– Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? There are many valleys that are claimed to be “Norway’s most beautiful”. Vengedalen Valley is one of them. What is certain is that the Vengedalen is right up there in the lead.
Vengedalen, or Venjesdalen as the Mapping Authority in Norway calls it, is one of several side valleys in Isfjorden in Romsdal. The nature experiences are there for everyone, whether you choose to walk, cycle or drive along the road into the valley, or to experience the valley from all the mountains that lie there like pearls on a string.
Visit Northwest
Visit Northwest is the official destination company for the Romsdalsfjord, Romsdal and Nordmøre area.
Hotels and accommodation in and near Åndalsnes
The area at and around Åndalsnes in Romsdal has a large selection of hotels and other accommodation options.
About season and other important information
GUIDE – We recommend you to join a Guided Tour on hikes in Vengedalen.
SEASON FOR HIKES IN AND AROUND VENGEDALEN – Mid July to mid September, these are approximate dates that depends on the weather, temperature and the amount of snow in the mountains.
SAFETY IN THE MOUNTAINS – You should follow the Norwegian Mountain Code when hiking in Norway. It can change from summer and sunny weather to winter and frost in minutes! Always check the Weather Forecast before you go hiking. For safety reasons it is recommended to avoid hiking in Thunderstorms, in fog, in bad weather and when it is snow and ice on the trail and in the terrain! Always bring good clothes and hiking shoes. And have enough food and water in your rucksack.
Vengedalen – A playground for those who love beautiful nature
Vengedalen has been a favorite destination for both locals and tourists since the dawn of time. It is primarily the sport of climbing that has put Vengedalen in Isfjorden on the map of Norway.
The Dane Carl Hall together with the local guides Erik Norahagen and Mathias Soggemoen thought they were the first to reach the top of Mt Romsdalshorn (1550 masl) in the year 1881. But they got a surprise when they saw the cairn that had already been built on top of the mountain. It turned out that the rumors were true, that Romsdalshorn had been climbed before. As early as in 1828, Kristian Hoel from Gausdal and Hans Bjermeland from Vestnes had climbed Romsdalshorn.
Since then, many have climbed Mt Romsdalshorn and the neighboring mountain Vengetind and most of the other mountains that surround Vengedalen. The English pioneer and perhaps one of the biggest “influencers” of that time, William Cecil Slingsby, had climbed Mt Store Vengetind a few days before Carl Hall climbed Romsdalshorn.
Regardless of who was first up on Romsdalshorn, it is Arne Randers Heen (1905 – 1991) from Isfjorden who is the “King of Romsdalshorn”. He climbed “his” mountain, Romsdalshorn, a total of 233 times. Today, Arne Randers Heen has his own museum at Norsk Tindesenter in Åndalsnes. There you can experience the whole story of Heen and about climbing in Romsdal, then and now. Norsk Tindesenter is built from the legacy of Arne Randers Heen with his photos and extensive collections from his life as a mountaineer and climber.
Vengedalen – where the Romsdalseggen hike starts
The Traditional Pasture Farming in Norway was inscribed in the UNESCO Heritage list on December 4, 2024. A great example of traditional pasture farming in Norway is exactly the old pastures in Vengedalen.
Although the mountain dairies are no longer in operation, sheep spend the summers in Vengedalen. There they maintain the beautiful cultural landscape around the old mountain dairies, to the delight of all those who visit Vengedalen.
Today, Vengedalen is best known for being the starting point of the Romsdalseggen hike. In the season there is a bus from Åndalsnes to Vengedalen. In the high season, there are several bus departures every day. You can book bus tickets online.
We recommend you to take the Romsdalseggen bus from Åndalsnes to Vengedalen because it sometimes can be difficult to park in Vengedalen. The Romsdalseggen hike starts close to the parking lot at Vengedalssetra (380 masl). There are also toilet facilities at the parking lot at Vengedalssetra which are open during the summer season.
Another popular hike is the hike to Mt Litlefjellet. Litlefjellet is a mountain ridge that runs between Mt Romsdalshorn and Blånebba. The hike to Litlefjellet is a short hike where the prize is a fantastic view of famous mountains such as Trollveggen, Romsdalshorn, Vengetind and Blånebba. Here you can see straight down to the Romsdalen valley and the Rauma river, and on the horizon you can see all the way to Åndalsnes and the Romsdalsfjord. The hike up to Litlefjellet takes around 30 minutes, and is a nice alternative to the more demanding hike over Romsdalseggen.
Other popular hiking destinations in the area around Vengedalen are Lake Hurrungvatnet, Mt Blånebba, Mt Storhesten and Mt Litlehesten. We recommend that you use guide services on many of the mountain, climbing and skiing trips in Vengedalen and in the Isfjorden and Åndalsnes area.
Lake Vengedalsvatnet is popular to visit in the summer. Many choose to have a picnic down by the lake, which has Mt Romsdalshorn and Trollveggen as backdrops. It doesn’t get more beautiful than this.
The names of some places has sometimes many different spellings. This applies to Vengedalen and several of the mountain peaks that surround the valley. Vengedalen is officially called Venjesdalen, this name is used in maps and in official descriptions. Officially, it is also called Venjesdalssetra, Venjesdalsvegen, Venjesdalsvatnet and Venjetinden. Litlefjellet is also spelled in many different ways. This page consistently uses Venge…
Below are some pictures from Vengedalen and the mountains that surround the valley. Vengedalen, Lake Vengedalsvatnet, Litlefjellet, Blånebba and Romsdalseggen are some keywords.
The road to Vengedalen
The Vengedalsvegen road starts in Liabygda in Isfjorden, it is approximately 2.5 kilometers up to Vengedalssetra. Vengedalsvegen is a toll road. The road from Liabygda up to Romsdalshorn is approximately 10 kilometers long, some parts of the road are gravel road.
