FAQs
Sweden | Skate Skiing
Travel
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You're responsible for getting to Trondheim airport, where we'll meet you. We offer one transfer on arrival and departure days.
Arrival day transfers:
Trondheim airport at 16:00
Departure day transfers:
Trondheim airport at 12:25
We include one timed transfer on arrival and departure. Due to long distances, private transfers are expensive to arrange but if you can’t make the scheduled transfer times, see “What if I can’t make the transfer times?” for taxi costs.
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Flights aren’t included in your trip, but we’ve listed some options that align with the group transfer to make planning easier.
These aren’t official recommendations — just helpful examples. You can book any flight that fits the schedule, but transfers run on time and can’t be delayed, even if your flight is listed.
We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers delays, cancellations, and missed connections.
On arrival day we will collect you from:
Trondheim airport at 16:00
Suggested Flight:
LGW 11:50 ✈ TRD 15:15 | Norwegian DY 1341
On departure day we will drop you off at:
Trondheim airport at 12:25
Suggested Flight:
TRD 14:25 ✈ LGW 20:20 | Norwegian DY 173, DY 1318
Not sure if your flight works? Just ask — we’re happy to help.
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Think of the transfer like a train: it runs on time and can’t be delayed.
You are welcome to get any flight that arrives in time to make the transfer. However, to make planning easier, we’ve listed some flight times that align with the group transfer. These are not official recommendations though, just helpful examples.
Please note, if your flight is late or cancelled, you’ll need to make your own way to the start location, but we’ll support you with local transport information on the day.
We strongly recommend travel insurance that covers delays, cancellations, and missed connections.
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Yes — a group transfer is included on both the arrival and departure days. This is a shared transfer, running at fixed times to and from a designated location (usually an airport or train station).
There is one transfer each way, and your flight must match the timing. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to make your own arrangements.
On arrival day we will collect you from:
Trondheim airport at 16:00
On departure day we will drop you off at:
Trondheim airport at 15:00
The group transfer is included in your trip package. There is no discount if you choose not to use it.
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Missed transfers are rare, but we want to be upfront so you can plan with confidence.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled, you’ll need to arrange your own transport to meet the group. We’ll support you as best we can — your host will be your main contact on the day and can help coordinate locally. You can also contact our bookings team, available Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm UK time, though replies may be delayed outside of these hours.
Even if you booked a flight from our Suggested Flights, group transfers run on schedule and cannot wait for late arrivals.
In some locations, arranging a private transfer is straightforward — but in more remote areas, it can be limited and expensive. That’s why comprehensive travel insurance is essential, not only for delays and cancellations, but also in case you need to cancel your trip before departure.
Make sure your insurance covers travel delays and missed connections — it could save you a significant amount if things don’t go to plan.
We can organise a taxi for you. This will cost NOK 2700 for 1 - 4 people.
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You will need to arrange your own international flight to and from Oslo Gardermoen. We don’t have recommended international flights to Oslo because there are lots of options which work.
If you are flying on Røros, make sure your international flight to Oslo allows enough time to catch your flight connection. You will need to do a self-transfer in Oslo Gardermoen. See "What's a self-transfer?"
What's a self-transfer?
This question is only valid if you’re flying Oslo - Røros
If you are flying internationally to Oslo Gardermoen and then connecting with a flight to Røros, you will need to check in separately for each connecting flight. Make sure you have enough time.
You will need to collect hold bags and check them in again for the next flight.
You must pass through security and passport control during each connection and you will need a visa if your connection is in a country that requires one.
You should check before you book that you have time to connect through the airport
What if flights are cancelled or delayed?
Booking flights together with a flight consolidator or agent could provide you with some guarantee against cancellations or missed connections. Check the agent's policies before you book.
If you book direct with the airlines, your transfers may not be guaranteed.
Please note that Gutsy Girls cannot book travel and is not responsible for your travel to Røros and that this information is just provided as a guide to help you!
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You should buy comprehensive travel insurance as soon as you book your trip — not just before you travel. This ensures you’re covered in case you need to cancel before departure, as well as for any unexpected issues while you’re away.
