HOW TO HIKE TROLLTUNGA

Trolltunga is one of Norway’s most popular hikes for good reason. It is an incredibly scenic hike, ending at the Troll’s tongue, a thin sliver of rock perfect for creative photographs. This is definitely a hike to add to your bucket list.

For us, the hike to Trolltunga was our third of four hikes in Norway. Kjeragbolten was our favorite, but this hike was not far behind. The scenery along the hike is phenomenal with views out over lakes and snow capped mountains, and posing on Trolltunga.

WHAT MAKES TROLLTUNGA SPECIAL?

Trolltunga is one of the most popular hikes in Norway. Posing for photos on Trolltunga is the main reason for doing this hike, but from start to finish it is a beautiful journey. For hiker’s, Trolltunga just may be the highlight on a visit to Norway. Many people who do this hike say that it is one of their favorite hiking experiences. Maybe you will too.

TROLLTUNGA TRAIL GUIDE

THE FIRST BIG CLIMB

The trailhead for Trolltunga is at the Skjeggedal carpark.

The first ascent of the hike is the most strenuous. It is 1 km of constant, steep climbing on stone steps and gravel trails before the terrain levels out.

There were once funicular tracks here that you could climb instead of the rocky trail.

One of the tricks to having a good experience is to take along the way. From this altitude, you have amazing panoramic views of Norway. Sure, getting to Trolltunga is the goal but enjoy this whole journey…it’s awesome!

We continued our trek, dodging mud puddles, climbing over boulders, and crossing numerous streams. Once you climb that granite face, the hike levels out, for the most part. There are several small climbs.

STEPPING OUT ONTO TROLLTUNGA

It took us three and a half hours to hike from the carpark to Trolltunga.

The views over Trolltunga and out over the lake were awesome. There were tons of people here, some waiting in line to step out onto the ledge and others were waiting. Tyler and Kara were two of the three kids we saw during the entire hike. 

Kara and I went first onto the tongue (after 45 minutes of waiting in line). After stepping out onto Kjeragbolten at all. Kara and I did a few poses, then I took her back to sit on a rock and wait for me. I went back out to the tip of the tongue to sit with my feet hanging over the side.

THE RETURN HIKE

The walk back was slightly faster. We did not need to stop for sunscreen, photos, or much food now. The signs counting down the kilometers kept us going, and we snacked on lots of cookies. It took us three hours to hike back to a car, shaving off about a half hour from the hike to get to Trolltunga.

ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE

We did this hike when the funicular tracks were still open. At the time we did this hike, Tyler was 10 and Kara was 8 years old.

We are very fast hikers, even with kids. The four of us hiked to Trolltunga in 8 hours (3.5 hours to get to Trolltunga, 1.5 hours for photos, and 3 hours to hike back to the car) from the Skjeggedal car park. We were constantl by the other people and we had perfect weather conditions. If you take your time or marshy, snowy terrain, this hike can take as long as 10 to 12 hours.