Jotunheimen & Jostedalsbreen · since 1994

Glacier course

Learn to hike and climb glaciers. Five full days that take you from blue ice to leading your own rope team — no guide required.
★ 4.9 · 33 Google reviews  |  NF-certified · level 2

Book the course — from kr 7 500

The classic glacier course

Confident on the ice, on your own two feet

The glacier course aims to make you confident on the glacier. We practice route finding, securing, rescue, orientation, snow-slope techniques and basic climbing.
Each guide is responsible for three to five participants, so you get real support all week. The first two days are spent on ice — the most exciting part of the glacier — walking, securing and practising rescue techniques.
The next two days are on snow. Though it looks safe, snow brings the biggest challenges: you will learn to find and assess snow bridges, build snow anchors, and move safely on steep slopes. The final day is yours to try things more independently — including some climbing.

<div style=»border:1px solid #dbdee1;border-radius:14px;padding:24px;background:#fff;box-shadow:0 4px 12px rgba(7,34,46,0.08);»>
Quick facts
<table style=»width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:15px;»>
<tr><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;color:#6f777d;»>Duration</td><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;text-align:right;font-weight:600;color:#0b161b;»>5 days</td></tr>
<tr><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;color:#6f777d;»>Group</td><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;text-align:right;font-weight:600;color:#0b161b;»>3–5 per guide</td></tr>
<tr><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;color:#6f777d;»>Level</td><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;text-align:right;font-weight:600;color:#0b161b;»>Challenging</td></tr>
<tr><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;color:#6f777d;»>Season</td><td style=»padding:11px 0;border-bottom:1px solid #ecedef;text-align:right;font-weight:600;color:#0b161b;»>Jun – Sep</td></tr>
<tr><td style=»padding:11px 0;color:#6f777d;»>Region</td><td style=»padding:11px 0;text-align:right;font-weight:600;color:#0b161b;»>Jotunheimen / Jostedalen</td></tr>
</table>
From7 500 kr / person
</div>

Book this course

Equipment & certified guide included

Theme list

What you’ll learn

On the glacier

<ul style=»line-height:1.9;»>
<li>Walking on easy and hard ice, with and without a rope</li>
<li>Rope-team securing techniques</li>
<li>Assessing snow bridges</li>
<li>Ice & snow rescue (Lose Rolle + pulley)</li>
<li>Snow-slope technique & self-arrest</li>
<li>Glacier orientation, combined with a summit tour</li>
<li>Climbing and rappelling</li>
</ul>

In the evenings

<ul style=»line-height:1.9;»>
<li>Glacier studies</li>
<li>Rescue techniques</li>
<li>Orientation & route planning</li>
<li>Equipment</li>
<li>Alpine hazards</li>
<li>First aid in the mountains</li>
<li>Knots</li>
</ul>

Day by day

Course plan

This plan shows the activities for each day. It is more flexible than it looks — the course leader adapts it to the participants, the weather, and conditions on the glacier.

Monday — Arrival & first knots

Meeting time is 19:00 (7 PM). In Jotunheimen we set up tents — a ten-minute walk from the parking, with a view of the glacier from camp. Then an introduction round, equipment distribution and the first knots. In Jostedalen we meet at Jostedal Camping for the same introduction.

Tuesday — Onto the blue ice

We start by practising walking in crampons across flat, sloping and steep ice, with and without an ice axe — plus ice screws, cutting steps and leaping small crevices. After lunch we rope into teams and walk the blue ice, taking turns leading. In the evening we prepare for the next day’s rescue.

Wednesday — Crevasse rescue

The morning is spent on rescue in blue ice — number one in the crevasse, number two securing, the last directing. The guide keeps a safety rope throughout. After lunch, back on the ice for route selection and securing in tougher conditions, using the rope team actively to avoid placing too many screws.

Thursday — Snow & hidden crevasses

We begin with snow rescue — realistic training where you must always stay secured. Later we walk the transition between snow and ice, where crevasses hide under snow bridges; this is often the most challenging terrain on a glacier. The evening covers planning and orientation for the summit day.

Friday — Summit day

The longest day, in time and distance. We ascend a glacier slope and cross a plateau to a summit, practising orientation and steep snow-slope technique on the way. On Smørstabbreen the route often takes us to Kalven (2034 m), sometimes Storebjørn (2223 m); in Jostedalen we navigate further onto the plateau of Jostedalsbreen.

Saturday — Climb & go independent

The morning is for climbing, rappelling and whatever participants want to try, with occasional demonstrations of advanced rescue. After lunch the rope teams head out without a guide — good practice for deciding route and securing on your own, while guides observe from a distance. The evening is for evaluation and socialising.

Sunday — Pack up & head home

A short schedule: we pack up and head home. For packing lists, maps and other details, see the documents page.

Documents & packing list

Where it happens

Two base camps, one course

Both locations are unique places for a glacier course, each a different experience — but the course is the same. Choose the majestic peaks and simple tent life of Jotunheimen, or the vast wild ice of Jostedalsbreen with showers, a kitchen and a roof if you want one.

Jotunheimen

On Smørstabbreen near Sognefjellshytta. We live in tents all week, ten minutes from the parking, with a heated shared tent for breakfast and evenings. The glacier is a 45-minute walk and gives every challenge a course needs — surrounded by Kalven (2034 m) and Storebjørn (2223 m). Courses here every summer since 1995.

Jostedalsbreen

In the innermost Jostedalen, with access to Nigardsbreen, Fåbergstølsbreen and Tuftebreen. We stay at Jostedal Camping — good facilities, near a shop and hotel, with cabins and rooms if you’d rather not camp. The largest glacier on the European mainland; courses here since we began in 1994.

Are you fit enough?

Physical demands

Regular fitness is enough — as long as you’re used to long days outdoors in shifting weather, carrying a backpack.
Some days are long, others short. Either way there’s time to recover with good food and good company in the evenings. If you can manage a full day’s hike with a pack, you can manage the glacier course.

Breoppleving AS · 4.9 ★ · 33 Google reviews

A week people remember for life

[fusion_testimonials design=»clean» navigation=»no» speed=»4000″] [fusion_testimonial name=»Rik de J.» company=»Glacier course» stars=»yes»]The course was amazing — above our expectations. On Saturday we did some ice climbing and rappelled down the most beautiful crevasse. We’ll remember this for a long time.[/fusion_testimonial] [fusion_testimonial name=»Boo B.» company=»Glacier course · Jostedalen» stars=»yes»]Knowledgeable, patient and experienced guides taught us what we needed to navigate glaciers safely. We learned a lot, in a beautiful place — and were lucky with the weather![/fusion_testimonial] [fusion_testimonial name=»Martin F.» company=»Glacier course» stars=»yes»]Educational and relevant. I feel ready to head out in a rope team to reach a summit. p.s. Being on the glacier feels a bit like being on another planet.[/fusion_testimonial] [/fusion_testimonials]

Our bestseller since 1994

Join the 2026 glacier course

A week-long course teaching everything you need to explore glaciers without a guide — route planning, securing and rescue on ice and snow.
From kr 7 500 / person
Equipment & instruction from a certified guide included

Book the glacier course