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Ice climbing · Telemark
More than 150 frozen waterfalls in a valley the winter sun never reaches.
Rjukan lies in a valley so deep and narrow that the sun does not reach the floor in midwinter. The cold turns more than 150 waterfalls to ice with short walks in, which has made the town one of Europe’s best-known ice-climbing venues. Beginner courses supply all the equipment.
Why it is a winter thing: The waterfalls only freeze hard enough to climb in the coldest months.
Courses run December to March; the ice is usually at its best in January and February.
Introductory course with two nights in a cabin.
Rjukan Hytte og Caravanparkbook aheadDetails ↗
about NOK 2,650
per person; confirm the season
Small-group instruction with a qualified guide.
Local mountain guidesbook aheadDetails ↗
about NOK 4,800
per person, approximate
Prices are indicative, from the season shown, and change every year. Confirm with the provider before you book.
Campground cabins in the valley, town hotels, and mountain cabins up at Gaustablikk. February weekends fill early.
Campground cabinHotelMountain cabin
Christmas, the winter holiday (week 8) and Easter book out months ahead. How cabin rental works →
Climb only with a qualified guide unless you are experienced. Wear a helmet at all times and never stand beneath another party — falling ice is the main hazard, and conditions change fast in a thaw.
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