Gaustablikk with children – skiing at the foot of Gaustatoppen

Gaustatoppen rises 1,883 metres above sea level, and at the foot of the mountain lies Gausta Skisenter – with Gaustablikk at its heart. Here the hotel, the children's area and the cross-country trails are gathered together on the mountain plateau, high above Rjukan. It is a ski resort that suits families who want to switch between downhill and cross-country skiing, stay with their skis outside the door and avoid using the car during the week. The full list of Norwegian family resorts is in Norway's ski trips.

The children's area and Huski and Flaks

The youngest start in the children's area, with a magic carpet, a platter lift and fun figures on the slope. There is also a children's conveyor, which the children can ride without a lift pass. This is also where the ski school's beginner groups meet, by Barneheisen.

Gausta's mascots are called Huski and Flaks. They pop up with activities for the children during the season, and every Saturday the children get to dance with them to their very own song. The programme for 2026/27 had not yet been published in October, but the format is usually the same from year to year.

When the children want to move on, there are slopes at every level. Older children and teenagers can take the long runs on the back of Skipsfjell, or take on the family challenge of skiing all the way from Vatnedalen to Hovdestaul. The longest run is just over three kilometres.

The ski school – groups from age four

Gausta's ski school groups the children by age – 4–6, 7–9 and 10–15 years – and then by level. Beginners meet at meeting point 1 to the right of Barneheisen, and those who can already turn meet at meeting point 2 to the left of Skipsheisen. The courses run for five days, so put them at the start of the week.

One thing to keep in mind: children aged seven and over need a valid lift pass to take part in ski school, as the groups ride the lifts. There is no group course for children under four – let them play in the children's area and on the children's conveyor, or ask the ski school about a private lesson. More about how to prepare the children is in first ski trip with kids.

Age rules and lift passes

• Child 0–7 ski free, but need their own keycard.
• From age eight, a regular lift pass is needed.
• Lift passes are cheapest online or at the machine, not at the ticket desk.
• Evening skiing is included in the day and multi-day passes.

During Warm-up Week in December, 11–23 December 2026, lift passes and cabins are cheaper. Current prices are in Gausta's booking. Bring the children's own helmets – they fit better than hire helmets.

The 2026/27 season and evening skiing

Gausta Skisenter has published the season: 11 December 2026 to 11 April 2027. The lifts run 9.00–15.30 until early February and then until 16.30. On Christmas Eve the slopes close earlier.

Evening skiing is available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in Hotellbakken, Pukkelen and Lilleputt, from 22 December to mid-March, until 19.00. There is no evening skiing during the Easter holidays.

Cross-country skiing – 85 kilometres from the hotel

Gaustablikk is as much a cross-country area as a downhill resort. Around 85 kilometres of trails are groomed, and they all start at Gaustablikk Fjellresort. There is an easy two-kilometre loop that suits small children and a high-mountain tour of over twenty kilometres for anyone who wants to go far. The floodlit loop is about three kilometres long and perfect for an evening outing after dinner.

A rest day on the trails is a good way to give your legs a break from the lifts. How to plan cross-country skiing with children is described in cross-country skiing in Hafjell, and the tips apply just as well here.

Gaustabanen – the train inside the mountain

Gaustabanen is a railway that runs inside Gaustatoppen. First you ride a small underground train about 850 metres into the mountain, and then a funicular just over a thousand metres upwards – from 1,150 to 1,800 metres above sea level. It was built in secret for NATO and completed in 1959, but has been open to the public since 2010.

In winter, Gaustabanen works as a ski lift to the summit area. Up there is the marked off-piste run Langefonn, while the steep runs along the ridge require a guide and avalanche equipment – that is no place for children. Check opening times and the rules for the trip up with Gaustabanen beforehand.

How to get to Gaustablikk

From Oslo it is about two and a half hours by car. Take the E18 to Drammen and the E134 via Kongsberg to Notodden, then continue towards Rjukan. The last stretch climbs from the valley up to the mountain.

• Bus from Oslo: take VY1 or Haukeliekspressen from Oslo bus terminal to Notodden skysstasjon, and change to bus 185 towards Rjukan, which connects with VY1.
• The mountain bus: in winter, a free bus runs between Rjukan and Gausta.
• On the mountain: the Gaustaekspressen shuttle bus runs between the accommodation, the slopes and Gaustabanen while the lifts are open.
• From Gardermoen: the train to Oslo S and then the bus from Oslo bus terminal.

From Sweden the route goes past Oslo and on west through Drammen and Kongsberg towards Telemark. From Gothenburg, the E6 north is the natural start; from Stockholm, the E18 through Värmland. It makes for a long day, so plan a stop. Car, train and bus are compared in getting to the ski resort.

Accommodation – hotel or cabin

• Gaustablikk Fjellresort – a four-star high-mountain hotel with 90 rooms, ski-in/ski-out and the cross-country trails at the door. The children have a pool with a shallow end, a playroom by the lobby, board games, table tennis and shuffleboard.
• Gausta Sportell – a self-catering hotel with rooms and apartments, also ski-in/ski-out.
• Cabins and apartments in four areas: Gaustablikk, Hovdestaul, Vatnedalen and Brendstaul. Most are ski-in/ski-out, and the biggest sleep up to sixteen people – good for two families travelling together.

If you are staying in a cabin without a ski slope at the door, Gaustaekspressen takes you to the lifts. Do your food shopping down in Rjukan, and use food for a ski week to keep costs down given Norwegian food prices.

Rjukan – a World Heritage Site down in the valley

Down in the valley lies Rjukan, which together with Notodden is a World Heritage Site since 2015. This is where Norsk Hydro built power stations, factories and an entire industrial town to make fertiliser from nitrogen in the air. The Vemork and Såheim power stations were the largest in the world when they were completed in 1911 and 1915. The valley is so deep that the town is in shadow for much of the winter – something the children can see with their own eyes from the slopes. A day with poor visibility on the mountain is a good time for a trip down.

Gausta, Norefjell or Geilo?

• Gausta suits those who want downhill and really good cross-country skiing in the same place, and to stay with their skis outside the door.
• Norefjell is closer to Oslo and has a bigger vertical drop – read Norefjell with children.
• Geilo has the train almost all the way – compare in Geilo.

If you would rather stay in Oslo for the day, there is Oslo Vinterpark with children. Pack using the ski trip packing list, and check in winter sports break 2027 which week suits you.