Learn to Cross Country Ski in Norway
Holiday dates
2025 dates:
11th – 18th January 2025
25th Jan -1st Feb 2025
15th – 22nd February 2025
Holiday guaranteed
8th – 15th March 2025
Holiday full
Holiday prices
January 2025
From: 23 490 NOK
February 2025
From: 26 300 NOK
March 2025
From: 27 500 NOK
Per person, based on a twin/double room share
Booking
- Easy online booking
- Optional account to manage your booking
- No deposit required, card details secure your place*
- Choose your preferred type of room
- Solo travellers – can choose to book a shared twin room, contact us
- Add any extras as you book
- If you have any questions, please get in touch
*late cancellation charges may apply, please read our booking terms and conditions
Cross country ski grade
This holiday is aimed at those new to cross country skiing.
Beginner
Small group size
Minimum 4, maximum 8.
Minimum age
18 years
Good to know
Our blog articles have useful information to help you get ready for your cross country skiing holiday.
Our NEW cross country skiing holiday
This is a cross country ski week for those who would like to learn to cross country ski.
Enjoy an active winter holiday at our friendly family run hotel. Venabu is well known for its welcoming atmosphere and great food. We believe this creates the perfect setting for our new holiday: Learn to Cross Country Ski. This is a cross country skiing week with instruction on six days, effectively a holiday-style cross country ski course for beginners. There are skiing sessions each morning and afternoon. Your instructor will use a variety of teaching styles to suit the members of the group. You will also have time to consolidate your new skills as you explore this lovely ski area with your instructor. Whether you are travelling with friends or are a solo traveller, join us for a great start to your nordic ski experience.
Enjoy learning with expert tuition
Your BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) instructor will help you to make the best start on your cross country skis. We take care to create an enjoyable, relaxed atmosphere for the group so that you can learn and have fun. Our experienced ski teachers ensure that everyone in the group can progress at a pace that suits them.
On this holiday we teach the classic style of cross country skiing.
What to expect
Through the week we mix exercises and tours for variety, learning and consolidation. There´s the opportunity to develop good foundations right from the beginning.
If you are an active person, and enjoy gliding, you can expect to be skiing tours of 12 – 15 km by the end of the week.
We answer frequently asked questions about cross country skiing and holidays at Venabu here.
Why learn to ski at Venabu?
Venabu Fjellhotell sits on a mountain plateau at an altitude of 992m. We are surrounded by a beautiful landscape, away from the bussle of the valley. There are 140km of prepared ski tracks starting on our doorstep and we have a good snow record. The ski terrain is varied with friendly flatter areas, rolling hills, forests and wide open spaces. This means that as the week progresses there are plenty of areas to explore.
We love teaching cross country skiing and look forward to welcoming you to this new sport.
highlights
- Fantastic ski area – perfectly suited to beginners
- Good snow record
- BASI qualified instructor – get the best start on your cross country skis
- Small group size
- Friendly inclusive atmosphere, safe and ideal for learning
- Great food
- Great for solo travellers
- Eco-certified hotel
- Yoga classes, sports and relaxation massage available
- Saunas
- Excellent travel connections
Holiday itinerary
Day 1. Arrival
This evening we will meet at the hotel and have dinner together with your instructor. We will talk about the week ahead, but our more detailed briefing will be over coffee the following morning. After a day of travelling this is an evening to meet everyone and settle into your holiday.
19.00: Dinner is served.
Days 2 - 7. Learn to ski
We start the day with a relaxed Norwegian breakfast. There is time to make up a packed lunch at breakfast.
We then gather in the “skistall” or wax room to prepare our skis. You will learn about waxing and preparing nordic skis ready for the day. We warm up and head out to ski.
You will be introduced to nordic skiing in a progessive way, through carefully designed exercises that enable you to develop your skills, balance and confidence.
We use a mix of exercises and ski tours during the week to develop everyone in the group.
There is a wealth of ski terrain around Venabu and we will explore different areas as you learn. Make use of your new found skills and glide through magical snowy forests, discover vast, wild spaces and enjoy rolling hills.
When the weather is good we can enjoy our packed lunch outside, in true Norwegian style. On other days we can eat lunch in the hotel lounge before heading out for more skiing. In the afternoons we often go on a relaxed tour, so you can consolidate your skiing.
We will return to the hotel at around 4pm though this varies, depending on everyone’s energy levels. The hotel´s lounge is a lovely place to relax. Alternatively you can enjoy a restorative massage, sauna or join a yoga class.
19.00 Dinner is served.
Day 8. Departure day
Departure after breakfast.
Your coaches:
Joy O’Flanagan is an experienced BASI Nordic Ski Instructor and International Mountain Leader. She is also a movement specialist: a qualified physiotherapist and Pilates instructor. Joy is happiest out and about in the mountains: skiing, climbing or running.
Ewen Martin has been teaching skiing and mountaineering for 30 years. This includes Alpine, Telemark, ski touring and Nordic. Ewen is a Nordic International Ski Teacher and a German military high mountain Guide. He also works as a trainer for BASI: teaching and assessing instructors. Ewen’s expertise and enthusiasm enable him to get the very best out of each skier he teaches.
What’s included
- Expert cross country ski teaching on six days
- Seven nights accommodation on a three-quarter board basis: breakfast and dinner are substantial! Plus a packed lunch made up at breakfast. Thermos filled with your choice of hot drink.
- Our special weekly food event: “A Taste of Norwegian Tradition”
- Ski hire and ski wax
- Transfers to and from Ringebu at the start and end of your stay
Read more about travel to Venabu here.
Optional airport transfer: Oslo Gardermoen airport transfer. On Saturdays Venabu runs a direct airport bus, bookable in advance. Please see our travel page for timing and price.
“Brilliant!”
Ava and Christine (UK)
A Norwegian winter holiday
Beside learning nordic skiing, why not try dogsledding or a romantic horse drawn sleigh ride during your stay, for a full Norwegian holiday experience? On some nights you may be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights.
The hotel has a large lounge and bar with a roaring fire and convivial atmosphere. There are saunas, massage and yoga classes to help restore weary limbs or to simply relax.
You will be well looked after and eat well on your holiday. Good food is important to us and we serve delicious homemade food with many locally sourced ingredients. On Wednesday evenings we hold our weekly food event: “A Taste of Norwegian Tradition”. We serve a variety of local foods and accompaniments and share the stories behind the dishes. We serve vegetarian dishes at every meal and guests with special dietary requirements are welcome. Read more about our food philosophy.
“Fantastic holiday!”
“We had a fantastic holiday, new snow, fantastic tracks, superb hotel, food out of this world, staff so helpful and polite. Already booked for Christmas.”