Winter Hut to Hut Expedition in Norway
Swot up on winter survival skills and learn how to traverse the wilderness - Nordic style
What's Included?
Small Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 8 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
Carve fresh tracks through the silent forests and pillowy powder fields of Langsua National Park
Cosy up by the fire in a remote off-grid mountain hut for the ultimate 'hygge' experience
Spend your final night resting your ski legs in a wood-fired hot tub under the stars
Key Information
Day 1
Welcome to Norway
Your adventure begins in Oslo, where your host will scoop you up and drive you 3 hours north to Espedalen Fjellstue, a small town just outside of Langsua National Park. You'll catch the mid-afternoon sunset, good prep for the shorter winter days to come. Once at your mountain lodge, you'll have time to settle in before heading for dinner where you'll hear more about the expedition ahead.
Day 2
Introduction to Nordic skiing and expedition prep
Skiing
Time to hit the snow! You'll get set up with your skis, boots and poles before heading out to have a go at Nordic skiing. Expect a day full of laughs as you navigate how to steer, brake and balance. You'll be learning on groomed trails which makes it a little easier going while you get the hang of things. In the afternoon, you'll go through all the equipment you need for the expedition, as well as working out how to layer up your clothes.
Day 3
Time to master your technique
Skiing
Today you'll start to negotiate off-trail traversing on your skis. This will be how you'll travel on the expedition; there will be no tracks to follow and you will be crunching through the powder, making the trails yourselves. You'll also learn several useful techniques, including how to do kick-turns and switchbacks. In the afternoon, you'll learn how to use a compass and read a map in winter as well as preparing some expedition food for your journey.
Day 4
Into the wilderness
Skiing
An early start today, as you head to Finnbøla where your expedition begins. You'll quickly reach a high mountain plateau with views across Langsua National Park. Flanked by mountains and filled with frozen lakes, this is one of Norway's most spectacular national park's and seeing it in winter only adds to the magic. You'll strap on your skis and navigate the snow-covered trails all the way to your first hut. But you're not finished yet - time to melt some snow so you can enjoy a hot drink and big up your day.
Day 5
Into the forest
Skiing
Today begins with a steady descent through a dense birch forest. Wind your way through the snow-covered trees, keeping your eyes peeled for Arctic hare. You'll have to work together with your fellow adventurers to carve a trail in the snow and work out how to get home. Your hut tonight is in Storhøliseter. It sits high up in the mountains, with incredible views to enjoy as you watch the sun go down.
Day 6
Final push to the finish line
Skiing
Your last day out in the wild. After skiing over a small mountain, you'll descend through pine forest and cross a frozen river, before a short stint of uphill. Today you'll set up a campfire to cook on and eat lunch in the forest. There'll be some more wilderness skills to master as you practice how to make snow-holes and learn about avalanche awareness, before skiing back to the lodge at Ruten Fjellstue. And don't forget to jump into the outdoor wood-fired hot tub - the perfect reward for your weary legs after the past week on the go.
Day 7
Goodbye Langsua and back to Oslo
There'll be some time to relax this morning, before heading back to Oslo for your journey home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Oslo Gardermoen Airport
14:00 on Day 1
Ends
Oslo Gardermoen Airport
12:00 noon on Day 7
Transfers
You will be picked up by your guide at an agreed meeting spot at the airport on Day 1 and dropped off at the airport on Day 7. If you are tagging on an extra night in Oslo pre or post the trip, you can hop on the airport shuttle train to get back to the airport for collection. The train runs in and out of the city centre every 10 minutes and is a 20 minute journey.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Oslo from airports across Europe and North America.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4 – Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Pre-expedition you'll be staying in the lodge and pitching in to prepare meals together (planned by your guide). In the morning there will be a buffet-style breakfast and hot drinks provided, including a local warm blackcurrant syrup, a Norwegian winter drink. While on the expedition, you'll eat some of the food you prepared beforehand and also cook some meals from scratch - you'll be trying some typical Norwegian dishes and learning how to prepare them in an outdoor and remote setting. Think homemade bread with cheese, elk sausage and potato pancakes.
Most food requirements can be accommodated, including vegan and vegetarian. Please let your host know your dietary requirements in advance.
