Trolltunga Hike Guide - Everything You Need To Know - ItsAllBee

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Your Questions Answered! || trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga blog post,

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.

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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)?

Trolltonga is a miracle of nature that literally means the ‘Trolls Tongue’. Hopefully, my previous post answered this one but if still unsure, read on. Trolltunga is one of the most spectacular scenic cliffs in Norway. Trolltunga is situated about 1100 meters above sea level, hovering 700 meters above lake Ringedalsvatnet. The view is breathtaking. The hike starts in Skjeggedal and goes through the high mountains, takes 10-12 hours (23 km in total to Trolltunga and return) and the ascent is about 900 meters.

Which city is Trolltunga located in?

Trolltunga (Troll tongue) rock formation is situated about 1,100 meters above sea level in the municipality of Odda in Hordaland county, Norway.

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Your Questions Answered!

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!

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Can you hike Trolltunga in the rain | How do Trolltunga hike?

The answer is yes, you can you hike Trolltunga in the rain. When we hiked it had rain heavily the days before so the trail was covered in so much mud from the tail. This is one of the reasons I insist that you have really comfortable and suitable shoes. Don’t be one of those people that turns up on this trail with flip-flops.

How long is the hike to Trolltunga? – (Trolltunga Hike Duration)

For hiking Trolltunga how many hours it takes depends on your fitness levels. You will see some breezing through the trail as if it is a walk in the park and some that are taking each step as it comes. I was not the fittest one out there, I found it hard at times. I slowed down at some spots and picked up the paces on the flat areas. The part that takes the longest is the starting point as it’s a very steep 1km but starts to level out as you get higher. You have spots that incline but this is a lot more gradual than the start. The next 3km took us about 2 hours if I remember correctly. We set off around 4 or 5 pm.

When we reached the 4km it was around 7 pm. We set off late in the day because we knew we were going to be camping overnight. We camped at the 4.5km mark and woke up at 6 am to restart our hike. Weather, fitness and Equipment play a role. Also, bear in mind that how long it takes you will also be determined not just by your fitness level but by weather as well.

It had rained heavily during the day hence part of the first 1km was covered in mud with some of the trail somewhat challenging as you had to pick and choose where to place your foot on almost every step. Make sure you bring hiking shoes with you. This is also one of the reasons by you need a spare set of socks. You need to be careful and ensure to take easier alternatives during challenging parts of the trail.

I imagine such a hike would be just as difficult after or around the time of snowfall. There were some muddy patches in other parts of the trail but it was fairly simple to navigate those as the incline was not a concern. Just make sure you check the weather update leading to your trip. This will help you figure out what sort of weather patterns to expect as well as what to pack. For day hike it can range from 10-15 hours on the trail. This all depends on your fitness and the time you hike as I said. For the day hike you also need to make sure you set off early enough for the start of the 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.

trolltunga hike info - The Best Time To Hike Trolltunga - Do you need a guide for Trolltunga?

When Is the best time to hike Trolltunga? Can you hike Trolltunga in Winter?

Whatever time you visit be sure you are equipped for the hike. You can read my post tips on what to pack for Trolltunga Hike. Whatever you do, do not attempt the Trolltunga hike in winter time (unless of course, you have Everest under your belt – Trolltunga should be a breeze). Also from Mid March, it is still covered in snow and the only people taking on the trail are those on a guided tour with Trolltunga Active guides. It was hard enough doing the trail when it’s covered in mud in August. I wouldn’t dare an attempt it the winter.

The best time to hike Trolltunga is between June and mid-September. We hiked towards the tail end of the hiking season. We were there the last weekend of August as it was part of an adventure weekend birthday present to my boyfriend, now fiancé.

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?

Can you hike Trolltunga without a guide, the answer is providing you are hiking Trolltunga early June to September. So, no, you don’t need a guide, especially if you are hiking to Trolltunga within the safe seasons when there is hardly any snow. We hiked as a pair but did spot solo hikers. Both male and female solo walkers. You will still have plenty of people along the way to talk to.

