Follow in the footsteps of the real 'Heroes of Telemark'.
Learn winter skills, including cross country skiing and snow shoeing, and arctic survival skills, from ex-military experts.
Experience Norwegian hospitality with stays in warm, cosy, family run hotels.
Ski from hut to hut on the challenging Hardangervidda plateau accompanied by a pack of Huskies.
Learn more about the history of the German occupation of Norway during the Second World War, and the brave resistance movement which helped defeat Hitler's atomic bomb programme.
Enjoy the stunning winter scenery of Norway - frozen lakes, spectacular sunsets, snowy mountains.
All the info you need
Trip Details
This Endeavour is much more than a winter expedition to Norway. This is an exceptional opportunity to pay homage to one of the greatest Special Forces sabotage operations of the Second World War, Operation Gunnerside, commemorated in the 1965 film ‘The Heroes of Telemark’.
In 1941, the British received intelligence from Norwegian resistance sources that the occupying Germans wanted to increase deuterium production, ‘heavy water’ in a hydrogen plant at Vermork. The Allies realised that heavy water was crucial to Nazi Germany’s nuclear ambitions as it was required for the production of an atomic reactor, which in turn would lead to the creation of an atomic bomb. London would be the first target, and this would, in all likelihood, lead to a German victory. Several Norwegian soldiers had fled to England after the German invasion of Norway, and they were recruited and trained by British and Norwegian military experts in covert sabotage techniques in Scotland. Training was critical as Vemork, described as a ‘natural fortress’, is located in the Hardangervidda, a high mountain plateau.
The first stage of the mission began in October 1942 when a small scout team codenamed Operation Grouse parachuted from a plane. They landed near the Vermork plant to gather intelligence and prepare for the attack group. A month later, Operation Freshman began, using 39 British air troops, but bad weather and communication issues led to the mission to attack the plant failing. Three months later, in February 1943, a small number of the specially trained Norwegian soldiers tried again, this time in an operation codenamed Operation Gunnerside. Ultimately this was successful, achieving the destruction of the plant and thwarting Nazi Germany’s atomic ambitions.
The trip is structured in three distinct phases, the Training Phase, the Expedition Phase and finally, the Operational Phase.
Trip Details
'Hei Norway!'
Depart from home countries, arriving into Oslo by 11 am. Transfer to the Setesdal Valley (Byglandsfjord), approx. 5-hour drive, with a briefing en route.
On arrival, before dinner, the team will prepare for the next day, being issued with and fitted with the required kit.
Accommodation and Meals
Hotel, Dinner
Specialist instruction in the Setesdal Valley
Over the next three days, you will be trained by specialist instructors in the Setesdal Valley, a specialist winter centre close to the regional centre of Evje. We will be fully immersed in training together for the expedition and operational phases of our ambitious adventure.
It will be intense, but you will learn crucial winter skills such as Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, general survival techniques, making basic improvised shelters such as quinzees (snow shelter), pulk (sledge) pulling and much more.
Training begins in the Høgås ski centre, where the trails are perfectly suited to the novice skier. As the team learns, they progress to more challenging terrain, culminating in trails almost 2000 feet above the valley.
On day 4, we will shop for our rations needed for the expedition phase on the Hardangervidda (budget provided) so we can pack these ready for tomorrow.
Talks and films will be held in the evenings to bring the mission alive and provide a great insight into this daring and spectacular secret mission.
Accommodation and Meals
Hotel. Breafast, packed lunch & dinner
Hardangervidda Plateau
Now it is time to put all the skills we have learned into practice!
We travel for four hours by minibus to the Hardangervidda, where we will be met by our Norwegian Snow scooter guides and husky team. We head to our accommodation for the night (either a Lavvo Hytte, wood cabin, or combination) near Songevatn Lake — the location of the parachute drop of the four operatives in Operation Grouse.
In the afternoon, we take a short acclimatisation ski to a memorial plaque dedicated to the saboteurs.
The following day, we retrace the Saboteurs’ footsteps skiing 12km to Berunuten Hytte. This is another one of the original Sabotage huts used by the saboteurs and the resistance movement during WW2. Part of the challenge in this phase is for the team to be self-sufficient and carry their own equipment and food supplies using rucksacks and pulling original WW2 Norwegian Army Pulks. Meals of dry rations will be carried and prepared by the team.
On the final day of the expedition phase the team will follow in the footsteps Norwegian Sabotuers to Valasjedalen Songe Dam (appriox)8 kms. We then continue on to Songekrysset (15km), escorted by Huskies. Here we meet the transport and transfer to Rjukan and prepare for the Operational phase.
Accommodation and Meals
Days 5 & 6 - traditional Lavvo (tent style dwellings used by the Sami people) - it is very basic in a dormitory style room. Day 7 will be full-board in a hotel.
Rjukan
We take the short drive to the starting point near Rjukan. Depending on snow conditions, the team will either ski or trek (snowshoes) for around four hours, following the exact final route taken by the saboteurs in February 1943 for Operation Gunnerside.
After completing this journey, the team has the opportunity to visit the museum at the former Hydro Electric plant at Vemork – a pilgrimage of sorts.
