Mountain Adventure Holidays
Cross-country skiing Norway
When it comes to the magic of winter travel, few places capture the spirit of cross-country skiing quite like Norway. With its vast landscapes, snow-covered forests, and network of mountain huts, it's a country that invites you to slow down and reconnect with the wilderness. This week we caught up with Lindsay, one of our Directors and a passionate advocate for Nordic skiing, to talk about her deep connection with Norway, what makes it so special in winter, and why she continues to create adventures there year after year.
Escape, one word! In a world that feels increasingly busy and pressured there is a simple joy to be experienced when cross-country skiing in the winter wilderness. Norway is a huge country with a small population of only 5.6 million and there is plenty of room for adventure.
Having been introduced to Nordic skiing exactly 20 years ago, in 2005, I was immediately hooked. It was my first outing on Nordic skis: heels not clamped down, boots feeling too soft to offer support, and a ski that was much longer than I was and primed to catapult me over the ski tips given any moment of inattention. Yet there was something achingly magnificent about exploring a wilderness with a small group of friends who all had a very large sense of adventure.
Over the years since T&T came into existence it has been wonderful to share my love of the Norwegian mountains and their people with our guests. I see no reason to stop! This season we’ve introduced three new trips which reflect my favourite sides of Norway: sociable lodge-based weeks like our Cross Country Skiing Companions in Venabu; the hut-to-hut experience with our new Geilo and Hardangervidda tour; and for those who love remote challenges, the Ski Traverse of the Rondane.
No filters - nature's sunrise in Rondane, Norway
I have so many wonderful images and memories in my head from 20 years of skiing in Norway. For many years I dreamed of seeing wild reindeer, and I was honestly beginning to think that ‘Rudolph’ was never going to meet me in the mountains. Then, on our Hallingdal Track trip a herd ran straight across our route while our small group just stood in awe at what was truly a spectacle. We were later told the herd numbers around 2,500 animals.
My favourite human contact memory is of the kindness shown by an author who was hiding away for the winter to write his latest masterpiece. I had a guest with an achilles problem who couldn't ski any further - this on quite a remote route, and with a storm looming - so I scooted across to an isolated cabin. I had noticed the chimney was smoking and was hoping for help. The ‘author’ took the guest in, and then drove them to our hotel. When I tried to thank him the reply was. “No thanks needed, that is what people in the mountains do. We help”.
In Norway there is an organisation called DNT - (Norwegian Trekking Association) which manages and operates over 600 remote cabins scattered throughout the entire country. Some are staffed and others are self-service and they are part of an astonishing system which provides cosy, comfortable, and at times ’Scandic chic’ mountain accommodation literally in the middle of nowhere. The self-service are stocked with firewood and food, and you just rock up with your key and let yourself in. Everything you need is there and you do not need to carry it on your back! The most incredible thing is that it is all based on honesty and you pay afterwards depending on what you used at the hut in the way of food supplies.
Many of our Off-track Nordic ski trips feature both staffed and self-service DNT cabins, and our guests are always surprised that they are more like cosy hotels than basic refuges. It is no hardship to ski in from wild weather, and sit in the lounge by the roaring fire, nursing a waffle and hot chocolate.
Our track trips in Norway are more focused on family-run mountain lodges, often with pools and saunas, but we love the chance to introduce our guests to the delights of the DNT hut system. On our new Hardangervidda trip, for example, guests get a taste of both: hotels at either end and a classic hut-to-hut experience in between. I was recently ticked off by a guest who said “You must stop saying they are huts, they are nothing like ‘huts’, they are really cosy and comfortable lodges”. To be frank, some of the food will be better than any fancy city restaurant in Oslo.
Those who run the DNT huts always provide a warm welcome. In addition it is part of their role to advise skiers and hikers about the local mountains - both the routes and conditions. For some of the staff it is a life-long career dedicated to supporting those with a sense of adventure. In many of the DNT huts it is also the policy to use as much locally produced food as possible. A great pride is taken in providing fabulous meals. Often dinner will involve a preamble by the chef about the provenance of the food, how it was raised, or grown, and where it was sourced.
We are often asked about group management and that is no surprise because anyone joining a group might be a little curious about the level of the other skiers they will journey with. All our ski instructors are professionally qualified and many are also International Mountain Leaders - these two qualifications ensure they have experience of supporting, managing and leading groups of people. My goal is to ‘climate set’ and create an environment where the group bond as a team and who understand that we have different needs, abilities and fitness.
However, by carefully checking the ski experience of potential guests we hope to reduce the ‘gap’ in ability of those joining. I don’t mind admitting it is a challenge, but one which as a guide you learn to relish rather than fear. The end game is simply to have a huge adventure and a whole lot of fun on skis and if everyone can embrace that then a brilliant holiday is guaranteed!
Typical Norwegian cabin with Northern Lights
Birthplace of skiing, say no more! Thousands of kilometres of groomed trails, in a country where cross-country skiing is part of the national identity. Vast mountain ranges, silent forests, frozen lakes, and reindeer on the horizon. The Northern Lights, which I have now seen many times, and 2026 is still a peak year for viewing. Accessibility - you step off a train, put your skis on and then ski off the platform.
Most of all it is a country where you can feel the ‘space’, the wild open places, and feel an ancient and deep connection to nature. It is a truly grounding experience - so much so that on arrival in Norway I take a deep breath and feel like I have arrived in my winter home.
Joy in the Jotunheim mountains, loving the wildness!
Whether you're new to Nordic skiing or already enchanted by snowy trails, Norway offers something rare: a sense of true escape. As Lindsay shared, it's more than just the skiing. You get a true sense of the rhythm of winter life, the warmth of the people, and the simplicity of travelling through such wild and beautiful terrain. With her years of experience and genuine love for the country, we’re thrilled to offer trips that reflect everything she values most.
We hope you’ll join us on the trail.
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In winter, we offer snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, while in summer we would encourage you to join us for hiking, and trail running.
