The Forgotten Giants Private Tour

Big trolls hide around Copenhagen. This four-hour private tour takes you to six playful sculptures made from scrap wood and other discarded materials, each placed in a different outdoor setting. I like the easy private transport and the chance to see art far beyond the city center. I also like that the sculptures invite you to climb, crawl, sit, and play rather than simply admire them from behind a rope.

The main drawback is the price: $935.81 per group of up to four is a serious spend for a half-day outing. The value improves sharply when four people share the cost, but a couple traveling alone may find it hard to justify. You should also expect short visits at each stop, not long walks or extended time at one sculpture.

Key points about Copenhagen’s recycled-wood giants

• Six sculptures in four hours: The route links Hill Top Trine, Sleeping Louis, Oscar under the bridge, Little Tilde, Teddy Friendly, and Thomas on the Mountain.
• Private transport for up to four: You ride with your own group, and transportation, taxes, and bottled water are included.
• Art made from discarded materials: Thomas and his team use scrap wood, broken pallets, old watermill timber, plastic, cardboard, and other cast-off materials.
• A family-friendly format: Children can crawl into hands, mouths, and legs, making this much more active than a standard art tour.
• Outdoor viewpoints and nature: Several sculptures sit near hills, lakes, streams, trees, and open countryside around Copenhagen.
• A good choice for troll collectors: The tour helps you visit several Thomas Dambo sculptures without renting a car or planning a complicated route.

Why these giant sculptures make a good half-day trip

Thomas Dambo’s work turns waste into public art with a sense of humor. These are not polished bronze statues placed in a formal square. They are large, handmade figures built from materials that might otherwise have been discarded, then set in places where you have to search a little and walk into the countryside around Copenhagen.

That setting matters. A giant can look amusing in a gallery, but a giant sitting on a hill, reaching across a stream, or watching from behind a lake feels like part of a much bigger story. You are not only looking at the sculpture. You are seeing how it fits into the woods, water, paths, and open spaces around it.

I especially like the physical nature of this tour. At Hill Top Trine, you can crawl into the palms of her hands. At Sleeping Louis, you can enter his open mouth. Thomas on the Mountain offers long legs that work as seats. These details give children something to do and give adults a reason to pause instead of taking one quick photograph and moving on.

The tour also removes a major nuisance. The sculptures are spread across several municipalities outside central Copenhagen. With private transportation, you do not need to arrange a rental car, work out a route, or worry about fitting six separate stops into a short visit.

Hill Top Trine in Hvidovre

Your first stop is Hill Top Trine in Hvidovre. She rests on a small hill overlooking Avedøresletten, and the position gives this opening stop a useful sense of place. You get a sculpture, a view, and a quick introduction to the way these giants are meant to be found outdoors.

The most memorable feature is her hands. You can crawl into the palms, turning the sculpture into a viewing spot rather than a distant object. This is likely to be one of the best stops for children, though adults who dislike climbing or crouching may prefer to admire the scene from below.

The planned visit lasts about 15 minutes. That is enough for photographs and a look across the open area, but not enough for a long walk or an extended stay. Wear shoes you can use comfortably outdoors, since the sculptures are placed in natural settings rather than paved museum rooms.

Hill Top Trine is named after one of the volunteers who helped with another hidden giant. That small detail adds a human touch to a project built by a wider group of makers and volunteers.

Sleeping Louis in Rødovre

Sleeping Louis is tucked into a wooded, hilltop setting in Rødovre. He is taking a nap, and his open mouth creates the stop’s main attraction: you can crawl inside and even sit or sleep there.

This is the most playful sculpture on the route. Children can treat it almost like a giant wooden hideaway, while adults get an amusing photograph from inside the mouth. The natural surroundings also make it feel less like a formal attraction and more like a strange discovery in the woods.

The stop lasts around 15 minutes, so you should not expect a long woodland visit. Still, the short timing works well because the tour has five more sculptures to reach. If your family wants extra time at each figure, ask about the pace before departure. The published schedule is brisk, with only 90 minutes allocated across all six stops.

