FAQs
Norway Beginner Cross Country Ski Adventure
Travel
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You are responsible for booking your own travel to Tyinkrysset bus stop where you will be picked up at 21:20.
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On arrival day, we will collect you from: Tyinkrysset bus station at 21:20
On departure day, we will drop you off at: Tyinkrysset bus station at 9:45
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We recommend flying into Oslo Gardermoen. There is one bus a day to Tyinkrysset from the airport itself, or a more regular bus service from Oslo Central bus station. It is also possible to get the bus from Bergen airport also.
Please note that if you arrive before our transfer time you will need to book your own transfer to the hotel. Please contact our Bookings Team who will be able to help you with this.
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Book your tickets on the Vy website (https://www.vy.no/en) - which is easy to use and has an English version.
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We do not provide specific recommendations for international flights, but there are plenty of options to choose from. We recommend flying into Oslo Gardermoen. Bergen airport is also an option.
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The bus journey is approximately 4.5 hours.
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The transfer takes approximately five minutes.
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Yes, private transfers can be arranged at an additional cost of approximately NOK 80 (£6/€7) per person per way. Please contact us in advance to arrange this.
Accommodation & Food
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We stay at a newly renovated mountain hotel 900m above sea level, with 28 rooms and 15 apartments. Each room has a comfy bed, private bathroom with shower, mountain views from large windows, a window sofa for morning coffee, free WiFi, and a flat-screen TV. The hotel has a cosy restaurant, terrace, and is literally steps from the trails. It's not fancy, but after long mountain days you'll appreciate the comfort and those views.
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Yes, towels are provided. Hairdryers can be borrowed from reception for the length of your stay.
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Laundry facilities aren't available at the hotel. Pack travel wash or soap flakes if you want to handwash clothes during the week.
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The food is a highlight. The hotel chefs take pride in what they serve, using local ingredients from the nearby Valdres region. You'll get a mountain breakfast buffet each morning to fuel your days, packed lunches for the trails, and three-course dinners served each evening in the restaurant. Expect hearty Norwegian mountain food - warming soups, local meat and fish, dishes designed to refuel tired legs.
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We accommodate most dietary requirements with advance notice. Just tell us early as sourcing specialty ingredients in the mountains takes planning.
Activities
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You don't need prior experience, but you need decent fitness. We'll be skiing 6-7 hours daily, covering 8-15km. Cross-country skiing feels like "running with skis on" – uphill climbs and long flat sections get your heart pumping. If you're active and love a physical challenge, this is for you. If back-to-back active days sound draining, it isn't.
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This trip is designed for beginners. Our instructors teach you progressively, from basics on day one to full-day wilderness routes by the end. The learning curve is faster than downhill skiing, and you'll see real progress over the week. Just bring your determination!
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If you enjoy physical challenges, don't mind taking tumbles, and are comfortable with speed and gliding, you'll love this. If the idea of sliding downhill makes you nervous, this isn't your sport. Even experienced downhill skiers start fresh here – cross-country is completely different.
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This is more functional yoga to stretch out tired muscles. Our instructors know what cross-country skiing does to your body and exactly what you need to bounce back after long days on the trails. Wear comfortable, stretchy clothing.
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Build your cardio through running, cycling, or swimming. Add core and balance work – yoga, Pilates, squats, lunges. The fitter you arrive, the more you'll get out of the week.
Gear & Packing
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We provide all the equipment you need for cross-country skiing:
Cross-country skis
Cross-country ski boots
Cross-country ski poles
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Please see our blog about cross country ski clothing here.
Cross-country skiing means constant movement, which means you're generating heat even in freezing temperatures. You'll get hot and sweaty while gliding along, then cool down fast the moment you stop. The biggest mistake? Overdressing. You'll overheat, get damp, then feel cold and clammy at every pause. And in a group, you might stop more often and for longer than you would skiing solo, so those temperature swings hit harder.
Skip the downhill ski gear — all that padding is for sitting still on chairlifts, not for the active movement of cross-country. Instead, it’s all about layers: wool or synthetic base layers (cotton stays wet and cold so avoid at all costs), a thin mid-layer, then topped with a windproof, breathable shell jacket. Pack an insulated jacket in your backpack for rest stops. For legs, windproof, water-repellent soft shell trousers or leggings work best with a base layer underneath.
Other essentials include: warm socks, sunglasses, sunscreen, waterproof gloves, buff and hat. Get your layers right and you'll spend less time adjusting and more time actually skiing.
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Yes! You can find a detailed packing list here.
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Yes, bring a small daypack (around 25L) for essentials like water, snacks, and extra layers. A lightweight dry bag is also recommended to keep things dry during activities.
It’s also a good idea to carry a warm, insulated jacket in your bag that you can put on at rest stops to stop you from getting cold, and a spare pair of gloves because wet gloves can lead to very cold hands!
Other
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The weather in Tyin can vary and temperatures vary from month to month. While Norway gets cold, it's a dry cold that often doesn’t feel quite as harsh as long as you’re wrapped up warm. Be prepared for snow, wind or sunshine, depending on the season.
An up to date weather forecast can be found in your customer booking portal.
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Most places in Norway, including the hotel and ski resort, accept credit or debit cards, so there’s no need to carry cash. If you'd like, you can bring a small amount of local currency for personal expenses, but it’s not needed.
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There is no upper age limit for our adventures - we have women up to 70 years old join us.
The Gutsy Girls community is filled with fun, friendly and supportive women from 18-70+. We never ask your age, just that you are up for an adventure!
As a rough guide, most Gutsy Girls guests are 24-60 years old, with around 60% in their 30s-40s. After a day learning to cross-country ski, snowshoeing to peaks for incredible views or exploring remote locations by dog sled, everyone’s ages become irrelevant as you bond over shared experiences.
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Absolutely! Many of our participants join solo, and it’s a great way to meet new, like-minded friends. We’ll connect you with other participants via a WhatsApp group before the trip.
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Whenever possible we use female instructors and guides, however we cannot always guarantee this, simply because there are fewer female instructors available!
Our first priority is to work with the most highly experienced and considerate instructors and guides, who are patient, friendly and as passionate as we are about building women’s confidence in the outdoors.
We keep a close eye on the feedback our guides receive from our guests as we believe that overall this is more important than their gender. We also sincerely hope that as more women are introduced to adventure sports and activities, the amount of female guides and instructors in our industry will increase.
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If the weather affects the planned activities, we will adjust the itinerary as needed. Safety is our top priority, and we always have backup options for indoor or alternative activities.
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Our itineraries are never set in stone. Our guides will often swap things around to make the most of the given weather conditions on each day and taking the current forecast into account.
Please be flexible with our guides. They work hard with your host to ensure we have the best adventure possible, while staying safe at the same time.