14 BEST HIKES IN NORWAY TO PUT ON YOUR BUCKET LIST
If you ask us, putting one foot in front of another on a hiking trail is the best way to experience Norway. Hike along the jagged mountain peaks of the Lofoten Islands, the picture perfect fjords in southern Norway, and through some of the world’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. Stand on iconic Trolltunga and Pulpit Rock and even Kjeragbolten (if you dare!). Even journey to the far north for an unforgettable kayaking and hiking adventure in Svalbard. Here are 14 of the best hikes in Norway.
Norway is our favorite spot in the world to go hiking. Every time we hike a new trail we fall more in love with this beautiful country. We have done most of the hikes on this list but a few are still on our bucket list.
Get ready to be inspired…and have fun picking out which ones you would like to do!
#1 PULPIT ROCK (PREIKESTOLEN)
Distance: 8 km (5 miles)
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Length of Time: 5 hours
The hike to Pulpit Rock is one of the most popular hikes in Norway. Its great views, relatively easy hiking trail, and convenient accessibility from the town of Stavanger is what makes this hike appealing to so many people.
Pulpit Rock | Best Hikes in Norway
Pulpit Rock can be a very crowded place in the summer months.
If you are new to hiking, or if you are traveling with kids, this is a perfect first hike to do in Norway. And once you stand on top of Pulpit Rock and enjoy the amazing view over Lysefjord, you’ll be hungering for more.
#2 KJERAGBOLTEN
Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 6 to 8 hours
Hiking to Kjeragbolten, this giant boulder wedged between two cliffs, is our favorite hike of all time. Why? It’s not just because you get the chance to do something absolutely crazy, stepping out onto the boulder, it’s also because this hike is just downright fun. Do you dare?
Kjeragbolten | Best Hikes in Norway
#3 SEGLA
Distance: 5 km (3.1 miles)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 3 to 4 hours
Located in northern Norway on the island of Senja, this short hike is surprisingly tough. But, oh the view from the top! Your reward is breathtaking panoramic views of Mefjord and the nearby mountains. It is worth visiting Senja just to do this hike.
Segla | Best Hikes in Norway
#4 GALDHØPPIGEN
Distance: Varies depending on the route
Difficulty: Easy to extreme
Length of Time: Varies
Galdhøppigen is the tallest mountain in Norway and northern Europe. To reach the summit there are several hiking trails to choose from. Some are strenuous climbs, some take you across glaciers, and some require having a guide. This is a hike that is still on our bucket list, and wouldn’t it be awesome to stand on the highest point in northern Europe?
#5 ROMSDALSEGGEN RIDGE
Distance: 11 km (7 miles) point-to-point hike
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 8.5 hours
This is a point-to-point hike along the Romsdalseggen Ridge, a narrow ridge high above the fjords and the town of Åndalsnes. On a clear day, the views are unbeatable, and you can even see out to the Atlantic Ocean.
Some people say that this is the most beautiful hike in Norway. Come see for yourself!
Hiking Romsdalseggen Ridge | Best Hikes in Norway
#6 BESSEGGEN RIDGE
Distance: 13.3 km (8.2 miles)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 6 to 8 hours
Located in Jotunheimen National Park, this trail offers stunning views of emerald lakes and alpine scenery. This is usually done as a point-to-point hike between Memurubu and Gjendesheim. Many people choose to take a ferry to Memurubu and then hike back to Gjendesheim from here.
#7 RYTEN AND KVALVIKA BEACH
Distance: 8.7 km (5.4 miles) round trip
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Length of Time: 3 to 5 hours
The hike to Ryten has all of the ingredients of a perfect Lofoten Islands hike: sweeping vistas across the mountains and fjords, a fun but slightly strenuous hike to a mountain peak, and a breathtaking view of a white, sandy beach. The icing on the cake is a “mini Trolltunga,” an outcropping of rock where you can get creative with your photos.
Ryten | Best Hikes in Norway
Kvalvika Beach | Best Hikes in Norway
#8 SVOLVAER FLØYA AND SVOLVAERGEITA
Distance: 5 km (3.1 miles)
Difficulty: Moderate
Length of Time: 3 to 4 hours for the hike, 2 hours for Svolvaergeita
If you are looking for the ultimate adventure in the Lofoten Islands, consider this rock climbing and hiking experience.
