Guide: Explore Hafjell

Where to stay

Some days are all about the first downhill run. Others call for cross-country tracks through the forest, a slow lunch and an afternoon back at the cabin. In Hafjell, choose your base around the skiing you enjoy most, then look for the little things that make coming home just as inviting: a fire, a sauna or a warm soak after a day in the snow.

• For downhill skiing from the door If alpine skiing comes first, look for a home with confirmed access to the slopes. This modern cabin in Storsteinlia sleeps six and offers ski-in/ski-out during the season. Warm wood interiors and a fireplace make it a cosy base between runs, and an outdoor hot tub gives you another reason to linger back at the cabin. Check snow conditions and hot-tub arrangements before your stay.

• For cross-country days and a sauna afterwards If you’d rather spend the morning following the tracks through the mountains, choose a cabin with cross-country trails close by. This mountain cabin near Hafjell sleeps eight and has cross-country skiing on the doorstep. Connecting trails to the alpine slopes are around 100 metres away, so the group can enjoy different kinds of skiing from the same base. Come home to a woodburning stove, board games and a sauna to warm up after the day’s adventures.

• For quieter mornings and mountain views A ski holiday can leave room for slow mornings, too. This cabin in Slåseterlia sleeps eight and sits at the quiet end of the cabin area, with large windows overlooking the valley and mountains. Make coffee from freshly ground beans, gather around the table and watch the light change outside. Its description also highlights ski access towards Hafjell, so a quieter setting needn’t mean giving up skiing. Check the route and conditions before heading out.

Choose the comforts you’ll enjoy coming home to, but check each home’s map and description for the practical details. Access to cross-country tracks is not the same as alpine ski-in/ski-out. Look at the route to lifts and children’s areas, whether you’ll need transport, and any arrangements or extra charges for a sauna or hot tub.

Explore handpicked holiday homes in Hafjell to find your base. The wider selection includes homes beyond the ski slopes, so check the location before choosing.

Where to eat

In Hafjell, good food is part of the ski experience. Our hosts often plan their ski route around where they want to stop for lunch, choosing slopes and trails that take them to a favourite restaurant, café or mountain spot along the way.

• Skavlen at the Gondola top is a good stop for coffee, cake or lunch, with views across Gudbrandsdalen below. Take the gondola up if you want to enjoy the mountain and the view without spending the whole day skiing.

• Favn is a natural meeting point at Mosetertoppen, right in the heart of the ski area. Stop here for pizza, lunch or dinner, then stay for a coffee or a drink while the others finish their run. It’s an easy choice when some of the group have been skiing alpine and others cross-country — everyone can meet back here.

• Pellestova is a mountain hotel and a classic stop for lunch on a longer cross-country ski day. Set high in the mountains, it’s a good place to warm up with a coffee, a waffle or a hearty stew with mashed potatoes and lingonberries before deciding whether to turn back or continue further into Øyerfjellet.

• Rakkelhanen is a small café and pub near Mosetertoppen, known as a cosy stop for coffee, drinks and something to eat. It’s the kind of place to keep in mind when you want a shorter break without going far from the trails. Check the current opening days before heading over.

What to do

Hafjell is at its best when there’s room for more than skiing. Spend the morning on the slopes, head out on the cross-country trails, or swap skis for a walk, a sauna or a quiet afternoon at the cabin.

• 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, the small town just below Hafjell. Visit Maihaugen, an open-air museum with more than 200 historic buildings, wander through the town centre and settle into one of its cosy cafés for coffee and something sweet.

• Try one of the region’s Olympic winter experiences, from bobsleigh rides to tobogganing. It’s a different way to experience the mountains and a good choice when the group wants a break from skiing.

• Come home early. Several of our handpicked cabins have a sauna, fireplace or hot tub — perfect for warming up while gloves dry and dinner gets started.

Where to wander

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

• Take a walk through Lillehammer’s old streets, where wooden houses, small shops and cafés make for an easy afternoon away from the slopes.

• Around Mosetertoppen, you can keep things simple after skiing. Take a short walk, stop by the local ice rink or bring a sled and let the children have one last run before heading home.

• Stop at Gondola Top for wide views across the Gudbrandsdalen valley. Towards the end of the day, it’s a good place to pause and take in the mountains before heading back down.

Inspiration for your next escape

A winter holiday in Hafjell doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. One person can take the gondola up for the first runs, another can head into Øyerfjellet on cross-country skis, while someone else stays behind with a book and a perfect view from the cabin.

Then come back together for dinner, a sauna or a quiet evening by the fire. The best days leave room for both doing your own thing and being together.

Explore Landfolk’s handpicked holiday homes in Hafjell.