Geilo is one of Norway’s oldest ski resorts and realizes everything you imagine Norwegian ski resorts should be. Here it is family friendly, close to everything and there is also a lot to do in addition to skiing.
Traditional Geilo is located in a valley between Bergen and Oslo, right on the border of Norway’s largest national park Hardangervidda, which is also northern Europe’s largest mountain plateau. Although Geilo is not very high with its 800 meters above sea level, it is snow-sure during the ski season. Geilo has slopes that are suitable for children, beginners and intermediate skiers. There are also a variety of other activities during both summer and winter.
Getting to Geilo
According to Mathgeneral, Geilo is located 248 km northwest of Oslo. To travel there, you can use the tour operator, which specializes in ski trips to Sweden and Norway. Through Nordresor you can book all inclusive in hotels right next to the slopes. It is also possible to book your own cottage which is cozy nestled in the snow.
If you prefer to travel yourself, you should go to Oslo and drive the E18 towards Drammen and then turn onto the E16 and follow it to Hönefoss. There you drive into Riksväg 7 which goes all the way to Geilo . During the winter, some roads may be closed and it is therefore best to follow the GPS or Google Maps to find the right one.
Two different ski areas
Geilo has two ski areas on each side of the valley, Geilolia and Slaatta. You can reach both areas with a ski bus. Beginners can go on easier slopes and there are several ski instructors on site who speak Norwegian, Swedish and English. Intermediate skiers can enjoy the wide, red slopes from the top of Geilohovda and Gullsteinhovda on Slaatta or Biodnahovda on Geilolia. For more advanced skiers, there are some black pistes and some off-piste areas.
A calmer ski resort
It is usually calm in Geilo, especially during the weeks. If you like to ski on untouched snow without a lot of people crowding the slopes, Geilo is perfect. If you are looking for world-class après ski, it is not really the right place, although there are still a lot of cozy bars and restaurants to visit. If you want to take part in activities that are not skiing, you can go dog sledding, visit stave churches and other attractions.
Combine with a visit to Finse
If you want to try something really adventurous, you can take the train up to the top of Hardangervidda and try kite skiing where the wind pulls long distances over the snow-covered plains. A tip is to take the train from Geilo up to Finse, the highest point on the train line between Oslo and Bergen. There you can try kite skiing, stay in an old mountain hotel and make hikes to a glacier.
