Guide: Explore Hafjell

Where to stay

Where you stay in Hafjell shapes the first hour of every day. Choose between the alpine base, the meeting point at Mosetertoppen, the quieter cross-country landscape higher on the mountain or a lower base near Lillehammer.

• Mosetertoppen is for groups who want alpine and cross-country skiing close to the same base. Our hosts like being able to head in different directions in the morning, then meet again at Favn, the ski stadium or back at the cabin. A shop, sports store and places to eat keep the practical side close too.

• Hafjell base and Gondoltoppen suit travellers who want lifts, lessons and rental to set the rhythm. Stay here when the alpine day comes first, or when some of the group would rather take the gondola up for lunch and a mountain view.

• Pellestova and Øyerfjellet are for quieter days on cross-country skis. The landscape opens higher on the mountain, with trails leading between birch forest, wide views and places to pause before turning home.

• Øyer and Lillehammer work well when the holiday should include more than skiing. A lower base keeps shops, cafés, Maihaugen and the old town within reach, with Hafjell a drive away when the mountain calls.

Where to eat

In Hafjell, lunch can be the reason for choosing a route. Our hosts often plan the day around a particular mountain table, then let the skiing happen on the way there.

• Skavlen at Gondoltoppen is for coffee, cake and lunch with Gudbrandsdalen spread out below. Take the gondola if you want the view without making skiing the whole day.

• Favn is the easy meeting point at Mosetertoppen. Hosts mention it for lunch, pizza and dinner — especially when half the group has been on the alpine slopes and the other half on cross-country skis.

• Pellestova is the classic pause on a longer trail day. Arrive on skis, stay for something warm and decide over lunch whether to turn back or continue into Øyerfjellet.

• Rakkelhanen is one of the smaller names our hosts point to for coffee close to Mosetertoppen. Check its current opening days, then keep it in mind for the kind of stop that does not need to take over the day.

What to do

Hafjell is at its best when the holiday makes room for more than one pace.

• Start with an alpine day. Families can stay near the gentler areas, while experienced skiers follow the mountain towards its Olympic terrain.

• Give cross-country skiing its own morning. From Mosetertoppen, choose a shorter loop or follow the tracks towards Pellestova with lunch as the turning point.

• Spend a day in Lillehammer. Visit Maihaugen, wander the town centre and let coffee replace the usual lift queue.

• Try one of the region’s Olympic winter experiences, such as bobsleigh or tobogganing, when the group wants a story that does not begin on skis.

• Come home early on purpose. Several of our handpicked cabins have a sauna, fireplace or hot tub made for the hour when gloves are drying and dinner has not started yet.

Where to wander

The quieter side of Hafjell often begins just beyond the most obvious route.

• Walk through Lillehammer’s old streets, then continue to Maihaugen for timber buildings, winter light and a glimpse of life in Gudbrandsdalen beyond the resort.

• Stay close to the Mosetertoppen ski stadium at the end of the day. Hosts mention the local rink and sledding as simple ways to keep children outside a little longer.

• Pause at Gondoltoppen before taking the gondola down, with Gudbrandsdalen opening below and the busiest part of the ski day behind you.

Inspiration for your next escape

Hafjell makes it possible to share a winter holiday without sharing every hour. One person can take the gondola. Another can follow the tracks into Øyerfjellet. Someone else can stay with a book and watch the mountain through the window.

The right base brings those days back together: skis by the door, something warm on the table and enough room to choose tomorrow’s direction after dinner.

Explore Landfolk’s handpicked holiday homes in Hafjell.