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With a ski heritage dating back more than 4,000 years and more gold medals at the Winter Olympics than any other country, Norway’s ski pedigree is undeniably world class. Yet despite this prestige, Norway’s immaculate slopes remain joyously uncrowded, so you can schuss past sparkling fjords and frozen lakes in utter serenity.
Planning Skiing in Norway?
Norway is blessed with outstanding snow conditions thanks to its northern position. This fluffy powder is deposited across spectacularly varied terrain meaning complete newbies have soft snow to learn on, whilst seasoned carvers can enjoy miles of regularly refreshed routes.
Not only is Norwegian skiing superb, but there’s terrific attractions off the slopes too. Hop aboard a husky drawn sled, try out kite-skiing or explore fairy-light twinkling Christmas markets. All this among a truly spellbinding backdrop of soaring mountain peaks, dramatic fjords and postcard perfect villages.
- Flight Time
- 2 hours
- From London
- Nearest Airports
- Oslo, Bergen
- Time zone
- UTC + 1 hour
- Language
- Norwegian
- Currency
- Norwegian Krone
- Ski Season
- Dec - April
Norway Ski Resort Guide
Vast mountain ranges cover 90% of Norway and the country is home to around 173 resorts. There’s everything from cosy towns like Beitostolen for introducing young families to the snow, to lively destinations like Hemsedal for a spirited nightlife and extensive off-piste. Whatever style of ski holiday you have in mind, Norway has a resort to fit the bill.
Find the perfect resort for you with the help of our recommendations. We’ve combined years of Norwegian skiing experience with the latest ski area updates to bring you the definitive expert guide to the Norwegian ski resorts that we think deserve your attention. Discover the Norway destination that matches your dream holiday criteria here:
Best Ski Resorts in Norway
We expect ski resorts in Norway to provide great snow cover and scenic routes, but the best destinations also have efficient lift systems, inviting village centres and a range of après activities. Trysil Trysilfjellet fits the bill with a variety of bars and restaurants plus a large ski area including a snow park and flood lights for night skiing. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a chance you might see the northern lights in Trysil. The beautiful national park village of Geilo is one of Norway’s best ski resorts accommodating beginners with wide nursery slopes and powder hounds with masses of backcountry.
Best Snowboarding in Norway
Norway welcomes snowboarders with motorway-wide trails for cruisy carving and satisfyingly lengthy blacks. Head to Trysil Trysilfjellet which caters for all abilities with easy greens in Parken Trysil for learners, entertaining blues like run #61 to the base station for intermediates and wide blacks in the Høgegga area which are great for advanced riders. In Geilo, freestylers can find multiple snow parks to choose from including the Fjellparken, the Tiril Parken and the Slaatta Snowpark.
Most Snow Sure Resorts in Norway
Norway is known for excellent snow conditions thanks to its proximity to the Arctic circle and many resorts have a longer season than their alpine neighbours. Snow begins to fall in Beitostolen in autumn meaning that there’s usually a dependable covering of snow before the resort opens in November. With cold temperatures and peaks at 1,132m Trysil Trysilfjellet is also snow sure between November and April. In fact, Trysil is so confident in their snow conditions that they offer a snow guarantee.
Family Friendly Norwegian Ski Resorts
There’s a long tradition of family skiing in Norway so many resorts are not only family-orientated but also family-run, making the country a great destination to take your clan. Friendly and laid-back Beitostolen has more family activities than you could shake a stick at including a 17 acre children’s playground, a toboggan run and horse riding in the snow, plus the slopes feature a variety of greens, blues and reds catering really well for mixed ability families. Trysil Trysilfjellet has two dedicated kid’s areas and some great child oriented après options – we love the films and games area at Restaurant Pilegrimen for entertaining little ones whilst mum and dad relax with a drink.
Best Norway Group Ski Destinations
Trysil Trysilfjellet takes the crown for best ski resort in Norway for groups thanks to its buzzy après scene and large ski area which accommodates all abilities. Groups can enjoy gentle tree lined pistes for scenic cruising or steep descents for a high speed adrenaline rush before heading to joints like Puben Sankt Olav for live music or Laaven for awesome DJ sets. Hemsedal also has a fantastic variety of pistes, lots of ski-in/ski-out accommodation options and one of our favourite après spots in the country, the Stavkroa Club where tunes thump late into the night and the tables were built to dance on.
Best Après Ski in Norway
Après ski (or afterski as it’s more literally known in Norway) is mostly a chilled out affair with drinks beside log fires in cosy pubs and friendly bars a common occurrence across most resorts. If you’re after a bit more of a party scene, Stabben Afterski and Laaven in Trysil Trysilfjellet offer some boot-stomping revelry on a Friday and Saturday night. Stugu in Geilo is one of our favourites for live music and if you’re in this resort over the first full moon of the new year you can experience the Ice Music festival which is a fun celebration of art and music. Few spots are as notorious as Stavkroa in Hemsedal which has been voted the best après ski in the world multiple times and can hold its’ own with the most famous après ski bars on the planet.
