Hovden Alpinsenter is southern Norway's main alpine resort, set high in the Setesdal valley near the edge of the Hardangervidda plateau. It is a relaxed, family-friendly mountain with reliable cold-climate snow and easy access from the south coast.
- 762 m Base
- 1,183 m Top lift
- 421 m Vertical
- 31 Pistes mapped
- 9 Lifts
Best known for
Après & vibe
Après is quiet and family-oriented, based around cabins, mountain lodges, saunas and simple Norwegian dining rather than nightlife.
The resort
Hovden sits at the head of the Setesdal valley, the highest and most developed alpine centre in the southern half of Norway and a firm favourite with families from the south coast cities. It is a friendly, manageable mountain of well-groomed pistes rather than a big-vertical destination, with plentiful gentle and intermediate terrain and a strong Nordic culture of cross-country trails threading out across the surrounding fells towards the Hardangervidda. The climate is cold and snow-sure through a long season, and the treeless, high-plateau landscape gives an open, airy feel. There is little in the way of glitzy nightlife; instead the emphasis is on wholesome outdoor days, cabin life and sauna evenings. It appeals to beginners, families and cross-country enthusiasts far more than to expert alpine skiers, and its accessibility from Kristiansand makes it an easy long-weekend choice.
Snow & weather
Live conditions from the mountain, plus the average snow you can expect month by month.
- Feels like
- —
- Conditions
- —
- Wind
- —
- Fresh snow (3-day)
- —
Live data © Open-Meteo.com
Reliability is good across a long, cold Norwegian season, with dependable natural snow on the high fells backed by snowmaking.
Average monthly snowfall
Snowfall climatology unavailable.
Terrain & aspect
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Flat / ungraded
Slopes mostly face SE — 15% on snow-holding, poleward-facing slopes.
Aspect derived from run bearings · OpenSkiStats / © OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Skiing & terrain
Gentle, well-groomed slopes make Hovden an excellent beginner and family mountain.
A solid choice of blues and reds gives intermediates comfortable cruising.
A few steeper pistes provide some challenge, though the area is modest in size.
Dedicated expert and off-piste terrain is limited; ski touring on the surrounding fells is the wilder option.
Cross-country across the high fells
Hovden is as much a Nordic destination as an alpine one, with extensive groomed cross-country trails spreading across the open high plateau towards the Hardangervidda. It is an outstanding base for long ski-touring and langlauf days.
On the map
Legend
Run difficulty
- Novice
- Easy
- Intermediate
- Advanced / Expert
- Freeride / Extreme
- Unknown
Run types
- Downhill — groomed
- Downhill — ungroomed
- Downhill — gladed
- Nordic (groomed)
- Ski tour
- ☾Lit (night)
- △Not patrolled
- →One-way
- ❄Snowmaking
Lifts
- Operating
- Operating (private)
- Non-operating
- Lift station
Slope-gradient grading
Downhill / ski tour
- Flat<3°
- Easy3–14°
- Intermediate14–22°
- Advanced / Expert22–45°
- Freeride / Extreme>45°
Nordic
- Easy<6°
- Intermediate6–9°
- Advanced>9°
Aspect (sun exposure)
- N — least sun
- E — morning
- S — most sun
- W — afternoon
Legend after OpenSkiMap
Stay in Hovden Alpinsenter
The village offers cabins, apartments and family hotels in a compact, snowy base that suits self-catering mountain holidays.
Lifts and pistes from the door — the point of a high, purpose-built resort.
Self-catering residences, the bulk of the beds and the flexible-budget option.
Catered and self-catered chalets for groups wanting the whole place.
From simple to high-end, with pools and spas to thaw out in.
How to get there
Kristiansand (KRS) on the south coast is the natural gateway, with a drive of roughly three hours up the Setesdal valley; Oslo is a longer alternative rather than any airport across the mountains to the west.
The approach follows the scenic Setesdal valley road inland from the coast, straightforward but wintry, with coach services in season.
Best time: February and March offer the best mix of reliable cold snow and lengthening daylight for both alpine and cross-country skiing.
Nearby resorts
Other resorts within reach.
Faces south-east © dokaspar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Ski Geilo
- Vertical
- 384 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 46
- Lifts
- 18
Myrkdalen
- Vertical
- 621 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 23
- Lifts
- 9
Faces north © Sam Wennerlund / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Hemsedal skisenter
- Vertical
- 79 m
- Pistes (mapped)
- 37
- Lifts
- 10
SNØ Oslo
Getting to Hovden Alpinsenter
Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at Bergen (BGO) — search and compare without leaving the page.
Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.