Someone recently asked about my favorite mountains in Norway, and as is my habit when people ask for Norway travel advice, I pulled up my blog to obnoxiously copy and paste a link instead of simply answering their question directly. I know, it’s a wonder I have any friends at all.
But then I realized that oh no! I’ve never actually written up a guide to my favorite mountains in Norway. There are of course so many beautiful mountains in Norway, but I definitely have a few favorites that I think are well worth planning a trip around. Maybe you can combine them with some of the most beautiful fjords in Norway.
Some of these are popular mountains amongst tourists in Norway (though I haven’t included all of the most popular mountains as personally I think some are overrated and over crowded) while others on this list are a bit off the main tourist trail.
Segla
If I had to choose one mountain as the most beautiful mountain in Norway, it would have to be Segla on the island of Senja in Northern Norway. The shape is so distinct and the cliffside views out over the water around the mountain are stunning (and a bit terrifying).
The best view of Segla is actually from the hike up Hesten, the mountain next to Segla. You can read my guide to visiting Senja and hiking Segla and Hesten here.
Træna
A close second to Segla is the mountains of the tiny island of Sanna, part of the Træna archipelago in Helgeland. The Helgeland coast is my favorite part of Norway, not only because the people here are so open and friendly, but also because of the stunning views.
The Helgeland coast is dotted with so many beautiful islands, many of which have impressive mountain peaks. Helgeland is a great place for wild camping, and as it’s off the main tourist track in Norway, you might find you have some of the smaller islands almost all to yourself.
If you look at Traena on a map it probably seems impossible to get to, but it’s actually quite accessible. You can reach Træna by express boat from Bodø, Stokkvågen, or Sandnessjøen. Read my guide for visiting Træna here.
Dønnamannen
I love Helgeland so much that I could easily fill this entire list of Norway’s most beautiful mountains with mountains from Helgeland alone. But I’m going to try to restrain myself and only include one more mountain from Helgeland.
Dønnamannen is on the island of Dønna and if you tilt your head to the side you can see that it looks like a man lying on his back looking up at the sky! If you’re an expert level hiker you can hike up Dønnamannen, or you can simply explore Dønna and the neighboring island (connected by bridge) of Herøy. Read my guide to visiting Dønna and Herøy here.
Reinebringen
The Lofoten Islands are Northern Norway’s most popular hiking destination for a reason – the mountain views here are incredible. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but if I had to I would say Reinebringen might be the best hike in Lofoten. You can read my guide to Reine and hiking Reinebringen in Lofoten here.
Festhæltinden
While Reinebringen is one of the best hikes in Lofoten, Festhæltinden on the island of Hamnøy is probably the best mountain view in Lofoten – or at least the most famous! And this is the view from the side of the road, no hiking necessary.
You can actually stay in these little red cabins – check prices and availability here.
Lyngen Alps (Lenangstindene)
When I lived in Tromsø I loved taking weekend breaks in the nearby Lyngen Alps. And probably my favorite hike in Lyngen is to the Blåisvatnet lake, which has the beautiful backdrop of the Lenangstindene mountains.
No, I didn’t go crazy with the saturation slider in Lightroom – Blåisvatnet really is this blue!
You can read more about visiting the Lyngen Alps and Blåisvatnet here.
Gaustatoppen
You might have noticed that all of the mountains I’ve mentioned so far have been in Northern Norway. The landscape in the north is a lot more dramatic than in Southern Norway. In the south the mountains are softer and more sloping than the sharp peaks of Northern Norway. But they can be beautiful too!
My favorite mountain in Southern Norway is Gaustatoppen in Telemark. Gaustatoppen is 1883 meters high and known amongst Norwegians for its iconic shape, and for being the mountain in Norway with a view over the greatest distance of land in Norway. And if you don’t want to hike up Gaustatoppen, you can take the Gaustabanen funicular up the mountain instead!
The nearby town of Rjukan is also well worth a visit. Read my guide to visiting Rjukan and Gaustatoppen here.
The drive up Gaustatoppen is stunning, and if you’re coming from Oslo, you can swing by the Heddal Stave Church, which I think is the most beautiful stave church in Norway (and I have seen a lot of stave churches in Norway).
Vesterålen
Vesterålen is the group of islands above Lofoten, and I’m just going to go ahead and put all of Vesterålen on this list because it’s a mountain paradise. Read my guide to visiting Vesterålen here.
Trollstigen
Trollstigen runs between Åndalsnes and Geiranger and is famous for its 11 hairpin turns climbing up to Stigrøra, at 858 meters above sea level. The views here, both of the road below and the mountain peaks at the top, are spectacular.
Read more about visiting Trollstigen here.
Fjellstua (Aksla) in Ålesund
Fjellstua is just a 418 step walk up the mountainside of Aksla from downtown Ålesund. This is one of the mountains that I’ve included for its beautiful view, and in this case it’s actually a city view! Many Norwegians consider Ålesund the most beautiful city in Norway, and if you visit you’ll quickly see why.
Read my guide to Ålesund here.
Kyrkja in Jotunheimen National Park
Jotunheimen National Park is home to some of Norway’s (and Northern Europe’s) highest mountains, making it a mecca for hikers. In fact this “Home of the Giants” has 250 mountains taller than 2,000 meters, including the 2469m high Galdhøpiggen, which is the highest mountain in Norway. The park covers roughly 3,500 square kilometers, so there is a lot to see here.
Jotunheimen’s most famous hike is Besseggen Ridge, which also takes you across the lakes of Gjende and Bessvatn. However this list is about Norway’s most beautiful mountains, and personally I think the iconic Kyrkja is Jotunheimen’s most beautiful peak.
If you want to stay right by Kyrkja, Leirvassbu Fjellstue is a super cosy mountain lodge that makes a great base for hikes in Jotunheimen – and they are pet friendly!
Brufjell
And finally, one of the most beautiful yet underrated mountain regions in Norway is along the border between Rogaland and Agder.
The hike up Brufjell is steep, but you don’t actually have to go up the mountain to get incredible views. The entire area is gorgeous, and there’s even a small beach that you might have all to yourself.
Read about visiting Brufjell here.
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