Trolltunga Hike, Norway: Trailheads, Distances and the Best Season

Trolltunga, the “Troll’s Tongue”, is a slab of rock that juts straight out from a cliff 700 metres above Lake Ringedalsvatnet in western Norway. Reaching it takes a long day on foot across a high mountain plateau, and the walk is as much a part of the experience as the famous photograph at the end.

Where Trolltunga is and how it formed

Trolltunga lies in Ullensvang municipality in Vestland county, in the Hardanger region of Fjord Norway. The ledge stands at about 1,126 metres above sea level, and the nearest town is Odda, around 17 km away. Bergen is roughly 190 km by road.

The rock is ancient Precambrian gneiss. Its shape dates from the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago, when the edge of a glacier reached the cliff. Water seeped into cracks in the rock, froze and split off large angular blocks, which the ice then carried away. What remained is the overhanging tongue, and deep cracks still run along the cliff today.

The hike: distances, times and trailheads

The official Trolltunga site grades the route “very demanding” because of its length. There are three starting points, all reached from Odda:

• P3 Mågelitopp: 20 km return, 7–10 hours. This is the shortest option, starting 400 m higher than Skjeggedal. Parking can be pre-booked, and a shuttle runs up from P2.
• P2 Skjeggedal: 27 km return, 8–12 hours, including a 4.3 km paved road climb to P3. Paid parking.
• P1 Tyssedal: 38 km return, about 15 hours.

Beyond Mågelitopp the trail crosses a bare mountain plateau at around 900 metres, with small lakes, bare rock and long views across the Hardanger mountains. Three emergency shelters on the route, at Floren, Endåen and Tyssehøl, hold sleeping bags, blankets and food rations. Streams along the way are used for refilling water bottles, and wild camping is allowed at marked spots for those who want sunrise on the ledge.

Best season and crowds

The summer season runs from 1 June to 30 September, when experienced hikers can go on their own. Snow can linger on the plateau into late June in some years. Outside summer, the official advice is to go with a guide: local companies Trolltunga Active and Trolltunga Adventures run guided hikes and overnight camps.

Trolltunga’s fame is recent. Before 2010 fewer than 800 people a year made the walk; by 2016 the estimate was more than 80,000. The busiest period is roughly 20 June to 20 August, especially between noon and 3 pm, and the queue for the ledge photo can take 30–45 minutes on a weekday and about an hour on a Saturday. An early start avoids both the crowds and the afternoon rush back down.

Practical tips for the day

Odda is the base for the hike, with hotels, Trolltunga Camping beside Lake Sandvinsvatnet 2 km from the centre, and a tourist information office at the Odda terminal. A shuttle bus links Odda with Skjeggedal, and another runs from Skjeggedal up to Mågelitopp in the morning and afternoon. Check the current timetable before you travel.

Pack as for a full mountain day: waterproof jacket, warm layer, hat and gloves even in July, sturdy boots, a head torch, food and plenty of water. Turn back in strong wind, heavy rain or fog, when the plateau becomes hard to navigate. In an emergency, call 112. Most rescues on this route come from exhaustion on the long walk, and the number of call-outs fell sharply once mountain guards were stationed at Skjeggedal.

Planning more of Norway? Read about Jotunheimen’s varied mountain outings and a winter viewpoint above Bergen. Full trail details are on the official Trolltunga hike and seasonal guidance page.

Related reading

• The Arctic Light: Lofoten’s Long Spring Twilight
• Would You Give Johannes Your Jacket? The Oslo Campaign Film
• Ice Driving in Western Norway: Tracks Across a Frozen Surface
• Terje Isungset: Ice Instruments, Voice and the Craft Before the Concert

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