Hiking the Besseggen Ridge

With countless spectacular peaks, gorgeous fjords and sceneries that inspired legends about mythical creatures living in the mountains and caves Norway is by far one of the most attractive hiking destinations in Europe. The Besseggen Ridge hike is one of the most famous hikes in Norway with approximately 60 000 people visiting every summer. And it is not hard to understand why.

Getting there

There are several ways to tackle the hike.

The most popular way to start the hike is to get a boat ride to Memurubu and then hike back to Gjendesheim. The reason is that this way you don’t need to rush to catch a boat back. Also you get to climb up the steepest part of the track which is much easier than the other way around.

Starting from Gjendesheim, on the other hand, has the benefit of having the great views in front of you. There are much less people going that way too, so the traffic will be mostly in the opposite direction. This means you will have to make sure you can get on a boat back from Memurubu. Otherwise you’ll have to spend the night there or walk back by the lake which also takes a few hours.

There is a big paid parking 2 kilometers away from the Gjendesheim pier, and a free shuttle that runs every 5-10 minutes from the parking to the pier.

Oslo to Gjendesheim

Having considered both options, we decided to take the more popular route. So, we booked our early morning boat ride to Memurubu a few days before the hike. It was a long drive from Oslo. We needed to get up extra early to make sure we got there on time to catch the boat, otherwise we would have had to hike the other way around. It was not an easy task given that we barely had four hours of sleep after our delayed flight the previous day. At 5 am when the alarm went off, we could hardly open our eyes and we had just enough motivation to get our muscles to barely move. We packed as quickly as we could. We prepared some sandwiches for the hike, and with the help of several cups of coffee we got on the road.

Starting from Memurubu

It was not a long boat ride across lake Gjende, but it was a scenic one. It had started raining and we had our fingers crossed the weather would not get worse. Luckily for us, when we got off the boat at Memurubu, the sky was beginning to clear and there were no signs that it would get worse for now.

After spending some time enjoying the view and taking pictures we began our ascent. Our short stop gave the rest of the people from the boat a bit of a head start. This was fine as we prefer our hikes less crowded.

For the first hour or so the trail was somewhat steep. We kept turning back to see the lake below us as we could not get enough of its beauty.

Once we climbed that steep part we stopped for a short rest to catch our breath. The track leveled out a bit at this point and it was easier to maintain a moderate pace towards the ridge.

The trail to the Bessegen Ridge

This was the most beautiful part of the hike. We had the turquoise lake on the right below us and the Besseggen ridge in the distance in front of us. There are a couple of small lakes we walked by on the way. When we got to the second one, called Bjørnbøltjønne, it was time to make a stop for lunch. There is no better way to enjoy a ham and cheese sandwich than eating it while soaking up these views, I tell you that.

We weren’t paying much attention to the time. However, realizing we’d been taking it slow until now, we had to pick up the pace. We were not even halfway through the hike yet. We quick changed into dry clothes while biting from a protein bar we were keeping for dessert. A few last photos of the area and we were back on the move.

The trail until the ridge is a series of short climbs and descents and the rocky path was beginning to take its toll on our feet. When we got to the ridge, we made another stop at the Bessvatnet lake. We dipped our tired feet in the cold water for a little while and gain strength for what was yet to come. The easy part of the Besseggen ridge hike was over.

Bessegen Ridge to Mount Veslefjell

The strip of land that separates the blue lake Bessvatn with the 400-meter drop to the turquoise lake Gjende is just a few meters wide and is a stunning view to look at. However, it was time to take on the most challenging part of the hike. Scrambling that section requires the use of hands as well as a lot of concentration and could be dangerous if you are not careful where you step. There is a very long drop on the right and if you are not comfortable with heights, then this hike is not for you. It was thrilling.

Once we made it safely to the plateau at the end of the climb, we had a last look at the magnificent ridge and moved on. We had just passed the middle of the trail.

The way to the highest point of the hike – the pile of rocks marking Veslefjell’s peak, was not very steep. However, it went over a series of hills that always look like they are the last one, but they never are. To top it off, the loose rocks were making it extra hard to walk even through the nearly flat areas. There were no gorgeous views at this stage, but we did see a reindeer, so I guess that counts as something.

Mount Veslefjell to Gjendesheim

Once we got to the pile of rocks, we knew it was all going to be downhill from there. Unfortunately, downhill did not mean easy. Our feet were very painful at this point having walked on the rough terrain so far and we still had a long way to go. There were still some sections which were quite steep and required the use of chains and ladders. For a while we got the view of lake Gjende back though it was not as stunning as it is was on the other side of the ridge.

As we got to the end of the trail, we sat at down a table and couldn’t move for half an hour. Taking my shoes off and putting my feet up on the bench felt like heaven. The Besseggen ridge hike was amazing. This day was a good day.

Good to know before you go

When to go?

The best time to go is obviously during summer. The boats don’t seem to run during the winter months and while the track is not officially closed, it is very dangerous to try to go when there is snow. Keep in mind that it is a very busy hike especially in high season, so plan accordingly.