What is the accommodation like?
Espedalen (start and end of expedition)
You'll start and end the trip at the Ruten Fjellstue, a traditional mountain lodge in Espedalen steeped in history. Originally part of the Søre Brenden farm in Skåbu, it now sits on top of Espedalen with magnificent views towards Jotunheimen. With its cosy bar, this is the perfect spot to start and end your expedition, beer in hand. You'll stay in a mixed 4-bed room with its own bathroom.
Langsua National Park
While on the expedition, you'll stay in cosy mountain huts, cooking and eating together. These are basic and have no running water or electricity, but are kept clean and well-maintained. You will be in dorm-style rooms but, it's traditional for anyone who shows up to be allowed to stay, so there may the odd occasion when the mattresses need to be moved around to fit more people in. However, as you are staying mid-week, this is very unlikely.
Upgrades
Due to the nature of this trip, there is no option to upgrade to a private room either at the lodge or in the mountain huts.
We’re still waiting to collect any reviews from other travellers on this trip. However, all our hosts go through an extensive vetting process to ensure that your adventure is awesome.
Guides
Local, professional, English-speaking guide
Accommodation
4 nights in a traditional mountain lodge, 2 nights in mountain huts
Meals
Enjoy traditional local cuisine and hearty camping food throughout
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in between
Equipment
All skiing equipment including Nordic skis, boots, poles and wax
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Personal Expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's included?
- Skiing equipment including skis, boots, poles and wax
What do I need to bring?
BAGS
55-65 litre hiking rucksack
Waterproof liner for rucksack or drybags
CLOTHES
Down jacket
Windproof jacket
Windproof trousers
Breathable wicking layers
Fleece jacket or similar
Thermals (merino is best)
Warm hat
Gloves
Glove liners
Buff or neck scarf
Lightweight trekking trousers/leggings
Lightweight t-shirts
Underwear & socks
Swimwear
Sunglasses with high UV protection
Ski goggles
Something to sleep in
Shoes for the evenings
SLEEPING
Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner
Sleeping bag (3-season, down to 0 degrees comfort)
Travel pillow or pillowcase
Thermarest or sleeping mat
OTHER
Travel plug adapter
Power bank
Passport
Travel insurance documents
Earplugs
Suncream
Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
Personal items (biodegradable toiletries)
Toilet kit (toilet paper, biodegradable bags to carry any waste to the huts)
Quick-dry towel
Alcohol hand-gel
Headtorch or torch
2 x reusable water bottle x1 ltr
Thermos flask
Bowl
Spoon/spork
Energy bars and snacks
OPTIONAL
Compass
Book/Kindle
Cards
Biodegradable wet-wipes
Gaiters
Notepad
No optional extras are available for this trip.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 100kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
You will be working as a team. Once you've learnt how to ski and gained some essential winter skills, you'll head out into the wilderness to put it all into practice. You'll have a guide but will get the chance to lead the group too. You will split all the necessary food between you and all carry your own bags (these are expected to be approx 10-12kg each). At the huts, it's a shared affair where you'll all pitch in to cook and plan for the next day.
The skis you will use are Nordic backcountry skis, the original skis used for winter travel in Scandinavia. They are comfortable for long days of walking: stable and wide; with comfy, warm and sturdy boots. Using Nordic skis is a wonderful way to get out into the wild in winter and experience vast empty landscapes - and of course a huge amount of snow!
Nordic skis and boots are much lighter and less bulky than their normal, downhill equivalents and the heel is 'free'. The light equipment and free-heel allow skiers to stretch forwards and glide on skis, even when going uphill or traversing flat land (when you are essentially hiking with skis on). You can choose your effort level just like walking versus jogging or running. You will learn the ropes before the expedition - balance can take a bit of mastering, as well as getting down any small descents you'll encounter. Your guide will ensure you are comfortable on your skis before heading out on the expedition. Previous skiing experience won't make a huge amount of difference as this is an entirely different way to move across snow in the winter.
Water will be available at the beginning and the end of the trip, but while on the expedition you will need to melt snow.
Sure can, you will be able to leave it at the mountain lodge you stay in on the first night.
For current advice about travelling in Norway, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
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DEPARTURE DATES
