Difficulty:
Moderate. No experience necessary!
Meet at:
11.30am outside Finse Train Station
Price:
3,000 kr (NOK) for the first adult in your group
Group Size:
Up to 8
Trip language:
English
Dates:
July to September
Minimum age:
12 years old
Private trips available?
Yes! Get in touch.
Tour Description
Location: Wilderness around Finse
Finse sits at 1 222 m on the highest railway station of the Bergen Line between Oslo and Bergen, surrounded by open plateau and arctic tundra.
With an average July temperature of 8.3 celcius (47F), the tundra around Finse is considered Arctic. The summer growing season lasts for barely 4 months. In that time some of the snow melts back, the lake defrosts and the alpine plants flower.
Exploring nature and visiting the glacier toe
Your guide will lead you meandering through nature on the marked trails to the toe of the glacier.
You'll experience walking through tundra and on the way your guide can tell you about the nature, teach you about the glacier and help you understand the landscape you are in.
Note there is no walking on the ice involved in this trip; it's purely hiking. This means you can still visit the edge of the glacier with a guide even if you are too early or late in the season to join a guided hike on the blue ice.
What to bring
Finse's is exposed for wind and cold and its weather is often wild and windy, even in Summer. It's very important to bring waterproof clothes and enough warm clothes.
Choose layers to wear so you can easily remove them you get warm while walking and add them if you get cold.
You must bring:
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Footwear to keep your feet warm and dry. Likely the ground is wet.
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Hiking pants.
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Waterproof pants and jacket. We recommend a jacket with a hood.
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Warm hat and gloves
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Extra warm layers, like a fleece or a wool jumper.
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Snacks and a cold lunch
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Water
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A backpack to carry your extra layers.
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Sunglasses
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Sunscreen
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Sunhat
Please no jeans or cotton layers. They become very cold when they are wet.
It can also be nice to bring (but not essential):
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A flask with a warm drink
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A small sit mat
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Camera
Included with your ticket:
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Qualified guide
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All safety and group equipment
Not included:
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Snacks or drinks
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Activity insurance
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Personal clothing
Getting to Finse
Finse can only be accessed by train; there is no road. Book train tickets at www.vy.no Read about getting to Finse in detail in our blog 'Getting to Finse by train.'
Accommodation
Staying overnight in Finse is highly recommended to fully experience the remoteness of this little village.
Accommodation options include DNT Finsehytta and Hotel Finse 1222.
Read about all the accommodation options in Finse in our blog, 'Where to stay in Finse, Norway.'
A note on weather
Please note the route is highly dependent on conditions and whilst summiting a peak is nice, safety and the guide's decisions come first.
