Tight Travellers

Recognise the view? One of the most famous walks and viewpoints in Norway is Trolltunga.

This is the ‘trolls tongue’. Near the town of Odda is one of the most spectacular rock formations. 700 metres above the Ringedalsvatnet lake.

Walking Trolltunga

Starting at the second car park (P2 Skjeggedal) , you’re looking at a 27 km round trip adventure with a small 800 m ascent—perfect for those who enjoy sweating profusely while contemplating life choices! But if you’re fortunate enough to start at parking 3 (P3) like we did, the walk shrinks to a mere 20 km with a 320 m ascent—much more manageable for your quads!

Expect to take around 7-12 hours to complete this trek, depending on how many times you stop to question why you didn’t just choose a nice, flat couch instead. The trail itself is a breeze, considering most of the hefty climbing happens in the first 2 km, after which you’ll be wandering through what the locals lovingly refer to as “Norwegian flats.” Spoiler alert: they aren’t flat at all!

After our descent back to P3, we enjoyed sitting down and having a rest while waiting for our lift back down to P2. We did not envy those who had to make the hard trek down to P2 of foot! RIP to their knees.

The walk itself was definitely one of our favourites. It did take longer with the group that if you did it by yourself, like most things. One of the reasons is the multiple stops you make to snack and chat to the group. The other because everyone is trying to get the perfect picture, not only at the top but at the many photo spots you pass on the way up. It did get boring for us waiting as wives forced their husbands to take one picture after another.

When we arrived to the trolls tongue there was a queue if you wanted a picture. But after one shot, we were out. Instead of rejoining the queue like all the eager beavers, we found a nice spot, taking in the view of the trolls’ tongue while simultaneously claiming our title as professional people-watchers. Watching as the “influencers” did their thing. We got our front-row seats to the antics of people contorting themselves into bizarre positions—all in the name of the ‘gram. It was truly the entertainment we never knew we needed!

Overnight stays

There are two companies that offer guided walks, and overnight stays. Trolltunga active and Trolltunga adventures. We chose to go with Trolltunga adventures; it was the cheaper option and included a private tent. Not an orgy tent. Hardly the Hilton but you won’t find a view like this in any hotel. Plus who doesn’t love taking a dump in a nature loo?

Was it worth the cost?

The overnight stay we had with Trolltunga Adventures was nothing short of fabulous! If we had to nitpick, the price might make your wallet weep a little—£300 per person for one night, all inclusive! But hey, it’s not every day you get to splurge on a “once in a lifetime” experience, right?

Now, the price tag did include a lift up to P3, which saved us from that 7 km trek up tarmac—thank goodness, because that long slog isn’t anyone’s idea of fun! Our guides were brilliant, sharing stories about the area like they were the walking version of Google.

During our trek, we got to nibble on snacks, and by snacks, I mean a single square of chocolate or a solitary biscuit—enough to keep the energy up until our next culinary delight. Speaking of which, lunch was a lovely sandwich, and for tea, we were treated to an incredible reindeer stew that would make Santa reconsider his dining options! We topped it off with hot chocolate after the brisk paddle, and trust me, it had us feeling like champions. Who knew so much fun could be had in the Norwegian wilderness?

If you’re itching to enjoy the views without spending a penny, why not strut your stuff to the viewpoint yourself? Just your luck, you can even pitch your tent up there! Well, anyone not lugging around a roof tent, that is. Imagine waking up to stunning vistas and Instagrammable spots all to yourself—provided you don’t mind carrying your portable hotel over 27 km on your back like a pack mule.

But here’s the twist: it’s not exactly free! If you bring your car, get ready to shell out a jaw-dropping £50 for parking (and no, that’s not part of the guided walk package, sorry!). If not, better have your wallet ready for public transport to Trolltunga—although that’ll pinch your wallet a lot less. Plus, don’t forget to budget for the shuttle bus from P1 or P2.

Happy hiking!