dossier

Walking in Reindeer Country

Day 1: Arrive in Venabu
We meet you at Oslo airport and take you to your hotel (3 hours) in time for dinner.

Day 2: Ringebu & the Little Mountain 7km/4mi/3hr
A short morning walk to the top of Veslefjell (1034m), the “little mountain” next to Venabu. It’s a gentle start to get the legs going. Back in time for lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon we take you in the minibus to Ringebu to visit the 13C stave church, one of the world’s oldest wooden constructions. In the evening Lars shows his slides of Venabu and discusses the rest of the week’s walks.

Day 3: The Canyons in the Plateau Walk  13km/9mi/5hr or 18km/11mi/6hr
Both walks head for the spectacular 100m canyons of Dørjuvet. Starting with a short minibus ride towards Muen, the most dominant peak in the area, we then cross the juniper-covered plateau Brennflya - look out for rough legged buzzards soaring overhead. There’s a chance to descend into the bottom of the canyons for those who don’t mind a short scramble. One walk returns via a summer farm, the other past waterfalls.

Day 4: Two Peaks Walk & the Summer Farm  14km/9mi/5hr or 18km/11mi/6hr
We head for the 19C summer farm at Jønhalt for a traditional lunch. The shorter walk passes over Kyrkjegardsfjell (1046m), with breathtaking views of the Gudbrandsdalen valley and the snow-capped peaks of Jotunheimen National Park in the distance. The long walk takes in two mountain tops, Trabelifjellet (1094m) and Forbundsfjellet (994m), both offer panoramic views of the Jotunheimen, Rondane and Gudbransdalen. After lunch it’s a short walk over the plateau to the hotel.

Day 5: The prehistoric reindeer trail  13km/9mi/5hr or 20km/12mi/6hr
The shorter walk heads to the pretty mountain pass of Bånskardet with its network of pre-historic reindeer traps. Reindeer still graze here today. From here we descend to the shepherd’s cabin at Ramshytta, an ancient herding point. The longer option climbs the pretty valley of Kvanndalen (“Angelica Valley”) and then crosses open mountains ablaze with orange and red cloudberries, before reaching the final summit of Bølhøgda.

Day 6: Høgronden Walk  14km/9mi/5hr or 9km/6mi/3hr
Both groups start the day with a short (30 mins) drive to the foot of Høgronden (2114m). From here two-boot walkers take the spectacular, but steep, path that leads up to the top - fabulous views across the crystal blue lake of Atnsjøen and across to Sweden. The one-boot option heads instead to Bjørnhollia, a beautifully positioned mountain refuge in the heart of the National Park. The landscapes here dates back to the Ice Age.

Day 7: Rondane National Park  or visit Lillehammer  17km/10mi/5hr
Today you have the choice of a long mountain walk in the the Rondane National Park - traces of old hunting culture, homeland to wild reindeer - or a visit by train to Lillehammer for shopping, the Olympic Museum and ski jump, and art gallery. In the evening there is a special farewell buffet dinner with traditional food and local specialities including “rakefisk” dating from Viking times.

Day 8: Leave Venabu