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Guided Jotunheimen Tour
Arrival day: Arrive at Gjendesheim
The long-distance bus from Oslo calls at Gjendesheim, the largest hut in the DNT network and one of the main ways into the Jotunheimen National Park. This is a large hut, more like a hostel, beside the road and beautiful Lake Gjende.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
The long-distance bus from Oslo calls at Gjendesheim, the largest hut in the DNT network and one of the main ways into the Jotunheimen National Park. This is a large hut, more like a hostel, beside the road and beautiful Lake Gjende.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Stage 1: Gjendesheim to Glitterheim
Red 3 (grade) 22.3km with 950m ascent, 565m descent
From Gjendesheim it's a stiff ascent North, away from the lake, crossing moorland before following the sandy shore of lake Russvatnet. As you reach the high pass of the day the ground becomes increasingly rocky, with snow patches likely in early Summer. The Glitterheim hut can be seen on the descent over boulderfields. It's a long first day but you're now well into the Jotunheimen National Park.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Red 3 (grade) 22.3km with 950m ascent, 565m descent
From Gjendesheim it's a stiff ascent North, away from the lake, crossing moorland before following the sandy shore of lake Russvatnet. As you reach the high pass of the day the ground becomes increasingly rocky, with snow patches likely in early Summer. The Glitterheim hut can be seen on the descent over boulderfields. It's a long first day but you're now well into the Jotunheimen National Park.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Stage 2: Glitterheim to Spiterstulen
Black 3 (grade) 15.9km with 1150m ascent, 1420m descent
Today is an exciting ascent of Glittertind's snowy summit. Ascend from the Glitterheim hut to meet the snowline and climb gradually to the flat summit. The descent to Spiterstulen is long, rocky and in places very steep. (In bad weather, your group may take a lower alternative via the Veslglupen lakes which makes the day a Red grade; this is a worthy day in its own right and involves much boulder-hopping.)
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Black 3 (grade) 15.9km with 1150m ascent, 1420m descent
Today is an exciting ascent of Glittertind's snowy summit. Ascend from the Glitterheim hut to meet the snowline and climb gradually to the flat summit. The descent to Spiterstulen is long, rocky and in places very steep. (In bad weather, your group may take a lower alternative via the Veslglupen lakes which makes the day a Red grade; this is a worthy day in its own right and involves much boulder-hopping.)
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Stage 3: Spiterstulen to Leirvassbu
Red 3 (grade) 15.3km with 430m ascent, 120m descent
Enjoy a less challenging day after yesterday's endeavour! Our path follows the wide valley, ascending gradually and surrounded by walls of glacier-formed peaks. Eventually pass beside a string of small lakes and under the sharp peak Kyrkja before arriving at the Leirvassbu hut. This large hut serves one of the best 3-course meals of our Norwegian huts. Outside, incongruously for the mountains, sits the bus to Oslo which arrives in the evening and departs in the morning.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Red 3 (grade) 15.3km with 430m ascent, 120m descent
Enjoy a less challenging day after yesterday's endeavour! Our path follows the wide valley, ascending gradually and surrounded by walls of glacier-formed peaks. Eventually pass beside a string of small lakes and under the sharp peak Kyrkja before arriving at the Leirvassbu hut. This large hut serves one of the best 3-course meals of our Norwegian huts. Outside, incongruously for the mountains, sits the bus to Oslo which arrives in the evening and departs in the morning.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Stage 4: Leirvassbu to Gjendebu
Red 3 (grade) 19.1km with 180m ascent, 600m descent
A short, stiff climb leads to the Hogvaglen pass and the revealing of the long valley ahead. Pass the turning to Olavsbu and an isolated hut on a promontory in the lake. Before the final valley descent to Gjendebu, we drop beside the huge waterfalls of Hellerfossen. Finally, Gjendebu is perhaps the best sited of our huts at the head of lake Gjende. Watching the afternoon ferry is great fun: it feels like here we are shipping in and out of the mountains.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Red 3 (grade) 19.1km with 180m ascent, 600m descent
A short, stiff climb leads to the Hogvaglen pass and the revealing of the long valley ahead. Pass the turning to Olavsbu and an isolated hut on a promontory in the lake. Before the final valley descent to Gjendebu, we drop beside the huge waterfalls of Hellerfossen. Finally, Gjendebu is perhaps the best sited of our huts at the head of lake Gjende. Watching the afternoon ferry is great fun: it feels like here we are shipping in and out of the mountains.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Stage 5: Gjendebu to Memurubu
