In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Around 850 kilometres from the Randsfjorden past the stave churches of Valdres, Valdresflye and Gjende to Lom, Sognefjellet and into the Gudbrandsdal: a journey over Norway’s highest roads, where sheep, toll barriers and walls of snow set the pace.
The spirit of the route
Beyond Oslo the valleys grow wider, the farms redder, the forests darker. In Valdres the stave churches have stood on their hills since the Middle Ages, tarred, carved, with dragon heads on the ridge, and in summer they smell of warm pine tar. Then the road climbs above the treeline: on Valdresflye a bare high plateau of rock, lichen and meltwater lakes opens up, with the first peaks of Jotunheimen above it. From the sliding door you see the green Gjende between steep slopes in the morning, reindeer lichen against the low sun in the evening, and sheep settling down on the warm tarmac. On Sognefjellet in June you drive between walls of snow several metres high, with glacier tongues below you and lakes still carrying ice. This route is mountain driving with little infrastructure: long climbs, open plateaus without a filling station, sudden changes in the weather – and nights that barely get dark in June.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Oslo to Dokka (via Hønefoss and the Randsfjorden) (approx. 160 km)
- The drive
- Oslo is only the starting point here: take the E16 via Sandvika and Sollihøgda to Hønefoss, then the Fv241 to Jevnaker at the southern tip of the Randsfjorden. Continue on the Fv240 through the farmland of Hadeland via Gran to Brandbu, and on the Fv34 along the eastern shore of the roughly 75 km long lake via Røykenvika, Horn and Fluberg north to Dokka. Well-built country roads with few climbs; just under 3 hours’ driving without breaks.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Kistefos near Jevnaker: a former wood-pulp mill with an industrial museum and sculpture park, including “The Twist”, a gallery that twists across the river as a bridge.
- Hadeland Glassverk in Jevnaker, Norway’s long-established glassworks with glassblowing demonstrations.
- Søsterkirkene at Granavollen: two medieval stone churches side by side, plus the Hadeland Folkemuseum with the Halvdanshaugen.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: At the northern end of the Randsfjorden you will find Odnes Camping and Dokka Camping; check facilities (electricity, toilets and showers, water and waste disposal) and the season in advance. If you start in Oslo and need another night there, Bogstad Camping on the edge of the city is a large site with a bus connection to the centre.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Spending the night in your vehicle counts as parking in Norway and is only permitted where parking is allowed and not prohibited by a sign. On the eastern shore of the Randsfjorden most of the land is cultivated land with farms and fields – there you need the owner’s permission. Bathing spots and rest areas often have overnight bans.
- Insider tip for campers
- Oslo is surrounded by a toll ring with number-plate recognition; the rates depend on the time of day and the type of drive. Further toll stations may follow on upgraded sections of the E16. Leave the city outside rush hour and let the bill run via AutoPASS (see Rules). Fill up and do your big shop in Hønefoss or Gran – cheaper and with more choice than later in the mountains.
2Stage 2: Dokka to Fagernes (via Reinli and Hedalen) (approx. 150 km)
- The drive
- From Dokka take the Fv33 west into the wooded Etnedal; at Bruflat take the road towards Bagn down into the Begnadal to the E16. Near Bagn, Reinli stands on the slope above the valley; as a detour, a minor road south-east of Bagn leads into the quiet side valley of Hedalen. Return to the E16 and head up the valley via Aurdal to Fagernes. (If you want to go straight to Fagernes, stay on the Fv33 via Tonsåsen to the E16 at Bjørgo.) Mostly good roads, narrower and winding in the Etnedal and towards Hedalen; with church visits it makes a full day. You can drop the Hedalen loop and save a good 50 km.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hedalen stavkyrkje, dendrochronologically dated to around 1163 and therefore the oldest of the stave churches in Valdres, with a richly carved west portal.
- Reinli stavkyrkje, a plain, unusually well-preserved stave church from the early 14th century, standing alone in the meadow high above the valley.
