Magic of Norway – Peer Gynt Trail 2023

SUMMARY

Dates: Saturday 11th  – Saturday 18th March 7 nights

Guide: Anita Grey and Wenche B Lofsgaard

Walking Grade: 3 Goats as we have long days on the snow as you cross country ski from hotel to hotel through stunning landscape.

Base: We start at Dalseter Mountain Hotel- approx 3 hours from Oslo Gardermoen Airport and stay there for 2 nights before our journey begins ending in Lillehammer for return transfer to Oslo Gardermoen Airport on Saturday March 18th.

We recommend arriving latest early afternoon for a 2pm transfer by train to Vinstra and on to Dalseter . Returning on flights late afternoon on Sat March 18th to give time to spend a few hours in Lillehammer.

Some guests have travelled overland and this is an adventurous option. We can advise on travel and can recommend hotels if you would like a stop over in Oslo.

Airport Transfer  is included from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to Dalseter and returning from our final destination Skeikampen.

Price: £1660 per person for this very special holiday to include:

• en-suite single occupancy room
• all buffet breakfasts,
• all Packed lunches which are self made from breakfast
• ski hire and expert guiding as we journey from place to place
• Free use of the pool and sauna whilst at Dalseter. Most hotels on our journey have sauna’s which are free to use
• Airport transfer from Oslo Gardermoen Airport to Dalseter and return from Skeikampen our final destination.

Not included are flights to Oslo and any drinks from the bar.

If you bring a friend or partner and are sharing a room the price is £1,460 per person 

DETAILS

We start from our favourite Dalseter Hotel in Espadelen You will make  your way through a landscape of distant horizons, birch tree woodland, Norwegian farmsteads, and frozen lakes. The Peer Gynt Trail, named after a local Norwegian hero, characterized into fiction by author Henrik Ibsen.
The Peer Gynt trail is a groomed ski trail between Espedalen and Skeikampen, in what is known as ‘Peer Gynt Country’. experience. The trail offers groomed and well-marked cross-country tracks.
In clear weather, you will be able to enjoy a continuous view of the breathtaking peaks of the national parks Jotunheimen, Rondane and Dovrefjell along the trip, providing a beautiful and dramatic backdrop to this “friendly” mountain region. If this is your first cross-country ski trip in Norway – be prepared to be blown away.

You stay in good hotels during the tour and we start at our WalkingWomen favourite the Dalseter Hotel. You are extremely well looked after.

The trail runs about 700 – 1500 meters above sea level. The daily stages are relatively short and we meander, we wander and we stop to have cuppas and admire the views.

ITINERARY

Day by Day Peer Gynt Trail with luggage transfer

This is the expected route but subject to change,or at the discretion of the guide, if weather changes.

Day 1 – Saturday 11. March
Arrival Espedalen
Transfer by train from Oslo Airport to Vinstra. The timetable is not available yet, but the expected departure is sometime between 14.00 and 15.00.
Hotel transfer from Vinstra to Espedalen.
If you arrive at Vinstra after 18:30, there will be an extra charge for transfer to Espedalen.

Dinner and accommodation at Dalseter Høyfjellshotell. The hotel is beautifully situated at the top of the mountain valley of Espedalen at 930 meters above sea level, Dalseter Høyfjellshotell has a wonderful view of the valley and the mountains in Jotunheimen National Park.

Day 2 Sunday
Skitour in the local area. Get your ski legs. Relax in the pool and sauna.

Day 3 – Monday Dalseter – Fefor, 18 km
Average day trip along the Peer Gynt Road between Espedalen and Fefor.
In nice weather, it’s possible to do a longer trip across mount Ruten (1517 m.a.s.l.) – 22 km.
Dinner and accommodation at Fefor Høifjellshotell, surrounded by Mountains, and views towards the massive Jotunheimen in the north, this hotel is found by the shores of the Fefor lake in Vinstra.
With its mirrored walls and fresco ceiling, Fefor Høifjellshotell’s restaurant creates a feeling of old-world charm.

Day 4 – Tuesday Fefor – Gålå, 13 km
Easy day trip along Lake Gålå to the destination Gålå. A long uphill at the end.

Day 5 – Wednesday Day off at Gålå
Gålå is located in the heart of ‘Per Gynt Country’, near Jotunheimen National Park. The combination of excellent facilities for alpinists and cross-country skiers makes Gålå a perfect destination for skiers with different wishes and skills. We stay at the Gala Hotel Langslavegen where we have the chance to explore the area from our hotel base.
Dinner and accommodation at Gålå Hotell, situated in a pleasant area at Gålå, with a great view towards lake Gålå and Jotunheimen.

Day 6 – Thursday Gålå – Kvitfjell, 25 km
Average day trip. Today’s ski trip runs through a kind of “Troll Forest” – easy and cosy terrain.
Dinner and accommodation at Kvitfjell Hotel, located with fantastic views across Gudbrandsdalen and the alpine slopes in Kvitfjell. You will live right next to the slopes.

Day 7 – Friday Kvitfjell – Skei, 22 km
Average day trip. Today the trip starts with some uphill from Kvitfjell.
The track continues in light, and hilly terrain before going downhill towards Skeikampen.
Tonight’s accommodation is beautifully situated at Skeikampen mountain, next to the slopes at the  Thon Hotel Skeikampen Hotellvegen 3

Day 8 – Saturday Departure Skeikampen
Transfer by Taxi from Skeikampen to Lillehammer. Departure 09:00.
Trains from Lillehammer to Oslo Airport depart every hour.
We recommend that you spend a few hours in Lillehammer before continuing to the airport. Please be aware that shops in Norway are generally closed on Sundays.

Lillehammer City Center is known for its charming trading environment, rich cultural life and its lovely, warm atmosphere. The old wooden buildings makes the pedestrian street the city’s main artery. Modern and exciting shops are found throughout the city centre. You will also find a wide range of services, galleries, museums and many good cafes and restaurants. Lillehammer is a vibrant city with many exciting events, both local, national, and international. There is always something to experience in Lillehammer City Center.