Muskox (Ovibos moschatus), Dovrefjell Sunndalsfjella National Park, Norway

Getty Images/Radius Images

Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park

Central Norway


This 4367-sq-km national park, Norway's largest continuous protected area, protects the dramatic highlands around the 2286m-high Snøhetta. It also provides a suitably bleak habitat for Arctic foxes, reindeer, wolverines and musk oxen, which can be spotted on an organised wildlife safari. Snøhetta can be ascended by hikers from Snøheim (allow six hours).

The Knutshøene massif (1690m) section of the park, east of the E6, protects Europe's most diverse intact alpine ecosystem.

Hikers will fare best with the Statens Kartverk map Dovrefjell (1:100,000). However, it doesn't include the Knutshø section; for that, you need Statens Kartverk's Einunna 1519-I and Folldal 1519-II topographic sheets.