Trip Report: Rediscovering the Joys of Skiing in Norway

After four seasons of aborted ski trips, I was a bit nervous about returning to the slopes in Norway back in March. I only say 'a bit' as I know from experience that confidence-building is something Norway does well!

I was joined by Maggie, Sarah and Claire, who also hadn't skied for a few years, and Zara and Phoebe who were visiting Norway for the first time.

The order of the resorts on our mini road trip couldn't have been better, from finding our legs in unintimidating Beitostølen to cruising all over sunny Geilo to off-piste turns in fresh snow in Norefjell.

Although this isn't a trip our customers typically do, it is possible if you're happy to self-drive and all three resorts are more than perfect for a single-centre ski trip.

For more information or a tailor-made quotation, enquire online or call our ski specialists on 01273 224060.

It wasn't just skiing that I was rediscovering on this trip - this was my second visit to beginner and family-favourite Beitostølen, having first visited way back in 2015 during my first season at Ski Safari.

The resort has undergone a lot of development in the past eight years, most notably in the village which is now more built up with new and renovated apartments and new bars and restaurants. Beitostølen hasn't lost its cosy, compact feel (everything's still within a 5 minute walk) but it has certainly upped its game.

The 2022 Bithorn Express is the biggest on-mountain improvement, increasing uphill capacity from the base and adding a new reason to keep lapping the red runs on that side of the resort. One of the only queues you'll find in Beitostølen is for the bright pink chair covered in flowers, dedicated by Atle and Bjørnar Hovi to their mum, Berit.

What definitely hadn't changed since my last visit was the wide, gentle, uncrowded slopes and the fantastic non-ski activities, and it was a real treat to have another go at 'snow rafting' on our first evening after the three hour drive from Oslo airport.

Snow rafting is one of the many varied and often unique activities in Beitostølen, making it ideal for a first winter experience. It's not the most extensive ski area, but you won't get bored with so much more to do. Take a look at our resort guide for more recommendations!

The last time I visited, the options for eating and drinking were pretty limited, so it was great to sample some of the resort's newest food and drink offerings in the evening, starting with some lively après at the slopeside Lodge900. Don't believe the myth that après is relaxed in Scandinavia, more people were dancing on the tables than off! The smart restaurant, bar & nightclub sits right at the base of the slopes and is a great spot to enjoy good beer, good tunes and great sunset views over the surrounding mountains.

We then headed a few minutes down the road to Tappen Bar & Restaurant for dinner, another new establishment offering a varied menu with an Italian slant. The service was particularly welcoming and the decor was reminiscent of a ski lodge. We ended the evening with a nightcap at Bryggerihuset (the Brewery House), probably my favourite addition to Beitostølen. The owner opened it as he 'couldn't get a decent beer in Beitostølen' and after starting with just a couple of taps, it now has over 37 drafts and is one of a handful of Approved BrewDog DogDealers in Norway.

The next morning, after a hearty buffet breakfast at the 4* Radisson Blu Resort Beitostølen, the main hotel in the resort with lovely views and comfortable rooms, it was time to see if I still remembered how to ski.

All of the slopes are wide, gentle and uncrowded and other than one lift they all end up at the same base so it's almost impossible to get lost. With a lot of fresh snow and few people skiing it, the runs were in perfect condition and ideal for getting the hang of things again.

With not a single marked black run, Beitostølen is a bit limited for experienced skiers, but there is some fun to be had in the trees between pistes and lots of on-mountain interactive features to keep kids engaged and entertained.

With the combination of the terrain, activities and now the food and drink offering, I honestly can't think of a better resort for new or nervous skiers.

After a quick lunch back at Lodge900, it was time to hit the road and head to destination number two.

Geilo is not only one of our most popular resorts, it's one that customers return to year after year, and it's also the three-time winner of Norway's Best Ski Resort. So I was particularly excited to visit and find out what the fuss is all about.

Upon arriving at the 4*+ Vestlia Resort it all started to make sense. It's a truly luxurious hotel with beautiful wooden furnishings, relaxing rooms and a world-class spa, but it also caters superbly to families with a family pool, indoor play area, bowling alley and more. All set in a quiet location right by the slopes, ski hire shop and ski school.

As Ski Safari's sole vegan, I'm always a bit apprehensive in a country best known for its meat and fish dishes, but shortly after checking in I was tucking into a delicious three-course meal, and the breakfast buffet the next morning was full of options too. The range of dietary requirements in our group was more than well-catered for, so that's one less thing to worry about on a family ski holiday!

