Native/Treks

Norway Launching with our first hosts

Spend a day with someone who lives here.

Ski the forest trails at the end of the line. Pick mushrooms with someone who knows which ones to leave. Walk to a view and hear someone play the handpan. One local, one outing, small groups.

You don't get a tour. You get their Sunday.

A small group on a winter hike in northern Norway, smiling by a wooden footbridge over a stream, with snowy peaks behind.
01

Why go with a local

Most visitors see Norway through a bus window. The best of it is a short ride from town, with people who go there every weekend.

Plenty of people here have a place they know by heart. A spruce forest where the chanterelles come up every August. A ski loop that ends at a cabin with coffee and something warm. A spot by the lake where they always light a fire.

Most of them are not guides. They just love it, and they are good at it. Native Treks lets them take a few travelers along. It is friluftsliv, shared.

A campfire burning on a rocky shore at dusk, lighting up tall pine trees and reflecting in a still lake.
A blackened kettle hanging from a tripod over a fire pan in the snow.
  1. i.

    One person, not a company

    Every outing is run by the local who made it up. You meet them, not a rota of staff.

  2. ii.

    Small groups

    Small enough to talk, ask questions and stop when something is worth stopping for.

  3. iii.

    Close to where you are

    Norway has forest, lakes and fjord a short ride from most towns. Many outings start at a bus, train or ferry stop.

  4. iv.

    The everyday, done well

    No costumes or set pieces. The things people here actually do on a day off.

Why now Norway's tourism board wants “strong impressions with small footprints”, with visitors spread across the whole year. And nature tourists here say they want guided, custom and eco-friendly trips, which are still rare.

A group ski touring in a line through deep snow below a forested slope, some with arms raised.

A note from the founder

“Most tours here show you Norway through a bus window. I wanted the other version: a day out with someone who'd be doing this anyway, and who's happy to bring you along. That's Native Treks. Not a guide, just a local who knows the way.”

Benjamin Goodaker-Craig Founder, Native Treks

Why I started this

02

Outings

The kinds of outings coming first.

We are talking with our first hosts now, so nothing is bookable yet. These are the sort of outings we expect to open, sorted by season, because in Norway the season decides almost everything. Dates, details and prices will come from each host.

A skier with a red jacket and backpack on a snowy forest track, looking out over hills.

Winter

December to March

Short days, deep snow, and a fire to come back to.

  • Skating on a frozen lake

    Long blades, a thermos and a few kilometres of black ice when the lake freezes before the snow comes. Norwegians call it naturis.

    Effort
    Moderate
    Good to know
    Only on ice a local has checked

  • Slow skiing

    Slow breathing and movement in the morning, then a day on skis with nobody keeping time.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    You can ski a little

  • Stargazing in the long dark

    Ski or walk out past the last streetlight on a clear evening, with someone who knows which way to look, and when the northern lights might show.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    Clear evenings only
A still forest lake in summer, reflecting spruce trees and a blue sky with clouds.

Spring and summer

April to August

Light until close to midnight in June, and evenings that never seem to end.

  • Midsummer sunset hike

    Walk up in the evening, watch the sun barely set, and walk down in the light that never quite goes.

    Effort
    Moderate
    Good to know
    Starts late, ends late

  • Walk to a concert

    A day on the trail that ends with live music somewhere you would never expect a stage.

    Effort
    Moderate
    Good to know
    Dates follow the music

  • Forage, then cook

    Spring herbs and greens, picked with someone who knows which are safe, then cooked over a fire.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    Best in late spring
A cluster of yellow chanterelle mushrooms growing in green moss.

Autumn

August to November

Mushrooms, berries, and the birches turning yellow before the first snow.

