Travel to Norway

In this article from Norway Advice I'll give you some tips on where to travel in the winter if you love to ski. I have picked out a total of 5 ski resorts in Norway that I believe you should consider during the planning of this year's winter holiday.

Voss
Voss is known as a ski resorts in Norway which has both Norwegian and foreign tourists who want to experience a challenging and beautiful scenery. Many visitors from Bergen also travel on day trips to Voss to use the resorts. Voss is located north-east in Hordaland county, about 1 hour and 15 minutes driving from Bergen. Centrally located along Vangsvatnet municipal center that goes under the name Vossevangen, where the council seat is located. Not far from here, (10 minutes from Vangen), you find Norway's major ski resorts called Bavallen, with 40 kilometers of groomed ski trails, cable car and 12 lifts with a total capacity for 12000 persons per hour.

Voss is also a mecca for extreme sports. The place has its own week called Ekstremsportvekå, (usually the last week of June), where everything that happen is dedicated to extreme sports. So if you are interested in sports such as rafting, abseiling, canyoing, fishing and hiking this is the place for you.

Beitostølen
Mountain village Beitostølen is a tourist center located in Øystre Slindre in Oppland county. The place has a location 900 meters above sea level and is not far from Jotunheimen. This is something that makes the snow come very early and ski season last until April. In Beitostøen you find a huge ski resort, hotels and widespread cottages. The place is very family friendly and there are short distances between the slopes, ski trails and habitations. The skiing area starts in the middle of Beitostølen city center and stretches up to 1100 meter above the sea.

Geilo
Geilo is a ski resort located  approximately 4 hours driving from Oslo. The Bergen train line also passes through, so you can also choose to travel by train from both Oslo and Bergen. Geilo is located 794 meters above sea level and has approximately 3000 inhabitants. There are many hotels and cabins, so the accommodation options are many. During winter many tourists come here to use the huge ski domain which consists of 40 ski slopes and 220 kilometres of groomed cross country trails. The ski resort consists of all types of slopes, from the simple to the more difficult ones. Geilo is also one of the largest ski resorts in Norway and you will definitely find something that suits your skills.

Norefjell
Norefjell is the most dominant mountain range in southern Norway and Oslo's nearest mountain. It has become a very popular ski resort, and the winter-Olympics in 1952 took place here. Since then Norefjell has been one of the largest and most modern ski resorts in Northern Europe. The mountain range is located between Eggedal in West and Krødsherad and Hallingdal in East. Many people from the Eastern part of Norway have cabins here, that they use a lot during the ski season. Norefjell Ski Center consists of 13 lifts and 24 slopes. The place is also a popular distination for cross country skiing because of miles of groomed trails.

Hafjell
Hafjell is located 230 kilometres from Oslo and is a popular ski resort, both for the Norwegians and visiting tourists. Hafjell Resort is located at the entrance to Gudbrandsdalen, 15 kilometres North of Lillehammer, and is one of Norway's largest resorts. It was here the Winter Olympic slalom took place in 1994, and it was due to that Hafjell was given a more recognized status as a ski resort. After the Lillehammer Olympics the ski resort was further developed and consists now of 30 trails, 1 cable car, 3 chairlifts and 11 ski lifts. It has also a large floodlight system and a terrain park for snowboarding and freestyle racing. The top point at Hafjell is located 1030 meters above sea level and has a fall of 835 meters.

Walking amongst Norway's fjords offers visitors some of the most unique and beautiful scenery in the world, from steep mountainsides to immense waterfalls. We take a look at some of the best places to go hiking in Norway for fantastic views of the fjords.

Bergen

Cruise ships often start their journey of Norway's fjords from this bustling ferry port. Huddled amongst towering mountains, the town is famous for its Fish Market which not only sells raw oysters but also holiday souvenirs and vegetables. Next to the Fish Market you will see Dyvekegangen which is the narrowest street in Norway at just 99cm wide. Walking in Norway's narrowest street may not seem a particularly enjoyable prospect, especially for the claustrophobic amongst you. However the Dyvekegangen is home to the popular Dyveke's wine cellar a Victorianesque building which is definitely worth the stroll.

Also located in the centre of Bergen is the Witch Stone, where 350 suspected witches were burnt at the stake from 1550 to 1700. Equally gruesome is the dungeon at the Rosencrantz Tower which was used from 1400 to 1800.

Voss

The town of Voss is one of the best locations for hiking in Norway, with an abundance of lakes and mountains. It is also the gateway to the breathtaking Sognefjord, which makes it one of the best places to spend a couple of days before continuing on to visit this natural wonder. Whilst the town of Voss may be incredibly scenic for walking in Norway it is also the ideal place to take part in a number of adventure sports. Skiing, waters ports and paragliding are all common in this area and the extreme sports festival, Ekstremsportveko, takes places every year in June.

When all the sports that the region has to offer have worn you out, it's time to take a break from walking in Norway and board the scenic railway which stretches from Bergen to Flam. The railway cuts into the side to the mountain and descends 865m in 13 miles to the shores of Aurlandsfjord. Aurlandsfjord can be experienced from boat and kayak and the mountains are the perfect place for walking in Norway's scenic landscapes.

Sognefjord

Sognefjord is Norway's most dramatic fjord and the area is sure to be the highlight of your hiking holiday in Norway. The fjord is not only the largest in Norway, but also the second largest in the world, extending more than 200km inland to the national parks of Jotenheimen and Jostedalsbreen. Both parks are equally attractive, and both merit a visit whilst on your walking holiday in Norway. Jotunheimen, 'the Home of the Giants', contains Norway's highest mountain, Galdhøpiggen, and all the country's peaks above 2300m.

Meanwhile Jostedalsbreen's craggy mountain peaks and verdant grass make the park ideal for hiking but the area is equally attractive by boat as it boasts the largest glacier within mainland Europe. If the glaciers are something that particularly fascinate you whilst on your walking holiday in Norway then you may even want to join a glacier walking tour and enjoy a thrilling walk with an experienced guide on the blue glacier ice.