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Types of Skiing Explained: Alpine, Nordic, Touring & SkateNorway
Dec - Mar
Escape into the Nordic wilderness on this exclusive, skiing adventure. Designed for beginners, you’ll experience the joy of cross-country skiing and Norway’s stunning snowy landscapes.
Beginner
Moderate
Home Comforts
From
£2,350
(USD $3,689.50)
An Active Winter Retreat
If you’ve never experienced a snow-covered mountain landscape, then it’s time to change that.
This week long active adventure will take you to some of Norway’s most incredible and remote locations. We’ll cross-country ski and snowshoe, huddle around cosy fires, and rest up at a mountainside hotel.
Our expert instructors will teach you everything you need to know, then you’ll practise your new skills during all-day ski tours.
In the evening, we’ll unwind with yoga, go husky sledding and enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride. Oh, and did we mention, the food is 10/10.
An Active Agenda
No Hidden Costs
Daily lessons and guiding with equipment hire included
A day out to a frozen waterfall
Evening classes to stretch out after active days
Drive your own husky team through snowy landscapes
A horse-drawn sleigh ride through snowy forests
Family-run mountain hotel with panoramic views
Breakfasts, packed lunches and three-course Norwegian dinners
Qualified ski instructors and your Gutsy Girls host
Pick-up and drop-off at Ringebu train station, with direct trains from Oslo Airport
Activity Overview
Cross-country skiing takes you over flatter, rolling (sometimes downhill) terrain. You’ll explore incredible remote locations, away from the crowds of a ski resort.
If you’ve never tried winter sports before, then cross-country skiing is the perfect introduction to the snowy wilderness. It has a much faster learning curve than downhill skiing and you’ll make quick progress over just a few days (plus it’s friendlier on the knees).
We’ll be active throughout each day, exploring and improving your cross-country skills.
Activity Overview
After a long day skiing, there’s nothing better than unwinding in a relaxing yoga class. Our in-house instructor will guide you through a gentle flow, helping you stretch out those muscles and reset for the next active day.
Activity Overview
You’ll have the opportunity to try out husky sledding on this trip too. You’ll get an introductory talk about the sport, the dogs and what to expect, then a team of dogs from the local kennel comes to us. Each guest will have the opportunity to drive and be a passenger during the hour-long tour as you head out into the wilderness.
(Please note that later in the season, there may not be enough snow for the dog sledding; if so, it will be replaced by another activity, or more skiing).
Activity Overview
For one full day, we’ll escape the ski tracks and make our own during a snowshoe adventure into the forest. Winding through the snowy trees, we’ll explore another part of the Nordic wilderness, and if possible (depending on conditions), visit the spectacular frozen waterfall, Myfallet.
Activity Overview
Cosy up under a blanket for a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the frozen forest. Then head back to the hotel for traditional biscuits and Norwegian glögg (non-alcoholic mulled wine) around the roaring fire.
Activity Overview
A hole is cut in the frozen lake and you lower yourself in, then head straight to the outdoor sauna to warm back up. Completely optional, though we would nudge you towards it. The indoor sauna is there for the rest of the week too, as often as you like.
The Destination
Your Adventure Starts Here
Fly into Oslo on a morning flight (or the day before if that works better).
Take the scenic two and a half hour train to Ringebu, through stunning Norwegian landscapes. We'll meet you at the station for your transfer up to our base for the week.
Dinner together once everyone's arrived. Your guide will brief you on the week ahead, this is the time to ask questions and get your skis sorted.
Start at the ski stall learning how to clip on your skis, then go straight into your first lesson. Practise what you've learned on a short morning ski tour.
Enjoy a packed lunch back at the hotel, then head out again for more skiing with your instructor right there to guide you.
Yoga session to stretch out tired muscles, then dinner and an easy evening (or not, the gym is also there too).
Breakfast, then out to the nearest snow-covered hills for a lesson in uphill and downhill technique.
Head out on the trails, then add a few more layers and take a horse sleigh ride around the forest. Enjoy a hot drink by the fireplace afterwards.
Enjoy a post-ski yoga session before a three-course dinner.
Start the day with morning yoga to wake everything up before breakfast. Then it’s a full day cross-country skiing out in the national park.
Finish your ski tour and pack away your skis. Later, challenge yourself to an ice dip, then warm up in the outdoor sauna.
Enjoy a special Norwegian three-course menu. After dinner you’ll also have a talk about dog sledding to get you prepped for tomorrow.
Head out on a morning ski trip to put all your ski skills into practice.
Tuck into the buffet lunch at the hotel before setting out for a dog sledding adventure and drive your own team.
Warm up in the sauna, then refuel with a three-course dinner.
Yoga first, breakfast second. Today we’re swapping skis for snowshoes as we hike to a frozen waterfall.
Lunch on the trail, then finish up your snowshoe route.
Enjoy a chilled evening before your three-course dinner.
Fuel up at breakfast for your longest full-day ski tour yet.
Complete your ski tour and head home for some well-earned downtime. Sauna, nap, or just sit and look at the view. Then stretch out with your final yoga session.
Farewell drinks before our last dinner together to celebrate your achievements this week.
Final breakfast and free time until your transfer to Ringebu station. Don't forget to make yourself a packed lunch and fill your thermos before you leave.
Take the transfer back to Ringebu station to start your journey home.
