Stavanger Lysefjord
3
Day Itinerary •
Norway
Three days in Stavanger and the Lysefjord take you to the most extraordinary cliff landscape in Norway, where the Lysefjord cuts 42km inland and the famous Preikestolen cliff rises 604 metres sheer above the water. From Stavanger's extraordinary 18th-century wooden old town and the oil museum to the most iconic hike in Norway and the extraordinary Kjeragbolten boulder wedged in a mountain crevice above the deepest part of the fjord. This route covers the essential Stavanger and Lysefjord. The extraordinary Gamle Stavanger white wooden houses, the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, the fish market and the extraordinary cathedral, the Preikestolen hike giving the most famous cliff-top view in Scandinavia, and the extraordinary Kjeragbolten boulder and the Lysefjord's extraordinary vertical walls.
Best Time To Visit
May to October for hiking. Winter for snow and quiet.
Getting There
Fly into Stavanger Sola from most European cities
Getting Around
Ferry to Preikestolen trailhead, bus to Lysebotn for Kjerag
Budget Per Day
Approx 1,200 to 2,000 NOK per person per day
Difficulity
Moderate, 4 to 5 hour hikes each day
DAY 1
STAVANGER OLD TOWN
MORNING
GAMLE STAVANGER AND THE WHITE WOODEN TOWN
Gamle Stavanger is the most extraordinary preserved wooden town in Scandinavia, its extraordinary 173 white-painted wooden houses from the late 18th and early 19th centuries climbing the hill above the harbour entirely intact and still inhabited. The narrow cobbled lanes between the extraordinary white houses are the finest example of pre-industrial Norwegian urban architecture in existence. The Canning Museum and the Norwegian Emigration Centre in the old town tell the extraordinary stories of sardine canning and Norwegian emigration to America. Travel: 15 min walk
MIDDAY
THE NORWEGIAN PETROLEUM MUSEUM
The Norwegian Petroleum Museum on the Stavanger waterfront is the most extraordinary oil museum in the world, its extraordinary collection of drilling equipment, North Sea platform models and remarkable interactive exhibits explaining how Norway transformed from one of Europe's poorest countries to one of its richest in a single generation through North Sea oil. The extraordinary architecture by Lunde and Lovseth won the Mies van der Rohe Award. Entry approx 200 NOK. Travel: 15 min walk
AFTERNOON
STAVANGER CATHEDRAL AND THE FISH MARKET
Stavanger Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Norway still in regular use, founded in 1125 and the finest Romanesque church in western Norway. The extraordinary carved stone interior and the remarkable medieval font are outstanding. The Stavanger Fish Market beside the Torget harbour gives the finest Norwegian seafood in the region, its extraordinary display of local crayfish, shrimp and smoked salmon the finest introduction to the region's food culture. Cathedral free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Stavanger prison turned hotel, known as Stavanger Fengsel, is the most extraordinary accommodation in the region, the 1850s prison converted into a remarkable hotel where guests sleep in the original cells. The extraordinary preserved exercise yard and the remarkable cell interiors are outstanding. Even as a non-guest the exterior walk is the finest hidden architectural experience in the city.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: N.B. Sorensen's Dampskipsexpedisjon Outstanding historic cafe on the Stavanger waterfront. Coffee and Norwegian waffles. | Lunch: Fish Market, Stavanger Fresh shrimp and local seafood directly from the boats. Eat on the harbour. | Dinner: Fisketorget, Stavanger Outstanding seafood restaurant on the fish market square. Local Rogaland lobster.
