How to get there by Car
Share:Getting to Jotunheimen National Park – by car
Drive your own car from abroad, or rent one once you arrive in Norway. Either way you will probably find yourself no more than about 4 hours from the National Park. It is easy to visit the ‘Home of the Giants’ is by car. And the landscape to and from Jotunheimen is in itself worth a trip to Norway.
Driving north from Oslo (240-260km, 4 hours)
The E18 road leads you north west from Oslo to Fagernes where you turn onto Rv51 to Beitostølen, Gjendesheim and Lom. Driving over Rv51 you will pass the beautiful boutique hotel Herangtunet. Here you also find the magnificent “Valdresflya” (A National Tourist Road) with magical vistas (but either stop or keep your eyes on the road) over the eastern part of Jotunheimen. From Gjendesheim you can take the Gjende boat (Gjendebåten) to get further into the National Park. This is also the starting point for the famous Besseggen hike. From Bygdin you can take the boat M/B Bitihorn to Eidsbugarden or Torfinnsbu for several hikes in the National Park.
Alternative drive from Oslo to Eidsbugarden (280km, 4 hours 30 minuts)
– Follow E16 from Oslo to Tyinkrysset, continue on Rv52 until you reach the Rv252 and Tyin lake. You will then follow Rv252 all the way to Eidsbugarden.
Driving south from Trondheim (280km, 4 hours)
From Trondheim the E6 will take you south Oppdal and over Dovrefjell. You sometimes share the road with huge 1,5 meters high and 400 kilos heavy Arctic mammals named Musk Oxen, famous for their mighty sight and memorable smell. After you reach Otta turn onto Rv15 and head westwards to Skjåk and Lom. Check road conditions in winter season for this route as well.
Driving east from Bergen (255km, 4 hours)
Coming from the direction of Bergen, most visitors to Jotunheimen National Park come through or from Sognefjorden or Geiranger, two very popular Norwegian tourist destinations.
From Sognefjorden
…please take Rv55. The Rv55 is a National Tourist Route and listens to the name Sognefjellsvegen. Sognefjellsvegen (Sognefjell Road) takes you over Sognefjellet Mountain before delivering you (and some very nice snapshots) into Lom. Before reaching Lom, you have crossed some of Norway’s most beautiful highlands guarded by mighty peaks watching over lush valleys.
From Geiranger
…It is Rv63 that first takes you to Grotli while passing Djupvasshytta along the way. If you want, you can stop and make a short excursion up to Dalsnibba which offers wonderful views over the Geiranger Fjord and surrounding mountains. After this visual treat, continue along the 63 until the road joins the Rv15. You are now at Langvatnet, heading eastwards and passing through Bismo (Skjåk district’s main village) before arriving in one of Jotunheimen’s ‘base camps’: Lom.
From Stryn
…You follow the road to Skjåk and Lom. An alternative route, in case you have beauty on your mind and some time to share, is leaving the main road and following Rv258, the 27 kilometres long old Stryn mountain road.