Trolltunga
Rock Ledge Jutting Out About 700 M Above Ringedalsvatnet At The Edge Of The Hardangervidda Plateau; A Long High Mountain Day Hike · Odda, Vestland
Trolltunga, the Troll's Tongue, is a thin ledge of rock that juts out horizontally about 700 m above the Ringedalsvatnet lake, at the edge of the Hardangervidda plateau near Odda in Vestland. The photo of a person standing on the tip, with the long lake and the mountains beyond, made it one of Norway's most famous hikes in the 2010s. It is also one of the longest and hardest of the famous ones: from the car parks in Skjeggedal near Tyssedal, the return hike is roughly 20-28 km depending on where you start, with around 800-1,000 m of climbing, and it takes many hikers 10-12 hours. The high trail crosses open, exposed mountain where the weather can turn quickly. People come for the view, the sense of achievement and the wild plateau landscape. The honest caveats: the season without a guide is roughly June to September, the route is a full mountain day rather than a walk, rescues are common when people start late or unprepared, and at midday in summer you may queue for an hour or more to stand on the tongue.
Trolltunga, above Ringedalsvatnet; trailheads at Skjeggedal (P2/P3) near Tyssedal, Ullensvang municipality, Odda, Vestland, Norway
No gate or fixed hours; the trail is open all year, but the recommended self-guided season is roughly June to mid September, when the snow has melted and services run. Outside that window a guide is strongly advised, and local guidance may treat it as required - confirm. Start between about 05:00 and 08:00 and set a turnaround time. Odda is roughly 3 hours by car from Bergen and 6-7 hours from Oslo; buses reach Odda, and seasonal shuttles run to Skjeggedal. The small upper car park at Magelitopp is usually booked ahead; book parking and any guided hike before you arrive.