike Trolltunga
What’s the Trolltunga hike like?
What can I expect? Is Trolltunga hard or How hard is Trolltunga – Trolltunga Hike Difficulty
To address all questions asking questions around Trolltunga hike difficulty like; is Trolltunga a hard hike, how hard is Trolltunga, is Trolltunga easy hike?, or how hard is Trolltunga? The Trolltunga hike is 11km up and 11km down so a total of 22km for the whole trail. They used to have the funicular that made the first and last 1km a lot easier – alas it has been shut down a long time ago and the trail the cable car went on is now blocked off and it is too unsafe to use.
This means that you now have to climb up the 1km with your own two feet. Let me tell you this: the first 1 km is the hardest part of the trial especially if you are carrying a heavy backpack! Your feet will be swearing at you all the way through the 1km BUT when you do see the 1km sign at the top you will be surprised where that little burst of energy comes from for the little happy dance that you will no doubt be doing. The trail between the 1km sign and the 2km sign is fairly flat.
As far as the first 1km is concerned it is a mix of stone steps and steep inclines with a rope to support you. The last 1km down is also a lot harder to do on the way down than it is going up. Having done 21km your legs will be a bit wobbly for the big stone steps down in that last 1km. Saying that you will be on such a high with encouragement from other walkers that it won’t seem as bad as I am making it out to be. As a rule of thumb if I did it so can you!
Can you hike Trolltunga in the rain | How do Trolltunga hike?
Also, note that the time it takes to climb down is almost the same as the climb up so factor that in if you are using public transport. Also I get questions around how many steps to Trolltunga, considering how many hours I mentioned above you can just imagine how many steps are involved.
When Is the best time to hike Trolltunga? Can you hike Trolltunga in Winter?
Trolltunga Hike Info: When Does Trolltunga Open?
- Can you hike Trolltunga in September: From mid-September you need a guide to hike Trolltunga.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in October: You need a guide to hike Trolltunga up until October 15. After that no hiking is allowed in October due to weather.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in November: No hiking is allowed in November due to weather.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in December: No hiking is allowed in December due to weather.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in January: No hiking is allowed in January due to weather.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in February: No hiking is allowed in February due to weather.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in March: No hiking up until end of March when the trail starts to thaw and open season starts. You need to hike with a guide in March when the trail opens.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in April: Hiking Trolltunga allowed but only with a guide.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in May: Hiking Trolltunga allowed but only with a guide.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in June: Trolltunga early June can only be hiked with a guide. After June 15 You can hike on your own.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in July: You can hike Trolltunga without a guide.
- Can you hike Trolltunga in August: You can hike Trolltunga without a guide.
Is Trolltunga Hike Dangerous
Can you hike Trolltunga without a guide?
Can you hike Trolltunga alone? Do you need a guide? Is there a Trolltunga hike tour?
What happens when you get to the top of Trolltunga?
What happens when you get on the Troll’s tongue itself? Is Trolltunga worth it?
Once you arrive a the top of Trolltunga you have to go down via a few metal steps and this is where the queue to Trolltunga starts. The rest of the crowd are scattered around the area taking pictures and congratulating each other for making it that far. The majority stay there for an hour or 2 before heading back down.
Note that there is a queue to get on the tongue itself. When I climbed down to queue the queue was about 30 minutes long but during the peak periods, I have heard it can go up to 2 hours. It does go quickly though as you have people doing all sorts of stuff on the tongue that will keep you entertained as time goes by. From people stripping naked to marriage proposals, it all happens in Trolltunga! It Trolltunga worth it? Hell Yes! If for the views alone!
Is Trolltunga dangerous? Who do I call in an emergency – Mountain rescue?
Do I have to sit on the edge of Trolltunga cliff, is it scary?
No, you don’t have to sit on the edge Trolltunga cliff or Norway tongue as some call Trolltunga. Plenty of people don’t. It’s really up to you and how well you deal with heights. I had every intention of sitting on the edge but didn’t know if I was going to actually do it. I was going to sit there on my own and my boyfriend was way on the other side with instructions to take as many pictures as possible.
Only until it was my turn to walk on Trolltunga did I just press the ‘fuck it’ button and say it’s now or never so put you big girl panties on and let’s fucking do this. That is usually my pep talk when I am doing something that freaks me out, whether it’s a scary meeting at work or rock climbing somewhere. So I sat down first and inched myself to the edge and then stuck my legs out. It’s as easy as that! I wasn’t going to leave without taking a selfie!!
Trolltunga Hike Parking, Toilets And Facilities
What facilities (toilets and bathrooms) can I find at the base of the Trolltunga Hike?
Are there any toilets along the trail to Trolltunga?
Is there parking at Trolltunga?
Wondering about where to park in Trolltunga? Yes, there are two car parks in Trolltunga.
Travel & Transport | Trolltunga Hike From Bergen Or Oslo
How to get to Trolltunga hike?
What is the closest/nearest airport to Trolltunga?
Oslo to Trolltunga and Bergen To Trolltunga Travel
Are there hotels near the Trolltunga hike? (Accommodation near Trolltunga)
Where can you camping before your Trolltunga hike?
