Hiking to Trolltunga was one of the most demanding physical activities to date. Perhaps, even the most difficult one. Even though we’re not professional hikers or in perfect shape, we challenged ourselves on the hike to Trolltunga. This article is proof that we made it. We survived it! Here we share our personal Trolltunga hike experience. Hopefully, it will aid your journey as well!
How to get to Trollunga
To reach Trolltunga, we took a flight to Bergen. If you have ever seen a nice picture from Norway with a row of colorful houses along the main street, it may be Bergen. It is the second biggest city in Norway. If you’re not in a rush, we highly recommend spending a day there.
From Bergen, we rented a car and drove towards the town of Odda. There are two ways to reach Odda, and both of them take the same amount of time. The first way is shorter but, in the town of Tørvikbygd, you’ll need to take a ferry to reach the opposite shore of a fjord. This road is shorter but more expensive since you’ll need to purchase a ferry ticket. The other route is further, crossing the fjord via the impressive Hardanger Bridge for free. We combined these two options. On the way to Odda, we chose to use the ferry, and on the way back to Bergen, we picked the longer route.
The hike to Trolltunga takes approximately 8-12 hours, depending on your physical abilities. The best idea is to spend a night in Odda, or any surrounding villages, near the start of the hike. We booked a night in Odda and went to sleep early.
The next morning we arose around 5:30 and drove to the Skjeggedal parking lot. On the way there, we stopped at a gas station to have our super early breakfast. It took less than 30 minutes to get to the parking lot, called P2. The parking fee was 500 NOK (~60 USD), and there are just 180 slots available. First come, first served.
A shuttle bus runs from P2 Skjeggedal to P3 Mågelitopp (start of the hiking trail). The narrow road goes approximately 3 km up the hill, and it’s not a scenic route. By taking a shuttle bus from P2 to P3, you can save approximately 1-1.5 hours one way. Keep in mind that the ticket is also not cheap (like everything else in Norway) – 130 NOK (~15 USD per person). We used this possibility to save our legs and took the shuttle. Around 8 AM, we officially started our hike to Trolltunga from P3 Mågelitopp.
What to bring to the hike
We planned our Trolltunga adventure for the beginning of September. The weather, especially at a higher altitude, wasn’t delightful. There was a small drizzle in the early morning, but later, the sun was coming out every now and then. The wind was gusting relentlessly.
In regards to your clothing options, a must-have is comfortable, water-resistant hiking shoes. We dressed in layers, a windproof jacket on top. There were waterproof ponchos in our backpacks. We wore gloves and hats as well. The content in your backpack is essential. We took about 4 liters of water, but by the end of our hike to Trolltunga, we were already sharing the last drops of water. I would suggest having at least 3 liters per person, especially in the summertime. And, of course, snacks. Anything that would keep you going. We were fueled by bananas, cheese, salami, and some sweets.
Hiking to the Trolltunga
The trail gained altitude immediately. We climbed up the improvised stone-shaped steps hoping for a reprieve. The trail was clearly signposted and would be impossible to get lost. We crossed stone valleys, rocky slopes, and grassy valleys suitable for camping. We saw deep blue lakes and water streams along the way. There were stretches where we were literally climbing up the slope. However, there were relatively flat surfaces as well. There were two emergency shelters on the trail where unfortunate tourists could find sleeping bags, a woodstove, fuel, and some food.
On the way to Trolltunga, we stopped just 2 times. We were full of energy and willingness to reach that magical destination as soon as possible. After approximately 5 hours of hiking, we finally reached our goal.
Photos on Trolltunga
Even though we started our hike to Trolltunga early, we were far from the first ones to arrive. We saw a line of at least 30 people queuing to take a picture. It took us more than an hour to wait in line twice and get our pictures taken from a nice angle. Keep in mind that in the peak season, that line will double or even triple.
The view of Trolltunga is something beyond words. Once we saw it, we forgot our sore legs and backs. We felt rewarded. Even though I’m not particularly afraid of heights, I felt lightly dizzy standing on this unprotected massive rock, 700 meters in the air. I couldn’t stop thinking what a long and fatal plunge that would be. In fact, there was one death recorded in 2015, when a young lady fell off Trolltunga.
We spent about 1.5 hours in Trolltunga, including a photoshoot and lunch. And then we hiked back.
Hiking back to P2 Skjeggedal
The way back somehow felt shorter, but unfortunately not easier. After an hour or so, my legs, especially my knees, refused to carry me on our return. At some point, I got scared that I won’t make it back. We needed to stop multiple times, at least for short breaks, to let my knees rest. Stretching helped as well. I gathered all my strength and finished this uneasy hike.
We reached P3 Mågelitopp – the shuttle bus stop. We hoped to hop in and drive back to the parking lot where we left our car. The ticket we purchased in the morning was for both ways. And then we checked the schedule. The shuttle was supposed to arrive in a little over an hour. Our choices were: 1) waiting in light rain for an hour for the bus or 2) walk 3 km downhill on the winding road. We chose the second option and walked back to the parking lot. We walked about 25 km both ways, taking about 10 hours.
Hiking to Trolltunga in a nutshell
The 10-hour hike to Trolltunga is really demanding and not suitable for kids and people with health problems. Even I overestimated myself, and I could barely move my legs for several days at the end of this hike. But if you’re in good shape, and love outdoor adventures, this hike won’t disappoint you.
A lot of useful information about hiking to Trolltunga you can find here: https://trolltunga.com/
