Norway has more good hikes than one trip can hold, and the famous ones are famous for a reason. Some fit into half a day. Others need a full day, a good forecast and a plan for getting down before dark.
This guide compares six of them, roughly from the easiest to the hardest, using figures from Visit Norway, the official Trolltunga website, Jotunheimen.com and VisitRjukan, checked in September 2026. Where sources disagree, the differences are stated rather than smoothed over.
Visit Norway's own list of iconic hikes also includes Kjerag, home of the Kjeragbolten boulder wedged between two mountains. It isn't compared here because the sources checked give no route figures for it.
Preikestolen: the easiest big view
Visit Norway describes Preikestolen, the Pulpit Rock, as the easiest of its iconic hikes and the most suitable as a full-day hike for families. The cliff towers 604 metres above the Lysefjord.
The walk is 8 km round trip and takes four to five hours, with about 500 metres of climbing. The main season is May to October. The Preikestolen hike guide covers getting there from Stavanger and avoiding the crowds.
Gaustatoppen: a mountain with a railway inside
Gaustatoppen rises to 1,883 metres above sea level near Rjukan. The usual hiking route starts at Stavsro and climbs about 700 metres. Visit Norway calls it moderately challenging, and lists Gaustatoppen among the easier of the iconic hikes.
Sources differ on the details. Distances range from about 4 to 5 km each way, and time to the top from about two hours (VisitRjukan) to two and a half to three (Visit Norway), with the way down a little quicker. VisitRjukan gives the season as June to September, and Visit Norway says the summit cabin runs until the first week of October.
There is also an easier route up for anyone who prefers it: Gaustabanen, a railway inside the mountain, takes about 15 minutes to the top after a tram ride. On a clear day, Visit Norway says, you can see a large part of southern Norway from up there. Bring proper boots for the rocky ground and avoid the open ridge in bad weather.
Besseggen: the ridge above Lake Gjende
Besseggen in Jotunheimen is about 14 km and takes six to eight hours including breaks. Visit Norway recommends it for experienced hikers and describes it as windy, steep and narrow.
A boat is part of the day. You cross Gjende from Gjendesheim to Memurubu and then hike back over the ridge. The season is mid-June to mid-October, when the boats run regularly. The full Besseggen ridge hike guide has the weather rules and the packing list.
Romsdalseggen: ten kilometres of ridge above Åndalsnes
Romsdalseggen is about 10 km long and takes seven to eight hours, with 970 metres of climbing. Visit Norway says the hiking season runs from July to September, and may stretch into early October if the weather allows.
The hike starts at the parking lot in Vengedalen, and in summer a Romsdalseggen bus runs from Åndalsnes train station. There are three route options: easy, medium and an extreme route that requires a mountain guide.
Visit Norway is clear about the ridge itself: you shouldn't be afraid of heights, because a large part of the hike goes along it. Don't start too late in the day, and don't go if the forecast predicts strong winds, heavy rain or fog.
Trolltunga: the long one
Trolltunga is the most demanding hike here in terms of hours. From Mågelitopp it's 20 km round trip and 7 to 10 hours. From Skjeggedal it's 27 km and 8 to 12 hours. The official site grades it very demanding.
Experienced hikers can go independently in summer, and a guide is recommended outside that window. The official site gives the summer window as 1 June to 30 September, while Visit Norway says 1 June to 31 August, so check before you go. The Trolltunga hike guide explains the three trailheads and the start-time advice.
Galdhøpiggen: Norway's highest mountain
Galdhøpiggen is a 2,469 metre peak in Jotunheimen, and Visit Norway lists it as the hike for Norway's highest mountain. There are two main starting points.
From Juvasshytta, at 1,840 metres above sea level, the route is the shortest and most accessible, but a guide is required because it crosses the Styggebreen glacier. Visit Norway says children must be at least seven years old to cross the glacier, and that everyone in the group wears a harness on a long rope.
From Spiterstulen, at 1,111 metres above sea level, the route avoids the glacier and doesn't require a guide. It's a longer day: Visit Norway says up to nine hours to climb the mountain and return to the cabin. Around 25,000 people complete the hike every summer.
Season, huts and the forecast
Visit Norway recommends avoiding mid-June to the end of August if you can, because that is when crowds peak, and suggests late summer and autumn for better scenery. Several routes here stay open into September or later: Besseggen's boats run to mid-October, Romsdalseggen to September and Gaustatoppen's summit cabin into October.
Visit Norway also says the weather can change quickly in the mountains, and points to yr.no for the forecast. DNT runs more than 550 hiking cabins across Norway, in three types: staffed lodges, self-service cabins and no-service cabins. Norway's right to roam gives almost unhindered access to the countryside, on the condition that you tread lightly and leave no trace. For the details, see wild camping and the right to roam and friluftsliv.
The Norwegian Mountain Code
The Mountain Code, published by DNT and the Red Cross, has nine rules. This is Fjellvettreglene in English:
- Plan the trip and tell others where you're going.
- Adapt the trip to your ability and the conditions.
- Pay attention to weather and avalanche warnings.
- Be prepared for bad weather and cold, even on short trips.
- Bring the equipment you need to help yourself and others.
- Choose safe routes. Recognise avalanche terrain and unsafe ice.
- Use a map and compass, and always know where you are.
- Turn back in time. There's no shame in it.
- Conserve energy and seek shelter if necessary.
Rules 4 and 8 do most of the work on the hikes above. Hiking in bad weather and wilderness first aid basics are worth reading before any of them.
Where to start planning
Pick the hike that fits your experience, then build the trip around the forecast rather than the other way round. The first-time hiking trip guide covers regions and seasons, hiking in Bergen and hiking near Oslo cover city-based walks, and the day hike packing list covers what goes in the bag.
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.