Black 3 (grade) 10.6km with 575m ascent, 570m descent
Steep rocky paths guard a plateau at either end, especially steep on the way up from the shore of lake Gjende. This is the well-known Bukkelaegret, helped by chains. The middle section of the day gives high and wild views to the North. Arrive at Memurubu in a grassy setting by the shore.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Black 3 (grade) 10.6km with 575m ascent, 570m descent
Steep rocky paths guard a plateau at either end, especially steep on the way up from the shore of lake Gjende. This is the well-known Bukkelaegret, helped by chains. The middle section of the day gives high and wild views to the North. Arrive at Memurubu in a grassy setting by the shore.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Stage 6: Memurubu to Gjendesheim
Black 3 (grade) 14.1km with 1010m ascent, 1010m descent
On the last day we take in the famous Besseggen ridge. After a stiff ascent away from the Gjende lake, the path continues over rocky ground with dramatic views over the lake. The rocky path comes to the foot of the Besseggen ridge, famous within Norway and enjoyed as a Summer daywalk by so many. On the ridge, some use of the hands is needed, but the steps are solid and the situation exceptional above the lakes. The long, occasionally steep, descent to the Gjendesheim hut is a worthy finish to the trek.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Black 3 (grade) 14.1km with 1010m ascent, 1010m descent
On the last day we take in the famous Besseggen ridge. After a stiff ascent away from the Gjende lake, the path continues over rocky ground with dramatic views over the lake. The rocky path comes to the foot of the Besseggen ridge, famous within Norway and enjoyed as a Summer daywalk by so many. On the ridge, some use of the hands is needed, but the steps are solid and the situation exceptional above the lakes. The long, occasionally steep, descent to the Gjendesheim hut is a worthy finish to the trek.
Mountain Hut (breakfast, dinner and a packed lunch)
Departure Day from Gjendesheim
Departure after a superb Norwegian breakfast. There are well-timed buses to Oslo. Or, to travel further within Norway, please ask us for recommendations.
Departure after a superb Norwegian breakfast. There are well-timed buses to Oslo. Or, to travel further within Norway, please ask us for recommendations.
Dates
Scheduled trips 2023
The dates of our guided trip in 2023 are as follows:
The dates of our guided trip in 2023 are as follows:
JHTg1 22 to 29 July 2023
Scheduled Guided Trips
Our scheduled guided Jotunheimen Tour trip follows our normal schedule of 6 stages and 7 nights accommodation. We use our classic mix of accommodation, staying in small rooms in 7 huts. The maximum group number will be 8 clients to 1 Alpine Exploratory International Mountain Leader.
Although the walking dates on our scheduled guided trips are fixed, we'd be very happy to book extra nights in Gjendesheim or Otta before or after your trip, for you to explore the area a little more. Please do just ask for more details.
Private Guided
We would be delighted to plan a privately guided trip for your family or group of friends at any time within our walking season. We will find you a guide and book your accommodation on the dates your choose. You will have full flexibility over the length of your trip, your choice of accommodation and your dates. Please see our self guided page for full details of the options available. Join us any time in our season from: 15 July to 26 August 2023
Prices
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Jotunheimen Tour: 22 to 29 July 2023 (Guided) |
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| Guided | |||
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6 stages (7 nights) |
GBP 1,715 Single rooms not available |
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| Options | |||
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Baggage transfer |
Not available | ||
Accommodation
Where we stay
The Norewgian hut system is possibly our favourite of any nation and typifies the Norwegian culture. For example, it is expected that you will be trekking with a thermos flask, as is the Norwegian way. Each evening guests line up their flasks on a trolley, labelled with their name and hot beverage of choice and miraculously come breakfast they are full. Food in the huts is chiefly Norwegian; it's hearty mountain food for dinner as you might expect! A packed lunch is also incuded at every hut. Guests make sandwiches from the breakfast buffet and wrap them in special DNT greaseproof paper. There is an art to the Norwegian hut sandwich!
