Geilo tours

The famous resort of Geilo was long before the official status of the resort of Norway. This happened in 1867, when  Lord Harvey, a Londoner, skied on a tour of the Hullingskarvet mountains. And after the construction of the first hotel in 1880, the Bergen railway and the first hotel in 1909, and the holding of the slalom championship in 1935, Geilo gained considerable popularity. And the resort began to develop rapidly. In 1950, the first ski school was opened, which still works today. In addition, the infrastructure of Geilo developed, the equipment and quality of the resort improved. New routes and routes were developed, the first lifts appeared. And in 1986, Geilo had its own airport. All these innovations, plus a high level of quality of service, served as an excellent advertisement for the resort of Geilo. That put him in the status of the most famous ski resorts in Norway.

Geilo, the most famous and popular Norwegian ski resort, not densely populated with

2300 inhabitants, is located next to the national park on the Hardanger Plateau. International slalom and cross-country skiing competitions are held here. The resort has a well-developed base for winter sports with more than 100 years of tradition. It’s no coincidence that Geilo is called an “alpine town” – the first skiing competitions in Norway were held here in 1935. Snow lies almost all year round here. The road to Geilo lies through picturesque mountains, from where you can see an inexpressible view of the mountain plateaus, woodlands, steep slopes and the sparkling surface of the fjord waters. The snow here is all year round. The town itself lies among the snow-capped mountains, the highest of which is the mountain of Hallingscarus. A good snow cover is guaranteed for skating from November to May. Flight to Fagernes, then transfer about two hours. The Geilo station is located on the Oslo-Bergen railway line. The train journey from Oslo will take about three and a half hours, the drive from Bergen will take three hours.

No matter how old you are, seven or seventy, you will find what to do and see in  Geilo. For a hundred years of its existence, Geilo has developed interesting traditions for the reception of visitors. Here you will be offered a traditional list of activities to make your holiday unforgettable. In Geilo, you will be provided with both traditional and exotic entertainments including the best things and activities which involve ice and snow. So, here you can do ice fishing, arrange competitions on a snowmobile or scooter. Ride a horse or dog sled. You can do rock or mountain climbing. And participate in various exotic competitions.

If you are fancy of axes, hunting knives and other tools, the best thing to in Geilo is do some shopping in Brusletto & Co and Brødrene Øyo. The most diverse tools of this brand are produced in the factories and famous for their excellent quality are sold at producer prices, which means, almost for free. This shop is quite popular among locals and you might like it as well.

Go skiing is a must thing to do while being in one of the most famous ski resort. It is very convenient that most of the trails end almost in the city. That is, coming down from the snow-covered mountainside, you can immediately go to drink a glass of hot cocoa in a restaurant or cafe. And if you are new to skiing, visit one of the ski schools in the resort. Local experienced instructors will help you learn the basics of skiing, as well as teach high-speed skating, fast descent, the basics of snowboarding, and even a unique Norwegian style of riding called telemark. Modern progressive teaching methods will help to master skiing, both for adults and for children. Training is conducted in groups and according to an individual program. Schools will not only help beginners but also experienced skiers and snowboarders to learn new styles of skiing and gain professionalism. It’s not for nothing that Geilo ski schools are considered the best in the whole of Scandinavia.

One of the good places to go while visiting Geilo is different local farms where you can purchase ecological dairy products, the meat of a reindeer or fresh fruits and vegetables. At Hamarsenstlen farm you can see cows and calves. On offer: Havsdal sour cream and various locally produced milk products. Ole Øvrejorde sells goat kid meat. You can buy lunch or dinner with meat from Øvrejorde at Fagerhøy Fjellstue Myking and at T.T Mathuset at Gol. Øvrejorde also sells meat at his farm in Hovet, on request you can visit his farm.Nerol Organic Gardenshare is a part of Marit and Erling Nerols farm in Hol. Here locals grow and enjoy organic vegetables, potatoes, herbs and more. Here you can get the best ingredients for cooking local game and trout. Products such as reindeer, moose and deer are available. Feel free to contact Eira Vilt & Fis Geilojordet is an idyllic yard with ancient buildings from the 1700-1800’s. This is a gem in Geilo centre for recreation, experiences and activities. During the summer, there is an outdoor cafe that serves, among the other things, sour cream porridge. in the barn, there are exhibits, and all the buildings are open for visitors. For the children, there is a play area: and the can visit goat kids and chickens.

