Considering a family ski holiday? Ask the Ski Safari experts about skiing in Norway. Win a £100 voucher for taking part.

[geemumsnet]

Planning a family ski holiday can be exciting, but there’s a lot to think about too.

From choosing a resort that works for different ages and abilities to finding family-friendly accommodation, ski schools and activities away from the slopes, knowing where to start can sometimes feel overwhelming.

If you’re considering somewhere a little different for your next family ski trip, Norway could be worth exploring. Known for its spectacular scenery, reliable winter conditions and family-friendly approach to skiing, it offers plenty for beginners, experienced skiers and everyone in between.

That’s why we’ve invited the experts from Ski Safari to Mumsnet to answer your questions about planning a family ski holiday in Norway.

Whether you’re completely new to skiing or already have a few family ski trips under your belt, this is your chance to ask about everything from choosing the right Norwegian resort to what you can expect when you get there.

Post your questions for the Ski Safari team below by Friday 16th October and you could be in with a chance of winning an £100 voucher. T&Cs apply.

Our expert panel are all mums who have skied or snowboarded extensively across Norway: Abbie, Amy, Claire, Hannah, Maggie and Victoria. They’ll be answering your questions with their insider knowledge to help you decide whether Norway could be the destination for your next family ski adventure.

About Ski Safari
We know what matters to mums when it comes to skiing. Every year we help hundreds of families plan, book and enjoy their perfect family ski holiday, and more than half our team are parents who ski with their own children each winter.
Ski Safari started in Canada 30 years ago, but since joining our programme in 2012, Norway has become our most-visited and most-loved destination for families.

Between us, we’ve skied at every resort we offer, visited every property and sampled more than a few of the restaurants, bars and non-ski activities. We’re here to help with parent-to-parent advice.

Follow Ski Safari on Instagram or browse their website skisafari.com

How does the cost compare to other European resorts and is there an issue with the amount of daylight (I’m thinking about when I took the kids to Lapland to see Santa)

What are Norway ski resorts like for gluten free/ dairy free food? Would love to ski there.

Could we do a 2 resort holiday ? or a week skiing and a week seeing the Fiord's and scenery of the country ?

What resort would be a good option for a family of mixed ages (4-14) to go for a first skiing holiday?

I took my (then) 18 month old and 3 year old to Geilo in March 2025 and found the resort to be wonderful for them. My 3 year old had private ski lessons for 3 mornings and then spent time in Trollklubben Childcare, and we spent time on the nursery slopes with our 18 month old just getting him used to the snow and feeling of skis on his feet (he also spent time in Trollklubben but they have changed their minimum age to 2 years now).

The nursery slopes in Geilo are very gentle and filled with 3D foam shapes and arches that children can ski around or under. They are also next to a small forest area with little huts which were great for snack breaks. We spent afternoons either playing in the soft play in the Vestlia (right next to the bar, so good for the whole family), sledging, swimming or catching up on naps. The journey there was even part of the adventure - we flew direct from Manchester to Oslo with Norwegian, and then caught the train to Geilo.

The family coach on the train has a small soft play area which meant that the children could move around after being sat on the plane, a double win for my train loving 3 year old and my very active 18 month old. This was our first family trip with young children and we found that although ski holidays look a little different now (no more first to last lift ski days), Norway was the perfect destination for us as there was so much that the children could participate in and the general feel of the country was very child friendly.

The minimum starting age depends on the resort, but most resorts in Norway will offer weekly group lessons from age 4 or, if they are younger, they can learn in private lessons on a one-to-one basis.

In Kvitfjell, they offer 30 minute private lessons for children aged 2-3 or in their sister resort, Hafjell which is really great for beginners, the private lessons run for 60 minutes, but the minimum age is 3 years. If your kids are anything like my 2 year old son, his attention is not held on one thing for long, so 30-60 minutes is a great amount of time to learn some basics like putting their skis on and off, snowplough, slow down and stop.

The beauty of this option is the sheer choice it gives you. Combining Oslo with a ski resort isn't just straightforward for us to arrange, it's a great way to enhance the holiday and break up the journey. It also lets you experience Norway's world-class rail and scenery at its best.

