Family Skiing Vacation in Norway: Ski Resorts for Families with Kids

Where to take kids skiing in Norway? This review covers six well known ski resorts in Norway, which are suitable for a family vacation: they offer skiing lessons and ski slopes for children, as well as entertainment for the whole family. 

 

 

The Tryvann Ski Resort in Oslo

 

Tryvann Ski Resort is located near the Tryvann tower, on Holmenkollen ski slope. This park has a total of eighteen slopes and eleven lifts, and for the freestyle lover, thirty figures are open. The area for children and beginners is called Tomklieva, from which there are three ski slopes and two active lifts, and a second area for beginners opened in 2011/2012. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riding is taught in five skiing schools, skiing is taught to children as young as three years old, and snowboarding classes are for students of age seven and older. Equipment can be rented in the Toppsenteret Information Center. There is a playroom for children of ages two through seven, and childcare is available for an additional fee. The resort has four cafeterias and a national cuisine restaurant, and the world’s oldest ski museum is open for visitors. Through the museum, which is located at the base of the Holmenkollen slope, it is possible to go up to an observation deck overlooking the city and the Oslo Fjord. 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Terje Borud 

 

 

Skiing Season: From the beginning of November until April.

How to get there: By public transportation (metro, tram, bus) from Oslo to Voksenkollen, where a shuttle bus brings people to the resort. It can take a long time to find parking, since the park is always heavily populated by tourists and locals. 

Website: www.oslovinterpark.no

 

 

Trysil: The largest Ski Resort in Norway

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trysil is a small town 210 km north of Oslo, not far from the border with Sweden. The resort has sixty six slopes with artificial snow, thirty one lifts and two snow parks. In the three children’s zones there are slopes which are easy and safe, small jumps, and snow figures for beginners. There is also childcare, as well as a ski school for adults and children as young as three years old. It is also possible to sit and warm up in an igloo. At Trysil, Valle the snowman entertains the children daily, the programs include games and skiing, and are updated weekly.

 

There are three places to rent equipment. There are over sixty cafes and restaurants, a movie theater, a bowling alley, spas and swimming pools, hotels and cottages. During the skiing season, festivals and concerts take place, and celebrations for Christmas and Easter.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skiing Season: From November until April.

How to get there: Driving from Oslo to Trysil can take two and a half hours. Express busses go to Trysil from Gardermoen airport in Oslo, and from Bromma airport in Stockholm.

Website: www.trysil.no

 

 

“Scandinavian Alps”, the Hemsedal Ski Resort

 

The second largest ski resort in Norway is located within 220 km of Oslo and 280 km of Bergen. Hemsedal has fifty one slope and five snow parks with artificial snow, and twenty four lifts. The main ski area includes the Sulheysen ski center (within 13 km of Hemsedal), and two skiing schools.

 

 

 

 

Photo: Nils-Erik Bjørholt

 

 

The largest area for children of any ski resort in Norway is called Lynxland - “land of the lynx”. There are easy skiing trails and a separate trail for skiers as young as three years old, two conveyor lifts, an area just for sledding, and even a carousel. A special area is set up for games, and guests can even crawl through tunnels of a snow cave, and warm up by a fire near a real igloo. For children as young as six months, there is a paid childcare center called the the “Foxhole”, where kids can draw, play, watch cartoons, and there is a room just for napping. In the springtime Hemsedal has a family week, when registering online can help visitors save 25% on lodging, equipment rental, skiing lessons, ski passes, and services of the childcare center. 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Terje Rakke/Nordic life

 

 

Skiing Season: From November until the start of May; 

How to get there: Busses go from Gardermoen airport in Oslo to Hemsedal. 

Website: www.hemsedal.com

 

 

Geilo Ski Resort

 

This resort is located in the very city of Geilo. It has forty slopes and four snow parks, with twenty lifts and three skiing schools, covered with artificial as well as real snow. In Geilo there are five children’s areas with conveyor lifts. The Trollklubben childcare center is open for children from ages one to six. Children participate in skiing school from age three, and there are also several snow hills for sledding, in the middle of which is the longest toboggan slope in Norway, stretching 1800 meters. The children’s areas have celebrations and games, skiing competitions for the family, and an interactive treasure hunt. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Geilo visitors can stay in a modern hotel or in a historic-style lodging places, in the center of the city or closer to the resort.  Near the slopes there are four places to rent equipment, seven cafeterias, eleven restaurants, four spa centers, and snowkiting enthusiasts often come here.

 

Skiing Season: From November until April. 

How to get there: Busses go from Gardermoen airport in Oslo to Geilo. By car it can take three hours from Oslo, and three and a half hours from Bergen.

Website: www.geilo.no/vinter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kvitfjell Ski Resort-Skiing Schools in Norway

 

Kvitfjell is famous for having a great skiing school. From the end of February until the beginning of March, the World Cup downhill speed racing events take place here annually. Kvitfjell is one of the resorts of the Lillehammer Olympics, where a single ski pass is used. Kvitfjell has twenty six slopes and eleven lifts. Two snow parks and a trail for cross country skiing, a place to rent equipment, and one skiing school. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the children’s area, Kvitriket, fairy tale characters can be met as well as the Kvitfjell bear. Children can crawl through snow tunnels and ride on trails with small jumps. Children under the age of six can go to the childcare center Bamsebo.

 

Kvitfjell is best suited for a nice quiet family vacation close to nature. There are a few cafes, restaurants, and spas. In Lillehammer, it’s possible to go to Maihaugen, the open air historic museum, and also to enter the home of a Norwegian farmer, fisherman, or priest. In the Hunderfossen winterpark (located fifteen km from Lillehammer), it is possible to play ice bowling, ride a snow mobile, go snow rafting, or ice-climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skiing Season: From November until April.

How to get there: From Gardermoen airport in Oslo ride a bus or drive a car (Kvitfjell is located within 220 km north of Oslo). 

Website: www.kvitfjell.no

 

 

 

Norefjell Ski Resort

 

Norefjell Ski Resort is located 105 km from Oslo, it has the biggest vertical drop. There are twenty six slopes and thirteen lifts, ski school with three places for renting equipment, and three children’s areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skiing Season: From late November until mid-April. 

How to get there: From Oslo it takes one and a half hours to drive, busses run from Oslo to Norefjell.

Website: www.norefjell.com

 

Generally, children under the age of 6 get a helmet and ride for free, but are required to get a keycard from the main office to go out on the slopes. The price of the deposit for a keycard is the same for children and adults, which is added to the cost of the ski pass.

 

Discounts are often available with early reservations or online reservations from official websites of resorts and hotels.

 

Photo: visitnorway.com, kvitfjell.ru