Akerselva River Walk

This is only available as a private tour in 2026.

The Akerselva River Walk is a must-do for anyone visiting Oslo, offering the perfect mix of nature, culture, and history.

Your tour starts at our tour center in central Oslo. After a short introduction and briefing from your tour guide, you will hop on one of the city's commuter trains bound for Maridalen Lake. This lake is one of Oslo's main drinking water sources and also the headwaters of the Akerselva River. Our walk begins just below the lake next to the Technical Museum at Kjelsås, winding through forested areas and colorful wooden houses, where you'll learn about the river’s natural and cultural significance.

Soon you will start to see a change in the landscape surrounding the river as we move into the industrial heart of the city. Here old factories harnessed the power of the Akerselva and dams were created, leaving beautiful waterfalls for us to enjoy. Just like a lot of the world, the Industrial Revolution completely changed Norway and nowhere in the city is it more evident then along the banks of the "Aker River" (Akerselva). Here your guide will tell you a bit about this history, as well as its impact on the river itself.

If time allows we will take a detour up to the beautifully preserved wooden houses and community gardens of Telthusbakken and Damstredet (Oslo's "most instagrammed" streets!)

The tour ends in the vibrant Vulkan district, home to the much loved Mathallen food hall. Here, your guide will take you inside of the food hall and drop you off at one of the food vendors called Helt Vilt (Translation: Totally Wild) for an optional  food tasting. Don´t worry - our guide will give you their best recommendations on what to try from the huge variety of local Norwegian food!

Before saying goodbye, we will give you a public transport ticket and explain the easiest way back to the city center. Alternatively, we encourage you to spend some more time in this wonderful part of the city, possibly exploring the hip Grunnerløkka neighborhood, or by continuing along the Akerselva foot path all the way to where it empties into the fjord.

This tour is one of the best ways to spend a few hours in the city while still feeling close to nature!

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Photo Credits: Visit Oslo, Didrick Stenersen