With direct flights offered by Norwegian from Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh, it's very easy to get to Oslo. There is an express airport train into the city, running very frequently, making it extremely quick and simple, which is so important when travelling with children. My daughter has really enjoyed the train journeys in Norway and they are very comfortable with plenty of space for luggage.

With an overnight in Oslo, you get your pick of trains, whether that's heading straight to the resort first thing, or having a more leisurely start, exploring Oslo for half a day or longer, and travelling on in the afternoon. Oslo is easy to explore on foot and you can see a lot in just a few hours - we have a full guide to Oslo here - https://www.skisafari.com/experiences/city-add-ons/oslo.

As for the best resort, that really depends on your family’s preferences. Norefjell, Gausta, Geilo, Beitostolen, Hafjell and Kvitfjell can all be combined with an Oslo city stay. If closest is the priority, Hafjell with a train transfer would be one of the speediest options. But the quickest transfer isn't always the best resort for you - it depends on what you want to get out of the holiday. For most people, a slightly longer transfer through beautiful scenery usually turns out to be the better solution, rather than focusing purely on journey time. Geilo is a longer journey by train or direct bus from the airport, but offers a lot for families including a ski kindergarten.

We'd want to find out more about where you've skied before, what you liked, and any dislikes, and make the best resort recommendation from there, one that would twin perfectly with Oslo too. And you're not necessarily limited to just one.

Norway is certainly not the cheapest country to visit, but as you noted, in return you receive very high quality and with that we'd say you can enjoy great value too. Our 7 night Norway family ski holidays start from around £3,500 for a family of four including flights, transfers and accommodation. We also have some useful information about costs here - https://www.skisafari.com/norway/skiing-in-norway#costsinfo

Absolutely, you are spoilt for choice. Having skied in Norway over the last 12 years, I've always been struck by how gentle and uncrowded it is. The slopes tend to be less intimidating than some of the bigger resorts in the Alps even in the peak weeks, which gives younger skiers plenty of space to learn.

Geilo would be my top recommendation as lessons start from 4 years for group lessons or 3 years for private lessons. There is a dedicated childcare option for kids aged 2-8, meaning the kids can play safely and parents can have some time to explore the resorts. For older children, there is the option of Ski or Snowplay depending on your child's age and ability - this is not a lesson but time to play supervised on the slopes in a safe way. The Vestlia Resort is a great family-friendly accommodation option too with a soft play area and swimming pool for when it is time to take a break from the slopes. Geilo also offers an array of other activities such as dog sledding and horse drawn sleigh rides to get the most from the holiday. The train to & from Oslo Central is also a highlight for me. No need to worry about making a stop for a toilet break, the trains have food & drink to purchase on board, kids (and adults) are able to stretch their legs after being on a flight and these trains even have a special family carriage with a playroom. It does not cost any extra, but we can make a request for seating when we book your tickets.

Beito Resort is the other resort that springs to mind when I think of beginner skiing. It is a quiet, family-run resort and set up with fantastic facilities for young children. The ski area is smaller and quiet but close to all the accommodation. For a family looking to ski for the first time, this would be high on the list. They also offer non-ski activities like swimming, a playroom and a dedicated Winter Playland to play in, away from the slopes. Here kids can come to play, run, sled and have fun. I visited Norefjell for the first time this year as well and was very impressed to find a kids' climbing wall tucked away in the Norefjell Ski & Spa. My son would love this as he loves to climb at home so it's little things like this that can help choose a destination.

Norway has the reputation of being a very pricey country, but it is likely a more cost-effective place to visit than you’d think, especially when you consider what you are getting for your money. If you compare a trip to Norway with the French Alps for example – my experience in Norway has been higher-quality food, more spacious accommodation, quieter slopes, cheaper lift passes and rentals, and fewer people in your group lessons.

Whilst there is no doubt that everyday food and drink costs are generally higher than the European average, on-mountain pricing experiences less inflation, making slope-side dining comparable.

When including extras like lift passes, lessons, equipment rentals and activities on top of flights, transfers and accommodation, our customers paid around £1,900 per person, but we have flexible options available for various budgets.

