The Norwegian Trekking Association

What The Norwegian Trekking Association does

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT – Den Norske Turistforening) is a membership-based nonprofit outdoor recreation organization founded in 1868 by Thomas Heftye, headquartered in Oslo. It operates Norway's largest outdoor infrastructure network: more than 600 cabins (ranging from fully staffed to self-service), approximately 22,000 km of marked hiking trails with over 1 million T-markers, and a network of 53 local member associations that manage regional operations. DNT serves 300,000+ individual members plus a 40,000-member youth sub-brand (DNT Ung), with roughly 750,000 volunteer hours contributed annually to maintain trails, cabins, and activities.

DNT's core digital platforms are the UT.no national outdoor trip planner and a mobile membership app that functions as a digital membership card and cabin payment tool. The product portfolio includes cabin accommodation, organized guided tours, courses (mountaineering, navigation, leave-no-trace, first aid), a webshop (DNT Nettbutikk) selling outdoor gear, and the in-house ReTuren repair workshop operating in five cities. The 2025-launched DNT-hytta på hjul ("the cabin on wheels") is a mobile cabin that travels across Norway as both an outreach vehicle and a product in itself.

DNT's revenue mix combines recurring annual membership subscriptions (with tiered pricing for children, adults, and seniors/honorary), usage-based cabin accommodation revenue, partnership and sponsorship income from core partners including Norsk Tipping, NorgesGruppen, Gjensidige, Bergans, Devold, Alfa, Atea, Bravida, and XL-bygg, and transactional webshop revenue. The organization functions as a hybrid platform: a consumer membership product, a federated network of 53 local associations, and an advocacy body for outdoor access rights (allemannsretten), environmental sustainability, and cultural heritage preservation (e.g., historic hiking routes with Riksantikvaren).

Name

The Norwegian Trekking Association

Legal name

Den Norske Turistforening

Website

https://dnt.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) is a 1868-founded nonprofit operating Norway's largest outdoor recreation network — 600+ cabins, 22,000 km of trails — serving 300,000+ members through annual subscriptions, cabin stays, partnerships, and digital tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520), Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Hiking, Trekking & Backpacking Tour Operators (THAAADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hiking, Trekking & Mountain Guiding (THAJABAA)

Keywords

• Outdoor recreation services
• Hiking trail network
• Mountain cabin accommodation
• Nature tourism membership
• Outdoor education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees constitute a primary revenue stream. Membership is sold per person, with pricing tiers based on age (children/youth, adult, senior), and follows a calendar year (January 1 to December 31). Honorary membership rates are available for disability benefit recipients (minimum 50%).
2. Cabin Accommodation: Revenue generated from overnight stays at DNT's network of approximately 600 cabins across Norway. Members receive discounted rates. Cabins range from self-service (unstaffed) to fully serviced (staffed) accommodations.
3. Partnership and Sponsorship Revenue: DNT receives support from strategic partners including Norsk Tipping, NorgesGruppen, Gjensidige, Bergans, Devold, Alfa, and others, enabling the organization to fund projects, events, and activities.
4. DNT Webshop (dntbutikken.no): Online retail store selling outdoor equipment, clothing, sleeping gear, and DNT merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) operates Norway's largest network of mountain and coastal cabins (600+), maintains 22,000 km of marked hiking trails, and organizes outdoor activities for 300,000+ members. It provides cabin stays, guided tours, outdoor education courses, and trip-planning tools via the UT.no platform and mobile app, supported by 53 local member associations and 750,000+ volunteer hours annually.

Product overview

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT – Den Norske Turistforening) is a non-profit outdoor recreation organization operating a large network of over 600 cabins across Norway, offering membership-based access to both staffed and self-service accommodations. The core product portfolio includes cabin network access, organized guided tours, and outdoor education courses. The organization operates several sub-brands including DNT Ung (youth with 40,000+ members), Barnas Turlag (children's hiking clubs, 230+ clubs), and offers specialized services like ReTuren repair workshop, the mobile DNT-hytta på hjul cabin, and historical hiking routes. Additional offerings include mountain sports activities, hiking food guidance, and an online webshop (DNT Nettbutikk). The DNT's work extends to environmental advocacy, wild reindeer protection, right-to-roam (allemannsretten) advocacy, and cultural heritage preservation through historic hiking routes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fjell & Vidde: DNT's magazine covering mountain culture, nature, and outdoor recreation
• DNT Nettbutikk
• Tursentrene
• ReTuren