- Lunde bru and the painted “Bergflagget” on the rock face above the Etnedal – short photo stops in the Etnedal.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Fagernes Campingpark on the Strondafjorden in Fagernes, within walking distance of the centre and the folk museum: pitches with electricity, toilets and showers, cabins and waste disposal. There are several alternatives by the lake between Fagernes and Leira. Some sites are also open in autumn; check the current status beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Church car parks are for visitors and services, not for overnight stays. In Valdres the right of access applies to tents on uncultivated land, not to motorhomes on pastures or mountain-farm tracks; many summer pastures and seter tracks are private land with a barrier.
- Insider tip for campers
- The stave churches are usually only open in summer, with guided tours, for an admission fee; check opening times in advance with Visit Valdres. Fagernes has large supermarkets, filling stations, a Vinmonopolet and a waste disposal point – stock up on supplies and water here before heading into the mountains.
3Stage 3: Fagernes to Beitostølen (via Øye, Høre and Lomen) (approx. 165 km)
- The drive
- In the morning visit the folk museum in Fagernes, then take the E16 west along the Slidrefjorden via Slidre and Ryfoss to the Vangsmjøse and, at its western end, to Øye. Head back east via Ryfoss and Lomen to Fagernes and take the Fv51 via Heggenes up to Beitostølen. The E16 is wide and well built; the access roads to Høre and Lomen are short and steep. Around 3 hours’ net driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Valdres Folkemuseum in Fagernes: around a hundred historic buildings from the region, plus folk costumes, instruments and folk music.
- Øye stavkyrkje on the Vangsmjøse: demolished in the 18th century, parts were rediscovered under the floor of the later church and the stave church was later rebuilt.
- Høre stavkyrkje above Ryfoss (around 1179) and Lomen stavkyrkje above the Slidrefjorden (around 1192), both from the late 12th century.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Beitostølen Camping og Hytter in the winter sports resort on the edge of the high fjell: pitches with electricity, toilets and showers and cabins, well placed as a base for Valdresflye. Check facilities and the season in advance; in autumn some sites close early.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Beitostølen the large car parks at the lifts and ski trails are laid out for day visitors; signs and fees show whether motorhomes are tolerated overnight. On the Vangsmjøse the rest areas along the E16 are meant for breaks; stay overnight only where it is not expressly prohibited.
- Insider tip for campers
- The folk museum has a large car park; arrive early. If you skip Øye, you save around 50 km. Beitostølen is the last place to fill up and shop: there is no filling station on Valdresflye or at Gjende, and heading north the next public waste disposal stations are not until Vågåmo; some campsites provide disposal for their guests.
4Stage 4: Beitostølen to Gjendesheim (via Bygdin and Valdresflye) (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- Take the Fv51 up above the treeline: from Garli the Nasjonal turistveg Valdresflye begins, a high mountain road up to 1,389 m across open plateaus. Along the way lies Bygdin with its mountain hotel at the eastern end of the lake of the same name, then the highest point, Flye, and the long descent to Maurvangen and Gjendesheim. A wide, well-built road, but lots of wind and free-roaming animals; just under an hour without stops. Plan two nights here so that you have a whole day for Besseggen.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Rjupa viewpoint on the Turistveg, with a wide view across the high plateau towards Jotunheimen.
- Bygdin: a short hike up the Bitihorn above the lake; in summer a boat runs across the lake to Eidsbugarden from the jetty at the hotel (check the timetable in advance).
- Besseggen: the ridge hike between the green Gjende and the deep blue Bessvatnet, around 14 km and 6 to 8 hours, with steep, exposed sections. The boat from Gjendesheim to Memurubu simplifies the logistics; in summer it runs several times a day – check the timetable and booking in advance.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Besseggen Fjellpark in Maurvangen, around 2 km before Gjendesheim, with pitches, electricity, toilets and showers and cabins; also Bessheim Fjellstue og Hytter further towards Sjodalen, with a camping area. Both fill up quickly on fine summer weekends. Season in high summer; check the current status beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The rest areas on the Turistveg have toilets that are expressly not intended for motorhome cassettes. At the Gjendesheim car park you pay to park for the hike; whether overnight stays are allowed is decided by the signs on site. On the treeless plateau you stand exposed and in the wind – in a storm, head down into the valley instead.
- Insider tip for campers
- Valdresflye is closed in winter between Garli and Maurvangen, usually from around mid-December or January until the end of March or early April; after opening, the road may be closed at night and in bad weather. For Besseggen, start early, plan the return by boat and watch out for thunderstorms. According to Nasjonale turistveger, the nearest waste disposal stations are in Fagernes and Vågåmo.
