Trolltunga : A 28-kilometer trail to the most stunning point of Norway

(Prologue: Norway being one of the most scenic countries in the world, there will always be an argument on which place is the most spectacular of the lot. In my mind, without an iota of doubt it has to be Trolltunga, and here is the story of that strenuous hike.)

30th May, 11pm, Hostel at Odda:

Thought of writing the story of Trolltunga from tomorrow morning only, but here is some development that ought to be put down to share how we are feeling at the moment. When we were making plans of Norway, we knew that this viewpoint, which literally means Troll’s tongue, would be our main attraction of the trip. Consequently, all our other plans were built around this. Little did we know that we will be physically exhausted even before this 28-km hike would start. And the reason is simply us overestimating our hiking capabilities.

If you remember, yesterday we walked for approximately 13 km to experience the amazing Kjeragbolten. Today was meant for Pulpit Rock, another Norwegian wonder and another 12 km hike. Add to that miles of driving to shift our bases from Bergen to Stavanger to Odda and you would realize how weary our body and legs are at the moment. We now realize that we should have kept a free day amidst three consecutive arduous treks, but it’s a bit too late to change our itinerary. Albeit mentally excited, none of us seems to be ready to wake up early in the morning and get on with our original plan of leaving before 7am so as to complete the long trail before sundown. In fact, Rajarshi is mumbling about giving up and resting tomorrow when the rest of us go on the hike. I know that’s not going to happen and we will drag him with us no matter what. Let us see how we feel tomorrow morning.

31st May, 8:30am, Trailhead of Trolltunga:

Yeah, we are going to do it. Today we woke up a bit late than usual, and also took our time to freshen up and get ready for the challenging day ahead of us. It was more than needed, and although we are at least an hour late from our original plan, we should be able to complete the hike and return here before sunset. Meanwhile, we tried our luck to get some gear which can come handy in the snow-covered mountains, but it went in vain. It is actually a bit cloudy today, and drizzles are coming down sparsely. Good thing is that we saw hundreds of other hikers already and everyone seemed really charged up and confident. Hopefully we will be okay as well. Perhaps I will come back to the diary somewhere in the middle of the hike and jot down highlights of the day.

Oh, by the way, a spectacular rainbow is visible right now.

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31st May, 12:30pm, somewhere on the trail:

I don’t think there are words to describe the feeling so far. We still have a few kilometers to reach the final destination, but trust me, this is already one of the best walks in my lifetime.

After we started from the trailhead, the first four kilometers were along a paved road. For a couple of months during the summer, that part is open to cars and that cuts down the trail to 10km one way. It took us little less than an hour to cover that part and then came the dirt and gravel roads. About three kilometers later, a steep trail brought us to snow-covered tracks all around. It was magical. We stopped for sometime, and childishly played with the snow.

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Continued along the path, there were magnificent views of the mountains everywhere. Exhilarating beauty and grandeur, coupled with a subtle sense of emptiness, engulfed the whole area. It is nothing like I have experienced before. The hike is definitely demanding, and if the returners are to be believed, it gets more difficult towards the end. However, rest assured, these views have already made us forget the tired legs and all of us are feeling more enthusiastic with every step.

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31st May, 3pm, End of the Trolltunga trail:

Did it! The last few kilometers were way tougher than we imagined. It was steep, and filled with snow, water and mud all along. At a certain point of time, we even had to hold on to a rope and drag ourselves along a slippery ridge, with a potential drop on the other side. There were some points where the snow was knee-deep and we had to be extra cautious to not let our shoes and socks get wet. But, in the end, we stood on Trolltunga and it has been a dream-come-true moment for us. Naturally, an apt way to celebrate this moment of accomplishment is with this picture I have always dreamed about.

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31st May, 8pm, Way back to Odda:

Time to wrap up today’s trip with a short piece, while we drive back to our hostel in Odda. After spending about half an hour at the top, it took us less than 4 hours to climb down the trail. Towards the end, my knees started to hurt and I should take enough rest for the next two days. Meanwhile, needless to say, we all are immensely happy to have completed this trek with flying colours.

Norway has blown my mind, and Trolltunga will always remain in a special place in my heart.

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(All photos were taken with Nikon D5300 and iPhone XS. For more photos, please follow my Instagram feed.)

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