Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing Ilsa's proud face as I skied down my first big slope
Thoughts on Group Leader
Amazing and inspiring
Advice for Potential Travellers
Come ready to be tired and happy at the end of each day
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
XC Skiing Norway
Really great trip thanks. Lovely location, excellent guides who were terrific hosts as well. I feel transformed physically and mentally after this fantastic break.
Fab Holiday!
I loved everything about this trip. The accommodation was cozy and the beds incredible. The food was delicious, fresh and plentiful and the surroundings stunning as they only can be in Norway
Most Inspirational Moment
Being on the plateau, in the high w8nds, snowshoeing through the wilderness. It was too dangerous to ski so Ilse and Mary took us out for a snowshoe instead and it was a brilliant hike.
Thoughts on Group Leader
The local guide for this trrip is simply incredible. A true coach, she knows exactly how to get the best out of people, always being patient and working with everyone individually, even in a group environment. She's very attentive and just a lovely person. She should be guide of the year as I have yet to meet anyone that would surpass her in guiding, teaching and general personality..
Advice for Potential Travellers
Just go. You'll love it!
Cross Country Skiing at Kvitavatn, Norway
This is an amazing place to learn to ski and to ski. The Fjellstue is friendly and has a great atmosphere and is perfectly set up for you to ski from your door, out into the wilderness. There is an excellent network of tracks, but the leaders offer mainly off track and with great skill and knowledge will take you away into the remote rolling hills, among the trees and above the tree line, offering fantastic guiding and tuition. I would have given up cross country skiing probably if I hadn’t come here as the support and leadership is second to none. Perfect for both beginners and for those with experience and skills. I have been back for many years, as have many others who come here.
Most Inspirational Moment
Doing two routes with Ilse that she had never done with groups for many years.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both leaders are superb
Advice for Potential Travellers
If you have never skied before go for a beginners group. Work on your basic fitness before you go!
Suggestions
Gold star
Kvitavatn - Cross Country Skiing
This trip had everything I was looking for, fantastic location with a 360degree mountain panorama, classic Norwegian lodge accommodation, healthy yet plentiful food and great leaders.
The leaders were effective at developing our skills, in a fun way, yet appreciating we are on holiday. Once our skills were developed we were taken to some fantastic off the beaten track locations. I have never had so many ‘wow’ moments and taken to lunch spots to die for!
The ‘apres’ ski was varied too, a combination of informative talks, films, a fun quiz and slide show of the weeks pics.
Fantastic trip!
Most Inspirational Moment
Climbing to a high point up a frozen waterfall and having the most amazing, unspoilt views and no one else in sight!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Amazing. Helpful, knowledgeable, patient, informative, caring, effective.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a range of clothing because it can either be really warm or really cold. Take a thermos Flask - hot drinks are essential. You don't need to take a lunch box as plastic bags and cling film are made available.
Suggestions
I would really recommend this trip if you have never done cross country skiing before.
The Best Holiday Ever!
A great way for a complete beginner to experience cross country skiing and make lots of progress in a short time. We were tutored for nearly 6 hours on each of 6 days so even a complete novice and scaredy-cat, like me, was able to have enough skill to safely negotiate different types of terrain within a couple of days. You WILL fall over, which is fun in the soft snow (although sometimes hard to get back up from) but does hurt a bit on the hard, prepared tracks. The scenery was fantastic, I never felt cold because we were active, and the company was incredibly friendly and supportive. We were with our group (14) for meals, warm up/down exercises and in the evening but we divided into 2 (ability) groups to ski, which worked well.
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved all of it, from first learning to snowplough through playing on the sparkling, crisp, virgin snow on the lake to touring and seeing the beautiful views from the higher terrain. Picking up speed on the prepared tracks and successfully cornering for the first time as well as traversing down through deep snow were thrilling (even though I am not a speed nor thrill seeker and would dread downhill skiing).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mary and Ilse were completely dedicated to making our holiday the best it could be. I was very impressed with the amount of attention we each received and their skill in coaxing the nervous as well as challenging the talented, so that everyone got the most from the experience. They were very professional, knowledgeable and great fun to be with.
Advice for Potential Travellers
What are you waiting for? Just do it!
Suggestions
The Kvitavatn Felljstoge is very efficiently and well run, comfortable but not luxurious. The staff are friendly and helpful and the food was very good quality homecooking and plentiful. There will definitely be something you like and can eat on the menu and you will not go hungry!
Wild and wonderful
Just back from an amazing way to spend New Year. I was slightly hesitant that skiing may not be my thing but it’s so accessible to get involved even for the complete novice. What great fun…I’ve never fallen over so many times and my knees are still bruised but it was worth it!
The lodge and the couple running it were so hospitable, the facilities simple Scandi ‘hygge’ and there was nothing more pleasant than a hot sauna to warm up in at the end of a day in the cold. As a veggie, I was also pleased with the care and attention to providing protein rich options for dinner – the food was hearty and wholesome.