On the way to hike Trolltunga from Odda, we did camping in Odda before our hike and recognised quite a few faces from the camping site in Odda who were finishing the trail as we were starting. These guys started off around 6 am and were heading down by 7.30pm when we were reaching the 4.5km mark. So, to answer that question. No, I don’t think you need a guide nor do I think you need to go on a Trolltunga hike tour as the trail is very well marked and maintained. We didn’t have a guide. I did, however, do an incredible amount of reading before planning the hike. I would happily do Trolltunga alone but bear in mind that it’s a difficult hike and needs not just physical strength but mental strength too which is a lot easier if you have a hiking partner with you to cheer each other on.

Make sure you plan your trip well and that you have all the equipment needed and that you have the latest weather forecast. Once you are up on the trail it is an amazing slice of wilderness to raise your soul to new heights. The entry ticket is being prepared.

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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?

Even when you have no reception for normal calls, you should still be able to great through to emergency services. A majority of countries use 112. For Norway and UK, you can dial 112 for mountain rescue. For other countries refer to this table. Just make sure you do your research before your hike to make sure these numbers are still the same.

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!!

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, 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, where to park and all that good stuff.

Celebration at the summit?

Hell yeah! You have just done 11km on your own two feet, why not celebrate. Shortly after the celebration it soon sinks in that you have to do another 11km back down. Although, its not as bad as most of the uphill battle is over and done with.

Trolltunga Hike Parking, Toilets And Facilities

What facilities (toilets and bathrooms) can I find at the base of the Trolltunga Hike?

Both cars parks have toilets. The first one has a toilet and a little shop. The second car park at the Skjedggedal where the hike begins has the car park, toilet, and a cafe. Note that the cafe doesn’t open early so don’t bank on getting food here for the hike. Bring snacks with you.

Are there any toilets along the trail to Trolltunga?

No sweetheart, it’s just you and mother nature!

Is there parking at Trolltunga?

Wondering about where to park in Trolltunga? Yes, there are two car parks in Trolltunga.

There are two parking sites when you arrive at Skejeggdal, one is the information site. The second is elevated high up the mountain just where the actual trail starts. If parking at the top has run out you will be asked to park at the first parking lot and then take the free bus to the second car park. We parked our car in the first car park and took the bus up. Boy, was I glad we got the bus!

The road up to the second car park is one lane in most parts, the bus had to manoeuvre in tricky parts and guess what, you only have a bit of a barrier between the bus and meters and meters of a deadly drop! So yeah, I was glad it wasn’t us in the driver’s seat! There were points where the bus had to reverse back to make room for another car to pass in what is already a narrow and dodgy cliff edge road. I am a lover of heights but this road had me on high alert that I actually forgot to record the journey.

So, yeah there is parking in Trolltunga! We were also parked overnight in the first car park. If you are hiking and leave your car in the first car park just make sure you know when the last bus is so that plan to get off in the right time. Otherwise, if you are parked on the top level car park next to the trail then you only have to worry about the drive back on the crazy cliff road in the dark.

– Coins for parking – Parking in Skjeggedal is 200 NOK/day or 100 NOK in Tyssedal. The machines don’t take notes so take coins or a bank card. We paid cash to the car park attendant on site when we arrived and parked in a different spot to the day hikers car park.

Travel & Transport | Trolltunga Hike From Bergen Or Oslo

How to get to Trolltunga hike?

For how to get to get to Trolltunga via public transport, there are buses from Bergen that take above 3 hours to Odda and from Odda you can either take a shuttle bus to Skjeggedal. If you are staying in Odda check with your place of accommodation if the shuttle bus picks up from your hotel or campsite. I have also provided extensive detail in this post on how to get to Trolltunga.

What is the closest/nearest airport to Trolltunga?

Trolltunga is located in the town of Skjeggeda, about 7km from Odda. Hikers and visitors typically stay in Odda or use this larger town as a base before embarking on the 8-12 hour hike to Trolltunga. The nearest airport you likely would fly into is Bergen, a 3-hour drive from Odda. I have shared a post on our stay and exploration of Bergen in addition to our overnight camping in Odda.

Oslo to Trolltunga and Bergen To Trolltunga Travel

You can search for flight deals on Kayak, Momundo or Expedia. Our flights arrived in Norway via Bergen. I shared a post recently on what to see and do in Bergen if you have a bit of time to kill before starting off for your hike. From Bergen we rented a car, actually, we rented the car from the airport. I also shared some tips on car rentals in that post. We drove from Bergen to Odda. By the time we arrived in Odda is was early evening.