Your policy should include cover for:
Travel delays and missed connections
Trip cancellation
Medical emergencies and evacuation
Baggage and equipment loss
All activities included in your itinerary
Travel insurance is a requirement for joining any Gutsy Girls trip, and it’s your responsibility to check that your policy includes the kind of adventure you've signed up for — especially outdoor or sporting activities.
Booking your insurance early gives you peace of mind and protects your trip from the very start.
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If you have the time or need to spend an extra night to make travel options work, we love Oslo!
You can take a train really easily from the airport to the city and vice versa, it takes about 20 - 30 minutes. The train station at the airport is in the arrivals terminal. The trains to Hamar start at Oslo Central and go via the airport (same train, you just get on/off a stop or two (30 mins) earlier/later). Book your trains to or from Oslo S (Sentral) instead of to or from the airport.
Walking around the Opera House (right by Oslo station) area is lovely. You can also do a boat cruise; we recommend you sit on the left side of the boat as you look at the front :)
We recommend the food at Salt Langhuset, and it’s a great place to sit and watch the water.
The Aker Brygge area near the water is lovely too if you have good weather!
If you fancy the full Norwegian sauna/freezing cold fjord plunge experience: Oslo Badstuforening (near the opera house)
There is much more information here: https://www.visitoslo.com/en/
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We will connect you with others on the trip via WhatsApp, so you may be able to arrange to travel together.
Accommodation
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We stay at a cosy, family-run hotel with stunning views. Rooms are simple but comfortable, and there's a small pool, sauna, and Wi-Fi throughout. Meals are delicious, with options for all dietary needs. There’s also a ski area where you can wax your skis, and you can ski right from the door!
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Yes, towels are provided. Hairdryers are shared, so bring your own if needed.
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No - you could bring some soap flakes / travel wash to wash your base layers if you think this will be necessary!
Food
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The delicious food on this trip is a real highlight. In the hotel we will have a sumptuous breakfast buffet and a plentiful packed lunch for our days out.
Some evenings we will eat a fantastic three course dinner in the hotel, and on two occasions we will have dinner at Brasserie Kerstin, just around the corner, which offers an à la carte menu using local ingredients and local recipes.
One evening we will eat at the waffle hut Knallen, Bruksvallarna's top cabin at 1050 metres above sea level and with a magnificent view of the mountain world.
The hotel is committed to catering for all dietary requirements and allergies.
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We can cater for all dietary requirements and we will request information prior to your arrival.
Activities
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Yes—but only for certain types of beginners. This retreat is designed for those who are new to the skate skiing technique, but it is not suitable for people with no experience in snow or balance-based sports.
You’ll enjoy this retreat if you have prior experience in at least one of the following:
Classic cross-country skiing
Downhill skiing
Ice skating or rollerblading
These sports offer transferable balance, coordination, and gliding skills that will help you pick up skate skiing more confidently.
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Skate skiing is physically intense—think of it as “running on skis.” It’s a full-body workout that demands strong cardio fitness, coordination, and strength.
You’ll be skiing for several hours per day across morning and afternoon sessions, often with 2× 2–3 hour blocks or full-day tours. To enjoy the experience, you should:
Train or exercise regularly
Be used to moderate to high-intensity physical activity
Be prepared for consecutive active days
If you’re unsure whether this is the right fit, get in touch before booking—we’re happy to help assess suitability.
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Classic style cross-country skiing is the traditional discipline of Nordic skiing. It uses a diagonal stride technique and it looks like walking on skis.
If you are just starting out, classic cross-country skiing is quite easy to learn and the skis allow you to glide in dedicated groomed tracks.
Skate skiing is a more recent cross-country discipline. The technique is similar to ice skating.
Skate skiing appeals to fit, athletic people who like to train on a regular basis. With perseverance it’s possible to reach high speeds and achieve effortless glide. Skate skiing is a full-body workout that combines endurance, strength, and flexibility.
