The Besseggen Ridge Hike Guide Through Beautiful Jotunheimen, Norway

The Besseggen Ridge is one of Norway’s most beautiful hikes, a mountain ridge between Gjende and Bessvatnet with amazing views over the landscape. The hike is located in Jotunheimen National Park, known as the “Home of the Giants”. It is believed to be the home of the Jötunn – the mystical giants in Norse mythology. When you are hiking the Besseggen Ridge you can understand where this came from. The landscape is magical, with crystal blue water and rocky outcrops. We hiked the Besseggen Ridge during the autumn (the last week of September) and the fall colours at the time were just as striking.

The Besseggen Ridge is a great day hike, or stop on a road trip through Norway. However, you can also extend your trip to Jotunheimen National Park for a few days and see more of the area. There is the option to stay overnight along the ridge, camping with a view of the lakes below. Alternatively, you can stay along the edge of the Gjende or in the cosy Memurubu Tourist Hut.

This guide to the Besseggen Ridge Hike path will take you through the hiking route, where to stay, how to get there, and possibilities for extra day’s adventures!

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How to get to the Besseggen Ridge Hike, Norway

The Besseggen Ridge is located in Jotunheimen National Park. This is a 4-hour drive from Oslo, however, it can also be reached by bus.

Travelling to Gjendesheim by bus

It is very easy to get to Gjendesheim by bus. There are direct lines from Oslo with NOR-WAY. This is line NW161 which stops in Fagernes and Beitostølen along the way. This bus line runs from the beginning of June to the beginning of October. The bus stops at the Gjendesheim bus stop which is just beside the start of the Besseggen hiking trail. You can find more information here.

Alternatively, you can take the train from Oslo, Trondheim or Åndalsnes to Otta. From here, there is a bus to Gjendesheim. The best way to plan this route is with Entur.

Travelling to Gjendesheim by car

It is around a 4-hour drive from Oslo to Gjendesheim. There are some amazing stops on the way so it makes for a great road trip through Norway. It is a very beautiful drive and most of the time you are on a major highway so it is relatively quick and easy.

If you want to plan a road trip, you can find some of the best stops in this blog post – The best autumn road trip through Norway.

Parking in Gjendesheim

There is a big car park in Gjendesheim, just behind the ferry terminal. Parking here is paid all year around. In the summer months, there is a long-term car park just outside of Gjendesheim with a shuttle bus that takes you to the beginning of the Besseggen hike trail. At this time of year, the car park by the ferry terminal is only for short-term visitors.

In the spring and autumn months, the car park by the ferry terminal is for both long-term and short-term parking. This car park costs 300 NOK for 2 days (48 hours) and 400 NOK for 3 days (72 hours). You can find all the information here!

The ferry from Gjendebu to Gjendesheim

The ferry that runs across lake Gjende is a beautiful experience and a really easy way to get between the villages after hiking. They run often in the summer, and twice a day in the spring and autumn. The ferry takes 20 minutes from Gjendebu to Memurubu and another 20 minutes to Gjendesheim.

You can find the timetable here!

The Besseggen Ridge Hike Overview

The Besseggen Ridge is a difficult hike over a mountain range in Jotunheimen National Park. The path starts in Gjendesheim, at one end of the Gjende lake, and goes over the mountain ridge to the middle of the lake, a mountain hut called Memurubu Tourist Hut. From here, you can either continue on over the mountains to the other end of the lake – Gjendebu – or catch a ferry back to Gjendesheim.

Hiking times and distances

Gjendesheim to Memurubu

This section is the Besseggen Ridge Hike. It is 14 km and it is recommended to give yourself 6 – 8 hours, including stops if you are hiking in good weather conditions.

If you are hiking the Besseggen Ridge in bad weather conditions – fog, rain or snow – give yourself several more hours. We hiked the majority of the track in a complete fog and it took us around 10 hours to complete. If you plan to hike in these conditions, make sure you are prepared for the possibility to stay overnight along the path.

We left at daylight and ended up spending the night camping on the Besseggen Ridge as it got dark before we were able to reach the end of the hike. Although we did this out of necessity, it is definitely something I recommend! It was magical waking up and seeing the view of the Gjende from inside the tent!

Memurubu to Gjendebu

The section from Memurubu to Gjendebu is not part of the Besseggen Ridge hike. This is an additional track you can take if you wish to extend your trip to Jotunheimen National Park. This track is 10km long and it takes from 5 – 7 hours with stops.

Memurubu to Gjendesheim

The section from Memurubu to Gjendesheim is also not a part of the Besseggen hike. This is an alternative route you can take if you do not want to take the ferry back to Gjendesheim. This section is 10km long and takes 3 to 4 hours to complete. The path is quite flat as you are walking along the side of the lake as opposed to over the Besseggen ridge.