Who is the hike suitable for?

It is a challenging 17-kilometer hike. It took us 8 hours including the stops we made and that is probably the average time it takes. It’s not recommended for small children, people who have fear of heights and people who are not in good physical condition. Having said that, we saw people of all ages hiking up and down the trail – a family with their baby, an old woman with a dog (who was much faster than we were by the way), a young girl who was obviously very anxious about scrambling that steepest part, and somehow made it up by crawling.

What’s the track like?

The terrain is quite rough, there is almost no vegetation along the way. The path is clearly marked by red T’s and by people walking – there is no way to get lost. There is a point close to the end where the path forks, just make sure you take the right way.

What to pack?

Layers, water, food. Everything you need for a day hike keeping in mind that you might face variable weather conditions. We overpacked compared to everyone else on the hike and we were ready for absolutely anything which meant our backpacks were much heavier than they could have been, but it’s always better to be prepared.

Any other words of wisdom to share?

If I ever went hiking there again, I would not do the whole track. Instead, I would hike from Memurubu to the Besseggen ridge and then hike back to Memurubu. That would be pretty much the same hike in terms of distance, but it would provide amazing views all along the way, and I wouldn’t have to climb the steepest part. Quite frankly, the trail between the top of the steepest bit until the end is not that picturesque and unless you want to go to the mountain top, there is nothing there that beats the other half of the hike. Also, there are no toilets throughout the track as well as no trees or bushes, so plan accordingly.

Would you like to know more?

The most up to date information about the Besseggen ridge hike you can find here.
For some of the more accurate weather forecasts, have a look here.
Here is our recommendation for another great hike.

Spread the word:

Pinterest Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit

16 thoughts on “Hiking the Besseggen Ridge”

desiree staffeldt
February 23, 2021 at 1:10 am

Besseggen ridge is gorgeous! I will have to go here one day. 17 kilometers is quite a journey though. This guide is amazing. I feel like you covered everything I need to know for sure!

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:32 pm
  
  Thanks! Photos don’t do it justice really. The distance is definitely worth it 🙂
  
Karen
February 23, 2021 at 2:23 am

The color of that lake is gorgeous. And then to go higher and see both lakes. Fabulous hike. I’d like to see a reindeer. It’s probably common for you but it would be the highlight for me.

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:38 pm
  
  Seeing a reindeer in the wild is common indeed, only the more reasons to visit Norway 🙂
  
Hannah Marie
February 23, 2021 at 2:48 am

Wow… These views are breathtaking. It really does look like something out of a film or a fairytale! I’d love to go to take a photo-shoot there, but style the subjects in fantasy-type attire!

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:41 pm
  
  The views really are breathtaking, I couldn’t agree more. But that is true for all of Norway, there are way too many places worthy of a photo-shoot 🙂
  
Emma
February 23, 2021 at 4:58 am

I’ve wanted to go to Norway for as long as I can remember this hike looks so amazing, and wow what a ridiculously beautiful lake you had to see. That’s quite the lunch spot

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:43 pm
  
  Hi Emma, I hope you can visit soon. Norway is one of my favourite destinations for hiking 🙂
  
Hannah
February 23, 2021 at 11:51 am

This looks like a beautiful hike! I’ve never visited Norway but it looks like a stunning country! The view of lake Gjende on the way down is breath-taking! And how exciting that you saw a reindeer! I love spotting local wildlife on a hike! Thanks for sharing this guide!

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:46 pm
  
  This is one of the most beautiful hikes in this part of Norway in my opinion, and there are many, many others. Norway is truly a beautiful country 🙂
  
Melinda
February 23, 2021 at 1:34 pm

What an accomplishment! The views are beautiful. I would be tempted to climb the mountain but it sounds challenging.

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:47 pm
  
  Thank you, Melinda! It is challenging, but it is absolutely worth the sore legs 🙂
  
Ashlee Fechino
February 23, 2021 at 3:04 pm

What an incredible outdoor adventure! The view of the blue Alpine Lake was beautiful. Rock scrambling does sound thrilling! I loved seeing the reindeer in the wild. What a fun journey. We would love to do it!

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:51 pm
  
  Thanks, Ashlee! I must say, the rock scrambling bit was a lot of fun. Still, I don’t recommend it if you have fear of heights and it requires a bit of concentration, but once you get to the top and turn around to see the view, you’ll know it was worth it 🙂
  
Josy A
February 23, 2021 at 4:25 pm

This looks like a dream day! 17km is long-ish but totally doable if you are used to longer hikes, and those views would keep me going! The Besseggen ridge looks seriously fun (even the scramble section has great views!) I hope we can go hiking in Norway one summer!!

1. goframetheworld
  March 4, 2021 at 5:53 pm
  
  Thanks, Josy! It was a great day indeed. It is a bit long, but with a steady pace and enough rest stops (which is easy when you have such views) it is great fun 🙂