Climbing Trolltunga Via Ferrata Without a Guide!
- Siu Hoi Luk
- Aug 10
- 5 min read
Distance: 24.7 km
Elevation gain: ~800m
Time taken: 10hr 15min
Contents
Introduction
Trolltunga is one of the most iconic places in Norway, and if you are a hiker, it is definitely a must-visit destination! Although more than 80,000 people visit this beautiful formation every year, getting there is definitely not an easy task. From the closest car park (P3), it is at least a 20km round trip that takes 8 to 10 hours. But there is actually a way more interesting way to go up there. On our recent trip, we took the via ferrata route to go up to Trolltunga, and hiked down the normal path all the way to P2 car park. In total, we took 10 hours and 15 minutes to finish the entire journey and travelled a total of 24.6 km.
The via ferrata is possible to do with or without a guide. If you decide to do it unguided, you or someone in the group must have good via ferrata experience to lead the group. The maintenance fee for the via ferrata is 425 NOK per person. You should also have your own equipment (harness, via ferrata lanyard set and helmet minimum). A guided tour including the equipment would cost 1,550 NOK per person.
Getting there
There are 3 main carparks at the starting point of the Trolltunga hike. They are:
P2 is the main car park that most visitors will park at. It is also where Trolltunga Active, the place to pay the via ferrata maintenance fee, is located. Most visitors would park at P2 and take a shuttle bus up to P3, which would shorten the hike by 3 km (6km if both ways) on an asphalt-paved road, going up 400m in elevation. So it is very worth taking the shuttle bus up to P3.
It is also possible to park at P3, which saves you either the long hike up and down or paying for the shuttle bus. However, park at P3, you have to make a booking in advance on this website. The booking is usually filled months in advance in the peak summer season.
Parking at P1 is not recommended by me as it would turn your trip into a 38km round trip and 2000m elevation.
Detailed information on the parking is on their website here.
Costs
In order to do the hike or via ferrata, there are several costs involved.
Firstly, parking costs 500 NOK per car for the day at P2. This cost is high as it also includes the road toll, parking fee and trail maintenance in it. Parking at P3 costs 600 NOK for a day, EXCLUDING road toll, which is an extra 200 NOK.
Next, the via ferrata maintenance fee, if you are doing it unguided, is 425 NOK per person. If guided, it is 1,550 NOK per person, all inclusive.
Lastly, if you are planning to take the shuttle bus, the cost is 150 NOK from P2 to P3 and 100 NOK from P3 to P2. This means that you can do the via ferrata and hike back to P3, then take the shuttle bus to P2 for 100 NOK.
DO NOTE that the buses only operate from 6.30 am to 11.15 am and also from 2.30 pm to 7 pm. So the last bus down is at 7 pm, which we sadly missed by 20 minutes!
The Via Ferrata
The via ferrata route starts at P2. After paying for the maintenance fees at the Trolltunga active shop, we hiked along the lake for 6 km. It took us about 1.5 hours to hike it; it is very flat with just a slight incline throughout. After a while, you'll see a sign for the via ferrata. At this signpost, take a left turn into the forest.
From here, the path is less obvious, but still clearly visible with some ropes and tape along the way. It is a steep climb up all the way to the actual start of the via ferrata. After about 30 mins, the path opens up into an area with large boulders all around. The path is still marked with cairns and also "T" signs spray-painted along the way.
After another about 30 minutes, you will reach the actual start of the via ferrata. There is no official map of the via ferrata and no official grading either. However, from my experience there, I would say it's around B or B/C difficulty. The path of the via ferrata consists of vertically upwards sections and horizontal traverses with rock ledges. There are metal rungs throughout the entirety of the via ferrata, so it is not difficult at all! The elevation gain is around 400m of ascent.
After around 1 hr 40 min, we got to a section where the metal cables ended and we could walk up along the trail. But don't take off your equipment yet like we did! There's a cheeky little 10 minutes more of via ferrata just up ahead!
After reaching the REAL top, we took a moment to take in the views and have some snacks. Personally, I don't think this via ferrata was that much fun because it was very simple and not much variation to it. It was like just going up a ladder all the way. The one we did 2 days ago at Loen was much more interesting. However, the views that we got to see throughout this via ferrata were simply stunning!
From here, it is about 1hr hike to the iconic Trolltunga photo spot. Keep walking inward until you see the crowd and follow the path on the right to Trolltunga!
The Hike Back
The hike back was equally amazing! Although we had already taken in the beautiful view along the via ferrata, hiking back through a different path gave us a change of scenery. The path back has some rolling up and down elevations, but mostly down. The altitude is almost constant for the most part, hovering around 1000m, until the end, where it drops off quickly.
The total distance going back was around 13km, because we missed the last shuttle bus (7 pm) and had to walk all the way down the winding roads from P3 to P2. It took us around 3.5 hrs to hike back all the way.
Final Thoughts
The Trolltunga via ferrata is a very fun alternative route for people looking to visit this place. It gives you views that you cannot see along the normal hiking trail, and is suitable for most people! I would recommend this for anyone with a decent fitness level. However, fear of heights or being physically unfit can hinder you from completing the via ferrata, and there is only one way up and one way down. It is still a risky activity, and I would urge anyone attempting it to not take the chances if you are not confident. Also, safety first! Follow safe via ferrata procedure, and if you are unsure, go for the guided tour to learn from the experts! For anyone who has some climbing experience, it should not be an issue to finish.
Comments