Trolltunga, Norway

Looking back, I do accept that we made many amateur mistakes while hiking Trolltunga which caused us plenty of stress and despair, but I would still say that it was one of the most memorable days of my life.

That said, if I had to do it again, I would do it a little differently. Before I give you a list of things not to do while doing this hike, here is a little bit of background.

What is Trolltunga?

A tongue shaped rock formation, 1100 meters above sea level, located in Odda, Norway. Overall distance, out and back, is approximately 23 kilometers with elevation gain of 3,000 feet, takes around 10-12 hours to complete. The hike is categorized ‘Difficult’ but it can be extremely challenging if you are not prepared for varying terrain and weather conditions.

Trolltunga has gained a lot of popularity in recent years due to the spectacular view from the tongue rock which also makes a great spot for pictures.

What not to do while hiking Trolltunga?

Do not wait till last minute to make your transport arrangement – We had a very packed 5 days itinerary for Norway which did not include this hike but when we saw the pictures while doing our research, we decided to squeeze it in. We had a rental car that we were supposed to pick from Bergen in the morning and return it in Oslo the next day evening. When we decide to do this hike, we tried to move the rental pick-up a day earlier but the rental company did not have any cars available. This meant we had to do the 3 hours long driver from Bergen to Odda as well as the 10-12 hours hike in the same day. Keep in mind you will have to hop on two ferries on the way to Odda and ferries leave every 30 minutes so if you miss one you are adding 30 minutes to your drive.

Do not start your hike in afternoon – After stopping for food supply in Tyssedalen, we managed to reach the trailhead around 1:15 pm. We were lucky to find a parking spot at that time of the day. We paid for parking, applied sunscreen, packed food and drinks and started our hike around 1:45 pm with the hope that we will be able to finish it in 8 hours.

The first kilometer of the hike is steep and uphill. It feels way longer than 1 km. It probably took us around 40 minutes to cover that section. Once that section was over, we thought way ahead will be easier, but that is when water creeks and slush snow started.

While we were going up, a lot of people were already coming down. Some of them were kind enough to show concerns around how late it was to start the hike and it may not be a good idea to go all the way up. By the time we reached the 3rd or 4th kilometer, we knew there was no way we will be able to do it in 8 hours. Walking in snow was way harder than we imagined. The only source of comfort was the fact that there will be sunlight until 10 pm at night. Although, given our speed, it was clear we won’t be back by 10 pm but we still kept going.

If I remember correctly, around 6 km mark, we saw a tiny wooden cabin with a door but nothing inside. It probably was there to provide shelter in case of snow storm or extreme weather. The decision was made – we will go all the way up and while coming back if we can’t reach the parking lot, we will spend the night in the cabin and wait for morning.

We managed to reach the tongue around 8 pm. There was a couple setting-up their tent and another group taking pictures. We were happy to see other human beings. We relaxed a bit, ate some food and enjoyed the scenery. The view was magnificent (see cover picture). Although, no picture could ever do a justice to it.

After spending about 45 minutes at the top, we started our journey back at a much higher pace. We crossed the wooden cabin on the way and did not feel the need to stop. We were optimistic to make it to the end until we lost the trail around 3 kms away from parking. It was around mid-night and there was no sunlight anymore. We had one torch and a phone. We roamed around a bit trying to find the trail but it was difficult as the snow was slushy and my feet kept getting stuck between the rocks under the snow. We understood it would not be safe to make an attempt to go further unless we find the trail. So we sat in a corner under the open sky (with tears in my eyes) wondering if we should wait till the morning. We were exhausted and ready to give up but the thought of spending this cold night, outside, sitting on a rock terrified us. I kept thinking about the hotel room we had booked in Odda and how great it would be take a warm shower and sleep in a cozy comforter. We decided to try again. This time we found the trail. We managed to reach the parking lot around 2 am.

Do proper research on weather conditions and gears required – We were doing this hike in last week of May and because this was a last minute addition to our plan, we did not do enough research on trail conditions. We had packed warm clothes but had no idea that there could still be one foot of snow on most parts of the trail. I was wearing regular hiking boots and warm socks which got wet during the second kilometer of the hike as I accidentally stepped into a water creek. Also, given my boots were not high enough, snow was constantly getting inside while I was walking. Now you can imagine how enjoyable my hike would have been given the cold, wet socks. Towards the end of the hike, my feet were burning. It had become difficult to take even a single step. The first thing I did after reaching the car was taking the boots and socks off.

We did not carry hiking poles either so had to manage with wooden sticks we found on the way.

Accommodation

We stayed in Trolltunga Guesthouse in Tyssedal. I definitely recommend this place. Owner is super nice. They woke up at 3 am in the morning for us to check-in. Offered us coffee which seemed like the best thing in the world after the exhausting day we had. They even let us check-out late.

In summary, this is one of the most beautiful and rewarding hike you will ever do but being prepared is the key. Try to reach Odda a day earlier so you can start the hike as early as possible but if for some reason you start late then carry your camping equipment. There were many people who camped on the way. They will get up early and catch the sunrise from the top. July to September may be the right months if you want to avoid snow.

Let me know if you have any questions on this hike. Always happy to help!