Birkebeiner ski and bike races
by Saagar
The Birkebeiner ski race runs from Rena (next valley east) to Lillehammer, and it's apparently a big thing. 5000 skiers variously sweat and freeze for a distance of 56 kilometers in March.
A special Inga-Laami ladies' ski race over a 15-kilometers' stretch attract 3000 dressed-up ladies near the main Olympic ski stadium. It gets lively in town that night! I won't tell when this takes place.
The Birkebeiner bike race is the world's largest off-road race (8000 particpants). Takes place in August, and follow nearly the same course as the ski race. Why do they do it all at the same time? Ohh, expert equipment. Don't even dare to venture into this.
Same for the ladies' race!
Mountain biking rentals
by Saagar
Hafjell skiing area offers good mountain biking during summers. There are touring tracks, downhill and freeride tracks in all grades of difficulty. A bike lift takes you and your bike from the base of the ski area to the top and deposits you to choose whether you will bike gravel roads and trails in the mountains for a day or more with your family or in a group (commercial pacakge tours available), og skid down the hill again for a thrill and come up again for another try. Bike rentals half day, complete equipment: NOK 450, full day NOK 650.
Lift card 1 day NOK 200, 2 days NOK 300, season: NOK 900.
Groups/companies: half day mountain tours with guide: NOK 375 per person.
Full day tour including access transport and lunch NOK 795 per person.
Half day in Hafjell Bike Park with introduction, instruction and guiding incl all gear and guide NOK 850 per person. Full day ditto NOK 1150.
The town centre of Lillehammer
by Saagar
The town centre of Lillehammer consists of two main parallel shopping streets, of which Storgaten is the most important, and a number of grid streets connecting the two and the villa area beyond.
A number of events and activities are staged by the various town volunteer associations and commercial interests and they are listed in a web page (below). The web page gives you an updater overview of what you can expect.
MAIHAUGEN
by Maria_75
Maihaugen is a museum where you can see the life and work of people through the last 500 years. Houses, decoration and landscape are all designed according to their era.
You can take guided tours so you can learn more about the history. They also have different exhibitions.
Maihaugen - better than the Folk Museum in Oslo
by Saagar
For a genuine pedagogical experience of Norwegian history, it is much better to go to Lillehammer and see the Maihaugen outdoor museum and exhibits than the Norsk Folkemuseum (Norwegian Folk Museum) at Bygdo in Oslo.
The main reason is that the house collection has been much more systematic, and the exhibits, activities and guided tours even more so.
There is also the permanent historical exhibit "Slowly, the land became our own" in the indoor section, which takes a view of Norway emerging from the ice age, through early settlement, nation building and colonialism to liberation 100 years ago and into modernity. Very interesting - and gives you a skeleton background on Norway.
There are many fun things and unique things at Norsk Folkemuseum, too, especially in their city department, but if you will have to choose one, go to Lillehammer.
lillehammer
Lillehamer town centre map
View from train
Maihaugen
