Hiking is a wonderful physical activity – it can be done at different levels of difficulty and take you places only those who are patient and determined enough will go. With our Scotland road trip fast approaching, I felt like this was the perfect time to reflect on one of our best hikes so far which we conquered when we were in Norway.
Trolltunga (also known as Troll Tongue) is one of Norway’s most challenging hikes open to tourists, and it’s bloody magnificent. We walked over 28 km in 12 hours, and the views are both, worth the journey and will stay with us forever.
Sounds cheesy, I know. But hiking Trolltunga was one of our bucket list items, and if you are reading this blog, it’s quite possible that it’s a hike you want to complete in your life too.
While hiking to Trolltunga is a challenge, it can be done even if you are not quite fit enough. That was my biggest concern when I was thinking if we were “ready” for it.
Your desire to do this is key. Being well prepared (see below for tips) and in good company also helps.
I’ll skip the twists and bends of the trail as I would hate to spoil it for you when you see it with your own eyes. BUT – I’m going to share this handy list to prepare you for your hike.
What you need to know for your day hike to Trolltunga
1. It’s not as hard as people try to portray
I have a sedentary job and I’m not as fit as I would like, but the hike was still manageable for me. Our hiking experience was close to null when we hiked up this magnificent trail (the most we had done was attempting to climb Mount Snowdon when our trip to Snowdonia National park).
While it was hard physically, it was more challenging mentally – you have to keep going and persuade yourself to keep pushing through.
That said, take the general advice outlined on Trolltunga’s official guide website:
- Start the hike as early as possible – there is a checkpoint and if you are not here by 2 pm, you will have to turn back.
- Don’t wear inappropriate gear (i.e. Nike trainers and your favourite pair of jeans are a no-go).
- Don’t hike in the winter – this is only allowed under the supervision of professional guides, and even then, it can be very dangerous.
- Don’t hike alone unless you are a professional hiker – even then, it’s always safer to hike with a group.
- Check the weather before you go for a quick check if it’s favourable – that’s if you have the luxury of choosing which day would be best for the hike. 😉
2. Wear the right gear and have extras with you
While hiking Trolltunga, we saw local Norwegians making their way to the top wearing nothing more than a light top, shorts and their running shoes. Based on that, I’m sure it’s possible to reach the top in any kind of clothing, but unless you can run over 28 km without catching your breath, your gear (clothes and supplies) will be key.
Hiking boots are an absolute must here! You may not need to be fully kitted out with a windproof jacket and trousers, but definitely, do not wear jeans and wear a lot of layers.
Here’s what we had with us and we managed just fine:
- Hiking boots (waterproof and super comfortable)
- Breathable clothes and layers (if you have dedicated hiking clothes, all the better)
- Hiking poles if you have them
- Extra pair of socks
- Extra shirt or cardigan to keep you warm
- Food and water (more on this below)
- The backpack where you’ll be packing all of this in
- Sunscreen and sunglasses*
*Yup, you need to wear sunscreen. 😎 The higher in the mountains you are, the more intense the sun is (without you noticing), so make sure you protect your skin. If you are sensitive to UV rays and sunstroke, wear a hat. You can easily get burned if you don’t follow this step and you wouldn’t want to get sick when you are close to reaching the peak.
Pack plenty of food and water
Have a hearty breakfast to fuel you in the first part of the day. Bring plenty of food for snacks and lunch. Having coffee with us at the top of the mountain felt like pure luxury, so I’d recommend you take some with you!
P.S. It’s mostly open fields, so there will be no bathroom breaks. Actually, I don’t remember any other day of my life where I’d eat and drink water by the litre and would not need the bathroom for the whole 12 hours! 😅
Planning to stay the night on the mountain?
Camping is only allowed in specific areas, still some way from the peak. Of course, if you want to hike and stay the night, you’ll be carrying a heavier bag and you will need more stamina to get up, but then again, you can split the trip into two instead of doing everything in one go. Pack everything the same + your tent and sleeping bags + a flashlight.
It’s quite likely I’d like to hike Trolltunga again and if we do, I’ll probably be tenting over the night.
3. The better your timing, the more successful your hike will be
Waking up early and starting your hike as early as possible is very important. We were at the Trolltunga parking lot at 7 am sharp. This was just early enough for my body not to realise what was going on and what I’m setting out to put it through 😂. We finished the hike in 12 hours with taking a 1-hour break at the Troll Tongue. Starting later will mean it will either get dark, or you will have to have your dinner in the mountains.
As for seasonality, it’s possible to hike Trolltunga in summer and autumn. Our timing couldn’t have been better – it was a bright, sunny day, and while most of the snow had already melted, we had to cross snowy plains and even got stuck in the snow.
The day we hiked was just before the season was technically open, but it was a record hot summer in Norway and it was safe. That said, on our way back, we could see that some of the trails we used to cross before were actually gaps between mountains. Dangerous stuff!
Over to you + our video and photos from the day
And that’s it! So, the three things you need to make sure you do is:
- don’t doubt your physical ability,
- suit up with the best gear you can, and
- start the hike as early as possible.
IF I would add one thing, it is to encourage you to go with a bigger group of like-minded people. We were lucky enough to hike with Oskar’s family. Having more people in your group kept us motivated to push harder and support each other. It was a brilliant time to relax and make the time pass faster with great conversation.
Hope this blog was useful and you pursue your dream of hiking Trolltunga. Or, for that matter, any mountain or trail, anywhere in the world. I’m embedding a video we filmed and the photos from our hike to get you inspired. Until next time!