Bikepacking in Valdres — routes, accommodation and tips
Everything you need for bikepacking in Valdres. The Milky Way, Valdres–Jotunheimen and the Valdresrunden with accommodation, equipment and practical tips for multi-day trips.
Valdres is one of Norway's best bikepacking landscapes. High mountains, long gravel roads, little traffic and a chain of mountain lodges and accommodations make it possible to plan multi-day routes without a tent if you want. Here are the three best bikepacking routes in the region.
Er Valdres bra for bikepacking?
Ja. Valdres har over 400 km med grusveier og skogsbilveier, fjellstuer langs de viktigste rutene og lite trafikk. Mjølkevegen (250 km, 4–5 dager) er Norges mest populære bikepacking-rute. Du trenger ikke telt — overnatting er tilgjengelig langs hele ruten.
Route 1: The Milky Way — 250 km, 4–5 days
The Mjølkevegen is Norway's flagship bikepacking route. The route runs from Vinstra (Gudbrandsdalen) to Gol (Numedal) via the rolling countryside of Valdres and is 90% gravel.
Fact
- Distance: 250 km
- Altitude: 3200 m total
- Difficulty: Medium (no technical sections, but cumulative load)
- Recommended bike: Gravel (38–45 mm) or hardtail MTB
- Take thermal underwear and wool socks if the weather is cold, as well as a towel for after showering.
4-day breakdown:
Accommodation: Mountain lodges and hotels along the entire route. Book well in advance for July–August. Mysusæter Fjellstue, Skåbu Fjellhotell and Vaset Fjellhotell are popular stops.
Transport: Train/bus to Vinstra (NSB from Oslo, 2.5 hours). Bus home from Gol (NSB/NOR-WAY).
Route 2: Valdres–Jotunheimen — 3–4 days
An epic route from Fagernes to the national park via Beitostølen, Valdresflya and Tyin.
Fact
- Distance: approx. 180 km
- Altitude: 2800 m
- Difficulty: Demanding — long climb, exposed high mountain
- Recommended bike: Gravel with 40+ mm tires
- Season: July–August (roads above 1300 m open late)
3-day breakdown:
Tip: The Tyin–Bessheim road is partly private — check opening hours with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. Alternatively, take Rv55 to Lom.
Route 3: Valdresrunden — 200 km, 3 days
A loop that starts and ends in Fagernes and circles the entire Valdres region.
Day 1: Fagernes → Aurdal → Etnedal (65 km, gravel and asphalt) Day 2: Etnedal → Tislei → Gol → Hemsedal (75 km, coarser gravel) Day 3: Hemsedal → Filefjell → Vang → Fagernes (60 km, country road and gravel)
The route covers all the faces of Valdres: cultural landscapes, Stølsdalen, mountain passes and the proximity of the Vestlandsfjord over Filefjell.
Bikepacking equipment in Valdres
Hva pakker man på bikepacking i Valdres?
For 3–5 dagers bikepacking i Valdres uten telt: handlebar bag (5–8 L), frame bag (4–6 L) og sadelbag (10–16 L). Total bagvekt 6–10 kg. Med fjellstuer langs ruten trenger du ikke sovepose — ta med ull-underlag. Vannfiltreringspenn er lurt for høyfjell-etapper.
Mandatory
- Tubeless tires (gravel and rocks are hard on tubes)
- At least 3 spare hoses + chain tool
- Offline maps (Komoot) — mobile coverage is poor in the high mountains
- Waterproof luggage packing (without a bag: everything gets soaked)
- Windbreaker + warm midlayer — temperature varies 15°C between valley and mountain
Recommended bags:
- Apidura, Restrap or Ortlieb — all can withstand Norwegian rain
- Avoid cheap Chinese bags on long trips — the clasps and seams fail.
Practical info
Water: Clean mountain water from streams throughout Valdres. Filter or boil water from pastures where there are livestock.
Food: The mountain lodges serve dinner and breakfast (400–600 NOK/day). Bring your own snacks — shops are rare between the valley tops.
Mobile coverage: Good in the valleys, absent above 1200 m. Download offline maps and routes before departure.
Emergencies: Always tell someone about your route. The Help 113 app sends your GPS location.
Check Mjølkevegen.no for updated mountain lodge bookings and GPX tracks.