Climbing up the rough rocky mountain with Gjende lake 700 meters beneath you on one side and Bessvatnet lake 300 meters down on the other side, Besseggen hike is truly a unique nature experience. If you have Jotunheimen hiking on your Norway bucket list, then the Besseggen trail needs to be on your itinerary.
I have done numerous day hikes in Jotunheimen National Park. Besseggen (1743 meters) is without a doubt the most breathtaking of them all with around 50 000 visitors a year, and also one of the best hikes in Norway. The hike takes around 6-8 hours one way.
However, I warn you straight away, there are parts where my heart nearly stopped. When I did the Besseggen ridge hike, I was struggling with vertigo a lot more than now and on the narrowest part of the ridge, it is steep on all sides while you need to free climb your way up.
If you get dizzy of hights, this is not a funny game. No one had mentioned this part in their articles and I was absolutely not prepared for it.
However, the reward was even bigger as I got to the top on safe ground with trembling knees to the best views ever.
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How to get to Besseggen ridge hike
There is not much direct transportation that takes you to Gjendesheim where the hike starts. During the summer months, there are daily buses from Oslo that correspond with the boat departures from Gjendesheim to Besseggen. There are also buses from Bergen, Trondheim, and Måløy once a day.
The easiest would be to get there by car and put Gjendesheim on your GPS.
Book a rental car here.
The Besseggen hike is a one-way hike and both directions start in Gjendesheim. You can either hike from Gjendesheim to Memurubu (the most scenic direction) or take the ferry from Gjendesheim to Memurubu and hike back (the most popular route).
If you go for the first option you can sleep at Memurubu before taking the ferry back to Gjendesheim.
If you haven’t got your flight to Norway yet, make sure you book it now!
Where to stay around Besseggen trail
If you stay the night before or/and after your hike make sure you book your accommodation upfront. As one of the most popular hikes in Jotunheimen National Park, it could easily be fully booked in high season.
There are a few places to stay around the Besseggen trail, most of them are close to Gjendesheim. You might find it practical with a rental car to get from the accommodation to the trailhead.
Here are some options for where to stay in Jotunheimen National Park close to Gjendesheim.
If you choose to go camping, you can find my best picks for pop up tents in this post and tents to camp with dogs here.
Sjodalen Hyttetun og Camping
Sjodalen Hyttetun og Camping is a reasonably priced camping with cute cabins. You need a car to stay here as the cabins are situated 18 kilometers from Gjendesheim.
However, there are various other spectacular hikes close by so this place is definitely placed well if you plan to stay for a while hiking Jotunheimen.
Besseggen Fjellpark Maurvangen, Jotunheimen, Cottage no.17
Besseggen Fjellpark Maurvangen, Jotunheimen, Cottage no.17 offer a nice private cabin less than 2 kilometers from Gjendesheim.
You can rent towels and bed linen if necessary. The garden has a barbeque for late Norwegian summer nights.
Bessheim Fjellstue og Hytter
Bessheim Fjellstue og Hytter is perfectly situated only a 7-minute drive from the Besseggen ridge hike. With beautiful mountain views, these cabins are simple and clean.
You can also have rooms with private bathrooms in the main building.
The facilities include a restaurant and canoe rental.
READ: The ultimate sustainable packing list
Besseggen hike
In Jotunheimen, hiking Besseggen will sure be a memorable day. Hiking from Memurubu, getting off the ferry the hike starts quite steep for the first hour or so. Then it levels off until you get to the ridge.
The astounding views of the Besseggen ridge make a perfect stop for lunch or a snack.
Don´t forget to look behind you on your way up. The views of the Gjende lake behind you are absolutely breathtaking. The truth is that the constant beauty around you makes it hard not to stop and take new photos all the time.
As for an alternative reason to stop, you could go for a swim before you start climbing the Besseggen ridge itself. But only on a warm day.
The ridge itself is hard to climb. As I mentioned, this part of the hike requires free climbing nearly vertically. With 700 meters straight down on one side and 300 meters down on the other, it can be a challenge.
I hung on to a couple in front of me that helped me carrying Ayla up the toughest parts as I left my friend behind. With my vertigo, I couldn´t do other than focusing on the next step in front of me and making sure I didn’t look down.
Anyone not suffering from vertigo will have the best time ever up that ridge. The views must be spectacular, I can only imagine!
Once up the steep part of the hike, knees shaking or not, turn around. There you are! At the top of the Besseggen ridge, one of the most mesmerizing views you will have in Norway.
Gjende lake on one side and Bessvatnet lake on the other. Further, you see Jotunheimen National Park stretching as far as your eye can reach. Rocky mountain tops rolling all the way to the horizon. More mountains to climb.
This is a perfect place for your lunch or a snack. After the steep climb, it is good to sit down for a bit and just soak up the beauty around you before you keep walking.
Once passed the ridge, the rest of the Besseggen hike is fairly easy. It flattens out for a while before the descent starts. On the right side, you will see Gjendesheim ferry stop on the lakeside far beneath you.
When the descend starts it is fairly easy to get down to Gjendesheim.
How to prepare for Jotunheimen hiking
If you plan on hiking in Jotunheimen you need to go prepared. This goes for the Besseggen ridge hike as well as all the other breathtaking hiking trails in the National Park.
First of all, you need to be prepared for the possibility to abort the hike the same morning you planned to go.
Norway has beautiful nature, though the weather has hormonal instabilities and can change rapidly.
Norwegians actually have their own Mountain Code (“Fjellvettreglene” in Norwegian) that all Norwegian kids learn at school. At least we did when I was a child.
More than once I have followed these rules, it’s all about respecting nature and being cautious.
