Mount Saksa Hike In The Sunmøre Alps – A Spectacular Hiking Trail in Norway

The beautiful region of the Sunmøre Alps in Norway was one of my favorite places to explore during our 2 week road trip. And one of the most rewarding hikes in this area is the hike up to Mount Saksa!

The hiking trail up to Mount Saksa is one of the most popular hikes in the region and rightfully so! But even so, the Sunmøre Alps haven’t really been discovered yet by mass tourism! As a result you’ll be mostly surrounded by locals along your way up.

I consider the hike to Mount Saksa one of the best hiking trails in Norway! It’s not for the faint of heart but it’s reward at the top is absolutely breathtaking.

I won’t lie, you’ll cover a lot of height in a rather short distance and I was huffing and puffing a lot during our final ascent. But once I reached the top I completely forgot about the struggles and enjoyed the 360° view over the Sunmøre Alps.

So if you only have time to complete 1 hike in this area, let it be this one!. There are other beautiful hikes here as well, but they don’t have the same striking 360° views!

Get ready to discover one of the most beautiful places in Norway!

Mount Saksa Hike In The Sunmøre Alps – A Spectacular Hiking Trail

The Sunmøre Alps have been on my radar from the minute I saw a photo of them online. From that moment on I knew I had to see this place with my own eyes.

And honestly, they were even more spectacular in real life!

A lot of people visit the nearby Geiranger fjord. And while that one also has its charm, it’s a lot more touristic and not as authentic as theSunmøre Alps. It’s only a 2 hour drive to reach theSunmøre Alps from Geiranger so if you only have time to visit one of them I highly recommend skipping Geiranger and just take a couple of days to fully immerse yourself in exploring theSunmøre Alps.

If you’re a mountain lover then you don’t need much convincing to hike the Sunnmøre Alps. You’ll hardly be able to wait to experience the jagged mountain peaks for yourself while they’re bursting out of the fjord more than 1,500 m (4,921 ft) straight up into the sky.

Planning your trip to Norway

🏨 Find the best accommodations on Booking.com
💰 Get reliable travel insurance from World Nomads
🚘 Rent a car to travel around Norway with SunnyCars.com
🎒 Pack a power bank, hiking shoes and trekking poles.
📚 Read Nordic Tales, Lonely Planet’s Norway and Nordic Islands by Stefan Forster

🗺 How to reach the Mount Saksa Hiking Trail

We did our road trip through Norway with a camper van and I would do so again in a heartbeat. We chose a camper van from WeCamp and absolutely loved it! It was very spacious and comfortable and it truly felt like our home away from home during these 2 weeks. Not to forget, I had some of my best nights’ sleep on that bed!

The hiking trail up to Mount Saksa starts in the small town of Urke.

We visited the Sunmøre Alps after spending a couple of days in the area of Romsdalseggen. The drive will take about 3 hours and you’ll have to take the ferry from Liabygda to Stranda. You can find the time schedule for the ferry here.

When it comes to navigating through theSunmøre Alps things can get a little tricky and confusing. The mountain range encircles the Hjørundfjords and consists of several small villages on opposite sides of the fjord.

So if you want to visit more villages you’ll have to take a ferry to do so.

If you’re only here for one night you can simply stay in Urke or Øye so you won’t have to take any of the additional ferries.

🏨 Where to stay near the Mount Saksa Hiking Trail

Since we were traveling with a camper van we chose to stay at the nearest camp site. And as luck would have it it was literally around the corner of the starting point of the Mount Saksa hike. The camp site is called Urke Camping and comes with free hot water when showering. And I tell you, that’s not that common in Norway. A lot of times you’ll have to pay extra if you want to take a hot shower instead of an ice cold one!

If camping is not your jam you can take a look at these hotels in Øye. All of them are within short driving distance of the Mount Saksa hike.

Another option is to stay in the town of Sæbo, but do know that you’ll then have to take a ferry to Urke to start your hike.

🗓 When to hike the Mount Saksa Hiking Trail

As with a lot of hikes in Norway it’s best to do this hike on a clear day. Some white clouds high in the sky wouldn’t be a dealbreaker. But these beautiful fjords are often covered in thick grey clouds which prevent you from seeing any mountain top. It would be a real shame to put so much effort into a hike to not get rewarded with the best view possible.

Hiking season in theSunmøre Alps starts in Mid June and lasts until the end of September, depending on the weather.

I loved visiting Norway in September! Even though we had a couple of rainy days, it was a lot more enjoyable to discover these stunning places without the hordes of other tourists that you would have to face in July or August.

🥾 Saksa Hike Details

Hike Distance – 6km (3.7 miles)

Elevation – 931m

Route Type – Out & back

Duration – 4 hours

Level – Moderate to hard. Especially the last ascent is brutally steep. I had to stop a couple of times to catch my breath and in one part you have to pull yourself up by means of a cable to cross a giant rock.

Parking lot – Saksa parking lot. There’s no parking fee.

When to go – I advise you to leave early in the morning. It’s one of the busiest trails in the Sunmøre Alps and you really want to enjoy the view on the top alone, at least for a little while.

Season – Mid June until start of October

Throughout the trail there is nowhere to refill your water bottle so make sure to bring enough with you!

There’s only one small stream in the forest when you’re hiking up. But if you walk a little higher you’ll also see a toilet, one where you pee through a hole in the ground. So I wouldn’t go drinking that water if I were you.

🙋🏼‍♀️My experience on the Saksa Hiking Trail

As soon as I woke up and stepped out of our camper van I knew it was going to be a glorious day! The sky was clear and pink fluffy clouds were dwindling high above the mountain peaks.