We didn't have enough time to properly sample the facilities, but when I return I'll be making a beeline for the spa and the bowling alley. I was also particularly impressed by the huge kid's playroom with slides, tunnels, ball pits and more. You'd happily pay for it in the UK, but it's included in your stay here.

With 21 lifts and 45 runs, Geilo is a step up in size from Beitostølen. While it's still ideal for beginners with three dedicated learning areas and more than 50% green and blue runs, intermediates are better catered for here.

On our flying visit, we managed to ski almost every lift but only a fraction of the runs, and there were a few I could have happily kept on lapping. The sun was shining, the grooming was immaculate and the slopes were almost empty. The resort is split across two sides of a valley, with the easiest terrain on the Vestlia side (where you'll also find the 4* Geilolia Forest Cabins). We spent most of our time over on the Geiloheisen side - it's just 10 minutes by a regular shuttle bus from right outside the Vestlia - we never waited more than 5 minutes!

A great feature for mixed-ability groups is that all the lifts have runs with a range of difficulties, so you can each take a different route down and meet back up at the bottom.

We stopped off for lunch at Havsdalskroa, serving hearty, healthy dishes in Havsdalen and also providing après entertainment on the weekends and in peak weeks.

We only had time for a few more runs in the sun-softened snow before we had to tear ourselves away for our final destination.

I don't count myself as a 'good' skier (it's hard to when you work with several ex-ski instructors and former seasonaires!), but I do absolutely love skiing in fresh snow and have no hesitations heading off-piste when the landing is nice and soft. So I couldn't hold back a smile when the snow started falling on the winding drive up to Norefjell, and it didn't stop the whole time we were there.

It was a bumper winter for snow in Norway, but Norefjell seemed to fare particularly well. From the pistes to the park to the trees, it was probably the most fun I've had skiing in Norway!

It's a resort of two halves, with the higher slopes mainly aimed at beginners and early intermediates, while the longer runs from mid-mountain down to the frozen lake below lean more towards steep blacks and challenging off-piste.

However, as with most resorts in Norway, you don't have to be an expert to enjoy the off-piste in Norefjell. Even on the green and blue terrain, it's easy to find untouched powder between the trees just off the pistes, perfect for giving it a go while still feeling safe.

Our base for two nights was the fantastic 4*+ Norefjell Ski & Spa, another customer favourite like the Vestlia in Geilo.

We were lucky enough to stay in a suite each, with a freestanding bathtub overlooking the mountains. Yes, we did push dinner back so that we had time for a bath! It's a terrific room for families with a spacious lounge, full kitchen and separate double room and bunk room.

It was another hotel that catered excellently for dietary requirements, with a different delicious three-course menu each night. The facilities were top-notch too. We didn't have time to try the epic-looking climbing wall in the lobby, but we did make good use of the games room, shuffleboard and of course the outstanding spa.

I would visit Norefjell just for the spa, it's that good. Set over two floors, there are plunge pools, saunas, foot baths, outdoor hot tubs and an outdoor infinity 'champagne' pool (named for the extra fine, almost fizzy, bubbles).

Back on the slopes and something that stood out was the range of on-mountain dining. Often in Scandinavia, most of the dining is found at the base, but in Norefjell it's spread out over the mountain.

We stopped in at the swanky Olympique for a drink - an upmarket bistro that wouldn't look out of place in the most luxurious of ski resorts - but opted for Skistua for our lunch. The goulash (meat, veggie and vegan available) is the star attraction but pizza and pasta dishes were also on offer.

It's always hard waving goodbye to a ski resort, but on our last morning we woke up to ~20cm of fresh snow and there's no way we were leaving that behind. We just managed to squeeze in another hour of skiing, making fresh tracks on every run, before a quick dash back to Oslo airport and home to the UK.

This short but sweet trip more than rekindled my passion for skiing and I'm now counting down the days until next winter and the adventures that await.

If you're considering a return to skiing after a bit of a break, I would highly recommend the three resorts above and Norway as a whole. If you're relatively new or particularly nervous then Beitostølen should be top of your list, while those looking for more of a challenge will need to make the hard decision between Geilo and Norefjell.

A huge thank you to all the resorts and Norway Home of Skiing for hosting and taking such good care of us.

Our team knows Norway better than anyone else and we're constantly topping up our knowledge. 17 of us skied in Norway this winter, so you can be assured that our advice is based on up-to-date personal experience. Read our other trip reports to find out where we've been skiing.

For a tailor-made quotation, enquire online or call our team on 01273 224060.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram for more advice, photos and videos from our team and customers.