Norway ski holidays & resorts

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