There will be time for some sightseeing in the town of Rjukan before heading back to our hotel for our final night together. After supper, the team will be presented with their Heroes of Telemark Diploma and can enjoy a well-deserved celebration.
Accommodation and Meals
Hotel, twin rooms. Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner (NB Packed lunches are self-made at breakfast)
Heading home with amazing memories
After breakfast we'll depart Rjukan to Oslo airport for our flight home. This will take approximately four hours in the minibus, please do not book your flights home until late in the afternoon to allow for this transfer.
Accommodation and Meals
N/A, breakfast
Trip Details
Trip Details
This is what is included.
This is what is excluded.
The maximum group size is 14.
The minimum group size is 10. You will be accompanied by highly qualified, specialised instructors and guides.
This is a demanding expedition, and conditions on the Hardangervidda can be brutal.
It is important that you are in good physical condition and have trained for this expedition. It requires endurance and strength. No prior skiing experience is necessary, as full training will be given.
It is a requirement of Tribal Tracks booking terms and conditions that each supporter must hold their own travel insurance, which covers the trip and the activities they are doing. Read more here.
We advise you to put insurance in place as soon as possible, ideally on booking so you are covered immediately. There have been instances where someone has signed up, broken their leg a few weeks later, and been deemed unfit to travel. If travel insurance were in place, the non-refundable deposit could be claimed back from the insurance policy. Without this, your money is lost.
Your insurance must be valid and in date, covering the entire period that you are travelling for, including the return journey home. It must cover medical and personal accident risks, and should include repatriation costs and air ambulance or helicopter rescue services, where appropriate.
We will need to know the travel insurance provider, your policy number and the 24 hour medical/emergency assistance number.
Tribal Tracks has 100% Financial Protection and has a trust account with the Protected Trust Service, member number 5566.
This means that all client monies paid to Tribal Tracks are held in our dedicated trust account, which is supervised by an independent trustee. This means that in the very unlikely event that Tribal Tracks ceases to trade, your money is safe. For more information, please visit this link. Any flights booked for you by Tribal Tracks will be ATOL-protected under our own ATOL certificate.
Tribal Tracks considers the safety of all of its participants and staff to be a top priority, and as such we have thorough safety systems in place.
In the event of an injury, we have an evacuation plan in place for all elements of the trek route. We do ask that you look after yourself during the trek in the following way, as this will help avoid unnecessary problems:
We know that the unexpected can happen.
While you are away, things can happen at home and people may need to get in contact with you. This can be tricky when you are in remote areas. So, shortly before departure, we provide you with an Emergency Procedure document to distribute to your nearest and dearest. This sets out how to contact Tribal Tracks and the steps Tribal Tracks will then take to get in contact with you.
It is really important that you are well prepared for your physical challenge and that you are confident that you will be able to fully participate.
Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely partake in the trek, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to step out of the trek. Although this is a very rare occurrence, by booking this trip you agree to section 11 of our Booking Conditions which clearly states that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these circumstances, we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.
At Tribal Tracks, Responsible Travel is enormously important to us, and our commitment to responsible travel is evidenced in every itinerary that we prepare.
Core to our business is the belief that holidays can and should be enjoyable to the traveller but should be conducted in a socially, environmentally and economically responsible manner which brings benefit to local communities. This is implemented through a variety of measures which can be found in our Responsible Travel policy. We encourage you to read this and to play your own part in travelling responsibly.
If you're not happy with something, please talk to the Tribal Tracks Leader. They are there to ensure your experience is as enjoyable as possible. They can only act on what they know, so please don’t be afraid to raise anything that needs addressing with them and certainly don’t wait until the end of the trip. If you’re travelling with a charity, someone from there will be on the trek too, if you’d feel more comfortable liaising through them.
If you are feeling unwell on this trek, tell your leaders and listen to their advice, they are professionals who will know the best course of action for you. If you need to be taken off the trek, or if there is an emergency, our experienced leaders and local guides carry phones and can call for help. No one will be left unaccompanied. If necessary, we hold details of your next of kin and travel insurance and will help organise next steps and onward arrangements.
Please inform us of any dietary requirements or allergies before you travel, and preferably at the time of booking and no later than 4 weeks prior to departure. We can cater to almost any diet, but only if we know about it beforehand.
For up-to-date vaccination information, please visit Travel Health Pro to see the most recent recommendations for your itinerary.
Although we are travel experts, we are not medical specialists, so we cannot explicitly recommend what vaccinations you should or shouldn't have. Always seek the advice of a medical professional if you are unsure. They will likely want to see a copy of your itinerary, and can then best advise whether they think an advised or 'to consider' vaccination is appropriate for you.
Please note that information on vaccinations can change at short notice.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) monitors all overseas destinations and offers advice to British citizens. In order to be fully informed of safety issues, crime rates, political stability and local customs you can view the advice here. We monitor FCDO advice carefully and may, on occasion, be required to cancel trips, reroute itineraries, or make other changes to trips based on the FCDO advice. Any decision will always be made in the interests of your safety and security and will be fully communicated to you.
