Eidsbugarden is a mountain settlement at 1,065 metres on the shore of lake Bygdin. In summer you can drive here on an unpaved road. In winter, this road disappears under metres of snow, and the snowcoach you may have arrived on is the only connection to the outside world.
This is one of the most historically significant places in Norwegian mountain tourism. In 1862, the poet Aasmund Olavsson Vinje gave the surrounding mountain range its name: Jotunheimen, meaning "Home of the Giants", inspired by Norse mythology. Before him, the region had no name at all. Six years later, in 1868, Vinje built a cabin right here. It was Norway's first cabin built purely for recreational use. Vinje also co-founded DNT, the Norwegian Trekking Association. So in many ways, this is where Norwegian mountain tourism was born.
Today the DNT cabin here is called Fondsbu. It has 100 beds and has been run by the same host, Solbjørg Kvålshaugen, since 2002. She is known across Norway as Mor Fondsbu, Mother Fondsbu, and has been called the country's most famous cabin host. The food at Fondsbu is locally sourced and properly made. This is not standard cabin fare.
You might notice a large red building with "hotel" written on it. That was Eidsbugarden Hotel. It had a long history but unfortunately went bankrupt in 2021 and is currently closed.
In summer, the boat M/B Bitihorn crosses lake Bygdin from Bygdin Fjellhotell to Eidsbugarden. The crossing takes about one hour and 45 minutes.
This is one of the most historically significant places in Norwegian mountain tourism. In 1862, the poet Aasmund Olavsson Vinje gave the surrounding mountain range its name: Jotunheimen, meaning "Home of the Giants", inspired by Norse mythology. Before him, the region had no name at all. Six years later, in 1868, Vinje built a cabin right here. It was Norway's first cabin built purely for recreational use. Vinje also co-founded DNT, the Norwegian Trekking Association. So in many ways, this is where Norwegian mountain tourism was born.
Today the DNT cabin here is called Fondsbu. It has 100 beds and has been run by the same host, Solbjørg Kvålshaugen, since 2002. She is known across Norway as Mor Fondsbu, Mother Fondsbu, and has been called the country's most famous cabin host. The food at Fondsbu is locally sourced and properly made. This is not standard cabin fare.
You might notice a large red building with "hotel" written on it. That was Eidsbugarden Hotel. It had a long history but unfortunately went bankrupt in 2021 and is currently closed.
In summer, the boat M/B Bitihorn crosses lake Bygdin from Bygdin Fjellhotell to Eidsbugarden. The crossing takes about one hour and 45 minutes.