PinayOdyssey

There is only one word to describe the Kvitåvatn Fjellstoge (mountain lodge) in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Rjukan in Telemark – “Wow!” It is situated 945 meters above sea level, with fantastic views of the Kvitåvatn lake and Gaustatoppen, the highest mountain in southern Norway. Last summer, the participants of the University of Oslo International Summer School excursion to Telemark (that includes me!) enjoyed staying in the lodge to get a good night’s rest and to enjoy some of the activities they offer.

The road to the lodge was peaceful, with amazing views of the ragged terrain of the hills and mountains in the region. My first impression of the place was that it’s a perfect hiking place, where people can go to find peace and quiet and to soul-search. I spotted several hikers actually, in their usual Norwegian fleece jackets, sports tights and walking sticks. It was summer but there were traces of winter left, or perhaps, snow doesn’t really leave the highly elevated land completely.

The Kvitåvatn Fjellstoge is open all year round. They have both summer and winter activities. In summer, visitors can go canoeing and rowing, swimming and fishing in the lake, and/or hiking or walking in the surrounding mountains and valleys, like Gaustatoppen (1,883 m), Heddersfjell (1,461 m), Toreskyrkja (1,364 m) and Ornenipa (1,333 m). In winter, the place is perfect for skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing! See the rates here.

After dinner, we were given some free time to explore the place. Some of us went canoeing, others went swimming. Some stayed in their rooms to play instruments and nap. As for me, I took the opportunity to explore the area a bit. Interestingly, they’ve placed signs containing biological description of certain plant and animal species found there.

Not far from the lodge is the perfect spot to take photos! The hidden bank of the lake offers an amazing view of Gaustatoppen and the lake. I would love to hike the mountain, where it is possible to take a cable car as well, but it was late and we were leaving very early the following day. The mountain is about 5 kms away from the lodge. So, I just took lots of photos to my heart’s content. 😉 Later on, some of my schoolmates reached the place and together, we enjoyed making memories thru photos and friendly conversations.

The mountain lodge is a sight to behold as well! Lovely cabins to spend your holidays in? I find no reason, null, to say no to this:

The mountain lodge offers full board and lodging for minimum five days. Read more about the cabins here. Dormitories, which can accommodate up to five people in a room, are also available. I’d definitely would want to go back and stay in the lodge again to experience more of the surrounding mountains and valleys, especially Gaustatoppen! But for now, this is all. 🙂 Our next stop in the next entry.. Cheers to beautiful Norwegian mountains and mountain lodges! 😉 #spreadlove