5Stage 5: Gjendesheim to Lom (via Sjodalen and Vågå) (approx. 85 km)
- The drive
- Take the Fv51 downhill through the Sjodalen with its lakes and birch woods to Randsverk, continue via Vågåmo to the Vågåvatnet and take the Rv15 west to Lom. Good roads, narrower in places in the Sjodalen with passing bays; around 1.5 hours’ driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Sjodalen: rest areas on the Sjodalsvatnet with a view back to the Jotunheimen peaks.
- Lom stavkyrkje from the 12th century, one of the largest surviving stave churches, right by the waterfall of the Bøvra in the middle of the village.
- Norsk Fjellsenter in Lom with a mountain museum and exhibitions on Jotunheimen, Breheimen and Reinheimen.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Lom Camping on the edge of the village and Nordal Turistsenter in the centre of Lom have pitches with electricity, toilets and showers; both are well placed for Bøverdalen and Sognefjellet. Check the season and facilities in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Lom and Vågå much of the land is pasture and farmland. Wild camping on the banks of the Otta or on farm tracks is not permitted without the owner’s permission; on designated car parks the rules for parking apply, not for camping.
- Insider tip for campers
- Empty your tanks in Vågåmo – the first station after Valdresflye. Lom has filling stations and supermarkets, after that there are hardly any until the Sognefjord: fill up before Sognefjellet. The car park at the stave church fills up at midday; come early or in the evening.
6Stage 6: Lom to Bøverdalen (Juvasshytta) (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- Take the Fv55, the Sognefjellsvegen, up the Bøverdalen to Galdesand. There the private toll road Galdhøpiggvegen branches off and climbs with hairpins and a sustained gradient to the Juvasshytta at around 1,840 m – the highest road in Norway. Demanding for large motorhomes: low gears, engine braking, hardly any turning space at the top. Back down into the valley and to your site in the Bøverdalen.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Juvasshytta: guided glacier walks across the Styggebreen to the top of Galdhøpiggen (2,469 m), Norway’s highest mountain; daily in summer, check dates in advance.
- Juvasshytta even without the summit: views of the glaciers and the ring of Jotunheimen peaks above the treeline.
- Spiterstulen in the Visdalen, via a gravel toll road of around 18 km from Bøverdalen (you pay at the lodge; according to the lodge, not suitable for vehicles over 6 m): starting point of the marked Galdhøpiggen route without a glacier crossing.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Raubergstulen Motell & Camping on the road to the Juvasshytta above Galdesand, Bøverdalen Vandrerhjem og Camping and Leirmoen Camping further up the valley: basic to mid-range facilities with electricity, toilets and showers, season usually summer only. Check the current status in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the toll roads into the fjell and at the Juvasshytta, spending the night in your vehicle is not intended; the road is only open in summer. In the Bøverdalen the valley floor is cultivated land – only stay on designated sites.
- Insider tip for campers
- Depending on the operator, you pay for private toll roads (bomveg) at a machine, via an app or by number-plate recognition; read the sign at the entrance. For the glacier tour on Galdhøpiggen, bring weatherproof clothing and sturdy shoes; the guide provides equipment such as rope. On the way down, go easy on the brakes before the hairpins and take breaks.
7Stage 7: Bøverdalen to Lom (via Sognefjellet to Turtagrø and back) (approx. 130 km)
- The drive
- Continue on the Fv55 out of the Bøverdalen up onto Sognefjellet: the Sognefjellsvegen is considered the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe, its highest point Fantesteinen at 1,434 m. Cross the high plateau with its lakes, snowfields and views of the Hurrungane ridge to Turtagrø. Turn around here: beyond, the road drops steeply and windingly to Skjolden on the Sognefjord – that is a different journey. Return the same way to Lom. Around 3 hours’ net driving time; the detour to Leirvassbu is extra.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Mefjellet rest area with the stone sculpture by Knut Wold and a view across the plateau.
- Sognefjellshytta and Turtagrø Hotel, a historic meeting place for mountaineers below the Hurrungane, both serving food and drink.
