Norway is one of the most picturesque and naturally untouched countries we have seen. Hiking up to Trolltunga was one of the most physically demanding adventures we have done however the views throughout the whole hike left us speechless.
In this blog we share all our tips on the best way to hike Trolltunga.
WHAT IS TROLLTUNGA?
Trolltunga is one of the most spectacular scenic cliffs in Norway. Trolltunga (Troll’s tongue) is a rock formation situated about 1,100 metres above sea level near the town of Odda in Hordaland county, Norway. The special cliff is jutting horizontally out from the mountain, into free air about 700 metres (2,300 ft) above the north side of the lake Ringedalsvatnet.
The cliff is part of the Precambrian bedrock and was formed during the Ice Age, approximately 10,000 years ago when the edges of the glacier reached the cliff. The water from the glacier froze in the crevices of the mountain and eventually broke off large, angular blocks which were later carried away with the glacier. Along the cliff itself there continues to be deep cracks. The trail to Trolltunga also passes through the bedrock and washed slippery hillsides in the background also containing gneiss.
Popularity of the hike to Trolltunga and rock formation itself has exploded in recent years. The increased popularity has turned Trolltunga into a national icon and a major tourist attraction for the region. Until 2010, less than 800 people hiked to Trolltunga each year. In 2016 more than 80,000 people hiked the 27 kilometres round-trip from Skjeggedal, making it one of Norway’s most popular hikes.
GETTING THERE
Trolltungas closest town is called Odda in Hardanger. The hike to Trolltunga starts near Skjeggedal and to get there, you can either drive by car or travel by bus. We hired a car from Beregn and drove 75km to Odda. In total we spent 3 nights in Odda. The first night we stayed in the small town in a airbnb, the second night we camped in our tent at the car park in Skjeggedal and the third night we camped up at Trolltunga.
If you drive to Odda, follow the road marked RV 13 to Tyssedal and then follow the signs towards Skjeggedal. The parking lot is approximately 7 km from there. A new road has just opened that continues 4 km further above Skjeggedal, however the capacity is limited to 30 cars per day. Based on a first in first served basis so be early if you want to be one of the first 30 cars. The bonus of this would be you cut the first 4 km off the hike.
We were planning on heading up to trolltunga early in the morning so we decided to sleep in our tent at the bottom capark. When we arrived we could see a tent pitched on the grass infront of a house. We asked the lady who worked in the food store about where we could pitch our tent and she told us that it was her daughters property snd we could camp in her front yard. We paid 300 krona to camp for the night and also 400 to leave our car parked there for 2 days while we did the hike.
Going to Norway was a last minute decision and we were very unprepared for hiking. Our bags consisted of summer clothing and flip flops. For the hike we had to buy hiking boots, warm clothes, water proof jacket, a tent and sleeping bags. In Odda were 3 shops that sold hiking/sporting equipment. We went to Sports Outlet shop and bought hiking boots for $120 AUD and water proof jacket for $57 AUD. The tent and sleeping bags we bought from BILTEMA which is the eqiuvilent to an Norwegian bunnings. The sleeping bags were $37 AUD each and our 2 person tent was $57 AUD.
If you plan to do the hike we reccommend GOOD hiking boots. We winessed some people attempt the hike in Nike or converse and they looked like they were hurting with pain. Leave the running shoes and jeans at home. A light waterproof jacket, waterproof hiking pants, a change of clothes, 1 bottle of water is sufficient. There are many fresh water streams along the way to refill your bottle so there is no need to carry excess water which will only make your pack heavier. A couple pairs of socks, snacks like powerbars, lollies for sugar and toilet paper. There are NO toilets on the hike except at the 2nd level parking space. So be sure to carry some toilet paper and be comfortable going in the bushes.
THE HIKE
At 8 am we packed up our tent got our bags ready filled our bellies with oats and made our way to the car park. It was 10am by the time we started our walk up. It is advised to leave early due to the 8-10 hour round trip hike and you don’t want to make your way back in the dark. We had seen approximatly 50 people head up there by that time. We were in no rush to start early as we were spending the night up there. If you plan on doing just a day hike then we suggest to leave as early as possible because there can be a long wait for a photo on Trolltunga. You don’t want to be caught out and trying to hike back in the dark.