Products and services

• DNT Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• DNT's trail network spans 22,000 km across Norway, maintained by over 750,000 volunteer hours annually.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Vestfold MinihussupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Vestfold Minihus collaborated with DNT to design and build the DNT-hytta på hjul (mobile cabin on wheels), contributing to the physical construction of the unit.
• Cinderella Eco GroupsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Cinderella supplied the combustion toilet installed in the DNT-hytta på hjul mobile cabin. The partnership contributed to making the mobile cabin environmentally sustainable.
• ReTuren SyverkstedsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025ReTuren (DNT's own repair workshop) collaborated on building the DNT-hytta på hjul mobile cabin, contributing sustainability expertise and repair services for outdoor equipment.
• Norsk TippingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNorsk Tipping is a Tour Partner (Turpartner) of DNT, providing financial support that enables DNT to carry out projects, events, and activities. Norsk Tipping also contributed to building the DNT-hytta på hjul (mobile cabin).
• NorgesGruppencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNorgesGruppen is a Tour Partner (Turpartner) of DNT, supporting DNT's mission to make Norwegian nature accessible to more people through sponsorship and partnership.
• GjensidigecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGjensidige is a Tour Partner providing insurance benefits to DNT members, including discounts on travel insurance, home insurance, and car insurance. DNT members receive preferential pricing as part of the partnership.
• BerganssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerBergans is a Samarbeidspartner (collaboration partner) of DNT, providing outdoor equipment and gear partnerships for DNT's activities and events.
• DevoldsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDevold is a Samarbeidspartner (collaboration partner) of DNT, supplying outdoor apparel for DNT activities and member benefits.
• AlfasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerAlfa is a Norwegian family-owned outdoor footwear brand, established 90 years ago, serving as a Samarbeidspartner (collaboration partner) of DNT. Alfa's vision is to contribute to better hiking experiences through quality and comfort.
• Kvikk Lunsj (Freia/Mayfair)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerKvikk Lunsj and DNT collaborate to promote hiking joy in Norway, including summer cabin openings and activities linked to relevant hikes and autumn activities, aiming to engage more Norwegians in outdoor activities.
• AteasupportingTechnology or IntegrationAtea is DNT's Technology Partner (Teknologipartner), providing technology solutions and support for DNT's digital infrastructure.
• BravidasupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBravida is a Samarbeidspartner (collaboration partner) of DNT, providing installation and technical services for DNT's facilities.
• XL-byggsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerXL-bygg is a Cabin Partner (Hyttepartner) of DNT and contributed to building the DNT-hytta på hjul mobile cabin. XL-bygg supplies building materials for DNT cabin maintenance.
• POW Norway (Protect Our Winters)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNT Ung collaborated with POW Norway to develop seven environmental guidelines (miljøvettreglene) for low-impact outdoor recreation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Svenska Turistföreningen (STF): Swedish national trekking association operating mountain cabins and trails across Sweden with a membership-based model directly analogous to DNT. Closest international peer due to shared Scandinavian outdoor culture, public right of access (allemansrätten), and similar scale.
• Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV): Germany's largest mountaineering and outdoor recreation association, operating a vast network of alpine huts and trails. DNT's closest large-scale European peer in terms of membership-based nonprofit structure, cabin infrastructure model, and youth outreach programs.
• Schweizer Alpen-Club (SAC): Swiss Alpine Club operates a network of mountain huts and trails serving Swiss and international mountaineers. Direct peer with similar nonprofit membership structure, hut network economics, and guided tour offerings.
• Österreichischer Alpenverein (OeAV): Austrian Alpine Club with a comparable network of alpine huts and trails across the Austrian Alps. Shares DNT's nonprofit membership model, hut-based accommodation economics, and organized hiking tour offerings.
• Club Alpino Italiano (CAI): Italian Alpine Club operating a national network of mountain refuges and trails with a volunteer-driven nonprofit model. Directly comparable to DNT in mission, infrastructure ownership, and member-based outdoor recreation services.
• British Mountaineering Council (BMC): UK membership organization representing climbers, hill walkers, and mountaineers. Comparable to DNT in advocacy, member services, and organized outdoor activities, though with less physical cabin infrastructure.

Regional players

• American Alpine Club: US-based membership organization for climbers and mountaineers with hut systems and conservation advocacy. Regional peer with comparable nonprofit membership and hut infrastructure model but in a different geographic market.

Broad incumbents

• REI Co-op: US outdoor recreation co-op with membership program and broad outdoor services including classes, trips, and gear. Compares to DNT in membership-driven business model and outdoor education offerings, though REI is a much larger retail operation.
• National Trust (UK): UK membership-based heritage and conservation charity with millions of members and extensive outdoor access properties. Comparable to DNT in nonprofit membership scale, infrastructure stewardship, and conservation advocacy mission.

Emerging players

• AllTrails: Global digital platform for discovering and planning outdoor activities including hiking trails. Comparable to DNT's UT.no platform in trip-planning functionality and global digital outdoor community, but lacks physical cabin and trail infrastructure ownership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@turistforeningen
• Facebookfacebook.com/turistforeningen
• Instagraminstagram.com/turistforeningen
• Xx.com/turistforening
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/den-norske-turistforening

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Norwegian Trekking Association