Is Beitostølen the World’s MOST VERSATILE Family Ski Resort?

Hurtling down a mountain in an inflatable raft isn’t the first thing that might spring to mind as something you’d experience on a ski holiday.

Nor is airboarding on immaculately groomed pistes under bright Norwegian moonlight, an activity which involves you, an inflated board, two handles and the force of gravity. Yet these are just two of the incredible activities that winter tourists can enjoy in the compact, but perfectly formed, Scandinavian ski resort of Beitostølen.

It was the non-commercial feel and warm atmosphere that really stood out during our company visit in March. The man responsible for upholding Beitostølen as family-run resort for family skiing is Atle Hovi; with a genuine, huge smile never leaving his face, he’s a man that’s bursting with pride and enthusiasm for the resort he calls home, and quite rightly too.

Beitostølen Skiers
Smiles all round

It was his late father, Steiner, who established the ski area in 1965 on what was then no more than a hill with snow. “My father planted a sign saying ‘ski school’ at the bottom of the mountain and waited to see what happened.” he says. “When people signed up, they needed somewhere to hire boots, so he set up a rental shop. Not long after they wanted somewhere to stay, which is when the first lodge opened. And so it continued, as naturally as that.”

From those humble beginnings, Beitostølen has grown to be one of the leading ski resorts in Norway. As well as ample downhill terrain, the resort also boasts world-class cross-country facilities, hosting both the FIS Cross-Country and Biathlon World Cups, and was awarded Norway’s Best Cross-Country Ski Resort in 2012. Yet it’s never forgotten its roots and is one of the most informal and relaxed ski resorts you may ever visit.

Who is Beitostølen's terrain ideally suited to?

The terrain is absolutely PERFECT for beginners and cautious intermediates. There are two ski areas serviced by nine lifts overlooking the Øyangen Lake. The main village base services the east side of the valley, Beitostølen Skisenter. Runs here are undulating, wide and, most importantly, quiet. For some of our group it was only their fourth day on skis, but they loved Beitostølen’s unintimidating, safe and quiet runs, which they could repeat at their own pace and without a lift queue in sight.

Beitostølen Empty Slopes
Catching the first lift is no problem at all

A shuttle bus runs between the main village base and Beitostølen Alpinsenter, which the locals refer to as Raudalen. The terrain here is a little more challenging, with some excellent off piste and black runs. Conditions were absolute magic the day we skied it; freshly groomed runs and fresh tracks were ours for the taking. Our guide Patrik let us into his secret for keeping flexible; on-piste yoga. Whilst not an official activity in resort (yet!), we couldn’t help but be impressed by his acrobatic skills and he inspired some of the group to have a go.

Beitostølen Handstand Competition
Rich takes on our guide Patrik in a headstand competition

A stone's throw away

Accommodation is all within walking distance of the resort’s 13 restaurants and 16 shops. From modern hotels with stunning views and a fun après bar (3*+ Radisson Blu Resort) to traditional ski-in, ski-out lodges with log burners and up to seven bedrooms (3* Bergo Cabins), nothing is more than a few steps away.

Beitostølen Walking on the Slopes
No shuttle required

With places to eat mere moments from the lodging and conveniently located supermarkets to pick up either just the essentials or a full week’s shop depending on your catering option, the appeal for families who want convenience on their ski holiday is huge. We were particularly thankful for the superb doorstep facilities; our two day visit wasn’t quite as long as the average visitor’s stay!

A new dawn; a new activity

There really is so much to do as far as winter experiences go in Beitostølen, setting it apart from a perhaps a more ‘traditional’ family ski holiday in the Alps, which is generally about the skiing alone.

Beitostølen Lavvu
Warming up in a Lavvu

On the official list of things to do? You can experience Norway’s unspoilt, tranquil landscapes on a Husky Dog tour, or angle for carp and perch Ice Fishing on a frozen lake. During certain times in the season catch a movie on the giant outdoor film screen; Atle and his team thought it appropriate to show their own screening of Frozen, much to the delight of the movie’s producers Disney, who sent a hand-written letter to the resort thanking them for it.

On the unofficial programme, those feeling competitive can take up Atle on his 1000 Kroner downhill speed challenge; make it down the mountain before he does and he’ll hand you nigh-on £100 from his own wallet. However, he remains largely unbeaten, “I’ve only had to pay up once!” he disclosed.

Every day, guests can enjoy a complimentary activity hosted by the resort; if you’re staying a whole week you can experience them all. Mondays are reserved for group ski lessons, running three times a day at 9:30am, 11am and 1pm. Whilst it’s a superb way of familiarising yourself with the ski area, to really progress we’d recommend booking either a few more group lessons with the excellent ski school, or alternatively private ski lessons. Tuition here is of an incredibly high standard, with friendly instructors who speak English perfectly.

In 2001, Atle wanted to find a suitable use for the resort’s inflatable boats used in summer for river rafting , and snowrafting was something not many other resorts could offer guests. With the help of the rafting team who swapped life jackets for ski jackets, they carved a shallow half-pipe on an off-piste, gentle slope and almost fifteen years on, snowrafting is now Beitostølen’s number one activity.

Beitostølen Snowrafting
Snowrafting in Beitostølen

We were taken by snow scooters a few minutes’ ride to Winter Camp, the launch pad for the snow rafts. The scooter which takes you up mountain is then used to give the snow raft its starting push down the mountain. In seconds, the raft had most of us howling with side-splitting laughter, repeated later on inspecting the post-ride positions of some of the passengers, as captured on camera by non-rafting onlookers). Between rides, we warmed up inside a Laavo, a Norwegian Tee Pee, wrapping ourselves in reindeer skins and helping ourselves to delicious and warming blackcurrant toddy being heated on the open fire.

Another thrilling, but perhaps counter-intuitive, experience offered is Air Boarding. Usually when skiing the aim is generally to keep your body off the floor, but with this activity, you are just inches off the ground. You'll hurtle downhill face-first, hoping your toes - used for both braking and steering - ensure you finish at a direct point at the piste end. In just a few goes, and with the assistance of snowmobiles taking us back uphill to the start point, we were picking up speeds of around 40 miles per hour, although not necessarily descending with any particular grace or skill!

Beitostølen Airboarding
Safety debriefing pre-airboarding

On our last morning in resort, the usually quiet and serene mountains were transformed by the enthusiastic, relentless barking of 400 excited husky dogs, there along with their two-legged mushers at the start of the Norway Trail International Sleddog Race. Beitostølen was host to the final two legs of the cross-mountain event in which 26 teams from across Europe participated.

Beitostølen Husky Race
Preparing the huskies

Getting there

With direct flights from the UK to Oslo Gardermoen, the resort is then a 3½ hour drive, either by hire car or private transfer. Although it’s a straight and seamless journey with minimal traffic, we’d recommend flying from Oslo on to Fagernes. The flight in the 19-seat aircraft takes 30 minutes and then it’s just 45 minutes by road to the resort. Plus you get great views of the area and the Valdres valley as you come in to land at Fagernes.

How much?

A 7 night self-catering stay for four people including accommodation, flights and scheduled shared transfers starts from just £435pp. 

Experience it for yourself

Book your Norway ski holiday now for the best price and choice of accommodation. Request a quotation online or call our ski specialists on 01273 224060.

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