The main starting point is the Skjeggedal car park, from there the first 4km are uphill on a 17% inclined gravel road that has 13 hairpin turns. You can get a head start by taking the shuttle up to the trail which will cost you $20 AUD.
Alternative parking is located at Topp. In 2017 a new toll road up the steep hillside to Mågelitopp opens to the public. It allows vehicles to access the plateau at Måglitopp. Due to limited parking the maximum capacity here is 30 cars per day. The road opens each day during the season at 6.00 AM, and closes when the first 30 cars have entered the gate. It is first-come, first-served, no reservation is possible. It costs 600 NOK. The road is also open to hikers, as an alternative to the regular starting point at Skjeggedal.
After the first 4 kilometre the next section slopes down towards Store Floren. The trail continues over Hesteflåene and the dried out river Endåno, before it gets steeper up to Endanuten and crosses the dried river to Tyssestrengene. From here the trail goes on past glacial potholes, then continues past Tysshøl, and finally approaches Trolltunga – 13,5 kilometres from the starting point at Skjeggedal. The start of the trail is marked with poles and the letter T is spray painted in red on the occasional rock to let you know your going the right way.
The first kilometres it levels out somewhat and you find yourself in a flat rocky plate. Often times you’ll find yourself jumping from stone to stone. There are a few ice cold creeks here, so it’s a good time to refill your water bottle. You will notice a few emergency cabins located along the trail. Inside you’ll find emergency blankets, sleeping bags and stoves for food and heat. We were curious to see what was inside so we poked our heads inside to be pleasantly suprised. After a 45 minute walk through this valley it was time for another major climb.
Climbing up this portion you witness your first view of the gorgeous lake Ringedalsvatnet. Here we took a rest stop to eat our snacks and take in the views. It was really impressive and the sheer mountains surrounding it were monumental. At this point you’ve done the majority of the climbing for the day, so take solace in that fact! From here it’ll be many small ups and downs as you wander through terrain that doesn’t look like it even belongs on this planet.
The cliff overlooks the valleys of the Hardanger region. The mountains surrounding the cliff reach heights of up to 1500 meters. Some of the hilltops have plains which are interspersed with lakes. Patches of snow are present in some areas, even in the summer months. Due to heavy use by tourists, the trail to Trolltunga quickly turns to mud after the summer rain.
Ok so just when you feel as though you can walk anymore, the trail turns to flat rocky terrain with scattered rock pools of water. Continue for approximately one more kilometre and you have made it to Trolltunga! Now enjoy your time their, eat your food, have a drink and get that Instagram picture you deserve. It took us all up about 5 hours to get there including breaks.
When we reached the Trolls Tongue, a line of 30 people were all waiting to get there photo on the rock. We decided to go find a spot to pitch our tent and then later go take some photos when most people had left. We went looking for somewhere that was soft to lay on and also somewhere that was sheltered from the wind, for example in-between some rocks. After walking around for a few minutes we found a great spot with views of a small lake and it was perfect. There were also a number of people also camping.
When we returned back to the rock for sunset there was only about 12 people there. Many people get their photo while they sit on the edge. From the photos this looks rather dangerous, however because the rock is on an incline it’s not as dangerous as it looks. We did this and still felt rather safe. Do excerside extreme caution however when on the rock as it can still be very dangerous. It was very rewarding to watch the sunset over the mountains, a moment that was so surreal.
Our tent survived the night at Trolltunga however at 5am we were woken up by strong winds and rain. The winds were that strong, our tent was nearly blown away. As soon as there was the slightest bit of daylight (6:00am) we decided to pack up our things and start making our way down the hike. Packing up the tent was hard in the wind as it kept blowing ever where. A few other campers had made the same decision as us to hike back early. However we also passed campers that were still there and their tents were getting hammered by the wind and rain.
The way down only took us about 4 hours in total. By half way through we passed the first wave of morning hikers that would have left early in the morning. The weather was still raining and windy. As we got closer to the end, the mountain guard was stopping people from hiking up due to an incoming storm. It was very rewarding to see the 1 kilometre sign and to finish the track. We had soar knees and aching legs but it an experience to truely remember.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our blog and it makes your hike to Trolltunga stress free. If you would like to learn more about hiking in Norway, check out our free guide to camping in Lofoten here.
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