- Leirvassbu: a narrow private toll road of around 14 km branches off in the upper Bøverdalen (Leirvassbukrysset on the Fv55) and leads through the Leirdal to the lodge at a good 1,400 m below Kyrkja and the glaciers around Smørstabbreen – a starting point for day hikes. Open roughly from late May to late October, as long as there is no snow; ask the lodge in advance whether it is suitable for large motorhomes.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night in Lom at Lom Camping or the Nordal Turistsenter. If you would rather stay up the valley, return to one of the sites in the Bøverdalen.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On Sognefjellet there are car parks at viewpoints and lodges, but hardly any shelter from the wind and no waste disposal; spending the night on the open car parks is uncomfortable when the weather turns and not allowed everywhere – follow the signs. Use the hotel car park at Turtagrø only as a guest, and pull in tidily when turning.
- Insider tip for campers
- The section between Rustasætre in the Bøverdalen and Turtagrø is normally closed from November to May; after opening there may be night-time closures, and at short notice in bad weather too. In June you drive between high walls of snow with little room at the side – take care in wide vehicles. If you want to continue to the Sognefjord, you leave this route; the fjords of Western Norway are covered by other CampingSpirit guides (see Practicalities).
8Stage 8: Lom to Otta (approx. 62 km)
- The drive
- Take the Rv15 east along the Vågåvatnet via Vågåmo into the Ottadal and down to Otta, where the Ottadal joins the Gudbrandsdal. A wide, well-built road with plenty of lorry traffic; a good hour’s driving. In Otta you reach the E6 and the end point of the route.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Vågåvatnet: lakeside rest areas with views of the dry, steep slopes of the Ottadal.
- Kvitskriuprestin near Otta: earth pyramids of moraine material topped with stones, a short walk from the car park.
- A glimpse of Rondane: from Otta a road climbs to Mysusæter on the edge of the national park.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Otta Camping og Motell on the edge of town with electricity, toilets and showers; further sites in the Gudbrandsdal around Sjoa. Check facilities and the season in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Gudbrandsdal along the E6, rest areas are meant for short breaks; wild camping on pastures and tracks needs the owner’s permission. On the edge of Rondane the rules of the national park and its buffer zones apply.
- Insider tip for campers
- Otta has filling stations, supermarkets and waste disposal points – take on water and empty your tanks thoroughly after the high-fjell days. On the E6, heading south or north, further toll stations follow; Trøndelag is covered by the CampingSpirit guide “Cathedral, skerries and Olav country”.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Allemannsretten (friluftsloven) allows camping in tents on uncultivated land (utmark), at least 150 m from inhabited houses and cabins and, as a rule, for up to two nights in the same spot; in the high fjell away from paths, longer too. Cultivated land (innmark) – farms, meadows, pastures, mountain summer farms (seter) – is excluded.
- The right of access does not apply across the board to motorhomes: spending the night in your vehicle counts as parking and is only permitted where parking is allowed and not prohibited by a sign. The Motorferdselsloven prohibits driving off public roads; mountain-farm tracks are often private roads with a barrier or toll machine. Awnings, tables and chairs belong on the campsite, and grey water never goes into nature.
- From 15 April to 15 September open fires in forests and the countryside are generally prohibited. Jotunheimen National Park and its surrounding areas have their own regulations; do not disturb wild reindeer and herds, and keep dogs on a lead.
- You can stay overnight legally on campsites, on designated motorhome car parks (bobilparkering) and, for a fee, on farms and at mountain hotels. In the high fjell, sites are few and far between and full at weekends in July – arrive early in the day. Useful apps: park4night, Campercontact.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Waste disposal stations are called “tømmestasjon”. On this route they are mainly found on campsites and in the larger towns; between Beitostølen and Lom, according to Nasjonale turistveger, the nearest stations are in Fagernes and Vågåmo, and there are none on Sognefjellet. Toilets at rest areas are not intended for cassettes. In late autumn some stations close because of frost.
- Tap water is of good quality. Mountain streams look clear, but sheep and reindeer graze everywhere – boil or filter stream water. Many taps have no thread; a hose with a universal connector helps.
- Gas: foreign exchange cylinders are not exchanged and only rarely refilled. Arrive with two full cylinders or rent a Norwegian propane cylinder with a suitable regulator; LPG (autogas) is not reliably available inland. At 1,000 to 1,400 m the nights are cold even in summer – the heating uses more gas than usual.