Alcohol is expensive, but there is nothing to stop you making use of the duty free at the airport as many of my colleagues do! Norway is certainly worthy of consideration bearing in mind all that it offers. Plus, as my Norwegian friend has complained about recently, it’s a good time to visit as sterling is reasonably strong in comparison to the kroner right now!

You can learn more at https://www.skisafari.com/norway/skiing-in-norway#costsinfo

In my experience, the food was varied and catered to most tastes. When we stayed in the Vestlia Resort in Geilo, there was a children's buffet available each evening with pastas, chips and some of the beige options you would expect, but there was also a fantastic menu we could order from. My son particularly liked the burgers. We travelled with three generations who all had different food tastes and preferences and we all ate very well all week.

Short answer, yes!

Every hotel I've stayed at in Norway has had a dietary section in the breakfast buffet where there is usually a selection of alternative milks, a gluten free toaster and individually wrapped alternative breads and pastries and lots more. It all seems very well thought through.

My son has several severe food allergies which we carry epipens for, and our experiences in the hotels were all excellent. All the staff were very knowledgable about allergies and very reassuring when telling us how the food had been prepared.

The only time we felt we had to be better prepared was on the travel days, as the train stations and airport didn't have huge amounts of easy options for him (he's 5 and a little fussy so I always take plenty of snack options for him anyway).

The Norwegian resorts are the perfect place to try skiing. All the resorts have beginner areas to learn the basics and green gentle runs to test your skills when you are ready to progress.

The group lesson set up is different in Norway to the Alps, typically they offer a short 80-90 minute lesson a day (4 or 5 days Mon-Fri). Alternatively private instructors can be booked if you want a more individual start to skiing.

The instructors all speak very good English as well. Having learnt in the Alps as a teenager, I would have much preferred starting in Norway.

The terrain is gentler but for me, it's the quietness of the slopes - that's what helps to build the confidence, having the space to practice.

Plus, there are so many resorts to choose from. For the ultimate beginner, Beito Resort would be my pick and they also offer non-skiing activities like airboarding, snowrafting and snowshoeing.

Norway in general is known for having an abundance of quiet, gentle and uncrowded slopes which feel less loud and overwhelming than other European ski resorts. Both Beito Resort and Geilo have highly advanced infrastructure and a strong reputation for accommodating those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Geilo is known as a trailblazer in inclusive skiing in Norway and supports skiers with hidden disabilities through their Sunflower lanyard initiative so staff can easily identify if your child may need some extra assistance. The Slaatta ski school has a widely regarded Adaptive Program and the resort offers a calm environment including a 10km scenic flat path around the lake for sensory breaks should time out from skiing be required.

Alternatively, Beito Resort is uniquely compact and as such, the slopes and amenities are in close walking distance. They also run an amazing and very friendly Adaptive School who customise lessons to meet an individuals’ needs. The resort is also well known for wide, green slopes making it a good option for children who feel daunted by crowds.

This is so often the way! Fortunately, all of our Norwegian resorts are good for mixed abilities and many resorts have runs for different abilities down from the same lifts, meaning you can take the lift together and pick the run that you feel the most comfortable with to best suit you. I visited Kvitfjell last spring and we all took the Kvitfjell Express up to the top of the mountain and then split onto a green, blue and red slope all of which finished at the same point where we could then grab a hot chocolate together to refuel before jumping on the next lift together to tackle another adventure! As I built in confidence, I slowly tried the more advanced slopes until by the end of the holiday we were all racing down the mountain on the same couple of red slopes, desperate to get just one more run in.

I also recommend booking a few lessons, especially a private instructor. These are fantastic for encouraging rapid advancement due to the intensity of the lessons, being only one-on-one.

Did you mean cross-country skiing? Alpine is another term to describe downhill skiing. Gausta is a great choice to try cross-country as their trails are overlooked by the Gaustatoppen which towers 1883 metres above sea level and offers a specacular view at the top. All resorts offer cross-country but not all of them offer group or private cross-country lessons if you require instruction. So it’s best to check.

