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Sør-Aurdal is Innlandet’s stave-framed wilderness basin - a municipality where medieval churches guard forest valleys, war history echoes through mountain farms, and a golden reliquary gleams on the coat of arms. With around 2,900 residents and a landscape shaped by the Begna River, Vassfaret nature reserve, and the villages of Bagn, Hedalen, Reinli, and Begnadalen, Sør-Aurdal is the kind of place where you can hike past bear legends, explore open-air museums, and still sip spruce tea beside a stave church built in 1163. It’s got heritage, hiking, and a name that simply means “southern Aurdal.”

Top Attractions

• Reinli Stave Church

  13th-century church with wraparound gallery & dragon carvings

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• Hedalen Stave Church

  oldest in Valdres, with medieval reliquary & bear hide legend

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• Bagn Bygdesamling

  open-air museum with 19 buildings & WWII exhibits

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• Bagnsbergatn

  national war memorial farm with dramatic resistance history

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• Fønhusstigen Trail

  forest hike inspired by wilderness author Mikkjel Fønhus

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Unique Experiences

• Vassfaret Wilderness

  legendary valley with bear lore, timber history & nature trails

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• River Journey on Begna

  summer float trips through trout-rich waters

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• Stavedalen Park

  indoor playland with zipline, labyrinth & air hockey

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• Nord-Garthus Farm

  creative courses, hay jumping & exhibitions

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• Kverrvilljuvet Gorge

  dramatic ravine hike along the Hølera River

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Where to Stay in Sør-Aurdal

Høyfjellshytte8.7 / 10 · ★★★★ · 20 reviewsfrom $186 / nightNy og moderne hytte med sauna, jacuzzi og eget spillrom med biljard og dart Gratis elbillading og strøm inkludert i prisen9 / 10 · 4 reviewsfrom $733 / nightTwo bedroom Apartment 80m2 2nd floor9 / 10 · 1 reviewsfrom $124 / nightCharming Cabin In Vikerfjell9 / 10 · ★★★ · 1 reviewsfrom $276 / nightSmart and beautiful micro house - Great base for mountain adventures8.5 / 10 · 2 reviewsfrom $175 / nightSolheimen konferansehotell AS8.3 / 10 · ★★★★ · 3 reviewsfrom $200 / night

Getting There

Sør-Aurdal lies in southern Valdres, with Bagn as its administrative center. The area is best explored by boots, bike, or bold curiosity - especially if you’re chasing stave echoes, war lore, or the hush of pine needles beside a bear-haunted trail.