Norway’s Luxury Ski Destinations
Norway’s sophisticated hospitality and spectacular scenery make it an exceptionally luxurious ski destination. Alongside pristine slopes and modern lifts for a fabulous skiing experience, Trysil Trysilfjellet provides deluxe activities like horse-drawn sleigh rides through the magical Trysil forest, relaxing spas and once in a lifetime excursions to see the northern lights. Geilo is another luxury resort thanks to its blissfully quiet pistes and charming mountain architecture.
Prettiest Norwegian Ski Resorts
Norway is famed for its stunning landscapes with fairytale forests, Breathtaking fjords and blue skies are a common sight within the mountain vistas. Centred around the Ustedalsfjorden Lake and nestled between the national parks of Hardangervidda and Hallingskarvet, Geilo is one of the best resorts to immerse yourself in this spectacular Nordic scenery. Trysil Trysilfjellet is home to many picturesque wooden cabins and the wide valleys offer sweeping panoramas that will take your breath away. Days are shorter but the light is different this far north and we love what that does for our ski holiday snaps. Your friends will struggle to match your Instagram feed if you’re skiing in Norway and they’re in the Alps – well-jel!
Best Norwegian Ski Resorts for Beginners
Uncrowded slopes, English speaking ski instructors and plenty of gentle pistes make Norway fantastic for beginners. In Trysil Trysilfjellet beginners can build up confidence as they snowplough down the gorgeous forest runs of the Høyfjellssenter area and there are oodles of steady blues for when it’s time to progress. In Geilo there’s dedicated kid’s areas for young learners, exceptional tutorage for newbies of all ages and 55% of the slopes are classed as beginner friendly.
Best Norwegian Resorts for Intermediate Skiers
With a vast network of blues and reds and a few challenging blacks, Norway is an intermediate’s playground. Geilo has a fabulous mix of runs in the Vestila area including the Fjell, Sentrum and Slaatta slopes which are all 2.9km long for some gloriously uninterrupted shushing. Trysil Trysilfjellet is Norway’s largest resort and has 18km of intermediate level piste as well as a few wide blacks for a gentle first foray into more difficult territory.
Best Norwegian Resorts for Advanced Skiers
Advanced skiers will love the Høgegga ski area in Trysil Trysilfjellet where there are black runs with gradients of up to 45° and some seriously steep off piste descents. Once you’ve had your fun here, there are more hair-raising blacks to enjoy in the Skihytta area and in the Parken Trysil zone. There’s also great opportunity for advanced skiers to give kite-skiing a whirl (perhaps that’s the wrong word) in Trysil.
Best Off-Piste Skiing in Norway
In the upper regions of Trysil Trysilfjellet, there’s some great off-piste opportunities, with a handful of freeriding lines through the woods and a few steeper drops in fluffy powder bowls. For the best taste of Norway’s untouched terrain, hire a guide to take you ski touring and glide through knee-deep powder down steep valleys and beside beautiful fjords. Norway’s ski resorts are generally lower altitude than other top ski tour destinations which means there’s more oxygen in the air so you can breathe more comfortably on the ascent.
The Biggest Ski Areas in Norway
Norway doesn’t have big interconnected ski areas like the Three Valleys in France, The Alberg in Austria or the Milky Way in Italy. It does however have a few resorts close to each other which can be easily reached via a short shuttle ride and skied under the same lift pass. These include:
- Lillehammer - This region is made up of five resorts Hafjell, Kvitfjell, Skeikampen, Gålå, and Sjusjøen which are connected by a regular ski bus service. Split between the resorts, there are 45 lifts which unlock 130km of pistes, 2,300km of cross country trails and fantastic backcountry itineraries.
- Myrkdalen and Voss - About 40 minutes apart by car or shuttle bus, it is easy to ski in Myrkdalen resort one day and Voss resort the next. Combined, these two resorts have around 70km of piste which are mostly suited to intermediates.
Trysil Trysilfjellet is Norway’s largest individual ski resort. With 81km of piste spread over 4 mountain sides, Trysil offers plenty to keep you entertained all week.
Ski Accommodation in Norway
Norway’s resorts have a pretty broad range of accommodation options, from basic apartments for the budget-conscious to lavish hotels for a more indulgent experience. Whether you want a unique property for a romantic retreat or an affordable place the whole group can agree on, our team is on hand to help you find the perfect accommodation.
- Norway Ski Chalets. Traditional wooden cabins complete with log fires and cosy kitchens, Norway’s ski chalets are fantastic for groups or families. They provide a comfortable communal place to spend time together as well as private bedrooms for a moment of quiet.
- Ski Hotels in Norway. Norwegian hotels brim with extra facilities for the ultimate relaxing holiday such as playrooms for children, spas, pools, gyms and restaurants. They’re also usually conveniently located near the lifts or in the town centre.
