Hardangervidda Crossing
Days: 9
Cost : £2,995
Dist : 135km
Level: 3
Height: 5000m
Pulk kgs: 35
Notes from the Director
“For nearly eight months of the year, the Hardangervidda plateau becomes a vast, treeless winter landscape. Snow covers the ground, the wind strips across the plateau, and drifting snow shifts from soft powder to hard, frozen crust. It is one of the best places in Scandinavia to experience the conditions of a self-supported polar-style journey.
The crossing has a long history as a serious challenge. Roald Amundsen attempted to cross the plateau on skis and failed more than once, a reminder of how demanding and unpredictable the Hardangervidda can be. Today, with the right preparation, fitness, and attitude, it is a realistic but serious expedition objective.
Travelling with a pulk across the plateau gives you time to learn the routines of winter expedition life: managing equipment, moving efficiently, navigating in poor visibility, and looking after yourself in cold conditions. Reindeer are often seen moving across the open ground, adding to the sense of travelling through a harsh but living landscape.
Previous experience is useful, especially if you have completed our Polar Training course or a journey such as Femundsmarka. These would set you up well for the physical demands of the crossing, where you may need to cover 18–25km per day while pulling a pulk, with around 600m of height gain on some days. It is not essential to have done a full polar expedition before, but you do need a good level of fitness, adaptability, and the willingness to work hard as part of a small team. This is a proper introduction to self-supported polar travel.”
Your Hardangervidda Crossing Expedition Itinerary
Day 0 - Arrive into Oslo at any time before Day 1
Day 1 - Morning kit check and make our way to train station for 12:00
Day 2 - Day 8 - Journey across the plateau 18 - 25kms per day with 30-40kgs pulk
Day 9 - Final day/arrival into Rjukan/Haukeliseter/Geilo Journey back to Oslo
There are three major crossings across the Hardangervidda Plateau
Finse - Rjukan - 140kms
Finse - Haukeliseter - 135kms
Finse Geilo - 90kms
Contingency budget
Although a detailed day by day itinerary are nice to read through, they are pretty impractical and unrealistic when it comes to real expeditions. Weather, group ability, group ambitions and external factors all play a part in the final itinerary and reality on the ground. This means we truely never have two trips that are the same. This does mean though that logistics can change and we would recommend you have a contingency budget put aside incase logistics such as new trains or buses are needed in the event of storm bound days, early arrivals and choice to stay in hotel etc.
What Kit will I need and what can I rent?
If you have all of the equipment to keep you safe in the UK mountains, the rest you can rent from us.
Such as:
Arctic jacket (£)
Arctic Sleeping bag (£)
Arctic Roll mat (£)
Nordic ski set up (Skis, bindings, boots, skins, waxes, ski poles) (£)
Medium and heavy weight mitts (£)
Nordur’s group kit
Hilleberg Keron 3 GT tent
Fjellpulken Traverse and Tour pulks
Mammut Barryvox transceivers, Probes and shovels.
We cook all of our meals inside the cold air well in the vestibule of our tunnel tents. We use an MSR XGK Liquid fuel stoves to melt snow and then use the water for drinking and to rehydrate rations. You will choose each meal on your ration request provided during the booking process.
Communication
Emergency equipment we carry is first aid kits, personal locator beacons (PLB), InReach device, and a satellite phone for reliable communication.
The detail
Cost per place on the expedition: £2,995
Inclusions
Accommodation – 1 night hostel, 1 night hotel, 6 nights in tents
All in-country transfers, Excluding airport transfers
Meals – 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 6 evening meals
Use of pulk system
Mountain tents, stoves and pans
Expedition food and fuel
Medical safety equipment and supplies
Expedition team leader
Avalanche Transceiver
UK Based (Aviemore area) mandatory training course - Guiding only (Accommodation and food not included)
Exclusions
Travel to and from departure airport/Into Oslo centre.
International flights and taxes
Personal equipment (Skis,Skins,Boots,Poles, Snowshoes etc)
Travel insurance
Drinks, snacks and personal spending (meals not stated in the inclusions section)
Accommodation, Food & equipment for the UK training course
Your guides
Your guides aren’t just qualified experienced local leaders but they are also passionate instructors who love to impart knowledge and develop people.
We operate with a small, selected and honed team of expedition guides who have a wealth of background from ex military, teaching, engineering, film and safety work, first and medicine. If you are interested about finding out about individual guides and what they are about then please follow this link for their bios.
Notes from the Director
For nearly eight months of the year, the Hardangervidda plateau transforms into a vast, treeless, and windswept wilderness. Snow blankets the landscape, making it an ideal destination for those seeking a challenging self-supported polar journey. The constant hiss of snow drift – ranging from feather-light powder to a steel-hard crust – fills the air, while the wind carves the snow into furrows, ridges, and frozen waves. This unique environment provides an authentic experience, offering a taste of the conditions faced on a true polar expedition.
The Hardangervidda crossing has long been a challenge for explorers. Even Roald Amundsen, famed for his success in polar exploration, attempted to traverse the plateau on skis, failing multiple times. For years, it was believed to be unconquerable – a testament to the fierce and unpredictable conditions. However, today, with the right mindset, preparation, and fitness, a self-supported crossing of the Hardangervidda is an achievable and immensely rewarding adventure.
This journey is not just about enduring the cold; it's about embracing the stark beauty of the Hardangervidda. The sight of reindeer herds roaming across the snow-covered plains serves as a reminder of the resilience of nature. As you pull your pulk across the frozen expanse, you’ll experience the silence and solitude of this remote wilderness, honing your skills and learning the rhythm of polar travel.
While prior experience with polar expeditions is beneficial, it's not essential. What’s most important is a good level of fitness, adaptability, and a determined attitude. This expedition is the perfect introduction to self-sufficient polar journeys, teaching you to handle your equipment, manage your pulk, and navigate efficiently across the snowy plateau. By the end, you’ll have a taste of what it’s like to be self-reliant in one of the most striking and challenging landscapes on earth.
Our Hardangervidda Expedition Photo Gallery