Adult-only hotels aren’t really a feature of Norway’s ski resorts, as skiing and enjoying the outdoors are such a big part of Norwegian family life. For a quieter and more relaxed experience, we’d recommend travelling outside the main school holiday and peak periods, when the resorts tend to be much more peaceful with very few children staying in the hotels. March is an ideal time if it does not coincide with the Easter holidays of the UK, Norway or Denmark.

There is a reason Norwegians are such expert skiers. It is not necessarily about the mileage, but about the terrain. You can access a lot of the mountain with great snow coverage, lapping the same runs with different lines. Our customers return year on year for the quiet slopes and complete lack of lift queues.

If you want new terrain each day, I would recommend considering one of our ski safaris which visit multiple ski resorts on one trip, a few days in each.

There is also the benefit of ski resorts such as Kvitfjell and Hafjell being covered under the same lift pass which opens up day trips to a second ski resort within a 45 minute drive, doubling the kms available. These resorts were built for the Winter Olympics and regularly host World Cup events.

The first resort I would recommend is Norefjell. It is just 2 hours from Oslo Airport by shared or private transfer. I skied there with my daughter after Easter and the conditions were great. The hub of the resorts is the ski-in ski-out Norefjell Ski and Spa Hotel midway down the ski area. The meeting point for ski school is right by the hotel and the first lift of the day is a short slide away. All the instructors speak perfect English. There is a swimming pool and a climbing wall in the hotel reception for fun après-ski activities.

The other resort is Hafjell, also 2 hours from Oslo by train and taxi. The conditions at Easter are great after a long season of snow. Beginners can learn from the top of the mountain in one of the three dedicated areas, giving them an all-mountain experience from day 1.

Geilo Is a great resort for first time skiers and mixed abilities with the town centre sitting between two mountains located about 10 minutes apart (Vestlia & Slaatta/Havsdalen). Both areas have mixed runs but the more challenging runs can be found on the Slaatta side. Geilo is also great for non-ski activities. You can try dog sledding, winter sleigh rides, ice bathing, fatbiking and snowshoeing. There’s also an exciting toboggan track - we rented some sleighs from the rental store and then the T-bar pulls you up while you sit on your sleigh and then off you go down the track, racing against your family and friends. If you have time and wish to take a day to rest your legs, I'd also recommend a day trip to the fjords and Flåm. Take the train from Geilo to Myrdal, catch the historic railway to picturesque Flam amd enjoy a cruise across the stunning Naeroyfjord before heading back to Geilo.

Wellbeing is also a big part of the Norwegian lifestyle, with a strong emphasis on getting outdoors, being active and making time to slow down and reconnect with nature. In Gausta, families can experience this first-hand with a visit to a floating sauna on the lake, warming up in the sauna before taking a refreshing dip in the cold water - a wonderfully invigorating experience after a day in the mountains. With the range of non-ski activities, a Norwegian ski holiday can feel much more than a week on the slopes, giving the whole family the chance to switch off and spend quality time together.

Our customers typically book 4-5 months in advance, but often earlier than that for peak dates. It's not too late to book for Christmas, but we recommend booking very soon, and our team can talk you through the most suitable options and availability.

Even over peak dates, the resorts in Norway aren't overly busy in comparison to France, and lift queues are minimal. This is an important consideration when travelling with children and maximising your time on the mountain.

We have more information about skiing in Norway at Christmas here - https://www.skisafari.com/blog/skiing-in-norway-at-christmas

So many of them! That’s the beauty of skiing in Scandinavia, in all the resorts I’ve been to, memorably Gausta and Kvitfjell, there have been several options to descend to suit every level of skier.

Last year in Kvitfjell, our group rode the Kvitfjell Express to the summit together before splitting up. We each chose a green, blue, or red run to cruise over to Vestsiden, with all the trails converging at the exact same spot. It was incredibly convenient for meeting up, debriefing, and rewarding ourselves with hot chocolate! From there, we continued to lap the area via the Vestsiden Express until we had explored every single run.

Kvitfjell is one of only three resorts in the world that have been purpose-built for the Winter Olympics. It has great terrain to bring on everyone from first-timers to Olympic downhill athletes. Despite being a regular venue on the FIS World Cup circuit (last year hosting the final), it somehow flies under the radar, so you can enjoy world-class slopes without the crowds… or stick to the greens and blues and work up to the reds which is exactly what I did whilst there.