The Besseggen Ridge hike – Gjendesheim to Memurubu

The Besseggen Hike is 14km long and classified as “difficult”. The track starts off relatively flat, however, walking over the ridge itself is quite steep with an uneven track. It is suggested you give yourself 6 – 8 hours to complete this hike, but I suggest expecting it to take a little bit longer just to be safe.

The Besseggen Hike is relatively easy to follow, with red markings leading the way. The hike begins at Gjendesheim, just behind the bus stop. The track is easy to spot, with a sign leading the way. From here, you head up the mountain quite quickly. The path is steep but easy to walk. It is only when you reach the ridge itself that the path is a little more difficult.

The views are beautiful the entire route, however, the best view is from Lake Gjende View Point. We ended up pitching our tent here for the night as it started to get dark while we were only halfway along the Besseggen ridge hike. It was a beautiful place with an incredible view.

From Lake Gjende View Point, it is only a few hours’ walk towards Memurubu. The hike from here is relatively downhill and the path is quite straightforward.

Extending the Besseggen hike – Memurubu to Gjendebu

If you want to extend your time in Jotunheimen National park then I suggest walking from Memurubu to Gjendebu. This hike is a little shorter and takes 5 to 7 hours to complete. I recommend spending the night in Memurubu, either camping or at the Memurubu Tourist Hut, and leaving early in the morning.

There is a ferry from Gjendebu to Gjendesheim in the late afternoon so it would be possible to end your trip here. Alternatively, you can catch the ferry to Memurbu, spend another night there and spend the next day walking the lakeside path back to Gjendebu.

Extending the Besseggen hike – Memurubu to Gjendesheim

The section of the walk along Lake Gjende is relatively flat. The path is 10km long but is an easy 4 to 5-hour hike with stops. The views here are incredible and I definitely recommend this hike if you have the extra time and want to turn The Besseggen Ridge hike into a multi-day hiking trip. This trail leads back to the carpark and bus stop in Gjendesheim.

Camping along the Besseggen Hike

There are some incredible places to camp along the Besseggen hike and it is something I definitely recommend! It can be a little more difficult hiking the Besseggen ridge with a big backpack, however, it is always good to be prepared in case you are hit with bad weather conditions anyway. We chose to camp at Lake Gjende View Point. Here, there was flat ground and access to running water from a nearby stream. It was the perfect stop for us, especially as there were so few people hiking at this time of year.

It is possible to camp all along the Besseggen ridge hike. Just make sure to be respectful of the landscape and leave no trace.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Besseggen hike?

The Besseggen Ridge hike is 14 km long and takes 6 – 8 hours to complete in good weather. The hike is quite steep at times so can take longer if you are carrying heavy bags or are hiking in bad weather conditions.

Where is the Besseggen Ridge?

The Besseggen Ridge is in Jotunheimen National Park, the “home of the giants” in Norwegian folk tales. The Besseggen hike follows the ridge from the town of Gjendesheim, towards the Memurubu tourist hut.

How do you get to Besseggen in Norway?

You can easily get to Besseggen by bus or car. When travelling by bus, you will need to take the NW161 from Oslo to Gjendesheim. The Besseggen hike begins here. Alternatively, you can drive directly to Gjendesheim. This takes 4 hours from Oslo.

How difficult is Besseggen?

The Besseggen hike is classified as difficult. The track is very steep and the path over the ridge itself is thin and rocky. It takes 6 – 8 hours to complete in good weather and is recommended for experienced hikers.

How do I get to Gjendesheim?

You can get to Gjendesheim by direct bus from Oslo, or by bus from Otta. There are trains to Otta from several major Norwegian cities. Alternatively, you can drive to Gjendesheim. This takes 4 hours from Oslo and there is short and long-term parking nearby.

Should I hike Trolltunga or the Besseggen Ridge?

Trolltunga and the Besseggen Ridge are two of Norway’s most beautiful hikes. They are both quite long and can take up to 10 hours to complete, however, the Besseggen ridge hike is much harder than Trolltunga. While Trolltunga has beautiful views at the top, the Besseggen Ridge has beautiful views for the majority of the hike.

Can you hike the Besseggen ridge in Autumn?

You can hike the Besseggen ridge in autumn. It is one of the most beautiful times of year in Jotunheimen National Park. However, you should be prepared for changing weather conditions if you hike at this time of year. It is possible you will have rain, fog, or even snow while hiking. Make sure to always have an alternative route planned and the possibility to stay overnight while hiking.