The Norwegian Mountain Code
The Norwegian Mountain Code had been the same since the 1960s until they were changed slightly in 2016 to make them more relevant to modern life.
Every year the Norwegian Red Cross rescue an increasing number of international tourists that are not prepared for the hike they set out on.
Therefore, the 9 rules have also been translated into English to make them available for international tourists.
Here are the 9 rules of The Norwegian Mountain Code:
- Plan your trip and inform others about the route you have selected
- Adapt the planned routes according to ability and conditions
- Pay attention to the weather and the avalanche warnings
- Be prepared for bad weather and frost, even on short trips
- Bring the necessary equipment so you can help yourself and others
- Choose safe routes, recognize avalanche terrain and unsafe ice
- Use a map and a compass, always know where you are
- Don´t be ashamed to turn around
- Conserve your energy and seek shelter if necessary
You can read more about The Norwegian Mountain Code at The Norwegian Trekking Associations webpage.
What to check before you go
First of all, you need to plan ahead when you want to go for the Besseggen ridge hike.
Besseggen ridge is a demanding hike and if you are not used to hiking in the mountains it might be a bit too much. If you have no training in hiking before, you might want to do other easier hikes to get fit before you head out on this one. However, if you are used to the mountain, there is nothing to worry about.
The trail is open during the summer months between mid-June and late August, though weather conditions may result in them closing earlier. If the weather is good enough you can most likely make the hike before and after this time as well.
Further, as you might have understood of The Norwegian Mountain Code you need to check the weather forecast. If there is going to be rainy or very windy and cold, I recommend waiting an extra day to do the Besseggen hike. There are other beautiful Jotunheimen hiking trails that are less demanding and that won’t become as dangerous in wet conditions.
Make sure to check if the ferry runs and which times before you go. There is nothing more annoying than getting to the ferry stop and realizing that it doesn’t go for some reason (Been there!).
Also, you want to decide which direction you want to do the hike. I did the one with the ferry ride in the morning, walking from Memurubu and back to Gjendesheim. And it was absolutely astounding. I think that with my vertigo I would struggle even more walking down the Besseggen ridge.
However, if you decide to return with the ferry from Memurubu, make sure you know what time the last one leaves so you know when you need to get down (another reason why my vote goes to the ferry in the morning) unless you want to stay the night at Memurubu.
You can check the ferry times and book directly at the official site here.
What to bring for your hike
As the weather might change a lot during the day, I suggest you bring a day pack with enough space for extra clothing.
So, starting with clothing, the most important advice I can give you when hiking in Norway is to dress in layers. As temperatures can change all day you might want to take on and off clothes during your hike.
Remember that even though it is freezing cold in the morning it might turn warm and sunny later in the day. Also, walking will most likely make you sweaty.
If you choose a jacket that is windproof and rainproof you should be fine. This doesn’t need to be very thick as you can have a warmer layer beneath it that is easy to remove. That way you will still keep the windshield on.
Further, you should bring a beanie and gloves and something to cover your neck. Otherwise, it is essential with good hiking shoes and pants.
On warm days you might even want to go for a swim in the lake, so don’t underestimate the possibility of bringing your swimwear and a small towel in your backpack.
The Besseggen hike takes the whole day so in addition to enough water (minimum 2 liters per person), you should bring a good lunch pack. Also, take some snacks like fruit and nuts to keep your energy levels up during the day. There are plenty of spectacular places to sit down for your snack breaks.
This eco-friendly water bottle from Bambaw is great for keeping both cold and hot drinks.
Responsible hiking in Besseggen
Among visitors to Jotunheimen, the Besseggen trail has become extremely popular. It has actually become the most popular hike in Jotunheimen National Park. that’s why you should take some measures and make sure you hike Besseggen ridge in a responsible way.
Don’t’ leave your trash behind (or other’s)
The high numbers of hikers has resulted in more and more people leaving their non-biodegradable waste behind. This waste does not only stay on the mountain but also flies down to the lakes beneath.
But even biodegradable waste should be packed away and brought down from the trail to a proper bin. This is something many people don’t think about or are not aware of.
Truth is, it wasn’t too long ago I started to learn more about the effects of throwing an apple core in nature. While it turns into soil, eventually, it won’t happen that quick. And the chances that animals or bugs have devoured the rests before it gets the chance to turn into soil is massive (like 100%?).
The problem with animals and bugs eating our fruit rests is simple. First of all, most of the fruit brought on hikes are not even ecological, so the chemicals will be bad for them in the first place. But also the fact that it is not part of their natural diet. We should never feed wildlife. Simple as that.
Other than the wildlife aspect, there is the part of throwing seeds of non-endemic plants into nature. That is self-explanatory and a big no-no.
Therefore, it is even more important that we all think of the importance of sustainable travel as we visit Besseggen. If we all take responsibility to take our waste with us and pick up anything that has been left behind by others, we will make a difference.
Together, we can secure this beautiful spot for many future generations that deserve to enjoy it just as much as we do.
Stay on the marked trail
With that many tourists walking the Besseggen ridge trail every year, it is so important to stay on the path. The vegetation has been destroyed drastically and there is severe erosion in the area because of the heavy traffic of hikers.
Simple thing to do!
Toilet break?
The mountain is pretty open and there are not many places to go to the toilet. But if you do, make sure you pack up your toilet paper in a bag and bring it with you.
Toilet paper does not disappear any time soon, so please don’t cover it up with a rock and think nature will do the rest.
Read next: Hike Gaustatoppen in Telemark
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This place looks incredible, I could quite happily spend a lifetime in a place like that just for those views alone.
It’s beautiful, isn’t it! I love those views 🙂