Price: £1395 

 

Outline itinerary:

 

Day1: Fly to Norway and be met by the expedition organizer, drive to Bykle where we are accommodated until the ski tour begins. Receive a safety and itinerary briefing, followed by equipment issue.

 

Days 2-4: During your time with us, you’ll learn how to perform basic skiing manoeuvres, more than enough to get you adequately to the end of the expedition, about mountain hazards, avalanche awareness and rescue, interpreting weather patterns, packing a rucksack for an expedition, building a snow shelter and how to wax your skis. Nothing to be concerned about here, we don’t operate in avalanche zones, but we teach you the basic survival skills as part of our commitment to all fellow mountaineers!  

 

Days 5-7: There then follows the 3 day expedition:

 

Day 5: After a 40 minute drive we ski North onto the Hardangervidda for about 20 km, partly across a lake to the drop zone where the commandos were parachuted into; and mountain hut called Fjaerefithytte, which was the accommodation for the initial few days of the operation/infiltration stage, followed by preparation for the next day, dinner and a chat about our day and what lies ahead.

 

Day 6: A ski tour southwards to our next hut called Berunuten, which was the Saboteurs’ accommodation for several weeks, however, we ski on to an area where we will build a snow shelter or erect a tent if snow conditions are poor, in all about 12km that day.

 

Day 7: We will then exit the route after a 12km ski because the ‘Operation’ then split to the four winds in their laying up positions until they received the order to re group for the final infiltration and sabotage attempt, and prepare for our final infiltration. So on returning to Hovden by minibus, we then re pack our equipment, we even have time for a swim or visit local shops, have dinner and get a good sleep.

 

Day 8: We now begin our final infiltration at the Rjukan Fjellstue near Vemork, where we will receive a narrative from a good friend of the Heroes of Telemark, Torje Christiansen, who will explain in dramatic yet sensitively, how the operation was conceived and executed by selfless combatants who wanted to free their country from tyranny. After the talk, you will head into the back country, up a short hill to join the actual final infiltration route up to a vantage point, from where you will get a bird’s eye view of the former site of the Heavy Water Plant. This is a view that the saboteurs would not have seen as clearly, as they did the route in total darkness, as treacherous as it was! We then descend the steep path through the forest to the road, at which point we either cross it and into the forest once more to the gorge, or we are picked up by minibus and taken to the gorge and a presentation by the museum curator. Our tour ends there, but there is an opportunity to ski on to another mountain hut or try out dog sledding, ice climbing or alpine skiing on return to Bykle. In total, including travel to and from Bykle, the expedition lasts for 9 days.

​

HEROES OF TELEMARK EXTENDED EXPEDITION:

​

PRICE: £1555

​

This tour is for those who are looking for something different from the short tour on the Hardangervidda. Its ideal for military groups and uniformed services branches of colleges or university students. The is absolutely no previous experience required, just turn up fit and injury free with a strong heart eager to prove its worthiness on this historical a classic ski route.

 

We travel North for about 4 hours to our start point of Dyranut and ski due South East to Vemork and on the way we visit the famous Hellberg Hut.  It entails doing a 2 day fast track course in ski touring with all of the emergency and skiing skills training done on the Heroes of Telemark course, however, the extendedski tour phase is over easy terrain 'on the job' experience and training will take place after the second day's training at base camp in Bykle. The course lasts for 9 days and looks like this:

 

Day 1: Arrive at Bykle, issued with skiing equipment and receive a briefing on the expedition.

 

​

Day 2: Skiing and emergency skills training, covering around 8km.

 

Day 3: As for Day 2.

 

Day 4-10: Skiing from hut to hut, distances each day are 11km, 12km, 18km, 20km, 22km, 8km and finishing in Vemork, where we cross the infamous gorge that the German army were guarding the Heavy Water Plant.  Then we visit the museum and after that we return to Bykle, celebrate and the next day fly back to UK . 

​

Day 11: Fly back to UK.

 

Notes:

 

• Flight from UK to Norway is not included

• Transfers will be from Kjevik (Kristiansand) airport to Bykle in Setesdal

• Accommodation in communal cabins with 2 person rooms, shower, toilet, wood burning stove (wood provided) and self catering kitchen. There are plenty opportunities to have free tea and coffee from the dining room from breakfast until c11pm daily.

• Typically Norwegian local sourced food consisting of dinner on arrival, smorgasbord breakfast, self made packed lunch and thermos and dinner each day, except for when on expedition in the mountains when centralised meals will be prepared by your guide

• Skiing equipment, including skis, poles, boots and wax. There will also be emergency equipment such as a rope, satellite telephone, pulk (sledge) for emergency equipment, cooking pots, cooking gas, stoves, equipment repair kit, first aid kit and spare ski poles.

• Lectures each evening on mountain hazards, weather, avalanche awareness and rescue, emergency shelter construction

• Maps if required.

• Skiing instructor/guide for each day including the expedition.

• BASI skiing certificate for those who hold the pre requisites. Please contact us for personal advice.

• GoAdventure1 achievement certificate, for those seeking Continuous Professional Development accreditation.

• Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is Adventure Travel in a remote mountain region, we cannot guarantee it. Weather conditions, road conditions, vehicle breakdowns and the health of climbers can all contribute to changes. The Expedition Leader and our local agent will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but an easy going nature will be an asset!

 

Not included:

 

• Flight to Norway

• Transfers in UK

• Any over the counter beverages or food

• Food for the night in the snow hole or tent, for which dinner, breakfast and lunch is required; you will be given the opportunity to source meals from the local shops

• Personal travel and activity insurance  

 

Dates available: Please ask for a bespoke package.

​