WHAT IS TROLLTUNGA?
Trolltunga or the Troll's tongue is one of the most well-known, long-distance hikes in Norway's biggest National Park, Herdangervidda. The destination gets its name from the rocky platform that prominently sticks out from its surroundings, and resembles the tongue of a troll-like fjord. The trail is about 11kms long-each way and the hike takes about 7 hrs to complete. I personally think, it needs more perseverance than technique. The elevation gain,~800m is quite spread out, so I would recommend it to anyone, who doesn't mind hiking long distances with adequate breaks in between. That said, it requires a lot of preparation and planning ahead. In the following sections of the blog, I have covered the do's and dont's, after committing some signature blunders myself. If you are in the mood for a thrilling adventure tale, read about my personal experience, else skip over to the DIY section, which will have your back!
MY EXPERIENCE
The Troll's tongue or Trolltunga in Norway is a demanding hike. At that, doing it off season is stupidity, pure as the fresh snow that covers you knee deep, along the entire trail after September. Mid-October is still agreeable if you're doing a group hike with a licensed guide. So on 16th October, on the last permissible hike for 2021, I made history with Addy and Illeas. It was just the 3 of us, hiking with our guide Marius and besides us, there was only the park ranger and his dog Phia, in their mountain hut.
Navigating that vast white wilderness would've been impossible without Marius's expert knowledge of the trail. Sunlight struggled to make its way through the thick clouds that surrounded us during the ascent. Miraculously though, just as we neared the peak, some of the mist lifted off to reveal the fjords below. Snow it seems can scatter serendipity abundantly! However, by picking the wrong pair of hiking shoes, based on videos of the trail from two days earlier, I frolicked into puddles of trouble and ice water, just a few meters away from the iconic Trolls tongue.
A severe bout of hypothermia followed, and I just couldn't drag myself any further. Marius had to immediately help me down two big cups of hot chocolate to calm my nerves. After 15 minutes of uncontrolled shivering, we were finally ready to brainstorm and plan, how to get me to hike back 10Kms. Fortunately all the common sense that was amiss when picking my hiking shoes, came rushing back to suggest that Marius cut the heel of my wet stockings. The antic along with a pair of feet warmers from Marius, helped my feet unfreeze a bit, before I slipped into my spare socks and plastic bags to shield my feet from my drenched, frozen shoes. The temporary fix, along with Addy's motivation and a pair of extra warm gloves loaned by Illeas, worked like magic for the next 6Kms to the hut of the blessed mountain ranger, who only by chance, happened to be in possession of everything new. Thermals, woollen socks, waterproof hike boots, a cozy Viking hat, he lent it all without charging a penny. I could only don it all gratefully on the hike back, springing into more puddles of icy cold slush, without a care in the world, now jutting my tongue out at that wretched troll, who won't let me conquer him.😝
For a while I felt miserable for not having made it to the tip of the rock in spite of hiking the whole way. In retrospect though, whoever needs that picture of me atop Trolltunga, screaming invincible, especially when I had tons of love and care from the people around. The feeling of having overcome an adversity, and making unforgettable memories with strangers who turned friends in no time is much more dear to your badass, wannabe viking! ❤
DIY
BEST TIME TO VISIT TROLLTUNGA
Mid-June to mid-September is your safest bet-especially if you are not an experienced hiker. Summer days are long in Norway, with more than 14hrs of day light. So there is a great chance that a bad weather day will turn around, and still leave you with plenty of time to complete your hike! That said, winter is a unique experience. However, even though the scenery of the snow covered fjords is enchanting, the season rarely guarantees good weather conditions. In fact, it can get downright dangerous, like it did when I was hiking. Without Marius, our guide, I am certain, we would have lost way our in that white wilderness, that kept on amassing more and more snow from an unexpected snow storm. The trails were completely covered by the time we made it to the top and the weather was nowhere close to the positive prediction from that morning's report. In fact, ours was the 2nd last hike of the season, and the tour company cancelled their last scheduled hike, which was a week later. Summer or winter, the weather is always unpredictable in this region, and that brings me to the next section of this blog post.
WHAT TO WEAR!?
For a visit to Trolltunga, I highly recommend dressing in layers and waterproof attire (hiking shoes and overcoat) in any season. Carrying a pair of thermals won't hurt even in summers, and make sure to always have a spare sweater, a beanie, and a pair of gloves and socks. If nothing, you might end up helping a sorry stranger like me :P Here are also a few tips to challenge the troll in winters:
-The trail head is accessible by public transport only from mid-May to mid-September. Outside this period, it is best to go on a guided hike. I wouldn't recommend a guided trip in summers, as the public transport is much cheaper and safe too, with plenty of fellow-hikers around.