Trolltunga Camping – Is camping on the top of Trolltunga allowed?
Where can you camp on the Trolltunga hike trail? Is camping allowed on Trolltunga? If so, where? (Many of the questions I receive)
What To Pack For Trolltunga Hike And Norway
Trolltunga day hike Vs Trolltunga overnight hike
For the Trolltunga day hike, you have to be on the trail nice and early. The latest time recommended to start is 8 am, in the summer months when it gets dark later in the day I think you can push this until 9 or 10 am. Just bear in mind that you definitely do not want to do the last 1km in the dark. Some spots are steep and challenging even in daytime. When you pack your equipment be sure to pack a torch regardless whether you are a day or overnight hiker. For the overnight hike, we started off late in the afternoon.
Again, make sure you don’t set off when it’s dark as you need decent visibility for the 1km up the start of Trolltunga trail. If the car park is full at the top then you need to factor in the bus ride up to the start of the trail. If you start off after the bus running times end then you will either have to face adding 2-4km of walking to the starting point of Trolltunga trail or face canceling your hike for the next day.
If I had to do it over again I would still go for the Overnight hike as I like the camping in nature side of it and the views were out of this world amazing without a whole host of people on the trail. One thing to add is that if you are going for the overnight hike then that is an addition of camping equipment you have to carry with you on an already hard hike.
What to pack for Trolltunga hike: Trolltunga packing list
- Tent
- Water bottle
- Thermals
- Spare clothes
- First aid kit
- Comfortable hiking/walking shoes
- You can check out my detailed post with tips on what to pack for Norway as well as what to pack for the Trolltunga Hike. Everything around Trolltunga what to bring, Trolltunga what to wear, are all questions I answer in more detail in that post. The post details packing for a day hike and one for camping Trolltunga.
Heart My Backpack
I live near Trolltunga and girl, this is SUCH a good guide! So many tourists don't take this hike seriously enough, so it's great to read all of your helpful tips for people wanting to do it!
Bianca M.
Thank you! Glad you found it informative.
Hannah
great tips! It's on my bucketlist but I've had a ton of questions and concerns about it, I think you answered all of them. Stashing this one away to refer to!
brianna mae
This is one of my MUST NEED TO DO items on my bucket-list!! Plus, just visit Norway in general lol. I'm definetly bookmarking this trip for when I do this hike – plus I'm checking out all of your other guides on Norway!
Amadahy Tayanita
Such a helpfull post! You really answered some important questions. I haven't done Trolltunga myself yet but I'd love to – especially if it involves camping! Gonna check out your other Norway posts. 🙂
Maya
Such an informative post! Hiking really isn't my thing but it looks worth it for those views! 🙂
Maya Not Mya
Shapath Das
Great post! I havent seen anything this detailed on Trolltunga hike. Definitely adding Trolltunga camping to my list.
Sarah Parton
Beautiful scenery! This is going in my bucket list. I love how incredibly beautiful the whole thing is. Just wow. I've traveled alone on most of my trekking and camping trips and this is a trip I would plan and save up for. For those who love to go solo, it's all good – just make sure to take precautions and be proactive in everything. Never second-guess. For more tips on hiking alone, see this link: http://backpackingmastery.com/skills/tips-for-hiking-alone.html
jamie.hvidsten
Great Post! I was wondering if you had any knowledge about renting camping gear near trolltunga? I can't seem to find any information about this online!
Bianca M.
I am afraid not. We went with our own staff. There might be some shops you can do that at in Bergen where majority of people arrive from.
Sian
This is the most informative post I have seen yet! My partner and I are planning on trekking Trolltunga in July 2018. You mentioned no camping in the last 3km of trail – does this include no camping at the top? We were planning on camping overnight at the top as I heard a few people do? Thanks!
Bianca M.
There are signs that say camping is not allowed in the last 3km. That could possibly because of safety, as it get super cold there with hardly any shield from the wind. Also if you are going to camp in the last 3km then why bother camping at all instead of just doing a day hike. This is not to say that people dont camp in the last few km to the top. I guess you do so at your own risk really. It is a beautiful route. If you are going to camp I would suggest the half way mark so that you can leave your gear and pick it up on your way back like we did. You can leave the tent pitched and any other unnecessary weight ie cooking stuff etc. Hike up to the top with less weight and then collect it on the way down and finish that way. Either way, hope the post was useful to you and enjoy your hike to Trolltunga when you do visit 🙂
Alisa Stevenson
Hey did you by any chance use Trolltunga active for your hike to Trolltunga? Also for Trolltunga camping, did you take you rent your equipment or did you pack your own stuff?
Bianca
Hi Alisa, nope we didnt use Trolltunga active or hire camping gear. If you are hiking out of season when I would recommend checking out Trolltunga Active. As for Trolltunga camping, make sure you have all the equipment you need if you are planning on that and also make sure you clear up your rubbish and take it back down with you to the base as a lot of people have been leaving their rubbish around the summit which is not great for nature.
Sarrai
Hi Bee,
We are looking at flights that land in Bergen and wonder if you knew of any Trolltunga tours from Bergen? Just trying to figure out if its possible to start the Trolltunga hike from Bergen. Thanks!
