Geilo

Discover Geilo

Geilo is a small town and skiresort in upper Hallingdal at the edge of Hardangervidda. It is convenient stop on the road or rail between Oslo and Bergen. Haugastøl and Ustaoset some kilometers further east is effectively part of Geilo. Geilo is one of the best known and most popular skiing resorts in Scandinavia - but is also a popular area for summer and autumn activities such as hiking, biking, fishing, rafting, glacier walk and more. At an elevation of 794 m (2605 ft) the ski season does not end until late April or early May. Geilo is a village or small town and has few shops and entertainment spots. The town centre includes several sport shops, tourist information, supermarkets, cafés & restaurants, newsagents and a range of other shops. Down the road there is a small cinema, library, and school. There is also a large sports hall (Geilohallen), which is also the cross country club (Geilo IL). Behind the building is a floodlit prepared cross country track, and a biathlon shooting range. For a small town of some 2000 permanent inhabitants there is a good choice of hotels, apartments and restaurants. Because of the large number of visitors there are more srvices than typical for a small town. One of the hotels is one of Norway’s most famous, Dr Holms. Others include the Bardøla, Vestlia, which is on the door step of Geilolia ski centre, Ustedalen and the Highland Hotel. Visitors will also find cabins and apartments for rent in Geilo - most on a self catering basis. Geilolia Cabins & Apartments, Kikut and Geilo Apartment is some of the main suppliers for the self catering market. Geilo sits in the eastern uplands at 800 meters and is generally in the rainshadow of the central mountains. Summers are mild and winters are mostly cold with stable weather. Average temperature in January is -8°C and in July 11°C, annual rainfall is 700 millimeters. On average there is a solid snow cover 150 days each winter, but cold weather allows production of artificial snow on the slopes. Geilo is the village of Ustedalen valley, the upper branch of Hallingdal valley. There was no road across Hardangervidda only hiking trails. When the Bergen railway opened in 1909 Geilo there were only a few scattered farms in Ustedalen. The railway station for Ustedalen was established at Geilo farm. Geilo was at that time a small firm with a small pension. The Geilo village developed around the station. During the late 1900s Geilo emerged as one of the most popular winter resorts in Norway, within reach of Oslo and Bergen. During winter season Decemeber to Easter visitors greatly outnumbers locals. At Christmas, Winter break (late February) and Easter Geilo and surrounding villages are packed. Haugastøl and Ustaoset are smaller villages at Uste lake some kilometers further west. There are many holiday homes at Haugastøl and Ustaoset too. Road 7 and the railway line splits at Haugastøl. During bad weather in Winter, road 7 can be closed between Haugastøl and Vøringsfossen.