Home » The Complete Guide to Hiking Trolltunga in Norway

The Complete Guide to Hiking Trolltunga in Norway

This guide to hiking Trolltunga aims to cover everything you need to know about hiking the “troll’s tongue” in Norway. The route has definitely become one of the world’s most popular hikes to complete. In many ways, this is due to its stunning scenery and the incredible photo-taking opportunity this hike offers. Including the famous ‘sit on the edge of the rock’ shot.

I would be lying if I said I went to Trolltunga without the goal of getting at least a few awesome pics. However, I was not prepared for the hike to be as tough as it was. Although I was really well prepared to hike Trolltunga, it was still quite physically taxing.

Trolltunga scenery
The stunning scenery in Trolltunga

Furthermore, many people start this hike being completely unprepared. It has led to more and more people having to be rescued from the hike. You can read about these here, here and here.

It’s so easy to get Trolltunga wrong and it is by no means a walk in the park, so read on to find out everything you could need to know about this epic hike in Norway!

Hiking Trolltunga in Norway: Everything you need to know

View at Trolltunga
Taking in the view along the route

What is Trolltunga and where is it?

Trolltunga is a huge protruding rock that juts out over a huge lake called Ringedalsvatnet in Eastern Norway It’s arguably one of the most stunning areas in Europe and one of the most spectacular scenic cliffs in Norway, for sure.

Guide to Hiking Trolltunga
Standing on the edge of the Trolltunga rock

The distance from the starting point to Trolltunga and back is approximately 23km. There is an ascent of about 1000 metres, much of which is in the first kilometre. Now, while 23km doesn’t sound too far, it takes most hikers on average 10-12 hours to complete this return trip. The terrain is tough, and this is a long and demanding hike!

The main hike route to Trolltunga starts in a place called Skjeggedal, near to the towns of Tyssedel and Odda.

Map showing the location of Trolltunga in Norway
The location of Trolltunga in Norway
Starting point for Trolltunga
Starting point for Trolltunga

When is the best time to go to Trolltunga?

Hikers can only access the Trolltunga hike route from late-May or early-June to mid-September. Any earlier or later than this and you’d face snow and adverse weather conditions. However, you can snowshoe hike with a local company from about March time (if that appeals).

Guide to Hiking Trolltunga
Halfway point on the Trolltunga route
Trolltunga route
Hiking the Trolltunga route

How to get to the start of Trolltunga?

The nearest main airport is Bergen, a town around a 3 hour drive away from Trolltunga. I would 100% highly encourage renting a car, for both ease, comfort, speed and time efficiency.

Public buses do run from Bergen but the timings were not convenient, nor did it seem viable with all of our camping gear.

The roads are really safe and driving in Norway is really straight forward – plus you can stop wherever en route to capture the beautiful scenery!

Guide to Hiking Trolltunga
Stunning scenery along the Trolltunga route

Where can I park if I drive to the start of the Trolltunga hike?

Assuming you arrive before or around 6am, you should be able to access the car park which is located higher up.

As you approach Skjeggedal, you’ll see the main car park, but do try and follow the lane further up the mountain. It goes for a few more miles and the car park is directly at the start of the hike. Otherwise, you have to take a shuttle bus from the lower car park, so definitely arrive early enough so you don’t have to add this on too.

You have to pay for a day pass for the car park at the entrance (although this was out of use when we went so unsure of latest prices).

Also, you’ll find toilets here and these will be the last proper ones on the route!

Where to stay before and after Trolltunga?

Undoubtedly Bergen makes for a beautiful stay but I would strongly recommend staying a lot closer to the start of the hike. You absolutely need to start the hike around 6am, and travelling from Bergen would make for a very long day!

There are numerous AirBnb options around the towns, but we had a very pleasant stay camping at Odda Camping. We camped (in our own tent) the night before the hike, but the night after, we treated ourselves to one of their onsite cabins. A soft bed and some warmth was much appreciated,

Check rates for Odda Camping here.