We had pre-booked at the campsite in Odda. There are local hotels and guest houses too. We camped overnight in beautiful Odda. I will share a post soon on this beautiful little town soon. In the morning made our way to Skejeggdal, the starting point of the hike. For more details on buses, travel by shuttle or if you are arriving via Voss, Geilo, Bergen or Oslo check out Trolltunga Active.

Are there hotels near the Trolltunga hike? (Accommodation near Trolltunga)

If you are looking for accommodation near Trolltunga, I would highly recommend booking early! I have shared and additional post on where to stay when hiking Trolltunga. We stayed at a campsite before we set off for our hike. If you want to stay at a hotel, guest house or rent an apartment you need to do that well in advance as there aren’t a lot of places nearby.

When we tried to book, a lot of places had already sold out that were nearby. Also bear in mind that there only about 5 places within 10mins of the starting point. The list hotels and guesthouse can be found here. Book early! Otherwise, your second option would be camping in Odda.

Where can you camping before your Trolltunga hike?

When heading to Norway for a hike to Trolltunga, you will most likely have to stop by Odda before heading to your Trolltunga hike. Odda is a beautiful little town and actually quite a few walking trails to ease you into the mother of trails in the region that is Trolltunga. In Norway, you can camp anywhere on public land but on this trip, I wasn’t about to start hunting out which spots I can and cannot camp on. I sought out to research on camping sites in Odda and we found one. Odda has ridiculously beautiful views that we decided to camp right on the edge of the lake. We camped at Odda Camping and left later on in the day to head to Skegjjedgal, the starting point of Trolltunga.

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)

To address the above any more around, Trolltunga where to sleep, Trolltunga where to camp are just some of the questions most people want to know about. I searched and scoured the internet for the answer to this questions but could not find any details Trolltunga camping. Yes, you can camp anywhere on the trail, that is, apart from the last 3kms. People being people, they disobeyed the rule from what I could see with a few tents in the last 3km of the trail to Trolltunga hike. I don’t know the reasons why you are not allowed to camp in the last 3km of the trail, all I know is that there is no way I was going to be hiking all the way up to the top with all my camping gear on my back! Camping anywhere else one the trail is fine.

There isn’t a lot of shielding from the mountain winds as most parts on the Trolltunga trail are flat. It gets really windy and cold at night so layers and thermals are your BFF!(see what to pack here.) Pack accordingly. Apparently, they tend to have quite a few rescues on the trail and we had quite a few helicopters fly past at night in what we hoped would be a quiet and serene place to chill. I put that down to helicopters flying in for rescues. You don’t want that to be you, so pay attention to the warnings and pack all or some of the items above if you are planning to spend the night.

As far as camping is concerned on our hike to the Troll’s tongue, we found a spot to pitch our tent on the Trolltunga trail. Once we pitched our tent, got some food going and chilled out with a little wine and a view – it was a birthday celebration after all- we had a great time! The views were breathtaking.

It was the first time I spent such quality time up a mountain. It was after we chilled out that we decided that in the morning we would leave our tent as-is and continue the hike with just food, camera, first aid, torch and all the smaller necessities. Once we finished our hike, on the way down, at the 4KM point we found our tent and took it down to finish the last leg of the hike. We weren’t the only ones with this idea, a few people left their tents on the trail.

If you want to camp at the top of Trolltunga just bear in mind that you will have to lag all your equipment 11km up the trail and back down again. If you are hoping to do an overnight stay I would highly recommend at least pitching your tent maybe half way up. the trail.

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.

Tips on hiking and more equipment:

More can tips and equipment can be found in my previous post on hiking in Snowdonia or my post on what to pack for Trolltunga and Norway.

Trolltunga Hike Guide - What to pack - From Bergen trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga blog post,

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Your Questions Answered! - From Bergen / Oslo | trolltunga hike guide, camping trolltunga, trolltunga parking, trolltunga blog post,

Trolltunga Hike Guide - Trolltunga Camping - trolltunga norway images

Travel Essentials: Travel Insurance

If you are setting off on Trolltunga adventures consider Travel insurance!

Never skimp on Travel insurance. So many times in facebook groups I read about people thinking they don’t need it. Unless you are psychic just don’t travel without it. Especially when doing activities like this. Be sure to check the insurance includes outdoor activities like this.

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Trolltunga Hike Guide – Everything You Need To Know

Norway Trolltunga Hike Guide Q&A