Bianca
Hi there, hmm not sure what you mean by start the Trolltunga hike from Bergen. We arrived in Bergen and drove to Odda where we spend the night and then set off to the starting point from Odda. You can check with Trolltunga active to see if their Trolltunga tours include collection from Bergen airport. Otherwise you may need to find your own transport from Bergen. You have the choice of car rentals from Bergen Airport or looking into public transport which may involve a couple of buses. All the best.
Artu
Hi Bee, thank you so much for putting this post together. I am trying to find Trolltunga, Norway hike tour. Have you come across anything? We are a group looking to do Trolltunga hike in October.
Bianca
Hi Artu, there are I believe 1 or two recommended Trolltunga tours. I believe one is organised by Trolltunga active, I have linked to them above. If you intend on doing Trolltunga hike in October, you will definitely need a guide.
Lennie - Trolltunga Hike Norway
I have had the Trolltunga hike in Norway on my bucketlist for ages. This post definitely gives me hope. I have been a little apprehensive about booking a trip as I just wasnt sure what to expect. Thank you so much for this guide!
Bianca
You are welcome. I was the same as well I had wanted to do the Trolltunga hike for such a long time but not knowing what to expect or having a comprehensive Trolltunga hike guide made the planning difficult. I certainly hope this post pushed you to book the trip for next year.
Charlie - Trolltunga in May
Hi we are hoping to do Trolltunga in May. Do you know if this is possible, whether-wise. You you know if the weather will add to the Trolltunga hike difficulty?
Bianca
See above for the hiking season. As far as I am aware March- June and September to October you can only hike Trolltunga with a guide. So if you want to do Trolltunga in May you may have to get a guide to hike with you. For the second part of your question, When we went it was wet and covered in mud so I would definitely say the weather does add to Trolltunga hike difficulty.
Jane - Can I hike Trolltunga alone?
I am thinking of hiking Trolltunga next year and have been trying to figure out when to hike Trolltunga or whether I need to find a Trolltunga hike tour. Can I hike Trolltunga alone?
Bianca
Hi Jane, with regards to when to hike Trolltunga, I have outlined Trolltunga hiking season above. As to whether you do a tour or not that really depends when you go. If you want to visit out of the season you definitely need a tour guide for Trolltunga. As to whether you can hike Trolltunga alone, yes you can! Providing you are hiking in the popular season, as there will be people around. Even then please make sure you tell people where you are and make sure you well equipped for the hike. First aid, hiking shoes, jacket, gloves and all the rest. This is a beautiful yet challenging route. Also always know the emergency contacts and make sure your phone is charged. Others its great route and we saw plenty of solo hikers both male and female so you will definitely also meet plenty of people alone the way.
Francis - Trolltunga Hike Guide
Oh my goodness. This is such a comprehensive guide. I have been searching around for a detailed Trolltunga hike guide. Thank you so much for putting this together as it saves me a little more time I would have spent doing research. Will check out your other post on what to pack for Trolltunga! Thank you!!
Bianca
You are welcome. I am so glad to hear you found it useful. I was trying to put together a Trolltunga hike that answered all the questions I had when I was planning the hike. Trying to figure out Trolltunga hike difficulty, the distance and just in general how to hike Trolltunga. I am certainly happy it’s all useful for you.
Tristen
Just love you Trolltunga pictures. Just stunning. Definitely adding Trolltunga hike to my bucket list!
Huang
Hi, do you think Trolltunga hike distance is doable if you don’t exercise that much?
Bianca
Hi. Ideally, you will want to add walking to your day to day to prepare. It is quite a strenuous hike to Trollunga summit and not to be taken lightly.
Tanya Shaw - Trip from Odda to Trolltunga
Hi there. Just wanted to check if you know about how easy the journey is from Odda to Trolltunga? Is transportation fairly reliable, say the Odda to Trolltunga bus?
Bianca
Hi Tanya, yes there are buses from Odda to Trolltunga but not sure of timings also depending on your plans for the hike you may be able to get a bus. If you are setting off really really early for the hike I would suggest you rent a car instead to allow you the freedom to explore the surrounding areas which are just stunning.
Geoff - how to get to trolltunga from bergen
Hi Bee, I have been reading your blog for a while now. I now find myself planning a trip to Norway and look at how to get to Trolltunga from Bergen and thought on the off chance to have a look to see if you have been there and what do you know! You have been there, done that and bought the t-shirt. This is a really cool and comprehensive guide. Thanks so much!
Bianca
Always glad to get feedback from my readers! So glad you liked the guide. I am sure you will enjoy the adventures to Trolltunga!
Ozlem - Trolltunga Hike Guide
I was coming here to ask if you could hike trolltunga without a guide but you seem to have managed to cover so much of what I wanted to know in so much detail. This is a really detailed trolltunga hike guide. Will be bookmarking for next year.
Bianca
So glad you found by Trolltunga guide useful! 😀
mary
stunning! adding to my bucket list of hikes, its a great one! ps found you on fb travel bloggers club, and pinning for later