Trolltunga is becoming a more and more popular destination in Norway. For those wishing to avoid the vast amount of tourists and take a shorter hike, Nedstrand has an alternative that still offers spectacular views.

Himakånå. Or was it Himakåno? Maybe Himakåna? The name is so confusing that even UT.no, Norway’s leading hiking website, has this hike filed under two different names. With two different distances and times to hike. And on the maps they use it says Himakona. Confused? Luckily the name is the only confusing part, but what is this place actually?

Himakånå is a rock formation in Nedstrand in Norway. It is often called “Little Trolltunga” because of its resemblance with Trolltunga, the huge rock overhanging the water below near Odda. The distance to the ground below might not be as big at Himakånå as for Trolltunga, but neither is the number of visitors.

While Trolltunga attracts thousands of tourists every single day just a few take the trip to Himakånå. The hike is also just an hour, compared to the 3-6 hour hike to Trolltunga. And the parking fee of 40 euros? No parking fee here!

The trail is clearly marked, all the way from the parking lot to Himakånå. This sign made us worry a bit, but there were no bulls in sight and we lived so see another day…

Once on the top we were greeted by a wall of fog. Visibility was nonexistent and a rather disappointing experience after having driven for 2.5 hours to see this. Luckily the weather gods were on our side and as if on cue the fog disappeared just minutes after we reached the top. Himakånå was illuminated by the evening sun just before it disappeared beyond the horizon.

February is far from peak season for this place, but having the pleasure of spending several hours up here without another person in sight was something we did not expect. It gave us plenty of time to take photos, shoot videos and timelapses and enjoy the view in peace and quiet, something you can rarely or never do at Trolltunga. To add to the benefits it is a shorter drive to here from Bergen, Haugesund, Stavanger and most of Southern Norway than it is to drive to Trolltunga. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Practical

• Reaching Nedstrand is most practical by car
• Parking can be found by the grocery store “Joker” (see map below). Parking is free, but when utilising their parking space we encourage you to buy some snacks or food as a thank you.
• The path from the parking lot to the start of the trail is clearly marked with signs and arrows on the ground.
• The hike takes about an hour going up and a bit faster going down again.
• The trail can get a bit muddy, especially under and after rainfall. Bring good hiking or trekking boots.
• Check out UT.no’s guide to Himakånå from Haugesund Turistforening.