- Fuel in the mountains: there are filling stations in Fagernes, Beitostølen, Vågåmo, Lom and Otta, and practically none in between on Valdresflye, in the Sjodalen, in the upper Bøverdalen and on Sognefjellet. Long climbs use a lot of diesel – never head into the high fjell with half a tank. Wine and spirits are only sold at the Vinmonopolet (for example in Fagernes, Lom and Otta); beer up to 4.7 % in supermarkets until 8 pm on weekdays, until 6 pm on Saturdays, not on Sundays.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside them, and higher on upgraded sections of the E16 and E6 where signposted. Vehicles over 3.5 t and vehicle combinations a maximum of 80 km/h, caravans without their own brakes a maximum of 60 km/h. Dipped headlights around the clock; average-speed checks and speed cameras are frequent, fines very high.
- Bomstasjoner and AutoPASS: no vignette, but toll stations with number-plate recognition – on this route mainly the toll ring around Oslo, upgraded sections of the E16 and, if you continue, the E6; the AutoPASS overview shows current toll points. Keepers of foreign vehicles receive the bill by post; voluntary registration with Epass24 speeds up billing. Vehicles over 3.5 t belong in tariff group 2 (base rate usually twice as high). According to the tariff guidelines, motorhomes over 3.5 t in vehicle class M1 are only charged like vehicles up to 3.5 t (tariff group 1) with a valid AutoPASS contract and tag, otherwise in group 2. The tag is compulsory for vehicles over 3.5 t that are registered to a company or used predominantly for business; there is no obligation for privately used motorhomes. Private toll roads into the fjell, such as to the Juvasshytta, Leirvassbu or Spiterstulen, charge separately.
- Winter closures: Valdresflye (Fv51 between Garli and Maurvangen) is closed from around December/January until the end of March or early April, the Sognefjellsvegen (Fv55 between Rustasætre and Turtagrø) usually from November to May; the toll roads to the Juvasshytta and Leirvassbu are only open in summer. Outside the closure periods there are also night-time, convoy and bad-weather closures. Check the current situation with Statens vegvesen (in Norway phone 175) and on the mountain pass overview at yr.no.
- Dimensions and weights: maximum width 2.55 m. On fylkesveg roads, bridges and private mountain roads, signs indicate weight and length restrictions; the roads into the fjell are narrow, with passing places (møteplass) – whoever is closer to the passing place pulls in or reverses. Long and heavy motorhomes should check the Leirvassbu and Juvass roads with the operator beforehand for length and weight limits.
- Animals on the road: in summer sheep graze freely on Valdresflye, in the Bøverdalen and on Sognefjellet and like to lie on the warm tarmac; reindeer cross the high mountain roads, elk the forested valleys. Drive past slowly, do not use the horn, and report collisions with animals to the police.
- Winter equipment: suitable tyres are compulsory in snow and ice; vehicles over 3.5 t need winter tyres from 15 November to 31 March and must carry chains. Above 1,000 m it often snows as early as September. Alcohol limit 0.2 per mille, mobile phone only hands-free, hi-vis vest and warning triangle on board.
- Other regions: Western Norway’s fjords with the Atlantic Road, Trollstigen and Geiranger are covered by the CampingSpirit guide “Spray, hairpins and glacier water”, Hardanger, the Lysefjord and Sørlandet by the guide “Blossom, waterfalls and fjord walls”, Telemark and the Setesdal by “Silver, locks and stave churches”, Trøndelag by “Cathedral, skerries and Olav country”.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Snow chains and good all-season or winter tyres – on Valdresflye and Sognefjellet it can snow even in June and from September.
- Hiking rucksack with windproof jacket, hat, gloves and head torch for Besseggen and Galdhøpiggen; on the ridge and on the glacier the weather turns quickly.
- A second full gas cylinder and a suitable regulator: cold nights above 1,000 m and a sparse network of filling points.
- A spare diesel can or a consistently full tank – between Beitostølen, Lom and the Sognefjord there are no filling stations on the high roads.
- Mosquito nets and repellent for still evenings at Gjende and in the Sjodalen.
- A toll account set up in advance and a contactless credit card for toll machines on mountain roads, stave churches and boats.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
