Photos of Discover Cross Country Skiing in Rondane

"Many thanks for all the arrangements. It was a wonderful trip. The two-centre cross-country trip in the Rondane area was a perfect winter getaway. Both lodges were ideally placed on the trail network, each being different in ambience from the other but each being charming in its own way. Our hosts were helpful in all ways, accommodation was very comfortable and the food was excellent.

I had a lot of XC ski experience in the past, but that was over 25 years ago, while my 18 year-old son only had a one-week Alpine school trip to draw on. We had booked an introductory or refresher lesson with the local instructor, which was an excellent investment of time for us both. The hired ski equipment was top quality, though travellers should note that this is not a ski store and the kit is left for you to pick up, so you must be happy that you size bots correctly. In our case, the boots fitted true to size and I had sized appropriately to my winter needs, and were lined with thermal materials. We were all set and enjoyed many miles of enjoyable on and off-trail day touring.

Travelling in February, we encountered a mix of weather, with some very cold days as well as some balmy bluebird ones. Snow was excellent and the cut tracks, re-drifted snow and some off-track exploring provided a range of easy and more challenging excursions. The entire area is beautiful, and the holiday location lies on the edge of the stunning higher peaks of the Rondane, which are reminiscent of a larger central area of the Cairngorm mountains (think Lairig Ghru and surrounding peaks, but rising to over 2,000m and you will get the general idea). We could easily have spent a week at each lodge, exploring new trails every day but, as devised, this week-long trip left us wanting more time in the area.

I would recommend this holiday for any fit and active outdoor person who either has some ski experience or is generally adaptable to new technical skills. The terrain is mostly suitable for raw beginners and the ski school is superb (our instructor had been working in the area for decades and was adept at making the lesson suit both my son as a pure beginner and myself as a faded old hand). For an early-season visit especially, come prepared for all weathers, including strong wind chill and buffeting conditions, which means good gloves, hats and goggles, plus a big belay jacket or similar coverall are essential. The accommodation makes it easy to dry your gear so you do not need to bring too much spare.

The ski trails were marked in various ways, though our most white-out conditions day did require use of map and compass for a period (though on this day we were the only people from the lodge who ventured far). The small peaks adjacent to the lodges were safe and sporting in both ascent and descent, with good cut tracks and, as we wanted, fun off-track skiing to practise our technique on. The area is a mountain delight and for any XC skier this is a perfect place for a winter holiday.

P.S. My son is a strict vegan and at each lodge our hosts went out of their way to cater for him most thoughtfully." Magnus, February 2024

"A great mountain experience." Mike, February 2024