The Viking walk in its winter clothes: snowshoes on, sagas out, through the forest around Sognsvann and the geographic centre of Oslo. Same stories, same trail food, a completely different season.
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The same Viking stories, moved into the season they were told in. With snowshoes strapped on, you leave the city behind at Sognsvann and walk into the quietest version of the forest Oslo has: snow-covered spruce, frozen water, and no sound except your own footsteps and your guide’s voice. Along the way you hear the myths that shaped a civilisation, the creation of the world, Thor’s fishing trip, the death of Baldur, and the creatures that have always lived in these woods, the trolls, the Huldra and the Nøkken. We walk to the geographic centre of Oslo, a small marker deep in the forest that most people in the city have never stood on, and stop for Norwegian trail snacks and the story behind the food, just as we do on the summer route. Snowshoes make it easy: this is a gentle walk on prepared forest tracks, no experience needed, and the pace is set by the group. By the end you will understand why Norwegians go out into the snow on purpose, and what friluftsliv actually means when the temperature is below zero.
We meet by the Tiger statue outside Oslo S and ride the metro out together, about twenty minutes to the last stop on line 5. Your public transport ticket is included, so there is nothing to buy on the way. At Sognsvann the snowshoes and poles are handed out and fitted to your boots before we leave the station.
From the lake we follow prepared winter tracks into the spruce forest, where the city disappears after a few minutes. This is where the stories start: the world being built from the body of a giant, Thor and his hammer, and the creatures that live just outside the firelight. Snowshoes spread your weight on the snow, so the walking stays easy and the forest stays quiet.
A small marker in the forest, and the point the city measures its own centre from. Almost nobody in Oslo has stood on it. Your guide explains how it was calculated, why the middle of the city sits in woodland rather than by the harbour, and how Norwegians came to treat the forest as the centre of ordinary life. It is also the best place on the route for a photograph.
We stop for Norwegian trail snacks, the same food we serve on the summer walk, with the story behind what you are eating and why it travels well in a winter bag. Warm clothes, hot drinks from your own flask if you bring one, and a few minutes standing still in the snow: this is the part guests remember.
A small tasting on the trail: Norwegian meats, cheeses and berries with flatbread, and something warm to drink. The same food we serve on the summer walk, packed for winter.
None at all. Snowshoes are easy to walk in and we strap them on together at the start. The route is a gentle walk on prepared forest tracks around Sognsvann, and the pace is set by the group, so first-timers are the normal case, not the exception.
We run the snowshoe season from 1 January to 31 March, and the forest around Sognsvann normally holds snow through that window. If conditions on your date are not safe or not suitable for snowshoes, we contact you before the tour with another date or a full refund.
Winter clothing, and boots that keep your feet warm and dry. Snowshoes attach to normal winter boots, so you do not need special footwear. Bring gloves, a hat, and a layer you can open up when the walking warms you. We bring the snowshoes and poles.
Easy. It is a short, flat-to-gentle walk in the forest rather than a mountain hike, with stops for stories and food. The whole tour takes about 3.5 hours including the metro out and back, so you are not walking that long. If you can walk in winter clothes with a few breaks, you are fine. Tell us about any injury or condition when you book and we will plan around it.
At the Tiger statue outside Oslo Central Station (Oslo S). From there we ride the metro together to Sognsvann, the last stop on line 5, and walk from the station into the forest. Your public transport ticket is included in the price, so you only need to turn up at the statue.
The guided snowshoe walk with an English-speaking guide, snowshoes and poles for every guest, Norwegian trail snacks in the forest, and public transport tickets for the metro to and from Sognsvann. Nothing else is added at the end.
It is a small marker deep in the forest at Sognsvann, the point that the city measures its centre from. Most people who live in Oslo have never stood on it. We walk to it, and your guide explains how it was calculated and why the forest, not the harbour, is the middle of the city.
Minimum 2 guests to run the tour, maximum 12. If you are travelling alone, write to us and we will place you on a date that already has a group going. Larger groups and companies can book the tour privately, with flexible dates.
Free of charge up to 24 hours before the tour, by email or by replying to your confirmation. Later than that, or for no-shows, we cannot refund. If we cancel because of unsafe weather or snow conditions, you get another date or a full refund.
This tour can also be booked as a private experience, even for larger groups. Same guides, same tastings, just your own party. Tell us your dates and group size and we will put it together.
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