Rest & Refuel
A traditional mountainside hotel, with views for days over the snow-covered landscapes. This family-run hotel is cosy and welcoming, making it the perfect place to unwind and warm up after a day out in the snow. Private and twin rooms have ensuite bathrooms, whilst the hotel has a yoga studio, sauna, bar and lounge with an open fire.
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Enjoy a buffet breakfast, packed lunches and a three-course dinner - the food is unbeatable here. All dietary requirements are catered for, plus you’ll get the chance to taste test some local Norwegian dishes.
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Book now
The Essentials
| Accommodation |
Home Comforts A traditional mountain hotel with private and shared bedrooms, hotel restaurant and cosy family-run charm.
|
|---|---|
| Food |
All meals are included, from dinner on arrival day to a packed lunch for your journey home. If you have a severe food allergy, please get in touch before you book.
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| Fitness Level |
2
Moderate Cross-country skiing feels like running with skis on. The long flat sections and uphill climbs demand real cardiovascular effort, and you’ll be doing six to seven hours of it daily across 8–25km of terrain. Sessions are split into morning and afternoon most days, but the distances stack up over consecutive days, so a solid fitness base matters. If you’re doing medium to high-intensity cardio three or more times a week, like running, cycling, HIIT and spin, you’ll handle this well. You'll Need to Be
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| Skill Level |
1
Beginner No cross-country skiing experience is needed. While some downhill skiing experience helps on the slopes, skinny skis with a loose heel are a different beast entirely, so you’ll still be learning from scratch. Beginner is the skill level. It’s not an easy trip. Check the Fitness Level above. Not sure what level you are? Our Trip Rating Guide explains how we score fitness and skill. |
| Packing List |
Below are a few specialist items you will need or might have to invest in before your adventure. For a full list of what you’ll need to bring, check out the trip guide. We Provide
You'll Need
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| Travel |
The meeting point for this trip is Ringebu train station. For alternative routes and travel information, please see the trip guide. |
| Not Included |
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| Trip Code |
NORVENXCB7 Include this code in any message and we’ll know exactly which trip you mean. |
The Answers
Not at all, this trip is designed for complete beginners. Working with fantastic ski instructors, you’ll receive excellent tuition, progressing your skills throughout the week and building your mileage to explore incredible remote landscapes.
This trip is rated moderate. Cross-country skiing often feels like “running with skis on” and long flat sections and uphill climbs can be physically demanding. You’ll need medium to high-intensity cardio three times a week for around 45 minutes. Think running, HIIT, cycling or spin classes that get your heart pumping. Walking and yoga won’t cut it for the cardio demands.
Expect a few tumbles while learning, it happens to everyone. Cross-country skiing is all about perfecting a gliding motion across snow, so you’ll need to be comfortable with sliding and the occasional fall.
If this makes you anxious, maybe consider our snowshoeing adventures instead.
We provide cross-country skis, ski boots and poles for the entire week. Our equipment is high-quality and suitable for beginners. You’ll need to bring your own clothing and personal gear – check our comprehensive packing list for exactly what to wear and pack.
You’ll enjoy five days of cross-country skiing, yoga sessions, snowshoeing through forest trails, dog sledding with huskies, and a horse sleigh ride. All activities are guided by experienced instructors.
Dog sledding and horse sleigh rides are weather dependent – if there’s insufficient snow we’ll organise another activity instead.
How do I get to the start point of this trip?
Fly into Oslo Gardermoen (OSL) and take the train north to Ringebu, where we will meet you and drive you the last twenty minutes to the hotel. The railway station sits directly underneath the arrivals hall, so there is no transfer between the two.
Book Gardermoen specifically, not Oslo Torp. Torp is well over an hour south of the city and points you in the wrong direction for Ringebu, which turns an easy afternoon on the train into a long day of connections.
If you want to add a night or two in Oslo first, you can pick the train up from Oslo Central Station instead. It runs a little longer than the airport leg, since Gardermoen is already north of the city, but it is the same line and the same arrival into Ringebu.
Book directly through vy.no/en, the Norwegian national rail operator. Tickets cost around £30 each way and are not included in your trip price.
Tickets are released roughly 60-90 days before travel. Until then the site will usually tell you the train is unavailable or sold out, which looks alarming and means nothing. It simply is not on sale yet. Search again as your dates come into that window and the trains will appear.
If you are still seeing that message around 30 days out, drop us a message. That is late enough to be worth looking at, and we can help you work out an alternative route.
Book as soon as your date opens up, because the earlier trains fill first and they are the ones our transfer meets.
Our transfer runs from Ringebu train station to your hotel on arrival and departure day. You are responsible for getting to Ringebu station and please note that train tickets can be purchased 60-90 days in advance from vy.no/en.
Transfer timings:
If you catch a later train, we can arrange a taxi between Ringebu station and the hotel:
Email us to book the taxi. Bear in mind that a later train on arrival day means you will miss dinner, and we cannot refund it. Travel insurance covering delays is strongly recommended.
Expect temperatures around -10°C in January, sometimes dropping to -20°C. By March, days sit between 5°C and -5°C.
Norwegian winter is a “dry” cold that feels less harsh than damp UK cold.
Absolutely. Mountain weather can be unpredictable, so our guides adjust daily plans to ensure the best and safest experience. We build flexibility into every day because conditions change, but you’ll still get your full adventure experience.
Everywhere you’ll visit accepts cards, so you don’t need Norwegian Krone at all, just a card that can do international payments without incurring a charge. Budget for drinks and any personal extras – Norway can be expensive, especially when it comes to alcohol and snacks. All meals, activities and equipment are included in your trip price.
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