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- The Besseggen Ridge Crest — That narrow, rocky spine you walk along is the star: exposed, a little loose underfoot, and dramatic because one side drops steeply to Gjende. It’s the kind of ridge that makes you pause, look around, and feel like you’ve actually earned the view — not something you get on a flat, groomed trail.
- Gjende’s Emerald Water — From the ridge the lake looks unreal: an intense turquoise/emerald caused by glacial rock flour suspended in the water. The color contrast against grey rock and alpine tundra is jaw-dropping and a photographer’s dream — especially on a sunny afternoon.
- The Twin-Lake Contrast (Gjende vs Bessvatnet) — Side-by-side lakes with very different colors and levels, running parallel below the ridge, is a rare visual trick. Seeing the dark, deep Bessvatnet
- The Besseggen Ridge Crest — That narrow, rocky spine you walk along is the star: exposed, a little loose underfoot, and dramatic because one side drops steeply to Gjende. It’s the kind of ridge that makes you pause, look around, and feel like you’ve actually earned the view — not something you get on a flat, groomed trail.
- Gjende’s Emerald Water — From the ridge the lake looks unreal: an intense turquoise/emerald caused by glacial rock flour suspended in the water. The color contrast against grey rock and alpine tundra is jaw-dropping and a photographer’s dream — especially on a sunny afternoon.
- The Twin-Lake Contrast (Gjende vs Bessvatnet) — Side-by-side lakes with very different colors and levels, running parallel below the ridge, is a rare visual trick. Seeing the dark, deep Bessvatnet beside the glowing Gjende from high above is one of those “only here” scenes that makes Besseggen stand out from other hikes.
- Panoramas of Jotunheimen Peaks — Once you’re up there the surrounding high mountains open up: serrated ridgelines, glacier-fed valleys and peaks like Besshøe and the Gjendealpene range. The scale and alpine character feel proper wild — not just a nice view, but a full-on mountain theatre.
- Memurubu, the Ferry Ride and Mountain-Lodge Vibe — The classic one-way hike is tied together by a scenic ferry crossing and the old Memurubu lodge — a proper Norwegian mountain-hut atmosphere that makes the route feel like a day out with history. Between boat timetables, lunch stops on the shore, and hikers swapping stories, that cultural/ logistical combo is part of what makes Besseggen special.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.