-Another option is to rent a car, but it is still dangerous to explore on your own in winters. Especially, if you don't know the area well enough. In fact a family that drove up to the trail head on the day of my visit had to turn back, because they parked at the lower parking lot, which makes the hike even longer, than from the upper one. In contrast, our guide parked at the upper lot, where we had already bypassed 2Kms of the hike, and could complete it safely, even under adverse weather conditions before nightfall, which is as early as 5pm, after mid-September.
-Carry hand and feet warmers. I didn't even know these existed until Marius lent them to me during the hike. These are everyday products in Scandinavia, and are sold in local clothing stores. Perhaps, online too. After my experience in Norway, I bought the ones below in Finland, for my Lapland trip. They are a genious invention!
-Waterproof, touch-friendly gloves and a go-pro/a transparent zip-lock for your phone will go a long way. You don't want to hike all the way, and not snap any pictures, 'cuz it was raining/too cold!
HOW TO GET TO TROLLTUNGA?
The closest airport is Bergen Airport (BGO) and it is about a 3-hr drive from there. I highly recommend combining your trip to Trolltunga with a couple days in Bergen, as it can be quite strenuous to do Trolltunga as a day trip from Bergen. It is best done over one day and a 2-night stay. The best base for Trolltunga is Odda, and there are a few bus and train connections between Odda and Bergen every day of the year. So I suggest arriving in Bergen by an evening flight, exploring Bergen the next day, and taking the late afternoon/evening connection out to Odda.
You can schedule the Trolltunga hike for the following day and return to Bergen the day after your hike. The transport options between Bergen and Odda are as follows:
DIRECT OPTION: Bus no. 930 runs directly from the Asane bus terminal in Bergen to the Odda bus station.
1 CHANGE OPTION: Trains run between Bergen and Voss train stations, and you switch to bus no. 990 at the Voss bus terminal, which is just outside the train station and can be reached in 2 minutes on foot. This bus then directly goes to the Odda bus station. This is also the most scenic option and I did it both ways, as the Asane bus terminal is further from Bergen town center, and it was a lot more convenient to reach the train station, which is quite close to the center. The latest schedules for both options 1 and 2, can be found here: https://www.skyss.no/. I bought my tickets online, almost 2 weeks in advance, for cheaper rates. You can even purchase them at the train station in Bergen and then in Voss, from the bus driver. But remember to carry both cash and card, as payment options might be limited! Also in high season, prices and seat occupancy tend to increase, so plan accordingly.
MULTIPLE CHANGES OPTION: This option is a combination of ferry, train, and the bus services, but I personally think, it's a hassle.
The Odda bus station is right by the harbour and likely, the most scenic bus station on earth! Have a look below.
WHERE TO STAY AND EAT
STAY OPTIONS
Odda is quite a sparsely populated region and there aren't plenty of stay options. I booked with Trolltunga Camping-the cheapest (still expensive :/) option, via booking.com. The room was a private one, albeit basic. The bathroom and kitchen are shared and there are additional charges to use the shower facility, that can be paid for only in cash. So keep those NOKs handy! I recommend booking in advance to secure the backpacker dormitory beds in one of the two hostels in Odda, as they are much cheaper.
If you read the "MY EXPERIENCE" section, you already know how good guides like Marius are! I did a guided hike with https://www.trolltungaadventures.com/ and the pick up from Odda during off-season, is included in the price. Even the public buses that run to the trail head in high season, depart from the Odda bus station-another reason why it is very convenient to stay in Odda. More details on the public bus options for high season can be found here: https://trolltunga.com/parking-and-transportation/shuttle-buses-and-taxi/
FOOD OPTIONS
Restaurants are quite exorbitantly priced, throughout Norway. In fact Norwegians themselves hardly ever dine out, except for special occassions. They carry a packed lunch everywhere and so did I. My advice is to buy some grocery at one of the supermarkets near the Odda bus station and use the kitchen at your accommodation, per convenience. However, there are a few fast food and dine out options nearby, which you may want to explore!
With that, I am wrapping up my blog post on Trolltunga, hoping you will have a great experience tackling the big, bad troll!
PS: Although this adventure holds a dear place in my heart, the lows of solo-travelling can really take toll. Catching the chills on this hike is just one such instance, and over the years, I have found a way to defend myself against succumbing to fear and lack of motivation to get on. During such times, I tune into podcasts of exciting journeys, that make me shift my focus from the momentary discomfort to the fascinating experience that I set out to feel in the first place. Here's one that I totally recommend: https://open.spotify.com/show/7enMdr3lh7svgcyuecOvfq
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