Oscar under the bridge in Ishøj

The Ishøj stop brings a different mood. Oscar under the bridge is made from scrap wood taken from a demolished watermill and broken pallets from local businesses. The rough materials are part of the point. You can see how ordinary, damaged wood becomes a large character with a clear identity.

This sculpture is named after an artist from Chile who visited Thomas and helped during the time the figure was being built. That connection gives the piece an international story, even though its materials came from local sources.

You have about 30 minutes here, twice the time allowed at most of the other stops. That suggests this is a useful place to slow down, examine the construction, and take photographs from different angles. The bridge setting also gives the sculpture a more industrial feel than Hill Top Trine or Little Tilde.

Of course, a sculpture under a bridge may not offer the same broad view as one on a hill. If your main goal is scenery, this stop may be less dramatic. If you care about how recycled materials are used, it could be one of the most interesting parts of the morning.

Little Tilde across the lake in Vallensbæk Mose

Little Tilde is in Vallensbæk Mose, an area of wild nature and animal life. Unlike Sleeping Louis, where you crawl inside the figure, Little Tilde is viewed from across a small lake. You catch glimpses of her through the trees.

That distance changes the experience. Little Tilde becomes something you look for, rather than something you immediately climb. The trees and water help explain why the sculptures were placed in outdoor areas. They interact with the setting instead of competing with it.

The scheduled stop is about 15 minutes. You will have time to look across the lake and take photographs, but this is not presented as a long nature walk. Bring patience if you want the best view through the trees, since the figure is intentionally seen from a distance.

This stop may appeal most to people who enjoy the search involved in finding public art. It may frustrate anyone expecting to touch or enter every sculpture. The tour works best when you accept that each giant offers a different kind of encounter.

Teddy Friendly beside the water in Taastrup

Teddy Friendly is built from local scrap wood, including cutoffs from trees that were cut down nearby. The wood forms his fur, making the material itself part of the character’s appearance.

He stands beside a stream or lake and holds out a hand to help people cross. That pose gives the sculpture a clear purpose and makes the setting feel like part of the design. You are not simply looking at a teddy bear made from wood. You are seeing a figure placed beside water with an inviting gesture.

The visit lasts about 15 minutes. The stop should be easy to understand right away, which is useful late in a packed half-day route. It also gives you another chance to photograph the scale of the figure against the water and surrounding area.

The name Teddy Friendly fits the tone of the whole project. These giants are large, but they are rarely threatening. Their open mouths, long limbs, and helpful hands turn size into comedy and play.

Thomas on the Mountain in Albertslund

The final sculpture is Thomas on the Mountain in Albertslund. He has chosen a hilltop resting place with views across the municipality. You can join him on the hill and use his long legs as a place to sit with friends.

Ending here makes sense. After several short stops, you get a figure designed for sitting and looking out. The view gives you a final pause before returning to Copenhagen, and the sculpture’s pose sums up the relaxed humor of the project.

The visit is scheduled for 15 minutes. That is enough for a rest and photographs, though the tour does not promise a long viewpoint session. If the view matters most to you, weather will affect how rewarding this last stop feels.

Private transport changes the value

The tour costs $935.81 per group of up to four. Divided among four people, that is about $234 per person. For two people, it is about $468 each, which makes the price much harder to defend.

The cost includes private transportation, all fees and taxes, and bottled water. Lunch is not included. A private vehicle matters here because the six sculptures are scattered around Hvidovre, Rødovre, Ishøj, Vallensbæk Municipality, Taastrup, and Albertslund. The tour is not simply a walk from one nearby attraction to the next.

You are paying for time and convenience as much as for the sculptures. The strongest value comes when you have a family or small group of four, want to avoid driving, and would rather let a guide manage the route. If you already have a rental car and enjoy planning your own outings, the price may feel less attractive.

