Norway is an incredibly beautiful country full of natural wonders and so much to do outdoors. A road trip through Valdres Nature Park & Jotunheimen National Park makes for a fantastic summer vacation. Use this guide as a starting point for planning your ideal trip in the Valdres & Jotunheimen regions of Norway with kids.
How to get to Valdres & Jotunheimen National Parks:
Flights in to Norway are easiest through airports in Oslo, Bergen or Stavanger. We love to use Kayak to scout out the best flight deals. It’s easy to check for the cheapest and best timing across airlines this way. Oslo provides the easiest access to the Valdres & Jotunheimen areas, but consider Bergen or Stavanger if including this area as a part of a larger road trip around Norway.
We arrived via overnight ferry on Go Nordic Cruiselines from Copenhagen, which you can read all about here. If you are doing a larger tour of Scandinavia, this is a fun, unique option for making your way up to Oslo and taking off into the rest of the country.
Whether you fly in or drive, you will definitely need a car to explore outside of bigger cities like Oslo. Once again, we recommend price comparing through Kayak, our favorite place to look for rental cars.
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Where to stay near Valdres & Jotunheimen:
We always prefer looking for a great VRBO when we travel with kids. It makes it so easy to relax in the evenings and, we think, provides a deeper connection to the place you’re calling home for the week. This is also a great option if you want to get a little more out into nature, although you will find plenty of non-chain hotel options in smaller towns. Rent a small Norwegian hytte or a hotel room on booking.com if that’s more your speed.
We based ourselves out of one location and then explored from there. This works best for us when traveling with kids, as packing up and moving locations more often can really eat into your exploration time. Our base was in Høgsten, a short drive from both Valdres Nature Park and Jotunheimen National Park. This was a more remote area, offering incredible views, peace and a sense of a mountain adventure. Know in advance that driving from place to place in this area is half of the fun – the scenery is breathtaking, making it exciting each day to spend a little time in the car.
If you prefer something closer to shops and restaurants, Beitostølen is a great ski resort and hikers paradise town. You’ll find moss-covered roofs and great mountain views here, all within walking distance of anything you need.
Things to do near Valdres & Jotunheimen:
Valdres Nature & Culture Park
Visting the two parks in the area is an obvious must. Valdres Nature & Culture Park is more of a region, as it covers six municipalities within Norway. Depending on where you’re staying, you’ll have easy access to different sections of the park. There are so many hiking options, from short to long, throughout the region. I highly recommend hiking the Bitihorn, one of the region’s most famous mountains that offers incredible views of the entire valley. Trail access is possible just outside of Beitostølen off of Highway 51.
Jotunheimen National Park
It’s seriously gorgeous in Jotunheimen. Again, there are just so many hiking options. Take advantage and find an incredible trail, making sure that it’s accessible for kids. Heading to Lom to participate in a glacier hike is a popular option, but check for age requirements if you sign up for something guided. We opted for an “easier” hike for the sake of the kids and ended up loving our choice. Pick up the Bessvatnet trail right behind the Bessheim Fjellstue.
This trail climbs up some remarkable terrain into a glacier fed lake with incredibly clear water. If you want to take on a longer day’s adventure, join up with the Bessegen Trail that follows the ridge and goes right by the lake.
Shop, eat and play in Beitostølen
This is one of the more happening towns that you will find in the area, so it’s a great place to pick up outdoor gear, souvenirs, groceries or whatever else you may need. There are also restaurants for a bite to eat and a few summer entertainment options for the kids at the Beito Resort Summer Park. Kids 12 & up can participate in downhill car racing on the Olabilbane. There are also options for mountain biking, bumper boats, trampolines, etc. Be prepared – these things COST, so go in with a plan for how many activities you want to participate in and set good limits.
You can easily spend an afternoon just hanging around Beitostølen. Pair it with a morning hike in the surrounding area and you’ve got yourself a perfect day.
CC Favorite: Check out Byggerihuset right off Bygdinvegen for a fun atmosphere plus afternoon drinks and snacks.
Tip: There is ample public parking in the Beitostølvegen Parking lot right behind the town. As always in Norway, check to make sure you have handled parking payment correctly – signs will be posted explaining how payment is handled.
Meander the Valdresflye National Scenic Route
Immediately outside of Beitostølen begins the Valdresflye National Scenic Route – an incredible drive through some completely stunning natural landscapes. Take the route all the way to Bessheim to spot incredible mountains, beautiful lakes and gorgeous rivers. There are ample places to stop and explore on foot, so just take half a day to wind your way through the route.
Stopping along the Sjoa River is a must, as the water is the most incredible teal color and there are some truly beautiful falls located right off the road. You’ll see side of the road parking near Tessanden that allows you to explore some of the falls by bridge. Take time for picnics, playing or hikes in an honestly unforgettable landscape.
Swim and sauna in Heggefjorden
If you catch a nice summer day (or if you’re just a bit bold), take in some time at Heggefjorden’s public lake access. There’s a fun water park with trampolines and diving towers, as well as an ice cream kiosk and a public sauna. You need to set it up for yourself, but it’s definitely a cool way to lean into Norwegian culture. Our kids loved the idea of swimming in a fjord!
Tips for Traveling in Norway:
The most important thing you should know about Norway as a tourist is that it is INSANELY expensive. Eating out, especially, comes with a hefty price tag. After being warned of this and seeing it for ourselves, we tried to be very strategic with our meals. Booking homes instead of hotels allowed us to do the majority of our meals there with only a few special meals out. Prices in grocery stores were much more affordable and, honestly, not that different than what you would find elsewhere. Because we were also staying in rural areas, this ended up being a great mindset for us. I really recommend going in with a strategy regarding meals if a travel budget is something that matters to you!
Apply the same mindset towards other expenses in the country. You’ll pay what may seem high rates for tolls and parking as well. It’s hard to avoid this one, so just go in prepared. It’s the cost of seeing some of the world’s truly incredible scenery.
Pack for the climate and terrain. This region sees a lot of misty, rainy, cool days, so come with proper footgear (you’ll want something with tread for hiking) and layers. Waterproof packs also come in handy.
Trails are designated by difficulty, and with kids in tow I’d aim for a trail rated easy. This still means quite strenuous in Norway. We were surprised by just how challenging some of the easy trails were – safe, well maintained and fun, but still challenging enough for a family.
If you want to make your trip to Valdres & Jotunheimen part of a larger tour of Southern Norway, check out our post on the Hardanger Fjord area, coming soon.
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