The Trolltunga Hike
The Trolltunga hike is one of the most famous hikes in Norway. People from all around gear up and take on this 8 to 12-hour hike to see “the troll’s tongue” and the valley far below. While it is incredibly busy and quite long, the Trolltunga hike is definitely worth it.
Preparing for the Trolltunga hike
The Trolltunga hike was on our list of must do’s even though it was very difficult to fit into our weekend trip. In order to get to Odda where we spent the night before the hike, we had a 13-hour drive from Åndalsnes. Needless to say, we were extremely tired. We had done our research. So, we knew there was a small parking higher from the start of the trail. This lets you skip a dreadful steep climb with chains and stairs. We couldn’t book a spot though. We were planning to do that a few days before, but we were not sure the weather would be good enough, so we decided to wait. Our alternative was to get a shuttle from the P2 parking at the base of the trail. So, we booked two tickets for one of the later shuttles as we wanted to sleep in this time.
Getting there
There is nothing like not having to wake up at 5 am during your holiday. So, we got up at 6 instead. After a relaxed breakfast we packed our backpacks and drove off. Shortly after passing the P1 parking in Tyssedal, there was a sign that said that the P2 parking was full. Oops. After explaining that we had a shuttle booked, they let us through, though, showing us where to park. The road to P2 Skjeggedal is narrow and it can be difficult to pass other vehicles. When we got to the parking, we managed to get a proper parking spot, which was lucky considering how crowded it was. We walked up to the shuttle and waited for our turn to ride. There were many people waiting to see if they can get on a shuttle as they hadn’t booked their tickets in advance. Some of them figured they’re better off walking up the road instead of hiking the trail – it is much easier to walk.
Not long after, we were on the shuttle driving up the steep, narrow road to the P3 Mågelitopp parking where our adventure was about to begin.
The easy walk and the hardest climb
So, there we were. Full of energy and feeling like winners since we saved ourselves nearly 4 kilometers of steep and difficult ascent. The first kilometer from here passes through a flat area which was very easy to walk. Hence, we got through it pretty quickly. However, at the end of the field I had to face my biggest fear. My old nemesis. Stairs. If we had taken the full trail, this would have been the second big climb, and I am so happy we skipped the first part. It took a lot of effort climbing the rocky staircase and once we got to the top, we sat down for a longer break. But that was it. The hard part was behind us.
The beautiful trail
From this point on, the trail follows a series of short climbs and descents. Because they are quite well balanced in terms of effort, for us the hike became much easier to enjoy. And it is worth taking the time to admire the views along the way. We crossed several streams, walked along small lakes, over boulders and around cliffs. And for most of the hike we had panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
There are a couple of safety cabins along the way where you can peek inside. In our case, there were always other people before us with the same idea.
The trail took us along gorgeous landscapes, some looked as if they were from another planet. We were making good progress and soon enough we were closing up on our final destination.
Trolltunga
In the last few meters of the final ascent we could already see the large group of hikers queueing to take a picture at the famous landmark. Queueing took forever. Or at least an hour that felt like forever. But that’s what we get for hiking in the middle of the day. The smarter thing to do is get there very early, or later in the afternoon as by the time we were about to head back the queue had almost disappeared.
It’s important to befriend someone around you in that queue and make an arrangement to take pictures of each other. If you want to hang your legs from the edge of the rock, it’s not scary – there is a bit of slope that allows you to stay on the safe side. But most importantly, if there are a lot of people still waiting, don’t take your time and don’t take a million identical pictures.
Once we got a couple of photos, we walked a bit further just after the massive Trolltunga where there is a much smaller version of it. People didn’t seem to care about this rock so that’s where we took another bunch of photos, and they came out quite good. Just a few meters further down, we picked a rock near the edge of the cliff where we sat down to grab some food. Even though there were hundreds of people behind us, this place felt isolated, because it is a dead end and there’s not enough room for many people to hang out.
The way back
After our recharging lunch with a view, it was time to start hiking back. We had a long way ahead of us. Nevertheless, the trail is a bit easier on the way down, so we were making good progress, very fast. It wasn’t long before we got to the final section – my horror, the stairs. Our feet hurt from walking for so long over the rough terrain, and the stairs were also quite hard on our knees. Needless to say, finding a place to sit and take our shoes off at the shuttle pick up point felt like heaven.
We had a short drive back to our hotel in Odda (Trolltunga Hotel – a lovely place to stay). We finished the day with a nice dinner in the hotel garden and a couple of cold beers. Our hiking weekend in Norway was over and it’s been physically exhausting but mentally very relaxing.
Looking forward to visiting again.
Know before you go
There is a lot of information about the trail, what to pack and weather conditions here. Here are a few tips from us:
- When to go – The beginning of June until end of September is when it is safe to go without a guide;
- What to wear – The trail is completely exposed so bring layers and definitely bring a hat and sunscreen;
- How long does it take – It depends, but there is a lot of ground to cover, and make sure you consider the queuing at the top. It took us about 8 hours out and back including an hour and a half waiting to take a picture, and all the rest and lunch stops;
- What if I don’t have a car – There is plenty of transport to choose from. There are shuttles from Odda, and busses from Voss, Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo. Some options here;
- Most importantly, enjoy the hike, and don’t go too near the edge of the cliff;
- If you would like to learn about other great hikes in Norway, read our post about the Besseggen Ridge;
Wow! That looks like an amazing hike! Happy hiking 🥾
Thanks, Erika 🙂
Wow, what an amazing hike! The pictures are so beautiful. I’ll have to keep this hike in mind if I ever make my way to Norway. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Miranda 🙂
This is definitely on my bucketlist! But wow, an hour for that famous photo! Definitely worth it though, its stunning 🙂
Hi Kerry, the trick to avoid the crowds is to go early or late. By the time we were about to head back, the queue had shrunk quite significantly 🙂
This looks wonderful! I hope I get to hike it someday!
Hi Julianne, I hope you do, too – it really is a beautiful hike 🙂
Love the pictures! I hope I can visit Norway one day.
Thank you, Nina! I hope you can, too! Norway is amazing 🙂
This is so amazing! The pictures and the view is sooo good.
Thanks, Aditi 🙂