  • Mushroom picking in a spruce forest

    A basket, a knife and someone who knows which ones to leave behind. Most go home in the pan that night.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    Off-trail, uneven ground

  • Full moon, lights off

    A forest trail walked by moonlight with someone who knows every turn.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    Only around the full moon

  • Silent walk to the fire

    Walk out without talking, build the fire together, then talk as long as you like.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    Quiet on the way out

  • The city from the water, after dark

    Paddle out at dusk with the lights on one side and quiet islands on the other.

    Effort
    Moderate
    Good to know
    Some time on the water
A calm forest lake in Nordmarka on a sunny day, with a birch tree in the foreground and spruce forest reflected in the water.

Any time of year

If the weather allows

A few things people here do whatever the month says.

  • Hike, then yoga and guided meditation

    Walk out to a quiet spot, stretch out the climb, then sit still for a while.

    Effort
    Moderate
    Good to know
    No yoga experience needed

  • Hike and handpan

    A walk to a view, then your host plays the handpan while the light changes.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    Best on a calm, dry day

  • Blue hour with a camera

    A walk timed for the soft light, with pointers from someone who photographs there all the time.

    Effort
    Easy
    Good to know
    Any camera, a phone is fine
A snowy forest road between spruce trees heavy with fresh snow.
03

How it works

From the waitlist to the trailhead.

  1. 1

    Pick an outing

    Each one is run by one local. You will see who they are, what you will do, where you meet, how hard it is and what to bring.

  2. 2

    Book a spot

    Groups stay small. The host sets the price and you see all of it before you pay.

  3. 3

    Meet your host

    Usually at a bus, train or ferry stop. Dress for the weather and bring a good mood. They will take it from there.

  4. 4

    Go home with a story

    And maybe a favourite place you would never have found alone.

A forest path through tall spruce and pine trees, sunlight on green undergrowth.

What we check before an outing goes up

  • We talk with every host, by phone or over coffee.
  • We go through the route, the plan for bad weather and what happens if someone gets hurt.
  • Each outing says in plain words how hard it is and what to bring.
  • Hosts can call off a day when conditions are not safe. Leave no trace, always.
A person crouched by a small campfire in the dark, face lit by the flames.

For people who live here

Your ordinary Sunday is someone's whole trip.

Do you have a forest you know by heart, a trail you could walk in the dark, or a skill people here grow up with? We are looking for our first hosts. You choose what to share, when and for how much.

Become a host How hosting works

04

Traveler questions

Straight answers, before you ask.

When can I book?

Not yet. We are signing up our first hosts now. Join the waitlist and we will write once there is something to book. That is the only email you will get from us until then.

How much will an outing cost?

Each host sets their own price, so it will depend on the outing, how long it is and what is included. You will see the full price before you book.

Who are the hosts?

People who live here and already do the thing they are showing you, most weekends, for fun. Some will be trained guides, many will not be. We talk with every host before their outing goes up.

How big are the groups?

Small. Each host chooses the size that works for their outing, so there is time to talk and ask questions.

Do I need to be fit or experienced?

Each outing will say how hard it is in plain words, and what you need to have done before. Plenty will need nothing more than walking shoes and a warm layer.

What about the weather?

Norwegians say there is no bad weather, only bad clothes. Within reason. Each outing will list what to wear, and hosts can move or cancel a day when conditions are not safe.

Where do outings happen?

Wherever our hosts know best. We are starting in and around Oslo, where forest, lakes and fjord are a short ride from the centre, and we would love to hear from hosts elsewhere in Norway too.

What language are outings in?

English. Some hosts will also offer Norwegian or other languages, and will say so.

A lone person walking on a frozen fjord at sunset, low sun over a dark tree line.

Waitlist

Be on the first outings.

We are starting with a few hosts, and every group is small. So the first dates will be limited, and the waitlist hears first.

  • First pick of the first outings. You hear about them before anyone else.
  • A say in what comes first. Tell us what you would love to do, and we take it to our first hosts.
  • A founding letter from Benjamin. A letter on how it is going, with the first outings in it.

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Live here and want to host instead? Tell us about your outing.