For more information on the differences between the two disciplines, have a read of this article:
https://www.salomon.com/en-gb/nordic/nordic-advice/cross-country-skiing-classic-vs-skating
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This is a great trip if you love learning new sports and enjoy a challenge. However, it may not be the right fit if:
You’re uncomfortable with sliding or gliding sensations
You’re nervous about falling at speed
You dislike gaining speed on downhill slopes
You’re not used to sustained physical exertion
If those don’t sound like you—perfect! You’ll thrive in this environment and have a blast. If they do, no worries—we have plenty of other winter retreats to choose from that might be a better fit.
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No, you don’t need prior cross-country skiing experience—but you do need experience in a related sport. This includes classic cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, or any activity where balance, gliding, or edge control are key.
Complete beginners with no experience in any snow or glide-based sport are better suited to our classic cross-country skiing retreat, which has a gentler learning curve.
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Working on your cardiovascular fitness will help you with endurance and stamina. Walking at a good pace (where you feel slightly out of breath) and climbing stairs is really beneficial, or of course, running or cycling or performing other higher intensity exercise.
Nordic walking and inline skating are similar to cross-country skate skiing and can help prepare you for your first time on skis
Improving your strength, core stability and balance really helps with cross country skiing too. Good balance is essential for weight transfer from one ski to the next. We will be balancing on one ski as it glides – so if standing one one leg is a challenge then practising will help! You could stand on one leg every time you clean your teeth!
Activities and sports that challenge our balance can help us develop our balance in a progressive way, including Pilates, yoga and dancing.
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Please see our blog about cross country ski clothing here.
When cross-country skiing, you're very active and generate heat, even though you're out in the cold. While moving, you'll get warm (and sweaty), but when you stop, you can cool down quickly. A common mistake is overdressing, which leads to getting too hot while moving, then feeling cold and damp when you stop. This is especially true when skiing with a group, as there are more frequent and longer stops than if you were skiing alone. Unlike downhill skiing, cross-country skiing doesn’t require bulky, insulated clothing, since you’re not sitting still on chairlifts.
We recommend wearing wool or synthetic base layers, topped with a windproof, breathable, waterproof jacket (shell) with a hood. Keep a warm, insulated jacket in your backpack to put on during breaks. For your legs, use windproof, water-repellent, breathable soft-shell trousers or leggings.
We recommend avoiding cotton clothing as it gets cold when it’s wet and doesn't dry fast.
Other vital items are warm socks, sunglasses, sunscreen, waterproof and insulated gloves, a buff and hat.
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Yes! You can find it here.
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Yes! Ensure you bring a daypack with you that has plenty of space for layers that you need to peel off and put away. We recommend a backpack of about 25 litres.
It is 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 are the worst! Make sure there is some space in your bag before you begin as you are likely to need to put layers away as you warm up.
It is a really good idea to carry a couple of smaller, lightweight dry bags to keep the clothes in your backpack from getting wet.
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The yoga sessions are slow and restorative to help you recover from a day of skiing!
Other
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Of course we cannot predict the weather on any given week, but temperatures around -10°C are considered perfect for cross country skiing, and we may sometimes have temperatures of more like -20°C. This sounds cold, however, for most of the winter in Sweden it is a “dry” cold which tends to feel less cold than “damp” cold.
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On this trip, everywhere you will visit accepts cards, so you don't need to withdraw any Swedish Krone at all!
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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, mountain biking over the hills, hiking to peaks for incredible views or exploring remote locations by paddleboard, age becomes irrelevant as we are all connected by our experiences.
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Definitely join alone, the vast majority of guests come along to our events and retreats solo.
Our aim is to connect you with like-minded new friends! We are a very friendly bunch, come as you are, we can’t wait to meet you!
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Whenever possible we use female instructors and guides on our day events and trips, 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.
Simply due to the ratio of men to women in the outdoors industry, sometimes this means our guides and instructors are male.
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 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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Our hosts are volunteers who are passionate about our mission and want to help more women get outdoors. They're not professionals in the sports or from the countries the trips are based in. Instead, they are there for you. Our guides on the other hand are employed by our local partners in-country and are there to teach you epic activities, lead your sessions and answer all your questions.
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Tipping is not compulsory on our adventures, but if you've had a great trip and brilliant service, a tip for your guide or host is always appreciated. We recommend giving €20-€30, or whatever you can or feel is the right amount.