Gjendesheim Tourist Lodge

Situated in the very heart of Jotunheimen right at the waterfront of magnificient lake Gjende, Gjendesheim Lodge offers a wide variety of activities, hikes, accommodation and local cousine.

The ferry to access the world famous Besseggen ridge hike leaves right outside the door. Accessible by car, Gjendesheim is an excellent base for adventures into Norway’s most iconic highland: Rafting at Sjoa river, Via Ferrata at Synshorn, world class trail biking and easy scrambling to Galdhøpiggen – the highest peak in Northern Europe.

Gjendesheim offers accommodation in basic rooms and dormitory. Our chef serves home-cooked food with focus on local ingredients like reindeer, trout, vegetables and spices.

Travel tips

Most guests stay at Gjendesheim Lodge to hike the Besseggen ridge, and it’s no wonder; Besseggen is fantastic, with its breathtaking nature and beautiful countryside. Besseggen is easily accessible and very popular. Many visitors walk the Besseggen ridge during high season, but there are plenty of days each year that you can experience its majestic nature in solitude. There are also plenty of other places to explore in the area.

Opening times

Winter Season: Usually from mid-February until the end of Easter.
Summer Season: Normally from mid-June until the first week in October.

Accommodation

Gjendesheim Lodge has 185 beds, split between 1, 2 and 4-bed rooms. There are also dormitories. The lodge is adapted for disabled visitors, with first-floor access in the main building and a new toilet and bedroom in the accommodation centre.

Dining

Good local food is an important part of any trip. The lodge serves local cuisine made from locally-sourced produce, traditional regional dishes and food delivered from local suppliers.

Eco-Lighthouse

Eco-Lighthouse is a national environmental certification scheme for quality assurance and holistic environmental solutions. The lodge is certified in accordance with the environmental requirements for running of a lodge.

Getting there

Summer: take highway 51 from Valdres over Beitostølen and Valdresflye. There’s a daily bus from Galleriet bus terminal, Oslo most of the summer. Drive from Otta or Sjoa in Gudbrandsdal valley via Randsverk and Sjodalen. Take the train from Trondheim / Oslo to Otta and a daily bus service runs most of the summer to Gjendesheim.

Winter: Highway 51 is closed from Beitostølen to Gjendeosen, so the only way to get there is to drive highway 51 from east (Vågå or Heidal).

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