Stavanger
is enchanting lanes to explore
Welcome to Stavanger
There's a reason this coastal town has been twinned with Houston and Aberdeen: it's sometimes known as Norway's 'Oil City' for its importance in oil exploration in the North Sea since the 1970s (Norway's largest oil company, Statoil, is based here). But while much of the outskirts are modern, you won't find too many skyscrapers – Stavanger's old centre has some of the most beautiful and best-preserved wooden buildings anywhere in Norway, many dating back to the 18th century. It's all very pretty, and in summer the waterfront comes alive in the best port-town style.
Top experiences in Stavanger
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Stavanger activities
Stavanger City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Tour Shore Excursion
When your cruise ship docks at the Stavanger port, board the open-top, double-decker City Sightseeing bus at any of the 11 conveniently located stops around the city. Sit back and relax as you travel through Stavanger and enjoy 360-views and informative commentary. Stay on board for the entire 50-minute loop, or hop on and off as you please to explore by foot. Visit Stavanger Cathedral, check out the Ledaal royal residence, and poke around the Petroleum Museum or Stavanger Museum to learn about the city's industrial and artistic history and legacy. City Sightseeing Stavanger Hop-On Hop-Off Tour Stops:1. Strandkaien Cruise Terminal 2. Tourist Information & Stavanger Cathedral 3. Petroleum Museum 4. Victoria Hotel, Skansekaien 5. Petroleum Museum 6. Tourist Information & Stavanger Cathedral 7. Stavanger Museum 8. Museum of Archaeology 9. Stavanger Art Museum 10. Ledaal Royal Residence 11. Strandkaien Cruise Terminal
Kjerag Autumn Hike
Fjord cruise included!*Join Outdoorlife Norway on an autumn hike to Kjerag, and witness the magic of the season’s shifting colors and Norway’s crisp and cool mountain air. Hike on trails that have recently been upgraded by Nepalese Sherpas, who used local stones and made overcoming the final (and steepest) slope a little easier. Though the hike to Kjerag is filled with breath-taking views of the Lysefjord, the trip’s highlight for many is standing atop Kjerag’s famous boulder.Your journey begins when your professional guide picks you up in Stavanger city-center (see above for specific pick-up times and locations). While being transported to the hiking trail, which takes about 2.5 hours, you’ll pass through a variety of dramatic landscapes including mountains, fjords, and bright green valleys. The guide will navigate over a mountain pass through the municipality of Sirdal. You’ll pass through a barren, glacier scoured landscape that many experience as being moon-like. You’ll begin your hike at a trail-head that’s known as the Eagle’s Nest – which one can speculate got its name because it sits a lofty 640 meters above sea level.During Autumn, weather conditions can be unstable. As needed, the guide will adjust your equipment (ice spikes, etc.) to match the weather conditions. The hike to Kjerag is relatively demanding: you’ll trek 11 kilometers (round-trip) with an ascent of 800 meters in 5.5 kilometer. During the 2.5-hour hike to the boulder, you’ll encounter 3 periods of steep climbing interspersed with 2 shallow valleys. Along the way, you’ll enjoy views of the village of Lysebotn, which is situated at the head of the Lysefjord. The final 2 kilometers leading up to the Kjerag boulder are relatively flat and will allow you to focus more on Norway’s beautiful wilderness. Once you reach the edge of the mountain’s plateau, while standing on a 1000-meter-high cliff, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of the 42-kilometer-long Lysefjord.Cliff-side, you’ll have plenty of time to rest and enjoy your packed lunch. If you’re among the brave, you’ll have the opportunity to stand atop the Kjerag boulder. After the lunch break, your guide will lead you back down to the Eagle’s Nest, which takes about 2 hours.After the hike, you’ll be driven through 26 hairpin turns along the (one and only!) road to the village of Lysebotn at the head of the Lysefjord. Here, you’ll board a speed-ferry.*The ferry will set-off navigating under steep mountain walls towering hundreds of meters above the fjord. The cruise will transport you further out the Lysefjord where you will pass waterfalls, abandoned farms, and the famous Preikestolen cliff, which towers 604 meters above sea-level.*On Saturdays, and between Oct 15 – 19, the speed ferry does not run and we will drive around the mountains.(depends on weather conditions and drop-off location.)