Svolvaer is one of the largest towns in the Lofoten Islands. For the best view over the town (and one of the best views in the Lofoten Islands), you can hike to the top of Fløya.
Svolvaergeita, also called The Goat, is a pinnacle of rock that is very popular with rock climbers. It’s located on the slope of Fløya, so it is very easy to combine this rock climbing adventure with the Fløya hike.
Svolvaergeita | Best Hikes in Norway
The view from Svolvaer Fløya | Best Hikes in Norway
If you are looking for a truly unforgettable travel adventure, put this on your list. And yes, you can do this if you are a beginner rock climber.
#9 STETIND
Distance: 10 km round trip (6.2 miles)
Difficulty: Challenging
Length of Time: 10 to 12 hours
This is another hiking and rock climbing adventure in northern Norway. Located in Nordland in northern Norway, Stetind is Norway’s national mountain. This giant granite obelisk is another popular spot for rock climbers. If you hire a guide you can do this if you are a beginner.
This is still on our bucket list. We didn’t have enough time to fit this in to our recent trip to northern Norway but that’s OK…we don’t mind going back again.
#10 TROLLTUNGA
Distance: 28 km (17.4 miles) round trip
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 10 to 12 hours
This is an incredibly scenic hike, with phenomenal views out over lakes and snow-capped mountains. The hike ends at the Troll’s tongue, a thin sliver of rock perfect for creative photographs.
Trolltunga | Best Hikes in Norway
In recent years, the popularity of this hike has skyrocketed. This is one of the busier trails in Norway. If you are looking for a quiet, tranquil experience, this hike may not be for you. However, posing for photos on Trolltunga is a blast, and that’s what makes this hike so famous.
#11 REINEBRINGEN
Distance: 3 km (2 miles) round trip
Difficulty: Challenging
Length of Time: 3 hours
Reinebringen, with its dazzling view over the fishing villages of Reine, Sakrisøy, and Hamnøy, is the most popular hike in the Lofoten Islands.
It’s a hard, steep, challenging hike on muddy, rocky trails, so it’s not to be underestimated. Don’t let the short distance fool you…it’s a tough hike and you need to have a good level of physical fitness to do this.
Reinebringen | Best Hikes in Norway
#12 MUNKEN
Distance: 11 km
Difficulty: Strenuous
Length of Time: 6 to 8 hours
Located just around the bend from Reinebringen is another spectacular hike. This was on our to-do list while we were in the Lofoten Islands, but a solid day of rain kept us indoors.
This hike takes you through the stunning high mountain scenery of the Lofoten Islands. On a clear day, the views are unbelievable.
If you have a lot of stamina, or want to turn this into a two-day backpacking adventure, you can sleep or camp near Munkebu Hut and then continue on to Hermannsdalstind.
#13 MÅTIND AND THE STAVE-BLEIK COASTAL TRAIL
Distance to Måtind: 7.6 km (4.7 miles) round trip to Måtind
Distance of the Coastal Trail: 9 km round trip
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Length of Time: 3 to 4 hours
This gorgeous hike is located on the Vesteralen islands of northern Norway. It’s a relatively easy hike and the views you get of the coastline are breathtaking. You can hike directly out to Måtind, the highest point on the hike and a spot that offers panoramic views, or you can hike the entire distance of the coastline.
Måtind | Best Hikes in Norway
#14 HIORTHFJELLET
Hiking Distance: 8.7 km (5.4 miles) round trip
Kayaking Distance: 5.4 km (3.4 miles) round trip
Difficulty: Strenous
Length of Time: 11 hours
Hiorthfjellet is one of the tallest mountains on Svalbard. The hike to the top of the mountain is not technically challenging and this is a great way to experience Svalbard. Along the way, it is not unusual to see reindeer and arctic fox. And on a clear day, the view from the top of Hiorthfjellet offers stunning views over Longyearbyen and Adventfjord.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can combine this hike with a kayaking trip across Adventfjord for a full day adventure. It is an amazing day![……]