Other options in Odda include:

If you’re taking your campervan, then this guide here covers everything you need to know concerning where to park your campervan when hiking Trolltunga.

Sunset at Trolltunga
Witnessing a stunning sunset at Trolltunga

Can I camp on the Trolltunga route?

Norway allows people to freely camp on the Trolltunga route (I believe it is part of their law to allow people to camp anywhere!) We saw many people with camping gear on their back and I must say, what a location to pitch a tent! You would need to be fully self sufficient and aware that there are no facilities of any type around.

What to take on the Trolltunga hike?

  • The most absolutely essential things to take for hiking Trolttunga would be some solid hiking boots and lots of layers. The weather is incredibly changeable, not just throughout the day but also just as you turn round each cliff face. I can’t even count the number of times I stripped layers off, before putting them back on again!
  • Gloves are useful too!
  • Proper hiking boots are so important. We were shocked to see some people stumbling along in flip flops across the rough and jagged terrain.
Signage at the start of the Trolltunga hike
Signage indicating the dangers at the start of the Trolltunga hike
  • Take lots of snacks. One of the most important things I can share in this blog post is that there are NO vendors, shops, toilets, stalls, stands or anything on this route.
  • Now this may change in the future, but you have to come equipped with anything and everything you could need for a full long day of hiking in the Norwegian fjords.
  • Torch – just in case!

There is also limited phone signal – but there are emergency phones en route. At the timing of writing, there is only one emergency shelter to use in case you get into real trouble.

How do I find the Trolltunga route and where to go?

The Trolltunga route starts at the car park. The hiking route from the car park is clearly marked. In fact, the route is well-marked the whole way, although sometimes just with red spray paint arrows on the rocks.

Trolltunga starting point
Trolltunga starting point

Should I pay for a guide to hike in Trolltunga?

We considered this, but we chose not too, and it was fine.

The majority of people doing the hike are not with guided tours. However, I’ve popped some excellent tour suggestions here:

These include more adventurous options you couldn’t do alone, such as climbing and zip-lining.

Useful tips for hiking Trolltunga
Hiking on snow in the summer!

Top Tips for Hiking Trolltunga

Start early

This is probably the most valuable thing I can share in this guide to Trolltunga.

There are many signs on the route that say things like “if you haven’t passed this point by 1pm, PLEASE TURN BACK”.

Yet so many people ignore these signs, continue on, get stuck out on the mountains in pitch black darkness. These are the people that then have to be rescued by helicopter. It’s dangerous and it’s putting a huge strain on the local emergency services.

Let someone know you’re doing the Trolltunga hike

Whether they’re at home or your campsite/hotel – just let someone know.

Leave contingency days

Do not attempt the Trolltunga hike if the weather forecast is poor. Leave spare days in your travel plan to give you a number to pick from.

Don’t take numerous full bottles of water

You can fill up with fresh cold safe drinking water from the springs along the way. So don’t waste precious energy and space carrying full water bottles.

Take fresh socks. 

It’s really nice to put some fresh, soft, clean hiking socks on at the halfway point.

Charge camera and phone – and bring a charging brick

You’ll be gutted if you miss the opportunity to take photos up there. But, in case it wasn’t obvious, there’s no definitely no charging points on the way

Bring toilet roll

There are no toilets en route.

Prepare to queue to take your photo at the actual Trolltunga rock 

Prepare to spend a good hour (or longer) at the top waiting to take your photos. Yep, really. There’s a long line to take photos, plus we saw two proposals in the time we were there too!

Bring plastic bags for your litter

There are no bins en route and no team monitoring the litter (literally no-one manages the hike, as such) so try to take all your rubbish away with you – it’s so unsightly to leave it!

Consider your fitness levels

It might not be a really long hike, but some sections of the Trolltunga route are incredibly steep. Especially the first km, which is almost a sheer wall mud side with ropes to pull yourself up. You really need to feel confident that you can do this hike – it’s tough but totally worth it!!