The huts are comfortable, spacious and organised with most offering the option of private rooms. Meals are taken at communal tables and give an excellent opportunity to dine and chat with local hikers. Norwegians are proud of their excellent English. As standard we'll book your final night at the Gjendesheim hut. If you prefer to stay your last night in a hotel in Otta, this may be an option depending on bus times. Please just ask us.
You will be sharing rooms with the group. We will aim to book small rooms of around 3 to 6 people where possible.
DNT Membership
We are delighted to be able to include membership of the Norwegian DNT as part of your trip cost. The DNT (Den Norske Turistforening) is the Norwegian trekking and travel association and your membership will be valid for the year of your trip. Membership allows us (and you) to access discounted rates at huts and this saving is accounted for in our prices. Membership also gives you benefits like discounts in DNT shops and discounted stays at huts across Norway (and Sweden), and also supports the maintenance of the national parks.
In the run-up to your trip we will ask the date of birth of everyone in your group, as it's required for the DNT membership, and also a phone number to which your membership details can be sent via text message. You can then use the DNT app on your Android or iPhone to show your membership to hut wardens and others.
The Norewgian hut system is possibly our favourite of any nation and typifies the Norwegian culture. For example, it is expected that you will be trekking with a thermos flask, as is the Norwegian way. Each evening guests line up their flasks on a trolley, labelled with their name and hot beverage of choice and miraculously come breakfast they are full. Food in the huts is chiefly Norwegian; it's hearty mountain food for dinner as you might expect! A packed lunch is also incuded at every hut. Guests make sandwiches from the breakfast buffet and wrap them in special DNT greaseproof paper. There is an art to the Norwegian hut sandwich!
The huts are comfortable, spacious and organised with most offering the option of private rooms. Meals are taken at communal tables and give an excellent opportunity to dine and chat with local hikers. Norwegians are proud of their excellent English. As standard we'll book your final night at the Gjendesheim hut. If you prefer to stay your last night in a hotel in Otta, this may be an option depending on bus times. Please just ask us.
You will be sharing rooms with the group. We will aim to book small rooms of around 3 to 6 people where possible.
DNT Membership
We are delighted to be able to include membership of the Norwegian DNT as part of your trip cost. The DNT (Den Norske Turistforening) is the Norwegian trekking and travel association and your membership will be valid for the year of your trip. Membership allows us (and you) to access discounted rates at huts and this saving is accounted for in our prices. Membership also gives you benefits like discounts in DNT shops and discounted stays at huts across Norway (and Sweden), and also supports the maintenance of the national parks.
In the run-up to your trip we will ask the date of birth of everyone in your group, as it's required for the DNT membership, and also a phone number to which your membership details can be sent via text message. You can then use the DNT app on your Android or iPhone to show your membership to hut wardens and others.
Route
Our approach to the Jotunheimen TourThis Tour is a wonderful circuit of the Jotunheimen National Park, visiting the main valleys of the Park and experiencing the best of hiking available in one week. We link fantastic catered huts with solid days of walking in the amazing Norwegian scenery.
Alpine Exploratory's 2022 research on the Jotunheimen Tour walkinggrades led by Steph Ward in July
The Terrain
The terrain encountered on the Tour varies greatly. Most days are generally a combination of good paths and boulder fields, where progress is slower and care must be taken. On these sections the path is less well-defined but cairns mark the way, generally visible on the horizon for navigation in poor visibility. Small streams are quite common and mostly easily crossed. Throughout summer there is a good chance of snow patches lying on the higher paths (and the snow slopes of Glittertind are guaranteed) but the lower paths are likely to be snow-free. There are also short sections of scrambling where hands will be needed for stability. These sections are within the realm of normal mountain walking and are not via ferrata.
Is it for me?
