Mountain cruise on Lake Møsvatn
A sunny summer's day on board M/B Fjellvåken on Lake Møsvatn, 919 metres above sea level, is an unforgettable experience.
The boat runs scheduled trips between Skinnarbu and Mogen in the summer season. Mogen Turisthytte (tourist cabin) is a popular gateway for hiking trips in Hardangervidda National Park.
Your options include a day trip from Skinnarbu up to Mogen Turisthytte, or a three-hour guided round trip from Skinnarbu to the island of Hovden with its beautiful church. You can also charter the entire boat with its crew – something to think about for your next birthday celebration.
Hardangervidda National Park
The mountain village of Rauland is situated by the foot of Hardangervidda National Park, one of Europe's largest mountain plateaus and home to Northern Europe's largest stock of wild reindeer.
The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) has a vast net of cabins and marked hiking trails on Hardangervidda, and a popular starting point is Mogen Turisthytte at the end of Lake Møsvatn. You can reach Mogen Turisthytte by taking the catamaran M/B Fjellvåken from Skinnarbu – a fantastic mountain cruise 919 metres above sea level.
The Hardangervidda National Park Route
An exciting journey awaits you when travelling the Hardangervidda National Park Route. A journey through the outstanding scenery between Eastern and Western Norway - the perfect gateway to the fjords. It is also a journey down the delightful small roads of Telemark and along the borders of Hardangervidda. A journey with lots of things to do and see, a journey back in time to the roots of Norwegian folk culture and early Norwegian industry.
Climb Gaustatoppen Mountain and be amazed by the view over one sixth of Norway. Visit Hardangervidda Mountain Plateau, where kilometres of trails await you, whether you prefer hiking, cycling or riding.
Exciting museums tell the stories of the industrial rising, of the nuclear arms race and the saboteurs (made famous in the film "Heroes of Telemark"), of Norwegian folk culture and arts. Enjoy elk safaris and mountain cruises in spectacular scenery.
Museums and exhibitions
In and around Rauland there are six museums offering a wide range of different themes; from sculptures, paintings, literature and folk music to local culture and World War II history.
All the museums, except for The Defence Museum in Åmot, are a part of a joint museum ticket for all the museums in Western Telemark. Rauland and its surroundings also offer several arts and crafts exhibitions.
Telemarkstunet
Visit Telemarkstunet and enjoy a courtyard showcasing a collection of copies of local, traditional log buildings. During the summer there is also a craft exhibition, wood-burning stone oven bakery in Eldhuset selling fresh cakes and bread, summer café serving traditional food and art and crafts workshops.
Gaustatoppen Mountain
Gaustatoppen, which some say is Norway's most beautiful mountain, towers majestically above the town of Rjukan at an altitude of 1,883 metres above sea level. Around 30,000 people make the trip up to the summit every year to enjoy the fantastic view from the top. On a clear day, you can see all the way south to the coast, and east to Sweden. You can see one sixth of Norway from here.
Krossobanen Cable Car
This is the first ever cable car to be built in Northern Europe in 1928. The cable car was a gift from Norsk Hydro to the people of Rjukan so that they could get up high enough to see the sun during the winter.
At the cable car's lower station you will find a large car park, from which the two cable cars, "Tyttebær" (cowberry) and "Blåbær" (blueberry), carry passengers up to an altitude of 886 metres. The view over Rjukan from the top is fantastic, with the mountains rolling away to the south and west and Vemork nestling in the valley below.
Recently Krossobanen has been renovated, with new machinery and other technical installations.
The Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum (Vemork)
This museum at Vemork is a place where you can learn about the fantastic adventure of its genesis and see exhibitions about the industrial development in Norway, and in Rjukan in particular.
The museum is best known for its presentation of Rjukan's exciting wartime history. Vemork was the centre of one of the most important acts of sabotage committed during World War II, when Norwegian saboteurs prevented the Germans from developing a nuclear bomb from the heavy water that was produced there.
The "Atomkappløpet" (nuclear race) exhibition gives an exciting and extremely informative presentation of the four heavy water sabotage missions and the Allies’ efforts to build a nuclear bomb.
The Telemark Canal
Welcome to one of the most beautiful waterways in the world Enjoy a tour on the beautiful Telemark Canal this summer. Engage in ancient cultural history, a thriving life and locking as it was more than 100 years ago. Enjoy the journey on one of the nostalgic canal boats; "Victoria" or the more recent "Telemarken".
All in all, the canal consists of 18 lock chambers, lifting the boats from 0 to 72 metres on their 105-kilometre long journey from the beautiful Telemark coast in Skien to the foot of Hardangervidda in Dalen. You take the canal boat one way, and then follow a bus back to your starting point.
Bø Sommarland
Fun for the whole family! Norway's largest aqua park, and one of Europe's most beautiful. Enjoy the world's largest artificial waves for surfing and Norway's biggest water roller coaster at Bø Sommarland.
Rauland-Rjukan Advantage Card
Book at least three night's accommodation, and receive discounts at the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum, Krossobanen, the Rauland Moose Safari, the mountain cruise on Lake Møsvatn and more.
The advantage card can be obtained at places offering accommodation in Rauland and at the Rauland tourist office.