Most Inspirational Moment
As an absolute beginner, staying upright on a small slope was an amazing feat. Snowshoeing up to the top of the plateau and seeing the wilderness for miles around Spending New Year in the snowy wilds and with such great people!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Illse and Mary were really great at coaching us in less than favourable conditions and keeping the options open to all abilities and inclinations for activity. They also provide evening 'entertainment'..but I will keep the content a surprise!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Definitely take the advice of others and pack a bottle or buy supplies in the duty free at Oslo when you land. Drinks are available at the Lodge with high Norwegian tax added! I packed way too much, inside the lodge is super warm and cosy so a t-shirt is fine. Cosy boots useful for traversing between lodge and sleeping hut as are some sort of mini-crampon overshoe as it can be an ice-rink out there! Bring an extra towel you can use in the sauna...bikini's too if you don't fancy going native. A flask and sit mat are essential but you can borrow one if you forget them. Extra snacks are good to pack for when you need a burst of energy out on trail Hiking clothes are perfect unless you're extra sensitive to cold. I just wore merino long johns with trousers over the top and a couple of merino base layers, a wind proof top and a lightweight hard shell.
Suggestions
Don't deliberate - if you like snow, then this is for you! :)
Cross county skiing in Norway
Kvitavaatn is a great location. Frozen lakes, forest the mountains and the Hardanger plateau right in front of the lodge where I stayed were beautiful..
Most Inspirational Moment
Probabaly day 3 when I thought I had finally cracked the whole cross country skiing lark. I hadn't but it was fun trying.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mary our English guide was endlessly patient. Learning cross country skiing is bloody hard and frustrating at times!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring slippers as the Norwegians ALWAYS take off their shoes when they enter the lodge from outside so it's preferable to wandering about in your socks. Bring wax earplus because you share a room with 3 other people and there can be snorers amongst the group....
Late season skiiing - Kvitavatn
This being my first holiday in Scandinavia, not having skied for a few years and booked at the last minute I had some trepidation over what to expect. What I got was a very enjoyable holiday, great cross country skiing routes both on and off piste and great group and tour leader to share it with.
Most Inspirational Moment
After a few days struggling with cross country skis it started to come together and get more enjoyable - the views down over Ryukan and from the higher points on the skiing routes were stunning. Also great were the off-piste routes weaving in and out of the trees in the deep snow.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mary was superb - very patient and great instructor. The slide show of photos taken throughout the week on the last day was very interesting!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Cross country skis are a different animal to downhill skis and more tricky to master - I spent the Monday and Tuesday falling over a lot and trying to re-acquaint myself with skills I thought I already had on downhill skis such as snowplough turns and traversing an incline. Level 2 on cross country skis with no previous experience is doable but hard work for the first few days although it did did start to come together after that. Also as mentioned in other reviews do buy wine or beer at the huge duty-free on arrivals at Oslo airport as it costs more at the lodge. Bear in mind you cannot drink your own alcohol in communal areas - only stuff you have bought at reception which at the time was cans of Tuborg, cans of a sweet Norwegian cider, a few local beers and various wine bottles between 200-300 Kroner.
Suggestions
I went fairly late in the season (mid March) and it was starting to get a bit slushy and icy on some of the popular routes - there was some fresh snow during the week but mainly on the last day (typical!). Hours of sunlight is not a problem as most people will want to finish for the day by mid afternoon and head to the sauna and tea and coffee (available all day). There is a rest day with options to do downhill skiing (the Gaustablikk ski centre is next to the lodge) but given the icy conditions our group gave it a miss and most opted to go on some of the shorter cross country skiing trails around the lake or take the bus into Ryukan to look around.
Picture perfect
Excellent cross country holiday with so many different routes to choose every day, on the tracks and off. We had amazing weather and looking back at pictures, I still can’t believe I was there. Plenty of good food and good company.
Most Inspirational Moment
Skiing off piste on untouched snow and reaching high spots with breathtaking views. Simply amazing. Every day I thought it could not get better but it did! Thinking already to return next year!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Learned a lot in a week from both leaders. Different teaching styles but both Ilse and Mary clearly have a passion for what they do every day. Contagious!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Follow trip notes. I had everything with me and I was glad! Drinks are not that more expensive and in a week I spent very little as all else is included.
Suggestions
Shared accommodation is charming but can feel crowded.
first time skiing of any type
first time skiing of any sort so everything was new to me! Enjoyed it immensely [apart from the classic ‘third day ‘when everything ached and nothing worked!!] By the end of the week the last 3 days comprised quite a lot of of track skiing and suddenly I was managing to stay upright, turn and stop going down hill!
The enjoyment was enhanced by the generally superb weather, mainly clear blue skies and sunshine.
Most Inspirational Moment
The fourth day [Thursday] everything suddenly started to come together. On Wednesday night I had gone to bed fully expecting to be hardly able to move certain parts of my body on Thurs am, but not only were there no real aches, when we got going I actually felt like I was starting to cross country ski!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Both Ilse and Mary were supportive, instructive and very helpfull.