Pass The Passport
Completed: Trek To Trolltunga

Bucket List / Adventure Travel Goals

Trek To Trolltunga

Ticked off in May 2023

A long, tough day across a high plateau to stand on a tongue of rock jutting out over a 700-metre drop.

Trek To Trolltunga

The adventure

The hike starts with a lung-busting climb out of the valley above Skjeggedal, then levels onto a wild, rocky plateau of snow patches, meltwater pools and glacier-scraped granite. For hours you walk across this open country, with Ringedalsvatnet stretched out far below and the Folgefonna glacier gleaming in the distance.

Then the trail rounds a final bend and there it is: a thin, flat slab of rock sticking out horizontally from the cliff, as if it has been carefully placed there. You wait your turn, step out along it and sit at the very tip with your legs dangling over hundreds of metres of air. The lake looks tiny, the wind tugs at your jacket, and the walk back suddenly feels much easier.

Why it’s epic

  • The ledge hangs around 700 metres above Lake Ringedalsvatnet in the Hardanger region of western Norway.
  • The rock was shaped by ice during the last Ice Age, roughly 10,000 years ago.
  • A round trip of around 20 to 28 kilometres with about 800 metres or more of climbing, depending on where you start.
  • Wild camping on the plateau lets you see Trolltunga at sunset or sunrise, without the queue.

What it is

Trolltunga is a rock ledge jutting out 700 metres above Lake Ringedalsvatnet.

How to do it

The hike is around 20 to 28 kilometres return depending on the car park. Start early, or join a guided hike outside the summer season.

Top tip

The queue for the photo can be long, so arrive early.

Need to know

  • Allow 10 to 12 hours, start early and carry food, water, waterproofs and a head torch.
  • The marked summer season runs roughly June to September; outside it, go with a guide, as snow and short days make it dangerous.
  • Car parks closer to the trailhead have limited spaces and charge a fee, so book or arrive early.
  • Fly to Bergen and drive or take the bus to Odda, about three hours away.

Plan this trip

Rough cost
£750 to £2,000 per person, including flights from the UK
Time needed
10 to 12 hours
Best time to go
June to September
Fly into
BGO airport

Flights to Bergen are cheap, but Norway's accommodation, food and parking push the total up.

Do it yourself

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My experience

Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.

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