The Lysefjord, Preikestolen and Kjerag

Hiking up to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) gives you an astonishing view of the Lysefjord from 604 metres above sea level. The tour takes approximately two hours one way and starts from the Preikestolen Mountain Lodge.

If you need a bigger challenge you can hike Kjerag rising about 1,000 metres above sea level at the end of the Lysefjord. During summer you can join a daily guided hiking tour with transport from Stavanger and Sandnes.

Sightseeing boat tours to the Lysefjord are available all year. In summer the tourist ferry goes from Stavanger/Lauvvik through the Lysefjord. You can bring your car on the ferry to Lysebotn at the end of the fjord, and drive over the mountain back to Sandnes and Stavanger. Book your Lysefjord sightseeing trip with Tide or Rødne Fjord Cruise. 

City sightseeing in Stavanger

There are city sightseeing tours of Stavanger with an English speaking guide in summer. Part of the tour is by bus. This is a great way to learn about Stavanger and its history. It is also possible to get a customised tour for you and your group from one of the guide providers.

Norway's only "palm tree island"

Flor & Fjære is an exotic garden and restaurant on the island of Sør-Hidle, only 20 minutes by boat from Stavanger (two daily departures). Open May - September.

Bicycle tours

Rent a bicycle from the tourist information offices in Stavanger or Sandnes, and cycle the North Sea Cycle route. Stop for a picnic on a beach or find a secluded place to chill along the route.

Cycle tours where you explore nature on two wheels can also start in Sandnes and take you through Jæren and up in to the mountains.

Excursions by car

Drive to Byrkjedalstunet for a meal and visit the candle shop. Take a look at the large Gloppedalsura Scree just a few minutes away from Byrkjedalstunet. Gloppedalsura consists of avalanche boulders that are piled on top of an end moraine. 10,000 years ago the ice sheet that covered the area melted away. The excursion can easily be combined with a hike to Månafossen Waterfall and the tourist ferry through the Lysefjord.

A trip to Lysebotn and then up the steep winding road to Øygarstølen, located high above Lysebotn, presents an excellent opportunity to experience many scenic views by car.

The tour to the Utstein Monastery takes you back in history. Utstein used to be a royal estate for King Harald the Fairhaired around year 900 AD. On your way back to Stavanger, visit the rock carvings at Austre Åmøy – one of the largest rock carving sites in the county of Rogaland. The carvings date back more than 3,000 years. The Museum of Archaeology in Stavanger can provide detailed information about these rock carvings.

The landscape of Jæren along the coast presents a wild countryside. Make stops at sites like the beaches on the coastline, Hå Old Vicarageor Mingar Walker Glassblowing studio.

Several lighthouses along the Jæren coast are easily accessible by car. Tungenes, Obrestad and Kvassheim lighthouses are recommended places to visit.