If travelling with a child and only one parent is present, please be aware that you must have the permission of everyone with parental responsibility before that child can be taken abroad. You automatically have parental responsibility if you’re the child’s mother, but you still need the permission of anyone else with parental responsibility before you take the child abroad. A letter from the person with parental responsibility for the child is usually enough to show you’ve got permission to take them abroad. You might be asked for the letter at a UK or foreign border. The letter should include the other person’s contact details and details about the trip. If you are travelling with a child who has a surname different to your own, for example you are a single parent, you are advised to travel with evidence of your relationship (eg a birth certificate) and a divorce or marriage certificate if applicable. In other scenarios, for example, you are a grandparent taking your grandchild on a trip, or you are taking your child’s friend on a trip, you should be able to provide evidence that you have permission from the child’s parents to do this. You should also check the requirements of the country you are travelling to, as they may have additional specific requirements and the age limit up to which a person is considered a child may vary.
Trip Details
Trip Details
The trek is a challenge. We will be walking for a long time over sometimes challenging terrain with steep ascents and descents.
The best way to build endurance fitness is to start with some gentle walks and gradually build up both the distance and duration over the next few months. In the last 2 months, we would recommend to go out and do long days, ideally in the hills, to build up the strength in your legs. About a week before the trek, limit any training to short walks – you want to have fresh legs at the start!
For the trek you should be comfortable trekking between 6 - 8 hours per day, but remember we have all day to achieve the distances and will not be going at racing snake pace. It may sound obvious, but make sure that you are walking properly, hitting the ground with your heel first, then rolling onto your toe, which pushes you onto the next step (this will help reduce the risk of shin splints and tendon pulls). Walk with your head up, eyes forward and shoulders level.
It is a good idea to develop a level of cardiovascular fitness (exercising and strengthening your heart and lungs). This comes from running, cycling or swimming for between 20 minutes and an hour, and will really help develop your endurance fitness. Three sessions a week is normally advised, increasing time and distance over time.
Replicate conditions in training i.e., use all the kit you will be using and try your walking poles if you want to use them.
It is important to pack so that you know where everything is. Here at Tribal Tracks, we are big fans of separating kit into different packing cubes (compression ones are great), or even just individual plastic bags can really help with this.
You can pack by item (e.g., socks and pants in one cube, tops in another, waterproofs in another etc.) or by day, putting your entire outfit for that day together in one place. We recommend taking an extra bag or cube to separate the dirty kit from your fresh clothes, too.
You will have two bags on the trip - your main bag and your back pack.
You should operate on the basis that you will not have access to your main bag during the day and while you are trekking. This means that it is important to have everything you need in your back pack. Waterproofs should go in the bottom, together with an extra layer, sunscreen and sunglasses, plus hat and gloves (if you are in a colder climate). You should also have your water bottles, and any specific snacks, medicines or first aid items you want to take, such as zinc tape and blister plasters. Baby wipes/toilet roll and nappy sacks are also essential for going to the toilet while you are trekking - we will explain more in the pre-departure briefing!
In the event of an injury, we have an evacuation plan in place for all elements of the trek route. We do ask that you look after yourself during the trek in the following way, as this will help avoid unnecessary problems:
Sleeping bags are designed to work by trapping your body heat in the down surrounding you. If you wear lots of layers, your body heat will not escape as effectively, and you will be cold. Wearing a thin thermal layer is ideal. It does sound counterintuitive, but we promise that it works!
Putting your clothes for the next day in the bottom of your sleeping bag will also help with warmth, as it will fill up any spare space around your feet, and it will mean your clothes are nicely warmed up in the morning.
If you find it difficult to sleep without a pillow, we recommend taking a travel pillow and a regular pillowcase with you. Put your pillow in the pillow case, and use your down jacket/layers to fill out the pillowcase. You will end up with a pretty decent pillow!
And as for stuff or roll when it comes to packing your bag away? We are very much in the stuff camp! Read more here.
We recommend that you bring a multi-region adapter plug with you. There will be no facility to recharge electrical items on the trek, so we recommend you bring a power bank to top up the charge. We also recommend putting your phone on Airplane mode during the day to save on power.
Using your mobile overseas can sometimes attract unwelcome, very high tariffs. We recommend that you check with your network provider before you travel, but if in doubt, keep your phone switched to Airplane mode and use it only when there is WiFi. Reception can also be patchy, and unreliable, particularly in remote areas, which is why we carry a satellite phone with us. Please let your nearest and dearest know about this, and warn them that you may not be able to be in regular contact.
We ask that your luggage is kept to the absolute minimum. We will tell you the weights that you should not exceed, but usually (depending on the airline), your main bag should not exceed 23kgs in weight.
It is important that you wear your trekking boots or take them in your hand luggage on the flight, as they are vital for the trek and cannot be replaced if your luggage is lost.
We recommend leaving behind items such as high-value jewelry, watches, etc. Your passport and money should always be kept on your person.
Trip Details
If you want to stay on and explore Norway, please just let us know and we would be happy to arrange a trip for you.
Have a question about Tribal Tracks? Get in touch, our small team will be delighted to help.
