A Guide to Skiing in Norway, Varingskollen

The vacation is booked and you are about ready to leave for Norway. The question, however, is this: What do you do when you finally land in Oslo, have settled into the hotel, and are ready to take on the Scandinavian country? I'll give you an inside scoop for those who want to experience a small and intimate ski resort only 40 minutes from the capital.

Norway has plenty of places for ski enthusiasts, but if you are looking for a real Norwegian skiing experience without spending the entire day on a bus you should by all means try out Varingskollen. Located in a rural village, Varingskollen has up to date ski lifts and slopes, hills for beginners as well as professionals and gives you in my opinion a better experience than the bigger ski resorts such as Hemsedal and Trysil.

To get to Varingskollen from Oslo you have several options. If you have rented a car take RV 4 north towards Gjøvik for about 40 minutes. You can also take bus 301 towards Hakadal and ask the driver to stop at Varingskollen. The best option in my opinion is to take the train, which stops right next to the ski resort and is both easy and quick. Make sure that your train stops at Varingskollen. To get schedules and information contact the personnel at the train station in Oslo.

If you are in Norway for the sole purpose of skiing or snowboarding, you would probably be better suited with renting a small cabin at one of the bigger ski resorts. However, if you have walked around in Oslo for a few days, seen what is to see and feel like you want to do something besides museums and galleries - this is a place you definitely should go to.

Varingskollen has both skis and snowboards for rent, they provide an intimate atmosphere specked with thrilling slopes and facilities. Also, the price of a visit here is far less than if you go to one of the bigger ski resorts. You won't see gift shops or fancy dining, but the cafeteria does its job. Most importantly, you'll be free from packs of tourists; you'll get to experience skiing with natives. Most people speak English and are thrilled to get to talk to a foreigner, so you'll have no problems with the language.

I've also written about the bigger ski resorts, but if you are only looking to spend one day in the snow I would by all means recommend Varingskollen. You'll most likely have the most thrilling day of your Norwegian Vacation.