The road is plowed up to Vengedalssetra in the winter, but is winter closed from Vengedalssetra and further up to the end of the road which is at the foot of the mountain Romsdalshorn.
The Romsdalseggen hike starts from Vengedalen
Romsdalseggen in Romsdal has in short time become one of the most popular hikes in Norway. The hike starts in the Vengedalen Valley in Isfjorden and ends in the city center of Åndalsnes.
The view from the Romsdalseggen ridge is fantastic, you can see mountains like Romsdalshorn, Vengetind and the Troll Wall (Trollveggen) around you.
You can see straight down to the Romsdalen Valley, and if you turn 180 degrees you will see the Romsdalsfjord and all the way out to the Atlantic Coast.
Romsdalseggen is a challenging hike. We recommend you to join a Guided Hike. Norsk Tindesenter at Åndalsnes organizes Guided Hikes over Romsdalseggen.
The prize is a fantastic view over the Romsdalen Valley and the Romsdalsfjord. From Romsdalseggen you can actually see all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Hike to Mt Litlefjellet in vengedalen
Drive about seven kilometers along Vengedalsvegen road, past Lake Vengedalsvatnet.
You see the mountain ridge Litlefjellet on the right, and you can also see the trail that goes up the side of the mountain ridge.
The starting point is signposted, and there is also room for a few cars to park along the road, near where the trail starts.
It takes around 30 minutes to hike up to Mt Litlefjellet, a mountain ridge (660m – 790 masl) between Mt Romsdalshorn and Blånebba.
From Litlefjellet there is a fantastic view down to the Romsdalen Valley and the surrounding mountains like Trollveggen, Romsdalshorn, Vengetind and Blånebba. You can also see the beautiful Rauma river down in the Romsdalen Valley, meandering down to Åndalsnes by the Romsdalsfjord.
Venjesdalsbu – The DNT-Cabin in Vengedalen (Norwegian Text only)
Venjesdalsbu is a DNT cabin located near the parking lot at Vengedalssetra. It is an unattended cabin with 12 beds, the cabin is locked with a DNT key. The cabin must be booked in advance, and you must be a member of DNT and have a DNT key to use the cabin. You must bring your own bedding and food and drinks, and you must also clean the cabin after use so that it is ready for the next visitors.
Isfjorden at the innermost part of the Romsdalsfjord
Isfjorden is a village at the innermost part of the Romsdalsfjord, close to Åndalsnes. From Isfjorden there are easy arrivals to the surrounding valleys and mountains which are great for adventures and activities.
Randonnée and Telemark skiing, hiking and rock climbing are popular activities for those visiting Isfjorden.
Some of Norway’s most famous mountains are located in Isfjorden and nearby. Mt Romsdalshorn, Trollveggen, Vengetind, Blånebba, Juratind, Kirketaket and Torshammeren are some of them. Romsdalseggen is one of Norway’s most famous mountain hikes, the hike starts from Vengedalen in Isfjorden. The fjord also invites you to adventures and activities; fishing trips, rib boat safari, kayaking and swimming in idyllic surroundings. The rivers Isa and Glutra are great rivers for salmon and trout fishing.
NOTE – For various reasons, rivers may be closed for fishing for all or parts of the season at short notice.
We recommend that you use guide services in the mountains when hiking, climbing and skiing in the area around Isfjorden and Åndalsnes.
Romsdalsfjord – What to See and Do
From snowy mountains to beautiful coastline of islands and reefs. Experience all this in one day due to the short distance from mountains to coast.
Trollstigen, The Troll Wall, Romsdalseggen, Rampestreken and Litlefjellet are great places to visit in the inner part of the Romsdalsfjord, where the fjord meets the spectacular and alpine Romsdal mountains.
Drive to the viewpoint Varden at 407 masl and take in the spectacular Molde Panoramic View towards the Romsdalsfjord and the 222 snowcapped mountains. Ona Island and Ona Lighthouse, The Atlantic Road and Midsundtrappene are attractions facing the Atlantic Ocean.
Travel green to Åndalsnes with Rauma Railway, a wild, beautiful and unique experience regardless of season. From Åndalsnes Railway Station, you can walk straight from the train and over to the Romsdal Gondola that takes you up to the city-mountain Mt Nesaksla and Eggen Restaurant.
From Mt Nesaksla you have a fantastic view towards Isfjorden, down to the Romsdalsfjord and up towards the Romsdalen Valley which you have just experienced from the train ride along the Rauma Railway. The Romsdalsfjord is located in the county of Møre og Romsdal, north in Western Norway.
Accommodation in Vengedalen
DNT-hytta Venjesdalsbu (Norwegian Text Only)
Hotels and accommodation in and near Åndalsnes
The area at and around Åndalsnes in Romsdal has a large selection of hotels and other accommodation options.
Åndalsnes and Isfjorden are the largest towns in the area, which lies deep in the Romsdalsfjord.
There is a large selection of different types of accommodation, from great hotels and campsites to cozy houses and cabins with fantastic fjord views. Here you can see a list of places to stay in the area around Åndalsnes and at the inner part of Romsdal.
Åndalsnes and Romsdal – Useful Links
Online Booking Romsdalseggen Bus
Romsdal.com – Hiking Guide to the mountains in Romsdal
Norsk Tindesenter at Åndalsnes
Isfjorden in Romsdal
Fjords.com – Åndalsnes in Romsdal
Fjords.com – Trollstigen in Romsdal
Fjords.com – Trollveggen in Romsdal
Fjords.com – The Romsdalsfjord
Fjords.com – Romsdalseggen
Fjords.com – Romsdal Gondola
Fjords.com – Romsdalstrappa and Rampestreken
Fjords.com – Rauma Railway