We started our hike around 8am and the first part of the trail leads up though the forest. At the start of the hike there were still a couple of signs which indicate the distance left but I found that they weren’t really correct. It looked like we had conquered a lot of ground in only a short amount of time and then all of a sudden it took us ages to walk the same distance.

A short while after the start of the trail you can choose to either go up through the forest or take a small detour on a winding road. There’s only 5 minutes of difference between both trails so it doesn’t really make much of a difference which one you choose.

After hiking up through the first tree line we ended up in a small mountain valley with some cute wooden bridges to help you cross over the muddy terrain.

There’s another short incline that goes up through the trees but afterwards you’ll be treated to first of many magnificent views!

By now I thought we had almost made it to the top. Well, turns out I was dead wrong. A giant part of mount Saksa was right in front of us and it was one of the steepest climbs I’ve ever done. It’s not every day that you hike up nearly a kilometer in only 3km’s of distance.

I was super happy that I brought my trekking poles with me but even then, I needed a couple of breaks to catch my breath and regain strength in my legs.

I was so focussed on reaching the top that I didn’t even look around!

But after an hour of huffing, puffing and a lot of sweating we finally made it to the top of Mount Saksa!

The first thing I did was lay on the ground to catch my breath. But after indulging in a protein bar and jugging down some much needed water I took a good look around.

If my legs weren’t hurting so much I would have thought I was dreaming. We were completely surrounded by mountains and right below us was the spectacular Hjørundfjord. We stayed at the top for more than an hour, taking in all of the views and probably taking more than hundred photographs.

Afterwards we hiked back down. The first part was a little tricky cause it was pretty steep in some parts but afterwards it was only smooth sailing.

Up next? A hot shower at the campground and a glass of wine!

If you have any questions about the mount Saksa hike simply ask them in the comment section below!

💸Norway Travel Insurance

I highly recommend you to get a travel insurance before your trip cause the risks are never worth the costs. If you’re going on a more adventurous trip you can always get yourself injured! So far I have sprained my ankle in Jordan, got food poisoning in India, turned snow blind in the Dolomites and have fallen multiple times during many hikes. It’s always best to be safe than sorry in such cases and with a good travel insurance you don’t have to worry about medical bills piling up.

I personally love World Nomads, their prices are affordable, their coverage is great, and they also offer 24/7 on-call customer service! When I got super sick in India they even covered an extra night for me at the hotel that I was staying it and rearranged my flight home at no extra cost!

🧳 Norway Hiking Packing List

Hiking shoes – You will definitely need a pair of these. Even that some attractions are located right next to a parking lot you’ll pretty much always have to hike over a rocky terrain. I love my Meindl Mountain Trail Boots for longer hikes and my Danner Mountain Light Boots for daily wear and shorter distances.

Trekking poles – These will especially come in handy cause a lot of the hikes in these guide can be rather strenuous on the joints. I used the Leki Adventure Light trekking poles for all of my hikes in Norway!

Back Pack – You’ll want to bring a back pack with you to carry your camera, some snacks and your refillable water bottle. I love the Kanken No. 2 back pack from Fjallraven and pretty much take it with me everywhere I go.

Refillable Water Bottle – The water in Norway is some of the freshet in the entire world so there’s no need at all to buy plastic bottles. Simply find the nearest stream to fill up your bottle and you’re good to go.

Another option is to use a back pack which has a water reservoir built inside of it. For instance this 3L Hydration Bladder is leak proof and can be stored inside a back pack.

Trail Leggings – I love hiking in leggings and have lately been loving the Abisko Trail Tights from Fjallraven.

Fast Drying Shirt – When hiking you tend to sweat, especially when climbing a mountain. One of the best things to wear is a shirt that quickly dreis so you don’t get cold high up the mountain.

Insulating Jacket – Depending on the temperature you’ll either want a thicker or lighter jacket. If it’s pretty cold outside I always go for my Fjallraven Vidda Jacket. Otherwise I go for their High Coast Light Jacket which is super light weight.

Woolen cap – The perfect accessory to protect your ears from the cold and to cover your hair after a few days without a shower.

Protein Bars – Make sure you have a couple of these stowed a way in your back pack to boost up your energy level during the hike.

Sunscreen – Make sure to re apply to your face regularly cause pretty much all of the hikes that we did in Norway were exposed most of the time. I love this one by Neutrogena which feels like a face mist but also provides SPF 50 protection!

Merino Wool Socks – My go to brand has always been Falke and I love how fast they drive after a long day of hiking. Plus since they’re made of merino wool they don’t smell and can be worn for a couple of days.

📸 Norway Photography Gear

• Canon EOS 6D Mark II – My go to camera body for the past 3 years
• Main Lens – Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II
• Zoom Lens – Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6
• Wide Angle Lens – Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L III
• Tripod – Manfrotto Tripod
• Drone – DJI Mavic Mini 2 Fly More Combo

You can find my complete list of photography gear here

🇳🇴 Other Norway Articles that might interest you

• Norway – The 20 Most Beautiful Places in Norway for the Outdoor Lover
• Romsdalseggen – Romsdalseggen Ridge Hike – The Most Spectacular Hiking Trail In Åndalsnes
• Hiking – Norway Hiking Guide – 14 Best Day Hikes In Norway
• Wildlife – Where To See The Musk Ox In Dovrefjell National Park In Norway
• Trollveggen – The Ultimate Trollveggen Hiking Trail – Hiking Stabbeskaret On The Troll Wall In Norway
• Jotunheimen National Park – Besseggen Ridge Hike Guide – The Best Hiking Trail In Jotunheimen National Park
• Trolltunga – Trolltunga Hike – Everything You Need To Know About Hiking Norway’s Most Famous Trail
• Norway Road Trip – The Ultimate 2 Week Norway Road Trip Itinerary Perfect For The Outdoor Lover