The private format also means only your group participates. That lets you travel at a more personal pace, within the limits of the four-hour schedule. One family of four especially praised the clean, comfortable transport and the friendly, enthusiastic guide, saying the half-day passed quickly. That is a useful sign for families who worry that children may lose interest.

Another strong point is the possibility of a relaxed ride. A separate booking praised guide Vinod and the clean, cozy Tesla used for the day. The vehicle may vary, so you should not book expecting a Tesla specifically, but the experience has included comfortable private transport and attentive service.

How the timing works at 9:00 a.m.

The tour starts at 9:00 a.m. and lasts about four hours. The listed stop times add up to 105 minutes, leaving roughly two hours and 15 minutes for driving, pickup arrangements, and movement between sites.

That balance tells you what kind of outing this is. You get six quick encounters rather than one large attraction. The route keeps moving, which helps explain why the time feels short, but it also means you should not expect to linger at every sculpture.

A morning departure leaves the rest of your day open. You could return to Copenhagen around early afternoon, though the exact finish depends on transportation and conditions. Since lunch is not included, plan to eat afterward or ask the provider about timing before you go.

Pickup is offered, and the meeting point information lists a 9:00 a.m. start. The experience is also near public transportation, but the supplied details do not specify the exact pickup locations. Confirm that point when booking.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would recommend this outing most strongly to:

• Families with children who like climbing, crawling, and playful photographs
• Small groups of up to four who can share the private price
• Art fans collecting Thomas Dambo’s giant sculptures
• Visitors without a rental car
• People who enjoy unusual public art in outdoor settings
• Anyone who wants a half-day outside central Copenhagen

You should think twice if you want a slow nature walk, a long art talk at each stop, or a low-cost group excursion. The schedule is active, and the price is fixed by vehicle rather than by individual ticket. A solo visitor or couple pays much more per person than a full group.

The tour also requires reasonable comfort with outdoor stops. The information says most participants can take part, but specific accessibility details are not provided. Crawling into hands and mouths may not work for everyone, and the natural settings may include uneven ground.

Weather, cancellation, and practical planning

This experience requires good weather. If poor weather cancels the tour, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time.

The tour includes bottled water, but no lunch. Wear practical outdoor clothing and shoes, especially if you want to enter Sleeping Louis or sit on Thomas on the Mountain. Since several sculptures are near water, hills, trees, or open ground, a light rain layer is sensible even on a day that begins clear.

Confirmation arrives within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. The tour is often booked well in advance, with an average booking lead time of 66 days. If your dates are fixed, I would not leave this until the final week.

Should you book the Forgotten Giants tour?

Book it if you want a playful, private art outing and can fill the vehicle with four people. You get six distinctive sculptures, a guide, private transportation, and access to places that are awkward to connect without a car. Families are likely to get the most from the hands, mouths, long legs, and water-side settings.

Skip it if the $935.81 group price is too high for your party or if you prefer to explore slowly on your own. The sculptures themselves are free to visit, and the tour fee mainly buys transport, planning, and a private guide.

For the right group, I think the convenience is the point. You can sit back, let someone else handle the route, and spend the morning finding Copenhagen’s giant recycled-wood characters instead of wrestling with maps and car rental details.

FAQ

How long does the Forgotten Giants Private Tour last?

The tour lasts approximately four hours.

What time does the tour start?

The scheduled start time is 9:00 a.m.

How many sculptures will I see?

You will visit six sculptures: Hill Top Trine, Sleeping Louis, Oscar under the bridge, Little Tilde, Teddy Friendly, and Thomas on the Mountain.

How much does the private tour cost?

The price is $935.81 per group of up to four people.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Private transportation, all fees and taxes, and bottled water are included.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included in the tour price.

Is this a private activity?

Yes. Only your own group participates.

What happens if the weather is poor?

Because the tour requires good weather, the provider will offer another date or a full refund if poor weather causes cancellation. You can also cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund.