Norway Cross-country Skiing

Enjoy track and off-track skiing in the beautiful Norwegian countryside

Discover the beautiful Norwegian landscape around Lake Kvitavatn, enjoying superb views of Gausta, the highest mountain in southern Norway. We’ll stay at a modern mountain lodge, taking advantage of the endless skiing possibilities from our front door: through forests, across the lake and around magnificent wilderness. Along with reliable snow, the quality and variety of routes both on and off track combine with excellent instruction to make this an ideal trip for all abilities.

People, Places & Planet

Tourism can be a real help to local communities, providing income, positive cultural exchanges and a financial incentive to protect their natural environment. Ours is a ‘total approach’ to responsible tourism, covering everything from the way we plan and operate our trips to the practices of Exodus as a company.

Our base for the trip is Kvitavatn Fjellstoge, a modern lodge run by local people using local produce wherever possible. Our small group size allows us to support smaller hotels and restaurants that do not usually benefit from mass tourism, bringing a positive impact on the overall employment levels and economy in the region.

Our selection of alternative winter activities seeks to make the most of the natural environment in its pristine state, rather than changing it. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and dogsledding are best suited to remote wilderness areas and the development of these alternatives is key to the long-term survival of many mountain communities.

Our cross-country skiing holidays in general avoid large alpine ski areas, and are less dependent on snow cannons, graded pistes and ski lifts, creating significantly less environmental impact than alpine skiing holidays. Using skis that are longer and lighter than alpine skis, our cross-country day tours explore the magical scenery and tranquillity of the natural winter environments. Journeys further afield may utilise public transport and the local economy benefits from our groups purchasing supplies and ski hire directly.

In March 2019, Exodus Travels launched the Exodus Travels Foundation where we support initiatives all around the world. But it cannot exist without travellers who care. Get involved or learn more about what Responsible Travel means to Exodus here…

Is this trip for you?

Each trip departure has two grades of skiing, ranging from Beginner to Advanced. The specific grades vary depending on the departure (trips could be: Grades 1 and 2, Grades 2 and 3, or Grades 3 and 4). Please check Dates & Prices to ensure you are picking the right week for your skill level. Please contact us ahead if you prefer to assess which grade is more suitable to your physical conditions and ski experience.

Below is a guide to the different grades:

Grade 1 Beginners: Equivalent of Activity Level 2 (Leisurely/Moderate).

A week for complete beginners. We start with the basics, including how to stop using the snowplough technique and how to turn. You will be on skis for at least five to six hours a day with a focus on learning, getting comfortable on skis and building towards longer tours through the winter landscape. This grade is recommended to people who have not skied cross country before or only skied for a couple of days.

Grade 2 Improvers: Equivalent of Activity Level 3 (Moderate).

These weeks are ideal for those who have enjoyed at least one Grade 1 holiday and grasped the basics, including a snowplough and kick turn. They offer coaching to refresh and improve technique and typically will ski a little further than Grade 1 weeks, and over more varied terrain. In some cases, these weeks are acceptable for newcomers to cross-country skiing. Beginners should be very fit and proficient in sports that develop balance. Please contact us if you wish to book a Grade 2 holiday but have not skied before.

Grade 3 Intermediates: Equivalent of Activity Level 3 (Moderate).

A Grade 3 week is ideal for those looking to push on, tackle some slightly steeper terrain and cover more ground each day. Typical groups will have a few weeks skiing behind them, be very comfortable with the basics including snowploughing and kick turns, and happy on longer day tours. There will still be coaching on these weeks, at the required level.

Grade 4 Advanced: Equivalent of Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging).

Choose this level if you can tackle ‘ups and downs’ competently, manage a controlled snowplough descent, execute kick turns on steeper slopes and ski at a lively pace. You should also be able to get up swiftly and easily by yourself after a fall. The mix of track and off-track skiing varies.

Please note, for at least four of the six days of skiing, you will be on full-day tours, returning at the end of the day.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Norway

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, rabies (bat lyssavirus) and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Norway

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Norway. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/norway
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/norway
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/norway/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Norway.html

Food & Drink

Breakfast, packed lunch and evening meals are included.

The food provided includes ample buffet breakfasts, from which you make up your packed lunch, and self-service three-course dinner. Tea and coffee are available all day at no extra charge. Vegetarians are extremely well catered for. Beer and wine can be purchased at the Fjellstue but alcohol in Norway is expensive due to high taxes. Licensing laws mean only alcohol purchased from the Fjellstue may be consumed in the dining room and other public areas.

Weather

Kvitavatn is almost 3,280ft (1,000m) above sea level; at this height, snow can lie from November to May, with fresh snowfalls at any time. Average daytime temperatures in winter range from 0C to 10C (32F-50F), though they can fall as low as -25C (-13F). At Christmas and New Year, daylight hours are limited, with about six hours of good light plus twilight. By mid-February, this increases to about eight hours and by mid-March there are about 12 hours of good daylight. In winter, you can hope for periods of clear bright weather and in February and March it can become surprisingly warm in the sun. Equally, you need to be ready for the occasional stormy day at all times.