Preikestolen Trails
The main trail to Pulpit Rock and the fjord boat tour that gives you the view from below.
Preikestolen Trail (Pulpit Rock)
The trail to Preikestolen begins at the Preikestolen Fjellstue (mountain lodge) at 270m above sea level and climbs via well-marked rocky terrain and wooden boardwalk sections through open heathland to the plateau at 604m. The first half of the trail is sustained uphill on granite steps and slabs; the second half flattens onto the moorland plateau. The final approach to the rock itself crosses flat granite and arrives at the edge suddenly: the cliff drops vertically 604m to the Lysefjord directly below. The rock ledge is approximately 25 by 25 metres and typically holds 50 to 200 people simultaneously. The view down the fjord is exactly as extraordinary as the photographs suggest; the absence of any barrier at the edge intensifies the effect completely.
Lysefjord Boat Tour
The Lysefjord is 42km long and up to 1,000m deep; the walls rise sheer from the water surface on both sides. The boat tour from Stavanger (operated by Rødne Fjord Cruises) goes the full length of the fjord to the base of Preikestolen and back, passing the Hengjane waterfall and the Kjerag mountain (site of the famous boulder wedged in a crevasse, the Kjeragbolten). From the water, Preikestolen is a small horizontal line 604m above you on the fjord wall; it gives scale to the cliff that is completely invisible from the top. The boat is an enclosed passenger vessel with a top deck; Norwegians wear full rain gear on the deck regardless of weather and the fjord is fully worth seeing from both perspectives.
Guided Experiences near Preikestolen
The Pulpit Rock hike is doable independently, but the Lysefjord is best seen from the water. Fjord cruises, kayak tours, and cliff-edge abseiling from the top give angles the trail itself can't provide.
Lysefjord boat cruise
Guided fjord cruise from Stavanger or Forsand through the Lysefjord to the base of Preikestolen and Kjerag. The 42km fjord is 422m deep and flanked by 1,000m walls. Commentary included.
Book fjord cruise →Guided Preikestolen hike
Small-group guided hike to the Pulpit Rock with an English-speaking guide. Departs from Stavanger with transport included. Pacing suitable for all fitness levels — no single-section is technical.
Book guided hike →Cliff-edge abseiling from Preikestolen
Guided abseil experience directly off the Pulpit Rock edge — 604m drop to the Lysefjord. One of the most dramatic via-ferrata and abseiling setups in Scandinavia. Requires the hike to reach the top.
Book abseil →Links go to GetYourGuide for real-time availability. Check guide certifications and cancellation policy before booking.
Preikestolen exists because two fracture lines in the granite plateau intersect at right angles, defining a block 25 by 25 metres that has not yet fallen into the fjord. Geologists estimate the block is stable for now but will eventually break away; the fjord wall below shows the scars of previous collapses. Standing on the ledge with this knowledge makes the experience different: you are not standing on an overlook designed for visitors but on a geological feature that happens to produce the most dramatic natural viewpoint in Norway.
The crowd reality
Preikestolen receives around 300,000 visitors per year and the trail is genuinely busy in July and August. The experience of arriving at the summit and finding 200 people there is significantly different from the solitary cliff-edge images in most travel photography. The mitigation is timing: anyone who leaves the trailhead before 7am will have 30 to 60 minutes at the summit with fewer than 20 people before the main wave arrives. Alternatively, going in May (snow possible above 400m), September, or October reduces numbers substantially while maintaining the full trail conditions. The Norwegian weather in these shoulder months can be dramatic in itself; the fjord in mist or light rain from above is a very different and arguably more powerful experience than a clear summer day.
Stavanger base
Stavanger is the base city for Preikestolen and the Lysefjord. It is Norway's fourth largest city and the centre of the Norwegian oil industry; it is also a handsome old town of wooden houses (the Stavanger Sentrum is among the best-preserved pre-industrial city centres in Scandinavia) and excellent restaurants. The connection to Preikestolen requires either a shuttle bus and ferry, or the Lysebotn ferry route. Stavanger has direct flights from most European hubs. The city is worth 1 to 2 nights in its own right; the Stavanger Cathedral (Norway's oldest, from 1125) and the old Stavanger wooden city quarter (Gamle Stavanger) are both worth seeing.
When to go
May to June and September to October are the recommended months: trail clear of snow, crowds manageable, and the long Nordic evenings or the warm autumn light provide excellent conditions. July and August are the peak months with the maximum visitors but also the warmest and most stable weather. The trail officially recommends against hiking in winter and early spring (December to March) due to ice and snow hazard; certified winter hikes are available with guides. The Lysefjord boat tours run from April to October.
How to get there
Fly to Stavanger (SVG) — direct flights from London, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and other European cities via Ryanair, Norwegian, and SAS. Stavanger is the oil capital of Norway with a lively city centre and the natural base for Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten.
Direct bus from Stavanger Fiskepiren to Preikestolen base station (~65 min, summer service). Or take the ferry from Stavanger to Tau (30 min) and drive 20 min to the car park. The direct bus is the most convenient option in peak season.
No entry fee for the trail. Parking at Preikestolen base costs NOK 150–200 (~€15). The Lysefjord boat tour (departing Stavanger) is a good add-on: it passes directly under the cliff from below, giving a scale perspective impossible from above.
Where to sleep
Preikestolen Camping · trail base
Camping and simple cabins at the trail base, a 5-minute walk from the trailhead car park. The most convenient option for early starts. Tent pitches from NOK 200, basic cabins from NOK 600.
Hotel · Stavanger city
Stavanger has a good range of mid-range hotels in a compact, walkable city centre. Staying in Stavanger lets you explore the historic Gamle Stavanger quarter and the oil museum on your rest day.
Ydalir Hotel · Stavanger
A boutique design hotel in the historic centre with rooms decorated by different artists. Rooftop terrace, excellent breakfast, and the Lysefjord ferry departure is 10 minutes on foot.
Common Questions
The hike is achievable for most people in reasonable health including children old enough to hike 8km with 330m elevation gain. The trail is well-maintained with wooden boardwalks on some sections and marked throughout. The difficulty is the return distance (4km each way) and the rocky terrain in places, which requires confident footing. The summit itself is the main consideration for children: there is no barrier at the 604m edge. Many families with children visit successfully, but the edge requires adult supervision and the child's assessment of their own comfort with heights. Children with no experience of unguarded heights should be briefed before arriving at the summit.
Yes. The standard Norway highlight circuit for active travellers does Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten from Stavanger, then continues to Odda (5 hours by bus or car via Bergen) for Trolltunga, and to the Hardangerfjord area for Besseggen if adding a third major Norwegian hike. Trolltunga is harder and longer than Preikestolen (22km, 1,000m elevation gain); doing Preikestolen first gives a good calibration for whether Trolltunga is appropriate for your fitness level. The two together in a single week from Stavanger is a perfectly achievable itinerary, particularly May through September when shuttle services to both run reliably.