Taking photos along the Trolltunga route
Taking photos along the Trolltunga route
Trolltunga route
Hiking the Trolltunga route
Guide to Hiking Trolltunga
Taking in the view along the route

Guide to Hiking Trolltunga in Norway

I hope this guide has been useful for anyone considering going to Trolltunga this year! As you can see, there’s quite a lot to consider before hiking this route and hopefully this guide to hiking Trolltunga helps.

But of course, do feel free to drop me a line if you would like any advice or further recommendations.

If you’re looking for other interesting destinations to go hiking, have you considered Morocco? Read all about hiking in the Rif Mountains in Morocco

If you’ve enjoyed this guide to hiking Trolltunga, feel free to share using the below links!

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Disclaimer: This visit to Norway and Trolltunga was entirely paid for by myself. There was no involvement from the tourism board or a hotel. This is an independent guide.

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15 Comments

  1. Jenny
    July 20, 2017 / 9:43 am

    I found this guide really informative ! Thanks!

  2. Maria Angelova
    August 7, 2017 / 2:22 pm

    I’ve seen pictures of Troltunga thousands of times, but it always looked so complicated to get there. Thanks for the useful information!

  3. Megan
    August 7, 2017 / 3:35 pm

    This is great information, and I especially appreciate the honesty about the challenge of the hike and the need to be prepared. And you are right, those are some awesome pictures and views!

  4. Corinne
    August 7, 2017 / 10:38 pm

    Wow, what beautiful, unspoiled nature! I’m not sure I could handle a hike that long/far but for a view like that it sure is tempting!

  5. sarah
    August 8, 2017 / 3:16 pm

    Super informative post! Thank you. I am not sure when I will get to Norway next but this is on my list for then 🙂

  6. Natasha Durel
    August 8, 2017 / 4:23 pm

    Leaving contingency days couldn’t be more true. Wow, great read.

  7. Sherrie Fabrizi Allbritten
    August 15, 2017 / 12:11 pm

    Wow this is just an amazing blog post! I love it! I have always wanted to go to Norway, I don’t know if I could do all the hiking you did, but I sure would enjoy these views!

  8. Marta
    August 15, 2017 / 11:04 pm

    What amazing photos! And thank you for the information too. I thought that the maps were especially helpful for those of us who haven’t been to Norway yet 🙂

  9. Jasmin
    August 15, 2017 / 11:44 pm

    I’ve been dying to go to Norway for so long! Trolltunga is just one of those places that keeps popping up everywhere and I definitely wanna do the hike when I get there one day. Bit scared of the snow though as I tend to be super unlucky with weather and I often end up to places where there shouldn’t be snow blocking my way. Love your pictures btw!

  10. Marvi of Osmiva
    August 16, 2017 / 9:36 am

    The view from Trolltunga is simply incredible! The hike might be tough, but I think it’s worth it. 🙂 Great useful post! 😀

  11. Ada
    August 16, 2017 / 9:45 am

    Trolltunga is such a dream ! I would love to visit one day! Your photos are so beautiful!! They want me to pack my bags now! 🙂

  12. Jess
    August 16, 2017 / 9:46 am

    Amazing article, my friend is doing Erasmus in Norway next year and I’m hoping to go out an visit her. Definitely putting this on the hit list!

  13. julz
    August 16, 2017 / 1:32 pm

    such stunning views!!! I haven’t been to Norway for years – it is just so beautiful.

  14. Giulia
    August 16, 2017 / 9:12 pm

    i need to visit norway! might be an awesom country, perfect to take “artistic” pics ahah

  15. Rossana Wyatt - Life is full of adventures
    August 17, 2017 / 5:15 am

    I have seen so many images of this rock… your pics are wonderful. It certainly does not seem like a walk in the park to get there… 🙂 but the pay off with the views must be amazing! Great tips, yes… most people would not think of toilet paper. Very much needed!

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