The main hiking season in Norway lasts from the beginning of June to the end of August. It is possible to attempt some of the hiking trails even in May or September and October, but depending on the area there might be a lot of snow. 

You can hike to Preikestolen all year round assuming that the weather is good. The hiking season to Trolltunga is from 1st June to 31.August. You can still hike up there in May or September and October, but it is highly recommended to join a guided tour. Some point-to-point hikes, like Romsdalseggen or Besseggen, are nearly impossible to do outside of the main season, because you are dependant on public transport. 

You will find hiking trails and mountain cabins all over Norway. The best hikes with the most stunning views are however situated mainly in northern and western (Fjord) Norway. Check the map in this article!

There are almost no dangerous animals in Norway. (The polar bears live only on Svalbard archipelago.) Hiking in Norway can however be dangerous if you underestimate the terrain, weather or your stamina and equipment. 

You can minimize the risks by following this set of rules:

• Not hiking alone
• Planning your hike carefully and informing someone about your itinerary
• Planning the trip according to your abilities 
• Paying attention to weather forecast
• Bringing proper hiking equipment and knowing how to use it
• Using a map and compass
• Turning around or calling for help if it is needed

As we mentioned above you will find the best hiking trails in western and northern Norway. 

Our favorite hub for hiking in western Norway is the town Åndalsness, which lies very close to Romsdalseggen or Trollveggen hikes. You can do a lots of amazing hikes also in the surroundings of Stavanger (Preikestolen, Kjeragbolten, Trollpikken) or Otta (hiking in Jotunheimen and Rondane national parks). 

In northen Norway we really love hiking possibilities in Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja. 

Weather in Norway can change fast, especially in the mountains. You should therefore always bring clothes for bad weather, even if the weather looks or is forecasted good at the start of the day.

Wear layers! Choose a woolen material on your skin followed by a second layer of a warm sweater. The third layer should be a weather-proof jacket (like hard-shell). During the day you will be taking on and off the different layers as you see fit. It’s generally a good rule of thumb to be a bit cold when you start hiking. You can have a break after about 20 minutes to see if you need to change your layers.

Often it might look like running shoes will be a good idea at the start of a trail. But you never know how the conditions are 500, 1000 or even 1800 meters above you. The mountain paths in Norway can often be wet, snowy or both, even in the summer months.

Trolltunga is a good example of this. Every year some people start this trek with footwear only meant for a summer day in the city. Later they are surprised when they have to walk on snow for most of the trip, even in late June. Therefore it is a great investment to purchase a pair of solid mountain boots. They will provide good support for your ankles as well as keep your feet dry and warm.

As mentioned above, Trolltunga can surprise a lot of people. Mainly because the hike is quite long – 20 km out and back. It includes a fair bit of incline and walking on narrow mountain paths, NOT gravel roads.

On the top, you often have to wait in a long line for the picture of you standing on the cliff. This will easily eat a couple of hours of your day. We recommend you to start early if you don’t plan on finishing the hike in the dark. In any case, bring a headlamp!

Do not forget a warm sweater and a weather-proof jacket as well as sturdy boots and pack enough food for the whole day trip. If you are in-season, you can leave your snowshoes at home. You won’t be able to walk long stretches with it.

Norway, with its open laws regarding camping and hiking, has a reputation of being a paradise for hikers. There are no national park fees, you can pitch your tent almost wherever you want and you can park your car for free in many places. 

This is sadly looking like it is about to change. Tourism has boomed in Norway, as it has in many other countries, the last decade or two. This has resulted in a lot of stress on small communities with few inhabitants and small budgets. They often struggle with overflowing public toilets and trash cans, crowded free parking lots and big RVs blocking the road. 

This is new to people in Norway and every summer there are new and stricter regulations being pushed through to try to combat this problem. It is therefore important that the tourists that travel here know how to behave so everybody can enjoy Norway to the fullest.

Trash seems to be a problem everywhere we travel. I’m sure you can agree. Norway is no exception. We, therefore, encourage people to read about the Leave-no-trace principle. To take this a step further we have started to pick up trash we find laying around in beautiful places. This activity is highly addictive and we only encourage you to try it too.

We have created a list of 5 “house rules” for everybody who wants to be a responsible tourist traveling in Norway:

1. Leave no trace. Pick up trash that you find.
2. If the trash container is full, bring your trash with you.
3. Do not park in “rasteplasser” for more than one night. If there is a sign forbidding it, please respect it!
4. There is plenty of public toilets along the roads in Norway. If you, however, need to relieve yourself in nature, then don’t leave toilet paper above ground. Either bring a shovel and dig it down along with your other business or bring it back with you. If unclear, read #1 again.
5. Be creative in your hiking. 90% of tourists do the “top 10 best hikes”. There are many more equally beautiful, if not more beautiful hikes out there. You can read about them here. It’s also more fun to not have to stand in line for a picture.