- Norwegian Ski Apartments. Ranging from budget-friendly stays to seriously luxe lodges, there are plenty of apartments to choose from. Our customers love apartments for the access to saunas and swimming pools but with the flexibility of self catering.
Norway Ski Deals & Last Minute Holidays
Norway is criminally underrated as a ski destination and we selfishly hope it stays that way, as it means there’s often great availability across resorts even at late notice. Talk to our team and we can help you bag a last minute ski holiday in Norway - you’ll be surrounded by snow covered fjords sipping mugs of Glögg in SNO-time!
With our selection of Norwegian Ski Deals you can enjoy a spot of Scandinavian skiing without breaking the bank. We have discounts on top hotels as well as lift pass and ski hire offers, to help you keep the price low but the quality high.
Ski Conditions & Snow Record
Norway has some enviable snow conditions with a long season stretching between November and April in many northern resorts. The snow is so good in the peak season that resorts like Trysil even offer a snow guarantee under specific circumstances if coverage is subpar.
To see resort specific snow conditions for a particular time of year, take a look at Norway’s Snow Report. If you’ve already booked your holiday, check out Norway’s Snow Forecast to see what snowfall is coming your way.
Food in the Norwegian Ski Resorts
Traditional Norwegian cuisine features a lot of meat, freshly caught fish and potatoes in dishes designed to warm against the cold weather. Try a hearty bowl of lapskaus (a slow-cooked stew of meat, potatoes, and root vegetables) and make sure to taste some of Norway’s exceptional seafood such as snow crab or salmon. There’s plenty of sweet treats to try too like peperkaker (gingerbread) or vafler (waffles) which are a perfect pick-me-up during the ski day. If you’re heading to Geilo, we recommend booking a table at Restaurant Hallingstuene, where Norwegian TV chef Frode Aga serves up modern twists on traditional dishes.
Norway ski resorts FAQ:
Norway has a rich history of skiing, both Alpine and Cross Country. Many ski resorts don't have their European counterparts' sheer size, offering smaller but still quieter skiing experiences. The largest ski area is Trysil with around 70km of piste. Resorts are scattered from as low as Oslo (which is about as far north as the Shetland Isles) to as high as Oppdal (slightly South of Iceland, geographically) but ski resorts are typically found to the middle/southern area of the country.
Norway is a great place to learn to ski. Trysil has a selection of fun, wide slopes and nearly 50% of the resort are blue runs. This resort is a dream for developing and exploring. Geilo is one of Norway's best ski resorts. It is a quiet resort in a national park and perfect for families and first-timers. Hemsedal is a compact area with relaxed terrain with beginner-focused areas at the base and mid-mountain. Beitostolen is a smaller resort with most slopes ending at the town centre, so it's another cracker for families and beginners.
The ski season usually starts in Norway in early November. Holidays in late January, February and March will see slightly longer, sunnier days. Like other Scandinavian countries, you’ll get low temperatures and shorter daylight hours in the early season, particularly in the Northerly resorts like Trysil. That sounds like a downside, but there are often floodlit pistes for night skiing, and you get some breathtaking sunsets.
Norway is littered with more resorts than you'd expect. There are around 125 ski resorts in Norway including:
- Trysil – Norways biggest resort with 30+ lifts and around 70km of slopes.
- Geilo – One of the oldest in Norway.
- Hemsedal - Has some of the highest lifted slopes in Scandinavia, reaching over 1500m in height and also boasts some of the highest snowfall levels in Europe.
- Beitostolen – A quieter resort that is great for families. Being compact and accessible.
- Hafjell – This resort hosted downhill ski racing at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics and is now Norway's 3rd largest resort with around 47km of pistes.
Like most things, it depends on what is the best fit for you- call us, and we’ll talk you through it. Best-selling resorts in Norway are Trysil, Hemsedal and Geilo. Here are some ideas for the best ski holiday in Norway:
For beginners: Trysil, Geilo, Hemsedal, Beitostolen
- For families: Trysil, Geilo
- For developing/intermediate skiers: Hemsedal
- For advanced piste skiers: Norjefell
- For a little bit of everything: Trystil
- For powder and off-piste: Hemsedal
- For Apres: Hemsedal
- For scenery: Geilo
- For non-skiing activities: Geilo, Oslo Winter Park, Hemsedal
- For Cross country: Beitostolen
Which are the best Norway ski holidays?
| Property | Resort | Price (per person) |
|---|---|---|
| Vestlia Resort | Geilo | £ 685 |
| Radisson Blu Resort | Beitostolen | £ 573 |
| Gaustablikk Kvitåvatn Mountain Cabin | Gausta | £ 422 |
| Norefjell Ski & Spa | Norefjell | £ 365 |
| Forest Cabins | Geilo | £ 346 |
| Gaustablikk Mountain Resort | Gausta | £ 578 |
| Radisson Blu Resort, Trysil | Trysil Trysilfjellet | £ 827 |
| SkiStar Lodge Trysil | Trysil Trysilfjellet | £ 852 |
| Bardola Cabins | Geilo | £ 290 |
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