DAY 2
PREIKESTOLEN
MORNING
THE FERRY AND BUS TO PREIKESTOLEN TRAILHEAD
The journey to Preikestolen begins with the extraordinary ferry crossing from Stavanger to Tau across the Boknafjord, taking 40 minutes with extraordinary views of the fjord. The bus from Tau to the Preikestolen Mountain Lodge trailhead takes a further 30 minutes through extraordinary mountain scenery. The ferry departs from the Fiskepiren terminal in central Stavanger and runs throughout the day in summer. Total journey approx 300 NOK return. Travel: 4 hour round hike
MIDDAY
THE PREIKESTOLEN HIKE
The Preikestolen hike from the Mountain Lodge to the extraordinary cliff is 8km return with 350 metres of ascent, taking approximately 4 hours at a comfortable pace. The trail passes through extraordinary birch forest, over rocky plateaus and beside two extraordinary mountain lakes before emerging on the extraordinary flat granite cliff of Preikestolen, 604 metres above the Lysefjord with a sheer vertical drop below. The view down the Lysefjord from the cliff edge is the most extraordinary in Norway. Hike free. Travel: 1.5 hour bus and ferry back
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO STAVANGER
The return journey from Preikestolen to Stavanger gives the extraordinary experience in reverse, the bus through the mountain plateau and the ferry across the Boknafjord giving the finest views of the Stavanger city skyline from the water. The extraordinary evening light on the harbour and the Gamle Stavanger houses makes the return the finest time to be on the water. Buy fresh shrimp at the fish market on the way back through town.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Vagabond Trail above Preikestolen gives the most extraordinary continuation beyond the main cliff, a rarely-walked path along the plateau edge giving views into the Frafjord and the Forsand valley entirely free of other hikers. Add approximately 2 hours to the standard hike. The finest hidden extension to the Preikestolen route.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Preikestolen Mountain Lodge Outstanding mountain lodge breakfast before the hike. Local Norwegian food. | Lunch: Pack lunch on the cliff Bring Norwegian flatbread, brunost and smoked salmon. Eat 604m above the fjord. | Dinner: Renaa, Stavanger One Michelin star. Outstanding modern Norwegian. Local Rogaland ingredients.
DAY 3
KJERAGBOLTEN AND LYSEFJORD
MORNING
THE LYSEFJORD CRUISE AND KJERAG APPROACH
The Lysefjord between Stavanger and Lysebotn is the most extraordinary enclosed fjord in Norway, its 42km length bordered by extraordinary vertical walls rising up to 1,000 metres directly from the still water. The fjord cruise from Stavanger gives the finest views of the extraordinary Preikestolen cliff from the water, 604 metres above the boat. The Kjerag mountain above the fjord end at Lysebotn is visible from the cruise. Cruise approx 500 NOK. Travel: 2.5 hour bus to Kjerag trailhead
MIDDAY
THE KJERAGBOLTEN HIKE
The Kjeragbolten hike from Oygardstol is one of the most extraordinary mountain walks in Norway, its extraordinary 11km return trail gaining 700 metres through three extraordinary chain-assisted scrambles before reaching the Kjeragbolten, a 5-cubic-metre boulder perfectly wedged in a mountain crevice 984 metres above the Lysefjord. The extraordinary photograph of standing on the boulder above the fjord is the most famous in Norwegian hiking. Hike free. Travel: 2 hour bus back to Stavanger
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO STAVANGER
The return from Kjerag through the extraordinary Sirdal valley and the Ryfast tunnel under the Boknafjord gives a final view of the remarkable landscape around Stavanger. The extraordinary Stavanger evening waterfront with the oil supply vessels in the harbour and the colourful facades of Skagen is the finest farewell to the city. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is visible from the ferry terminal as a final reminder of the industry that transformed Norway.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Floya cliff above the Lysefjord between Preikestolen and Kjerag is the most extraordinary undiscovered viewpoint in the region, accessible from the Forsand road with an extraordinary panorama over the entire Lysefjord from a height of 700 metres. No marked trail. The view is even more extraordinary than Preikestolen for those who find it.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe in Stavanger Coffee and provisions before the early departure for the Lysefjord. | Lunch: Pack lunch on Kjerag Bring provisions for the 5-hour hike. There are no facilities on the mountain. | Dinner: Straen Fiskerestaurant, Stavanger Outstanding farewell seafood dinner. Local Rogaland crayfish and Norwegian white wine.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Stavanger City Centre Radisson Blu Atlantic or Thon Hotel Maritim. Near the old town. Approx 1,100 to 2,200 NOK. Budget Option Stavanger Bed and Breakfast or Citybox. Near the waterfront. Approx 700 to 1,200 NOK per night.
Top Tips
1. Start the Preikestolen hike before 8am to reach the top before the crowds. The cliff to yourself is extraordinary.
2. Kjerag is harder than Preikestolen and takes 5 to 6 hours. Wear proper boots. The Kjeragbolten photo queue can be long.
3. The Lysefjord cruise from Stavanger is the finest way to see the cliff walls if hiking is not possible. Approx 500 NOK.
4. Gamle Stavanger has 173 preserved white wooden houses from the 18th century. Best explored early morning.
5. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is one of the finest in Scandinavia and gives genuine insight into Norway's oil wealth.
6. Bring food and water for both hikes. There are no facilities on the trail to Preikestolen or Kjerag.
Total Budget
1,200 to 2,000 NOK/day