Besseggen Trails
The classic one-way ridge hike with the boat connection, and the alternative extension into the Jotunheimen backcountry for those staying overnight.
Besseggen Classic (Memurubu to Gjendesheim)
The classic Besseggen day hike is a point-to-point trail using the boat across Lake Gjende as the transport. Take the morning boat from Gjendesheim to Memurubu (1 hour); hike the ridge from Memurubu back to Gjendesheim (5 to 7 hours). The trail climbs from Memurubu through birch forest to the ridge at 1,743m, then traverses the narrow knife-edge of the Besseggen with the blue Gjende on one side and the higher green Bessvatnet on the other. The colour difference between the two lakes is caused by different amounts of glacial silt in suspension; Bessvatnet sits higher, receives less siltation, and maintains a clear green. Gjende receives the full outflow from the glacier above and carries the characteristic milky blue of a glacial lake. The ridge narrows to a few metres width at its most dramatic point; the descent to Gjendesheim is long but technically straightforward.
Jotunheimen Overnight: Memurubu to Gjendebu
For those wanting more than the Besseggen day hike, the extension south from Gjendesheim along the lake to the Gjendebu hut gives an overnight in the heart of the Jotunheimen. Gjendebu is a DNT hut at the southwestern end of Lake Gjende, set at the foot of the Knutsholstinden and Rasletinden peaks. The approach from Gjendesheim along the lakeside trail (14km, relatively flat) offers views across the lake to the Smørstabbtindan range. From Gjendebu, the Hjelmodalen valley leads into the Jotunheimen toward Galdhøpiggen (2,469m, Norway's highest mountain). The 2-day route (Gjendesheim to Gjendebu, return by boat to Gjendesheim) adds a complete overnight DNT hut experience and significantly more of the Jotunheimen landscape.
Guided Experiences in Jotunheimen
Besseggen is one of Norway's most famous hikes — a narrow ridge between two lakes of different colors. The boat from Gjendesheim to Memurubu is the classic start. Guided hikes, Galdhopiggen summit attempts, and Jotunheimen traverses are all available.
Guided Besseggen ridge hike
Small-group guided Besseggen traverse with boat transfer from Gjendesheim to Memurubu. The ridge section is narrow with steep drops on both sides — guide handles pacing and route-finding in poor visibility.
Book guided hike →Galdhopiggen summit — Norway highest peak
Guided glacier crossing and summit ascent of Galdhopiggen (2,469m), the highest peak in Norway and Scandinavia. Glacier crampons required in early season. Guided from Juvasshytta.
Book summit →Jotunheimen multi-day hut trek
Guided 4-day hut-to-hut trek through Jotunheimen linking Gjendesheim, Glitterheim, and Leirvassbu huts. DNT hut system — pre-booked beds, meals. Passes Galdhopiggen massif and multiple glaciers.
Book hut trek →Links go to GetYourGuide for real-time availability. Check guide certifications and cancellation policy before booking.
Lake Gjende is described in Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt (1867) in a scene where Peer rides across the lake on the back of a reindeer. The lake has been a destination for Norwegian hikers since this passage was written; the Besseggen ridge directly above it has been the main attraction since the mountain hiking culture developed in the late 19th century. Around 30,000 people hike the Besseggen annually, making it Norway's second most hiked mountain trail after Preikestolen. Unlike Preikestolen, the Besseggen requires a boat connection and a full mountain day, which naturally limits the casual day-trip visitor.
The Jotunheimen context
The Jotunheimen (Home of the Giants) National Park contains Norway's two highest peaks (Galdhøpiggen, 2,469m, and Glittertinden, 2,465m) and a landscape of glaciated high terrain, deep U-shaped valleys, and the characteristic Norwegian fjellscape at its most austere. The park covers 1,145 km² and has an extensive DNT hut network with marked trails connecting them. The Besseggen is the entry point for most international visitors; the hut-to-hut network through the park interior (the classic 5 to 7 day Jotunheimen traverse) is one of Norway's finest long-distance routes for those staying longer. The park is also home to the largest remaining population of wild musk oxen in Norway (in the Dovre area adjacent to the Jotunheimen).
How to get there
Bus from Oslo Bussterminalen to Fagernes (~3.5h), then connecting Jotunheimen-Ekspressen bus to Gjendesheim (~1h more). Total journey ~4.5 to 5 hours from Oslo city centre. No train directly serves the Jotunheimen.
Drive Oslo to Gjendesheim ~4h via E16 to Fagernes then Rv51 over the Valdresflye plateau at 1,400m. The most flexible option. The plateau drive passes reindeer and has the Jotunheimen peaks on the horizon — worth taking even if you could go faster another way.
The Gjende boat service runs daily from mid-June to early October. The classic Besseggen route hikes the ridge from Memurubu back to Gjendesheim — take the morning boat to Memurubu, hike the ridge, return on foot. Boat tickets ~NOK 250 (€23). Reserve ahead in July and August.
When to go
The Besseggen is accessible from late June when snow has cleared the ridge. The Gjende boat service runs from mid-June to early October. July is the peak season with the most visitors but also the most reliably clear weather in the Jotunheimen. August is excellent and slightly less crowded. September is the finest month for atmosphere: reduced visitors, clear high-pressure days, the Jotunheimen birch turning gold, and the possibility of early autumn snow on the peaks above the ridge. October can be beautiful but the boat service and huts close by mid-October and the ridge can have dangerous snow and ice.
Where to sleep
Gjendesheim DNT lodge · trailhead
The DNT (Norwegian Trekking Association) lodge right at the Gjendesheim boat dock. Dormitory bunks and private rooms. The most convenient base for an early boat to Memurubu and the full ridge crossing — most hikers stay here the night before.
Bessheim lodge · Valdres valley
A traditional Norwegian mountain lodge 20 minutes from Gjendesheim with private rooms, sauna, and a proper dinner menu. Good option for a two-night stay — Besseggen one day, plateau walking the other.
Private cabin · Valdresflye plateau
Several private holiday cabins (hytter) on the Valdresflye plateau can be booked through Airbnb or Finn.no. Sleeping on the plateau at 1,400m with no neighbours in any direction is the way to experience Jotunheimen properly.
Common Questions
Lake Gjende (the lower, dark blue lake) receives significant glacial meltwater from the Langedalsbreen glacier above. This meltwater carries a suspension of very fine rock flour ground by the glacier from the bedrock; the flour particles scatter short-wavelength light (blue) and give the lake its distinctive milky blue colour. Lake Bessvatnet (the upper, green lake) receives much less glacial input, is fed mainly by snowmelt and rainfall, and has lower sediment concentration; the green comes from the reflected colour of the surrounding vegetation and the clear water. The colour difference is visible from the ridge as a clear boundary line. Both lakes are cold (5 to 10C in summer); swimming is possible but brief.
Norwegian families regularly complete the Besseggen with older children (10 and above) and some do it with younger children who are experienced hikers. The 15km distance and the ridge section (which narrows to a few metres in places, exposed on both sides) are the key considerations. The exposure on the ridge is not vertiginous for most people (the drops are not vertical cliffs; the slopes angle away below) but requires confident footing. A 10-year-old who has done multi-day hiking before can complete the Besseggen; a 7-year-old who has never done more than a 3km walk should not. The boat sections (to Memurubu and from Gjendesheim at the end) add interest for younger hikers. The Memurubu hut has good food and is a practical turnaround point if a child's energy or weather does not support the full ridge.
