Nordic in Norway: Venabu

Nordic in Norway: Venabu Nordic in Norway: Venabu Nordic in Norway: Venabu from 1295 Introductory An excellent week of cross country skiing in Norway, the true homeland of Nordic skiing. This trip to Venabu, an ideal cross country ski area, is for those are new to Nordic skiing, or who have done a few days on skis and who would like to consolidate their skills, and develop their technique. The trip offers top quality instruction which will get you gliding in good style through this stunning winter landscape. WARNING: be prepared to adopt the Norwegian way of doing things and 'relax'. This is without doubt a great week for unwinding, whilst playing in the 'white stuff'. Venabu Fjellhotell lies in the middle of the Venabygdsfjell plateau, south of the Rondane National park. It?s a snow sure area with fantastic nature, stable climate & great skiing trails. It offers 140 kms of marked and prepared trails in varied mountain terrain with summits up to 1400m. Improve your technique with top instructors Small groups ensuring maximum progress One of the best cross country ski areas in Norway Ski from the hotel doorstep Ideal terrain with stunning backdrop of the Rondane mountains Comfortable and hospitable base to return to each day Excellent and plentiful Norwegian style meals Optional yoga sessions for easing muscles Sauna DeparturesNordic in Norway: VenabuIntroduction The skiing at Venabu lies to the south of the and immediately east of the main railway from Oslo to Trondheim. The daily programme will be carefully designed to gradually introduce, develop or refresh skills on suitable terrain and over relatively short distances. As skills and confidence increase during the week and depending on the abilities and aspirations of the group, greater distances can be tackled over more ambitious terrain. As an added bonus, there is usually a large herd of reindeer in the vicinity, which adds to the wonderful Arctic ambiance of these wild mountains. The skiing will be entirely on way marked tracks which are regularly groomed by our hotel staff, offering us daily 'insider' knowledge about the best areas to ski! Yoga Classes During the week you can also take part in regular yoga sessions which is a great way to ease muscles and relax the body and mind. These sessions are provided by the hotel and are optional, and at a small extra cost. We would highly recommend that you try them! You do not need to be super bendy to do yoga, you just need to have the desire to try a new activity and to allow your body to benefit. You will definitely notice that any aches and pains are eased with regular ez Publish PDF export 1 of 5

practice. Itinerary Day 1 Arrival Today you arrive at Oslo Gardermoen airport and take the train north to Ringebu where your transfer will meet you and take you into the fabulous landscape that is Venabu. The train journey is a delight in itself offering great views of the Norwegian countryside. The trains are modern and comfortable and have drinks facilities, and free wifi. Tickets are easily purchased on line at NSB and if you book in advance these are with a considerable discount at around 48 for the return journey. You can choose to collect them on the train which makes taking the train north very easy. The train station is within the airport building and you must aim to catch the 1429 hrs train from Oslo Gardermoen airport to Ringebu, arriving at Ringebu at 1652 hrs. For the return journey we aim to catch the train from Ringebu at 0828 hrs arriving at the airport at 1053 hrs. All train timetables are published just 3 months in advance so please check all travel arrangements with us before you book your flights and trains. Day 2-7 Ski time! Each morning, after a leisurely breakfast, which is served Norwegian buffet style, which means as much as you can eat, we will then head for the ski room to prepare for our day. We love the atmosphere in the waxing room as everyone chats about the day ahead, and discusses which wax to apply to give the best performance on the day. Be prepared for lots of tales of derring-do and adventures from the day before as we mingle with the other guests and the locals. With our skis ready for action we head for the tracks and a day of skills and thrills as we make the most of the stunning landscape around Venabu. With 140 kms of trails to explore we have plenty to choose from, and with a variety of terrain from birch woodlands, to plateau, and mountains, we can choose the best tracks for the weather on the day. We take a picnic lunch with us if the weather is good, and if it is chilly we may opt to enjoy lunch in the hotel lounge, where you can take advantage of the free teas and coffees. You might even indulge in the tradiitonal Norwegian waffle, with jam and cream, if you feel you need even more energy for the afternoon. After lunch we head back out for more fresh air and ski time, but our approach is usually more leisurely than the morning session as we like you to have time to relax and enjoy consolidating your technieque. By mid-afternoon we are ready to head for our hotel, and the chance to relax in the sauna, or just enjoy the lounge area with its views to the mountains. ez Publish PDF export 2 of 5

