Kjerag

About

Kjerag - The Majesty of the Lysefjord, Forsand in Ryfylke.

NB! Do not hike to Kjerag in the winter! The hiking season is from June to September. Off season, you should hike with a nature guide. For more information about guided hikes, see here.

At 1084 metres, Kjerag towers above the other peaks along the Lysefjord. It has been traditional to admire this mountain face from the fjord, but in recent years, it has become increasingly popular to walk up the path to the plateau. Most people are happy just to enjoy the view of the Lysefjord from the plateau itself, but for some hikers, the climax of the excursion is to be photographed on the Kjeragbolten, a round rock wedged solidly in a mountain crevice. Kjerag has also become a popular attraction for mountain climbers and base jumpers.

How to get to Kjerag
During summer, you can get to Kjerag by taking the tourist car ferry (The Fjords) to Lysebotn and then go by car or taxi further up to Øygardstøl, the starting point of the trip. In high season, you can also go by bus from Stavanger to Øygardstøl (Go Fjords) (cancelled for 2020 due to the corona-situation). If you have your own car, you can either take the ferry or drive through Sirdal to Lysebotn (closed road during winter from around October to May/June, contact Statens vegvesen, phone 175). Parking: There is parking with a fee at Øygardstøl. If you are travelling without a car, there are several options for car rentals in the region. It is possible to pick up your rental car at the Stavanger International Airport, Sola.

Season: June - September.
Time: 5 - 6 hours round trip, 9,8 km long

Hike to Kjerag
The hike starts from the parking (fee) at Øygardstøl south of the Lysefjord by Lysevegen above Lysebotn. Located here is a service facility with toilets and tourist information. The demanding trail will take you up and down hilly mountaintops, and the difference of altitude is 460 metres. It is always important to take weather precautions. If there is snow in the mountain it is not recommended to do the hike, or you should use a nature guide. Remember good footwear, preferably mountain shoes, warm clothing, food and drinks. Should the weather indicate difficult conditions, please use walking sticks/ski poles on the hike. A general good physical fitness is necessary. To avoid the loss of daylight on your return hike, you must not embark on this hike too late in the day. Get informed on the time for sunset as well as other weather conditions. Recommended related article - top 10 practical tips for your hike.

Experience Kjerag from the fjord
Kjerag is just as impressive seen from the fjord, from either a ferry or a sightseeing boat. You can catch a glimpse a 1000 metres above you. Are you lucky, you might see base jumpers during summer.  

Fun facts about Kjerag 
At mountain Kjerag, in one specific place just before reaching the top of the mountain, you can sometimes hear a sound similar to that of a gunshot and see smoke coming out of the mountain. This happens again from time to time. A surveying engineer experienced this phenomenon in 1855. His story goes: “I first heard a few bangs that gradually became more frequent and stronger, then I heard a terrible noise as I witnessed a beam of light shooting horizontally out from the rock and into the middle of the fjord, where it dissolved and vanished. “ Why this happens, nobody knows for sure, however the locals have for years assumed that it is water being forced out of the mountain. 

Guided hikes to Kjerag
For more information about guided hikes to Kjerag, see here.