Geilo

Geilo is a small town and ski resort in upper Hallingdal at the edge of Hardangervidda. It is convenient stop on the road or rail between Oslo and Bergen. Haugastøl and Ustaoset some kilometers further east is effectively part of Geilo.

Geilo is one of the best known and most popular skiing resorts in Scandinavia - but is also a popular area for summer and autumn activities such as hiking, biking, fishing, rafting, glacier walk and more. At an elevation of 794 m (2605 ft) the ski season does not end until late April or early May. Geilo is a village or small town and has few shops and entertainment spots. The town centre includes several sport shops, tourist information, supermarkets, cafés & restaurants, newsagents and a range of other shops. Down the road there is a small cinema, library, and school. There is also a large sports hall (Geilohallen), which is also the cross country club (Geilo IL). Behind the building is a floodlit prepared cross country track, and a biathlon shooting range.

For a small town of some 2000 permanent inhabitants there is a good choice of hotels, apartments and restaurants. Because of the large number of visitors there are more services than typical for a small town. One of the hotels is one of Norway’s most famous, Dr Holms. Others include the Bardøla, Vestlia, which is on the door step of Geilolia ski centre, Ustedalen and the Highland Hotel. Visitors will also find cabins and apartments for rent in Geilo - most on a self catering basis. Geilolia Cabins & Apartments, Kikut and Geilo Apartment is some of the main suppliers for the self catering market.

Geilo sits in the eastern uplands at 800 m and is generally in the rainshadow of the central mountains. Summers are mild and winters are mostly cold with stable weather. Average temperature in January is -8°C and in July 11°C, annual rainfall is 700 mm. On average there is a solid snow cover 150 days each winter, but cold weather allows production of artificial snow on the slopes.

Geilo is the village of Ustedalen valley, the upper branch of Hallingdal valley. There was no road across Hardangervidda only hiking trails. When the Bergen railway opened in 1909 Geilo there were only a few scattered farms in Ustedalen. The railway station for Ustedalen was established at Geilo farm. Geilo was at that time a small firm with a small pension. The Geilo village developed around the station. During the late 1900s Geilo emerged as one of the most popular winter resorts in Norway, within reach of Oslo and Bergen. During winter season December to Easter visitors greatly outnumbers locals. At Christmas, Winter break (late February) and Easter Geilo and surrounding villages are packed.

Haugastøl and Ustaoset are smaller villages at Uste lake some kilometers further west. There are many holiday homes at Haugastøl and Ustaoset too. Road 7 and the railway line splits at Haugastøl. During bad weather in Winter, road 7 can be closed between Haugastøl and Vøringsfossen.

By plane
Earlier there was a small airport at Dagali, this is now only open for small private planes. So the closest option is Fagernes airport. Or Oslo airport.

By rail
Geilo is on the Oslo-Bergen line. The train use 3 hour and 40 minutes from Oslo. There is one night train daily. Travellers find a waiting room for the night train next to the ticket counter.

By car
Geilo is on route 7 (Hønefoss-Eidfjord) and the road runs right through the centre. Distance from Oslo is 243 km (151 mi), half way to Bergen. Geilo is on the end of route 40 from Kongsberg. Route 40 is connected to route 7 in the centre of Geilo.

Another option is route 50 from Flåm/Aurland to Hol.

Go next

 * Hallingdal - follow Rv 7 down to Ål, Torpo (with an old stavchurch) and Gol
 * Haugastøl, entrance to Rallarvegen and the Hardangervidda - take a bike for the great trip to Finse.
 * Numedal, nice valley with a lot of old villages and some of the famous stavchurches, like in Nore or in Flesberg
 * Rafting on the Numedalslågen in Dagali