For recreation and entertainment of numerous tourists, Geilo has a rich infrastructure. To brighten up leisure between skating on the snow slopes of the resort, in Geilo there are a huge number of bars, restaurants where you can take a part in famous “cognac evenings”

In addition, here you will find Spa – centres, nightclubs and even a cinema. In the evening concerts are held in Geilo. Also, in Geilo, you can make a 20-kilometre journey along the famous railway and visit the fjords of Norway.

Another, no less popular way of spending time at the resort of Geilo is a walk around the city. Geilo is an ancient city, with its history and traditions, and, therefore, there is something to see. Unusually romantic walk through the streets of the city, built-up old wooden houses, old factories and shops. In the latter, you can watch for yourself or your relatives some local souvenirs.

There are not many historical places in Geilo, considering it is a ski resort, but not archaeological centre. However, even admirer of the ancient history of Vikings will find an activity for himself. If you are an admirer of the history of Norway you will find many places to go and see what ancient Vikings has built. The most interesting historical monuments worth visiting is Hol Old Church- an old wooden church with tall columns, which was built in the 13th century. The church is located 15 minutes from Geilo. Another unusual place worth seeing is one of the oldest farms of Geilo Dokken Fjellgard I Sudndalen, which was constructed in the 18th century.

One of the recommended places to visit in Geilo if you prefer an active tourism and do not afraid of extreme is the river Numedalslagen and Ustedalsfjord fjord, which considered the most beautiful mountain river in Northern Europe, visited by thousands of foreign tourists and a famous place among local residents. You can get there, obviously by boat, local Rafting centre provides its visitors with an amazing opportunity to take part in a boat trip to the most amazing and beautiful places created by nature. Ustedalsfjord is a unique place and one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway.

Another most visited place, especially by snowboarding enthusiasts is a Fügleleiken a snowboard park, which refers to the best leisure options of this type, which can be found in Norway.

The National Park Hallingskarvet is located on one of the largest mountain plateaus in Europe (35 km long and 5 km wide at an altitude of 800 to 1178 m above sea level). In the national park, there are three lakes and a cascading waterfall Hivjufossen 250 meters high. The purpose of Hallingskarvet National Park aims to secure the characteristic landscape of the Hallingskarvet itself and it contains cultural heritage, geology and biodiversity of vegetation and wildlife. The actual Hallingskarvet and the surrounding area form part of a whole and are a relatively unspoiled mountain range.

Many restaurants located not only in the city itself but also in the mountains, among the ski slopes. The menu of dishes in Geilo is very diverse. Here you can order an ordinary pizza and traditional venison and exclusive fish dishes. All this at reasonable prices. All Geilo restaurants will provide you with a wide selection of wines, for every taste. After all, the traditional type of recreation at winter resorts has always been considered a rest by the fireplace with a glass of first-class wine. And the most popular barbecue in the open air. There are few places to eat in Geilo. Bowl & Dine restaurant is one of the places where to eat local cuisine dishes while visiting in Geilo. Sofias Cafe og Bar a family cafe which offers delicious pastries of its own production. Hallingstuene is the restaurant of the famous Norwegian chef Frode Agha. The interior is made in traditional style, and the kitchen is Norwegian with a noticeable French accent. The wine cellar of the restaurant has been repeatedly marked by specialized publications. Several cafes and restaurants are in the immediate vicinity of the trails og Geilo, where you could taste a local food. Good places to eat real Norwegian dishes at affordable prices are Taubanekroa and Havdalskroa  and Skarvegrotta and Kikutkroa.

The advices and recommendations are very common. If you going to Geilo in winter, have warm clothes with you, summer demands having comfortable hiking shoes, as Geilo is for walkers mostly and rarely for drivers. And lost but not least, food is not cheap as well as drinks, so if you are on a budget trip, keep it in mind.