📷 Photo by Barnabas Davoti on UnsplashRondane and Dovrefjell: musk oxen and mountain views
From Lillehammer up the Gudbrandsdal to Norway’s first national park and the high plateau of Dovrefjell, home of wild musk oxen.
- Distance
- 217 km (135 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 59 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 7
- Countries
- Norway
- Updated
- July 14, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 217 km (135 mi) with 7 stops, from Lillehammer to Dombås. About 2 h 59 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Norway
Route description
Start in Lillehammer, host of the 1994 Winter Olympics, with a visit to the Maihaugen open-air museum. Then drive up the E6 through the Gudbrandsdal valley to Ringebu, where the stave church stands above the valley floor.
At Ringebu turn off onto the Fv27, the National Scenic Route Rondane, which climbs over Venabygdsfjellet and runs along the east side of Rondane National Park. Stop at Sohlbergplassen for the view over Atnsjøen towards the rounded peaks, then continue north to Folldal, an old mining village.
Route 29 takes you west to Hjerkinn on the Dovrefjell plateau. A short walk leads from the car park to the Snøhetta viewpoint pavilion, and guided musk-ox safaris start here in summer; never approach the animals closer than 200 m.
Finish down the E6 at Dombås, where the roads to Åndalsnes and Trondheim part. The Fv27 is a good road but high and exposed, and snow can fall from September; late June to early September is the easiest season.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Lillehammer
Norway - 22 km
Maihaugen
HistoryLillehammer, NorwayOne of Europe’s largest open-air museums, with farms, a stave church and a whole town street of old buildings above Lillehammer.
- 360 km
Ringebu Stave Church
HistoryRingebu, NorwayA 13th-century stave church with a red 17th-century tower, on a hillside above the Gudbrandsdal valley at the foot of the road into Rondane.
- 453 km
Atnsjøen
ViewsStor-Elvdal, NorwayA mountain lake below the peaks of Rondane. The Sohlbergplassen viewpoint on Fv27 marks the spot that inspired Harald Sohlberg’s painting Winter Night in the Mountains.
- 536 km
Folldal
Norway - 632 km
Hjerkinn
Norway - 734 km
Dombås
Norway
Suggested stages and overnight stops
3 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Lillehammer → Ringebu Stave Church · 61 km · 0 h 51 minOn the way: Maihaugen.Overnight nearby, for example: Friisvegen Turistsenter Måsåplassen (7 km); Enden Camping (8 km).
- Day 2: Ringebu Stave Church → Folldal · 89 km · 1 h 14 minOn the way: Atnsjøen.Overnight nearby, for example: Brendryen Camping (8 km); Grimsbu Turistsenter (9 km).
- Day 3: Folldal → Dombås · 66 km · 0 h 55 minOn the way: Hjerkinn.Overnight nearby, for example: Domaas Gård Hyttetun & Caravancamp (< 1 km); Ljoshaugen camping (< 1 km).
Best time to go
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually June–September. Cold, short days in November–March. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
Practical notes for the road
- Norway: Electronic tolls by number plate. Automatic toll roads and toll rings; many routes include car ferries. Motorway limit for cars: 110 km/h.
Road rules and fees change. Check official sources before you travel.
FAQs
How long is Rondane and Dovrefjell: musk oxen and mountain views?
3-day road trip of about 217 km (135 mi) with 7 stops, from Lillehammer to Dombås. About 2 h 59 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Rondane and Dovrefjell: musk oxen and mountain views?
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 59 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Rondane and Dovrefjell: musk oxen and mountain views start and end?
It starts in Lillehammer and ends in Dombås.
Which countries does Rondane and Dovrefjell: musk oxen and mountain views pass through?
Norway.
Where can you camp along Rondane and Dovrefjell: musk oxen and mountain views?
OpenStreetMap lists 51 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Lillehammer Turistsenter, Skogli hytteutleie og Camping Atna and Snøhetta Camping.
When is the best time for Rondane and Dovrefjell: musk oxen and mountain views?
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually June–September. Cold, short days in November–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
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