Pack your rucksack and set off
Norway’s highest mountain is only a few hours’ drive from Oslo, as is the delightful area of Gudbrandsdalen with its national parks, delicious local produce and fantastic skiing and hiking.
Gudbrandsdalen stretches through the very heart of Norway, from Mjøsa in the south to Lesja and Romsdal in the north. The valley is home to breathtaking landscapes and tiny villages where age-old traditions and culture are still very much alive. The area has a rich variety of picturesque rural hotels and cabins, and you are never far from a restaurant serving delicious local produce and dishes.
You can explore Gudbrandsdalen by foot, ski, canoe, bike or even horseback. You can go rafting in the Sjoa river, go hiking on Dovrefjell mountain with the chance of catching a sight of the musk ox or climb to the top of Norway's highest peak, Galdhøpiggen, for views as far as the eye can see – 2,469 metres above sea level. If you are a keen mountaineer, you can also climb Glittertind or some of the other 253 peaks higher than 2,000 metres in the area.
As you explore the local delights and beautiful landscapes, remember that you are following in the footsteps of the great National Romantic heroes of Norwegian culture: Ibsen, Undset, Bjørnson, Grieg, and Asbjørnsen and Moe. They all travelled to Gudbrandsdalen and Jotunheimen for inspiration.
So pack your rucksack and set off by car or boat to explore – there's no time like the present!
