Your guide to Kjerag

Kjerag is the highest point on the Lysefjord in Forsand Municipality, Norway. It is also home to the Kjerag rock (Kjeragbolten), the famous rock firmly anchored between two cliffs. On the north side of the mountain, there is a massive cliff that is almost perpendicular to the fjord and plunges approximately 984 metres to the water – and this is a popular spot for daredevil BASE jumpers. If you’d like to read more about Lysefjorden, check out our guide to this beautiful fjord here. Kjerag cliff is a whopping 1110 metres tall – imagine jumping from that height like the brave BASE jumpers you might see during your visit!

Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) is a very famous, scenic high mountain plateau, and it’s quite a popular destination for hikers and travellers. If you want to get from Pulpit Rock to Kjerag, one option is to head to Lysebotn via Preikestolvegen, take the Lysebotn-Forsand ferry, then drive to Oygardstolen. The journey will take around 2.5 hours. Another option is to rent a car and drive from Preikestolvegen to Jorpeland then continue to Oygardstolen.

The hike to Kjerag is seasonal, and should be done during the summer months. The season runs from June 1 to September 30 each year. During the winter months, the hike can be very dangerous, and the roads and trail are usually closed due to the heavy snow. The snow can last until the end of May, and please be aware that it is not safe to attempt this hike outside of the recommended hiking season. There are some other amazing hiking opportunities open all year round in the area - take a look at some of our incredible experiences here.

Stavanger is usually the go-to for people doing the Kjerag hike. It’s a lively city with many hotels and hostels for you to choose from, and you can easily take a bus from Stavanger to Oygardstolen where the hiking trail to Kjerag begins. You also have the option of renting a car in Stavanger and taking the 2.5 hour drive along the winding mountain roads until you get to Oygardstolen. Some people also travel to Kjerag from Oslo. You can take the train from Oslo to Moi, then get a car from there to Oygardstolen – a journey that would take about 8 hours. 

If you prefer a more rural setting, you can stay at one of the hostels, mountain lodges or B&Bs in Lysebotn, which is the closest village to Kjerag. Here, you’ll find a range of charming accommodations in beautiful surroundings, and you’ll be close to some of the most incredible natural experiences Norway has to offer – hiking, biking, boating, fishing, swimming...the list goes on!

The hike to Kjerag is about 11 km long from Oygardstolen. It can take approximately 6-10 hours to get to the summit and back again depending on your fitness level and hiking experience. Many of you may be wondering how to get onto the rock in Kjerag. A lot of people consider Kjeragbolten as the grand prize of the challenging hike. However, it’s not very easy to get on it for those impressive Instagram pictures. The rock is about 2 metres (6.5 feet) wide. To get on it, you have to carefully shuffle your way across a 1 foot (30 centimetre) wide ledge which curves and narrows as you get closer to the boulder.

There are metal loops screwed into the rock to help with balance so that you don’t accidentally plunge over the 1000m cliff, but even then – climbing onto the rock is best left for those adventure-seekers among us who aren’t afraid of heights! It’s up to you whether you’d prefer just to enjoy the stunning panoramic views from the top of Kjerag mountain, or whether you’d like to take it one step further and have your picture taken on Kjeragbolten.