Day 8 Departure Today you will transfer to Ringebu station for the train journey to Oslo airport. Many of our guests opt to spend an extra night in Oslo to enjoy this cosmopolitan city. You could, of course, choose to begin with a night in Oslo at the start of your journey. Accommodation Accommodation for 7 nights will be at the Venabu Fjellhotel. This hotel is built in the typical Norwegian style, is family-run a relaxed and hospitable atmosphere. Facilities include a superb dining room, with views to the Rondane Mountains, a fully licensed bar, two saunas, a solarium, meeting rooms, fitness room, two TV lounges, table tennis table and pool table. There is also a large ski waxing room with ski hire and shop, as well as a souvenir shop. The food is excellent, including a?norwegian Buffet? every Wednesday and there is always a good selection of vegetables, salad and vegetarian options. We have opted for?self-made? packed lunches everyday so we have complete flexibility with plans for our skiing day; lunches are made from the breakfast buffet, in the Norwegian tradition? a chance to experiment with all sorts of tasty sandwich fillings! All rooms are en suite with shower, WC, radio and phone and are non-smoking. Rooms in the East Wing are the standard rooms, included in our price; it is also possible to opt for a room in the West Wing which are larger and have under-floor heating in the bathrooms. You can request a single room if you wish, but this will incurr a supplement. Please ask for details and availability. Other activities available here, if you fancy a change from skiing, include snowshoeing, dog sledding, riding with a horse and sleigh (all charged a small additional cost) and excursions to local sites of interest. All these can be arranged on arrival. Price Included: The price includes full-board accommodation (breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner) for 7 nights, based on two people sharing in our very comfortable hotel, which has fantastic food and great facilities, including a sauna. It includes 6 full days of instruction by a fully qualified BASI Nordic Instructor. It includes a transfer from Ringebu station to your hotel on arrival and on departure. If your transfer is outwith normal hours a supplement may be incurred. However, as we request you take a specified train from Oslo airport to Ringebu this rarely applies. Not included: Insurance, flights, train fares between Oslo and Ringebu, drinks, ski hire approx 600 NOK for 6 days. Yoga classes which are around 100 NOK per session. Further Information ez Publish PDF export 3 of 5

Upon booking a full list of the necessary suitable clothing will be provided. This itinerary is dependent on the weather and snow conditions and your instructor will make any changes necessary to ensure you get the best out of the trip. At least 2 or 3 days days of previous cross country ski experience is required for this trip. Your instructor will offer structured 'on snow' time of about 4-5 hours per day. We roughly break the days down to a morning skills session, then a picnic lunch, if it is very cold this will be taken back at your hotel where you can also enjoy a hot drink and a rest, then an afternoon session, before pre-dinner relaxation and sauna time! Ski Rental We use 'classic' style cross country track skis for this trip. You can choose to bring your own, however do check with us first to ensure they are the correct type of ski and boot and are suitable. At Venabu we do things the Norwegian way, and our hire skis from the hotel are 'waxing' skis with metal edges which are more effective for snowploughing and ease of control. This is also a great opportunity to learn the art of waxing and your instructor will provide daily waxing sessions to ensure you get the best out of the skis. Grip waxes are the traditional way of travelling on skis, and give greater glide than 'fishscales'. Don't be confused by all of this, just ask your instructor! We are always delighted to help you enjoy the whole Nordic experience. Your instructor will help with organising the ski rental on the morning of your first ski day at Venabu. The total ski hire for the weekend is expected to be around 600 NOK for 6 days. Please make your payment directly to rental shop at the hotel (credit cards are accepted).to ensure we get the correct sizes equipment hire is arranged in advance. Please make note of your equipment hire on our booking form. We will need to know your height, weight, normal shoe size (you must give us your everyday shoe size and not your personal adjustment for wearing boots) and the measurement of your height up to your armpits (for ski pole hire). Minimum Numbers This trip requires a minimum of 4 clients to book before it can be guaranteed to run and we take a maximum of 8/9 clients per instructor. By keeping the group numbers small you will get the very best of instruction during your week allowing you to make as much progress as possible. Getting there Norway is easily reached with various international airlines offering direct flights from the UK and Europe to Oslo Gardermoen airport. Flights can also be taken to Torp, but please note you will need to allow enough time to transfer to Oslo Gardermoen for your train journey north. The train station is located inside the airport terminal and is just a few minutes from the arrivals area. It makes connecting to your train for your journey to Ringebu very easy. Please see the notes under 'Arrival Day' with regard to train times. We aim to provide a transfer from Ringebu to your hotel on arrival and departure, but this is based on one collection for everyone arriving for the holiday. You can, of course, take alternative trains both on the arrival and depature days but this may incurr a small supplement if it requires a special journey by the hotel taxi. Please ask for details if this is the case. ez Publish PDF export 4 of 5

Our Partners As our niche trips such as Nordic in Norway: Venabu, are of a specialised nature we work with our partner companies to attract sufficient clients to reach the minimum number of participants to allow these trips to go ahead, meaning you are more likely to have your chosen holiday 'guaranteed'. Tracks and Trails in these instances may, in collaborating with our associates, make use of their guiding services. If you have any queries with regard to this please contact us. <iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=2132011628178463440 91.0004ada3885fe92358750&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=m&vpsrc=6&l l=61.649467,10.110168&spn=0.456492,1.167297&z=9&output=embed "></iframe><br /><small>view <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=213201162817846344 091.0004ada3885fe92358750&hl=en&ie=UTF8&t=m&vpsrc=6& ll=61.649467,10.110168&spn=0.456492,1.167297&z=9&source=embe d" style="color:#0000ff;text-align:left">venabu Tracks and Tours</a> in a larger map</small> No Stunning track skiing ez Publish PDF export 5 of 5