If you’re a confident hiker with experience of mountain walking then you should love the Norwegian hiking style. We recommend extra care when considering the Jotunheimen for those with old injuries or niggles in their knees and ankles that tend to get worse on uneven terrain, as the terrain is more consistently rocky underfoot than our other trips.
Difficulty
Three stages on our 6-stage guided trek involve some Black-graded terrain; these are the Glittertind ascent (routecard JHT2), the Bukkelaegret beyond Gjendebu (JHT5) and the Besseggen ridge (JHT6). The Besseggen ridge is a highlight; we can advise further on its difficulty.
Jotunheimen Tour Walking Guide - more about the trail
The making of our Jotunheimen Tour - photos from our research trips
How to get there
Your holiday starts and ends at the roadside mountain hut of Gjendesheim. The most convenient airport is Oslo, with travel from Bergen also feasible. Travel to Gjendesheim is on the excellent Norwegian bus network, and a direct bus runs from Oslo to the hut.
Of special note about the Jotunheimen Tour is that travel must be carefully planned so as not to need an extra day. This is because, unlike on our Alpine routes, Norwegian buses and trains run 2 or 3 times a day as opposed to every hour throughout the day. We'd like to make sure your arrangements are suitable and we are here for advice any time. As an example, the Oslo to Gjendesheim bus runs in the afternoon and we advise by what time to arrive by air.
If your plans include extra time in Norway then travel times are less critical. Please let us know your ideas and we'll be glad to advise what to see in Norway, and how to get about.
At Alpine Exploratory we travel widely in the countries we visit and we love to try unusual routes to the mountains, so equally we love to advise hikers on their travel plans.
Travel to and from the trip is not included in the holiday price. We take care to give the most useful notes possible about all the travel options. We supply these both on booking and in your info pack, and we offer personalised tips at any point. The aim is that our trekkers arrange their travel by the simplest and most scenic means as suits their plan.
Included
- Bespoke accommodation itinerary - tailored to suit your particular requirements
- An Alpine Exploratory International Mountain Leader
- Breakfast every morning
- Dinner at each hut plus a packed lunch and a refill of your thermos flask on each day walking
- The 2 topographical hiking maps needed
- Membership to the Norwegian DNT for the year of your trip
- Expert advice and local information
- A comprehensive 'Season Update' following our pre-season recce
- Full support during your trip from the Alpine Exploratory team (9am until 9pm in Scandinavia)
Not included
- Travel to and from your trip
- Local transport whilst on the trip unless specified
- Travel insurance
- Additional snacks and drinks not specified above. Evening meals if not staying in a hut
- Baggage transfers (not available on this route)
Baggage transfer
Although baggage transfer isn't available on this hut-based trip, it's no problem to leave your baggage at the Gjendesheim hut while you trek. There is one possibility of luggage, using the ferry along lake Gjende. This can be organised on the ground and we give details in the info pack.
Got questions about the Jotunheimen Tour?
Feel free to ask us any questions you have about any aspects of your planning and preparations! Lucy, Steph, Nicky, Rob, Evie, Ben and Amy will reply with expert advice. We spend a lot of time walking our routes and more broadly exploring ski and hiking trails around the world so do feel free to ask anything at all.
  Jotunheimen Tour 2023 enquiry form
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If you prefer, please feel welcome to email or call us. Thanks!
| Contact Alpine Exploratory | |
| info@alpineexploratory.com | |
| Phone | +44 (0)131 214 1144 |
| Our times |
9am to 5pm UK time Monday to Friday |
| Australia | 02 8319 2266 |
| Canada | 416-548-4819 |
| New Zealand | 04 889 4515 |
| USA | 646-757-1102 |
Open to the world
Since Alpine Exploratory started in 2005 we have loved getting to know our clients from around the world. Along with the UK, our best-represented countries are the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Please use our national-rate numbers for a cheaper call to contact our office in Edinburgh.
Keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram, and our Blog for photos and updates from our own travels and clients' trips.
Glittertind Summit on stage 2 of the Jotunheimen Tour
Alpine Exploratory
+44 (0)131 214 1144
