Beginners Guide to Hiking Trolltunga

Trolltunga, is one of Norway’s most famous hikes and is hiked by thousands during the summer months. The hike was named Trolltunga as it translates to Troll Tongue and the cliff resembles a tongue. Hiking Trolltunga was not an easy feat (for me at least), but such an accomplishment when you reach the top and get awarded with a jaw dropping view of nature at it’s finest. Although it was rather difficult for me – it is not impossible! This is what you should be aware of before departing on this extremely strenuous hike.

How to get here

Most people stay in Odda when planning to hike Trolltunga; however that is still an hour drive away from the start of the hiking trail. I would advise finding a place as close as possible!

There are buses available but I would ultimately suggest having a rental car. That is the method we decided on when exploring Norway and I believe this is the best way to see the country side!

Duration

Google stated it was 27km round trip; however, according to my Apple Watch, we clocked 31km round trip (this includes walking around when at the top – although we mostly sat once we reached the peak). Elevation gain is 900m and it was suggested this would take roughly 10-11hr round trip.

Reality for beginner hikers

Born and raised near the rocky mountains in Canada, it is common to spend the summers hiking. I’m not an avid hiker, maybe hiking 3x max in a summer; however, Trolltunga was probably one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever done in my life. It took us 14 hours round trip, this included breaks and lunch/photo ops for 1-2 hours at the top. Be MENTALLY prepared for this hike, it’s not impossible and there are steep moments but mostly flat land, which we were very excited about.

Bus Option

Although we decided to hike the entire duration, the first 13kms are paved switchbacks and you are able to pay to hop on a bus. The bus will drive you up to the “start” of the hike. I highly suggest this option as it saves you time and energy, especially for beginner hikers.

When to go?

It is suggested to hike Trolltunga from July to September. I was hiking Trolltunga at the end of July/early August and it was perfect! Although the weather is unpredictable and you need should be prepared with all the necessities.

What to bring?

• Rain jacket – Be sure to pack a rain jacket if the weather states there is even the slightest possibility of rain. It was very sunny and hot during the day but as we were hiking back down, the thunderstorms came and it was heavy rainfall.
• Hiking boots – Due to the steep climbs and potential rain (slipper rocks), it would be wise to bring hiking boots. Your feet and ankles will thank you afterwards.
• Food & water – Since you’ll be out the entire day, be sure to pack breakfast, lunch, snacks and a bunch of liquids. I packed 3 sandwiches (2 would have sufficed depending on how hungry you are), nuts, other snacks and 3 bottles of water. While on the trail I noticed people drinking the mountain water, which I would commonly advise against. However, my friends from Sweden advised that drinking the running water from the mountains is safe. Try at your own risk. I ran out of water near the end of the hike and did fill my bottle up with mountain water (I was fine).

Accommodation

We stayed at an Airbnb near Trolltunga, which was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! If you’re looking to accommodate 10 guests and are looking for a cute cabin with the most serene view of the fjords and Norwegian mountains, this is the airbnb you NEED to stay at! Martha is so welcoming and upon arrival had fresh picked cherries/home made honey bread for us.

There is also the option to camp for those that would like to get a head start on the trails. We saw a bunch of people camping while we made our way up Trolltunga and it seemed magical. As Norway is a rather expensive country, it is nice to save on accommodation costs, especially when camping is free. Next trip to Norway I plan to do some camping and be able to wake up to the most pristine view of the fjords.

Have you hiked the famous Trolltunga? what are your thoughts (easy/hard) and would you do it again?