It's also worth noting the other things you can do aside from skiing / snowboarding. Gausta for example has the edge here when it comes to history with its secret Cold War, James Bond-esque infrastructure which you can access on a train that runs up and inside Gaustatoppen mountain - and then ski down from the top if the fancy takes you… or just admire the view. It also boasts the fabulous floating saunas with iconic Gaustatoppen as the backdrop. This was my favourite part of visiting Norway last winter, combined with plunges into the ice cold lake - such magic!

Great that you have had your first taste of Scandinavian skiing. For a similar experience to Trysil over half term, I would recommend some wonderful but lesser-known ski resorts in Norway such as Kvitfjell and Hafjell. Because they fly under the radar, you will find beautifully quiet slopes on what is normally the busiest week of the season. Both ski resorts are covered under the same lift pass, giving you the opportunity to experience two different ski areas, and they have had a large investment from the Winter Olympics in 1994 and the FIS World Cup races. The terrain caters to all ski levels from beginner to advanced, so there is something for the whole family.

If the children are only on their second week of skiing, the slopes in Geilo also offer wide, cruisey slopes ideal for building confidence on skis. The ski resort offers a wonderful amount of ski area and non-ski activities to enjoy alongside your family ski holdiay such as dog sledding, horse sleigh rides, ice fishing and more. For what is one of our most unique Norway experiences, take the world famous Oslo-Bergen train line through the stunning countryside past frozen waterfalls and dramatic fjords - the line stops in Geilo and continues on to the fjords for enchanting day trips.

Norwegian resorts are known for an exciting range of activities with many offering dog sledding, sledging, horse sleigh rides, swimming, bowling and more.

Geilo is a wonderful destination with children. The Vestlia Resort has an indoor family swimming pool with waterslide, soft play area and a bowling alley. It also has an adult-only spa area. The Vestlia resort is just 50 metres from the base area at Vestlia with rental store, ski school and Trollklubben kindergarten, which makes it extremely convenient and easy to pop back to the hotel if you forget something or don't want to ski all day.

Geilo offers non-ski activities including dogsledding and horse sleigh rides. You can also take a full day off and combine Geilo with a fjord cruise and Flåm Railway day trip, which is a wonderful experience for all ages.

Sometimes with school age children, you are tied to certain weeks of the year but rest assured, even in peak times like Christmas, Half term and Easter, Norway is much quieter than the Alps. However, if you can go out of school holidays, March would be my recommendation. I've been to Geilo and Gausta in March and been on runs with not another person in sight. The days are longer and the temperatures are a little higher.

If you are tied to school holidays, Easter tends to be the most affordable and quietest time to ski in Norway.

Norway isn't a cheap country, and everyday costs like food and drink tend to be higher than in most European destinations, but this is balanced by excellent quality and reasonable costs elsewhere. On-mountain prices in Norway are not inflated as much as you see in many Alpine resorts. A meal on the mountain is often surprisingly comparable in price to the same in the Alps, but with high-quality local ingredients and a relaxed atmosphere.

Family-friendly favourites such as pizza, pasta and burgers are readily available and if you book on half board in a hotel, they usually offer a children's menu. Our 5 year old particularly enjoyed choosing her breakfast from the hotel buffet and she would definitely recommend the Norwegian pancakes and waffles!

My top recommendation would be to choose resorts where your lift pass covers multiple resorts like Kvitfjell and Hafjell, they were built for the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics and so have great variety of terrain and combine to give over 73km of slopes. It's a short taxi ride between resorts (or we could arrange a hire car for added flexibility).

The truth is, if you are looking for the amount of terrain the 3 Valleys offers, Norway cannot compete with that, but they aren't trying to.

What Norway offers is quiet, well-maintained pistes which allow you to get really familiar with the resort and the advantage of this is that you can really get the feel for each piste and polish those skiing skills.

You also won't find yourself losing an hour of your day in lift queues and hurriedly trying to get back to base by the end of ski school. You also get the authentic Scandinavian experiences off the slopes such as dog sledding and fjord cruises.