It’s fun, it’s catchy. You just don’t get more Norwegian than that. Hunderfossen Eventyrpark is all you and your family need to enjoy the Norwegian family atmosphere.
Imagine a park where you can see and experience Norwegian symbols like the trolls, the king, the anti hero prince, the witch who is an ugly man, the songs, traditions, smart princesses, animals and hidden treasures, fantasy and adventure, country life and nature. Imagine all these elements in one place. That’s Hunderfossen Eventyrpark.
Some valuable things you learn at Norwegian school. Other important things, you learn on the streets, from foreigners, but the real diamonds, you just learn from the locals. And I’m glad that, of course, now you can learn from me.
We first heard of Hunderfossen from my husband’s childhood friend. A native who lives in Sogn og Fjordane reagion. He has three daughters and lots of experience with Summer vacations in Norway. Hunderfossen Eventyrpark is a 40-year-old amusement park located in Lillehammer, Innlandet state. The park is beautiful and it has attractions for the whole family. However, what makes Hunderfossen really special is that you get a total immersion in the Norwegian culture.
Besides the “normal” international attractions like the roller coaster and Viking ship, the atmosphere and attractions that are typically Norwegian have won our hearts. Visiting Hunderfossen has become our family Summer holidays tradition since our daughter was four years old. Now she is nine and she can’t get enough of it. Yes, they managed to provide fun and safety in corona pandemic years.
Not convinced yet? Check out my list of 10 reasons:
The atmosphere. When you walk inside the park, you feel harmony. Of course, eventually, a child will be crying since it’s for families. However, the atmosphere is peaceful and calm. You don’t see people cutting the queue or bumping into you.
The castle. Imagine a princess’ castle where you can actually enter and witness several adventures with huge colorful Norwegian sceneries. Have you heard of Askeladen stories? In this castle you’ll have them told by lively dolls. We take this castle ride many times and we love it. We saw once, a short scene performed by the prince, at the balcony outside the castle for those who waited to get inside. This is the best Amusement park best castle I’ve ever visited. And yes, I’ve been to Disneyland and Disneyworld.
Contact with nature is one of Norway’s most valuable elements. And it’s there, at Hunderfossen. You find fresh air, wooden houses, blueberry bushes, wild flowers, everything in harmony. As a mother, I know that sometimes lots of kids can be noisy and tiring, but at Hunderfossen you can look around, breathe and renew your energy.
The characters. It’s pure Norwegian mythology and history. You learn so much from these stories. And it’s so fun! The trolls are everywhere, from a huge statue to pillars in a restaurant. Askeladen’s stories are inside the castle and on a theatre play, which is shown a couple of times a day. The youngsters working there are dressed as princesses.
The water park. The swimming pool is clean, big enough and deep enough. In Norway, do as Norwegians: take a shower before entering the swimming pool.
The rafting is so cool. And since the whole park is integrated into nature, you have this sensation of navigating an actual river. It’s fun and it’s safe. You’ll enjoy it even if you’re afraid of big rides or water.
Restaurants. There are restaurants and food kiosks spread all over the park. There are different kinds of restaurants. From taco to Norwegian meals like kjøttkaker.
Opening hours and services variety. Hunderfossen is a place where you can spend the whole day, from opening at 10:30 throughout eat dinner.
Location and architecture. The whole structure makes you feel safe there bringing small children. You can see pretty much all the park from near the giant troll statue. The view of the river and the beautiful green mountain is fantastic.
Attractions for small children. If you think your toddler isn’t ready for amusements parks yet, Hunderfossen Eventyrpark will probably make you happy. There’s a cart by the entrance you can borrow. You find places to breastfeed and change diapers. You can park the stroller in many quiet places for your kid to take a nap while you eat. Beside the castle, there’s a separated small kids area with huge sand terrain where they can “work” sitting on small tractors, and many other cute rides and attractions like the baby swimming pool.
Attractions for tweens and teens. The roller coaster is a must. I came out shaking. The rafting and swimming pool, of course. The climbing park is very popular. It has 3 zip-lines and you climb among trees. There’s a range of difficulty levels. The hardest one is for kids over the age of 14. It takes place from 12 to 14 meters above the rafting’s foaming water masses, with obstacles like arm walk in the “loose air”. A strong adrenaline kick!
And here are our family’s favorite attractions: rafting, a tour inside the castle, driving lessons and practice, tractor ride, rescuing the princess ride, the theater plays, the swimming pool, the singing frogs (it’s special. We can hear them inside our heads even after the visit).
Juliana, is there anything bad about Hunderfossen Eventyrpark? Sincerely, I didn’t see it. Lineups were pretty fast most of the time, even in July, which is high season. The staff is very attentive. I was surprised how organised they were during the corona pandemic. 1 meter marks on the ground, staff sprayed antibac on our hands before all the rides. That’s why we keep coming back each Summer.
How to get to Hunderfossen
Tickets: around 529 NOK. Children under 90 cm get free entrance.
How to get there:
Bus:141, 142, VY710
Train: F6, 503, RE10
You can take a train from Oslo, for example.
Check the site entur for time and details.
Car: Check the map
Opening hours: From 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
My advice: Arrive early so that you make the most of it.
Here’s their website. Hunderfossen.no
Please let me know when you visit Hunderfossen and how you liked it.
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*Reklame.