Besseggen is a narrow ridge in Jotunheimen, running above Lake Gjende, and it has the reputation to match. Visit Norway recommends it for experienced hikers and describes the ridge as windy, steep and narrow, with some climbing up the ridge. Climbing equipment isn't necessary.
The full route is about 14 km and takes six to eight hours including breaks. That's a solid day, and the day has a fixed structure because a boat is part of it.
The details below come from Visit Norway and Jotunheimen.com, checked in September 2026.
The route and the boat
The recommended way to hike Besseggen starts with a boat. You take the boat across Gjende from Gjendesheim to Memurubu, then hike from Memurubu back to Gjendesheim over the ridge. Jotunheimen.com says Gjendesheim is reachable by car or bus.
Visit Norway advises booking boat tickets in advance at gjende.no. The boat is the reason the season is what it is, so the timetable belongs in your plan from the start rather than at the end.
How the day fits together
Because the boat comes first and the hike ends at Gjendesheim, the day has a simple shape. You take the boat from Gjendesheim to Memurubu, hike back over the ridge in six to eight hours including breaks, and finish where you started.
That means the boat timetable decides your start time, while daylight decides how late you can finish. Book the boat, check the forecast the evening before, and decide in advance what would make you skip the ridge. Visit Norway says it is for experienced hikers, and a large part of the route is narrow, so anyone uneasy on exposed ground should think twice.
Season
Visit Norway gives the season as mid-June to mid-October, when the boats run regularly on Gjende. July and the first half of August are the busiest weeks. There may be snow on the ridge until about the middle of June.
Jotunheimen.com is clear that the ridge is a different mountain in winter: a dangerous snowy ridge, reserved for the most experienced mountaineers. Treat the summer season as the only sensible window for an ordinary hiking day.
How hard is Besseggen?
Six to eight hours on your feet with a lot of climbing, some of it exposed. Jotunheimen.com puts the climbing at around 1,200 metres and the high point at 1,743 metres above sea level, and calls the route challenging because of steep sections and rocky terrain. It is suited to experienced hikers with good fitness.
Jotunheimen.com also says the trail draws over 50,000 hikers a year. The trekking poles article is worth reading if your knees have opinions about long descents, and boots versus trail runners covers what to put on your feet for rocky ground.
Weather comes first
Visit Norway says conditions on Besseggen can change quickly. Its rule is simple: do not hike if the forecast predicts strong winds, heavy rain, thunder and lightning or fog. A ridge that is narrow in good weather is a different proposition in bad weather.
Check the forecast at yr.no before you commit to the boat, and read hiking in bad weather so you know in advance what would make you change your mind. Being flexible about the day matters here, because the boat and the ridge both depend on the same forecast.
What to bring
Visit Norway's list for Besseggen is the standard Norwegian mountain kit:
- A 30-litre backpack.
- Map and compass, first-aid equipment, a fully charged phone and a headlamp.
- Suitable hiking shoes and wind- and waterproof outerwear.
- An extra set of clothes, including a hat, scarf and gloves.
Add food and water, and pack more warmth than the valley forecast suggests. Layering is what keeps a sweaty climb from turning into a cold stop on the ridge. If you're new to route-finding, the guide to reading a map and compass is a good companion.
The Mountain Code
The Norwegian Mountain Code, published by DNT and the Red Cross, has nine rules. Three of them describe a Besseggen day: pay attention to the weather forecast, be prepared for bad weather and cold even on short trips, and turn back in time. There's no shame in it, and the ridge will still be there next summer.
Where Besseggen fits
Besseggen is one of six hikes compared in best hikes in Norway, alongside the cliff walks and other ridges. If you're weighing it against a cliff-edge day in the west, the Trolltunga hike guide and the Preikestolen guide give the numbers to compare.
About Erik Lindqvist
Erik Lindqvist is a Scandinavian trail guide and outdoor writer based in Norway. He has spent fifteen years hiking fjord paths, mountain ridges, and forest tracks across Norway, Sweden, and Iceland.
