How hard is Trolltunga?

How difficult is the Trolltunga hike?

It is graded Very Demanding by Trolltunga AS and Ekstra krevende (extra demanding) by DNT. The difficulty is the length, not the terrain.

The official FAQ puts it plainly: "Since the hike is over 20 km long, it is automatically graded as Very Demanding." ut.no, DNT's route database, gives 27.5 km and 1,232 m of total ascent from Skjeggedal and the same top grade.

You don't need climbing skills on the normal route. What wears people down is ten hours of granite slabs, boulders and wet patches, with the same ground on the way back. The most common injury, according to the ranger service, is a sprained ankle.

Where are the hardest climbs?

Gryteskaret, about 45 minutes after P3, is the steepest. Trombeskar and Endanuten are shorter steep climbs, and from P2 the 4.3 km road adds 400 m before the trail even starts.

Section by section, from the car park at Mågelitopp:

Source for the route: the official hike description. Snow can lie on the high sections until June, which makes them slower and slippery.

How fit do you need to be for Trolltunga?

Fit enough to walk 7 to 10 hours on rough ground with a day pack. If you have never walked 15 km over hills, train first.

The official preparation page says the walk is long and arduous, that people with heart problems or other medical conditions should not go, and that anyone not used to long days of walking should train with shorter hikes first or pick a different attraction.

Our rule of thumb: if you can do a 15 km hill walk with 600 to 800 m of climbing and still enjoy the evening, you can do Trolltunga from P3. If that sounds like a stretch, start from P3 rather than P2, go on a weekday, and go with a guide who will set a steady pace. Break every hour or two and eat every two hours, as Trolltunga AS advises.

Is Trolltunga hard on the knees?

Yes. There is 800 m of descent from the rock back to P3, much of it over rock steps. The guided tours say they are not suitable for people with troublesome knees.

Both the guided summer hike and the via ferrata day list knee problems as a reason not to book. Trolltunga AS also recommends the shuttle for the return, because the descent "often feels longer and more demanding than expected".

• Use poles. The guided summer hike lends them.
• Take the Road Bus down. It saves 4.3 km of steep tarmac at the end, for NOK 100.
• Slow down on wet rock. Short steps on the descent, especially after Gryteskaret.
• Start from P3, never P1. P1 adds 1,200 m of extra climbing and descent.

Is Trolltunga harder than Preikestolen or Kjerag?

Yes, by distance. Trolltunga from P3 is about 20 km and 7 to 10 hours. Preikestolen is about 8 km and 4 hours. Kjerag is about 11 km and 6 to 10 hours, with steeper sections.

The three famous rocks of Fjord Norway, compared on official figures:

Sources: trolltunga.com, Fjord Norway on Preikestolen and Visit Norway on Kjerag. Kjerag is steeper and more exposed in places; Trolltunga is simply much longer. If Preikestolen felt easy, Trolltunga will still be a big step up.

Is stepping onto the rock scary?

For some people, yes. The rock juts out 700 m above Ringedalsvatnet with no fence, and you reach it down four iron steps. You don't have to go out on it.

The step down is easy for your feet and hard for your head. There is no railing, and Visit Norway warns that a fall from the unfenced cliffs would be fatal, so keep well back from the edge in wind or fog. If you hate heights, Trolltunga AS suggests a photo of you on the rock behind, taken from the side, right after someone else has climbed back up.

Guides on the summer hike take photos of you on the rock, and when the weather allows they rappel to shoot the "needle view" from below.

A guide sets the pace, carries first-aid gear and takes your photo on the rock. Poles and spikes included, shuttle to P3 both ways.

★ 4.8 · 10 hours · from $183

Explore the guided summer day hike → Tour details

Can beginners or children do Trolltunga?

Fit beginners can, ideally with a guide. Trolltunga AS recommends a minimum age of 12, and says the mountain is not safe for infants and toddlers.

Beginners: Trolltunga AS recommends a guided hike for anyone with limited mountain experience. The guided summer hike takes ages 13 and up, and the day hike with lunch suits people with at least some hiking experience. The via ferrata and the overnight tent trip start at 15.

Children: the official advice is a minimum age of 12, in good shape and used to long walks. The Road Bus sells child fares for ages 4 to 12, but that is a fare band, not an endorsement. A 10-hour day on rock is a lot for anyone under 12. For younger families, the walk to Buerbreen, an arm of the Folgefonna glacier near Odda, is a shorter option at about 6 km return.

Is the via ferrata route harder than the normal trail?

Harder on the nerves, not much harder on the legs. It swaps the first climb for a 250 m cabled wall above Ringedalsvatnet, then joins the normal trail for the last 3 km.

The Trolltunga Via Ferrata is graded demanding, guided throughout, and for ages 15 and up in good shape. The full day is 24 to 28 km with about 800 m of ascent and takes 10 to 12 hours. On the via ferrata day you clip into steel cables with a harness and helmet, with the optional 50 m Sky Ladder on top. Weight limits are 40 to 120 kg.

Pick it if heights excite you and the crowded early trail doesn't. Skip it if you have bad knees or a real fear of heights; the operator says so too. The way back is the normal trail.

Climb the cabled wall above Ringedalsvatnet instead of the busy first climb, with the optional 50 m Sky Ladder. Ages 15+, fit hikers only.

★ 4.8 · 10 hours · from $188

Explore the via ferrata day → Tour details

Frequently asked questions