← Star Wars locations
Luke on the tauntaun, the opening of The Empire Strikes Back
Hoth — Rebel Base
Finse & Hardangerjøkulen Glacier, Norway
The opening ice-planet scenes of The Empire Strikes Back were filmed on the Hardangerjøkulen glacier near the tiny railway village of Finse, 1,222 m up in the Norwegian mountains. The Rallarvegen cycling route passes right through.
Plan your visit
What you need to know before you go
- Best time to visit
- March (snow) for the film look; July–September for hiking the glacier
- How to get there
- Take the Bergen Line train to Finse station. Guided glacier walks run from the Finse 1222 hotel.
- Suggested stay
- Plan 1–2 days here, or build it into a wider regional trip.
- Good to know
- Bring layers, comfortable shoes, and a camera. See our country guide below for restaurants, cafés and more places nearby.