Preikestolen Autumn Sunset Hike & Fjord Cruise
Cruise through the Lysefjord, experience Norway’s crisp, cool mountain air, and feast your eyes on the imposing cliff, which hangs 604 meters above the Lysefjord, from below. Then enjoy an autumn hike on trails that were recently upgraded by Nepalese Sherpas. While standing atop Preikestolen, witness the magic of the season’s shifting colors and some of the most spectacular views Norway has to offer. Your adventure starts early-afternoon in Stavanger, with a 2-hour Rødne fjord cruise. Having left Stavanger behind, you’ll travel through the Høgsfjord, before navigating under a suspension bridge that spans the mouth of the Lysefjord. Steep mountain walls towering hundreds of meters above the fjord emerge. You’ll be able to feast your eyes on majestic Preikestolen, which appears to reach into the sky above the spectacular Lysefjord. The captain will also carefully steer the boat’s bow up to the Hengjane waterfall, where you’ll have the opportunity to sample its crystal-clear water.Back on land, you’ll meet your hiking guide, who will transport you further to the base of the hiking trail. Autumn is the perfect time of year to experience the Lysefjord and Preikestolen from a unique perspective. The shadows become longer with every day that passes, and the ambient light seems to dance across the fjord’s mountainsides. Snow, when present, offers a splendid contrast to the flame-colored foliage. This late in the year, weather conditions are constantly changing. As needed, you’ll adjust the equipment you use (ice spikes, etc.) in accordance with the changing conditions. Along the way, there will be opportunities to catch your breath and snap photos of the spectacular nature around you. After 2.5 hours* of trekking, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of some of the most dramatic scenery Fjord-Norway has to offer. Standing atop the 604-meter-high cliff, the views of the Lysefjord and surrounding mountains are nothing short of awe-inspiring. On top of that, you’ll have the privilege of becoming one of the few to have experienced Preikestolen off-season =) On your way back down the trail, you’ll be facing Stavanger and the ocean while hiking into the sunset. If you’re lucky, the sunset will paint the horizon with vivid colors. Once darkness falls, your guide will provide you with headlamps to ensure that you safely navigate the last stretch of the trail. On the drive back to Stavanger, you guide will take a different route, which includes a second 40-minute ferry crossing. DURATIONTotal | ~8-9 hours (depends on weather conditions)Fjord Cruise | ~2 hoursHiking | ~5 hours (including breaks)Transportation | ~1.5 hours
Preikestolen off the beaten track hike
Your professional nature guide will pick you up at Stavanger Tourist Information Office at 07:10am. You will be transport to the trailhead by car and ferry. You’ll embark on your trip by canoeing across Refsvatn Lake (30 minutes). During 70% of the hike, you’ll follow off-the-map trails which are overgrown and have (almost) been forgotten. These trails are rarely used and the cairns that lead the way through dense forests are difficult to find. Once above the tree-line, the trail completely disappears: the remaining 30% of the hike is thus comprised of off-trail hiking & scrambling.During this portion of the hike, you’ll experience out-of-this-world and rarely-seen views of Preikestolen and the Lysefjord. After about 3,5 hours on foot, you’ll reach a viewpoint of Preikestolen that the majority of others only get to see in tourist brochures.You will then hike down to Preikestolen and enjoy a well-deserved break atop the impressive plateau that towers 604 meters above sea level. There, you’ll get to view the 1000 meter-high mountain walls surrounding the 42 kilometer-long Lysefjord from a new perspective.At that point, as you begin the long descent back to civilization, you’ll start by joining the masses of people who are following the main trail away from Preikestolen. After about 20 minutes, you’ll escape the crowds by detouring back onto one of the off-the-map trails. You’ll be able to enjoy the remainder of the hike in near-solitude while you take in the beauty of the Norwegian wilderness from ever-changing perspectives. The hike down will take approximately 2 hours.After the hike, your guide will take you back to Stavanger.Duration:Total: 10 hoursHiking: ~7 hours (including breaks)Transportation: ~1 hour (each way)Drop-off:The tour ends in Stavanger at approximately 17:30 (5:30pm).
Preikestolen Sunrise Hike
Your professional nature guide will pick you up at Stavanger Tourist Information Office at the following time: • June 1st - July 15th: 00:15am • July 16th - August 19th: 01:00am • August 20th - September 30th: 02:35am • October 1st - October 31st: 04:05amNOTE: Make sure to book the right date. The guide will pick you up (very) early in the morning, and you’ll be back around noon on the date you select. You will be transport to the trailhead by car and ferry. On an annual basis, Preikestolen welcomes more visitors than any other trekking-destination in Norway. In 2018, approximately 300,000 hikers are expected to make their way up to the top of the imposing cliff that clings to the mountainside 604 meters above the Lysefjord, and offers some of the best views Fjord Norway has to offer.Outdoorlife Norway invites you to experience a unique Preikestolen hiking adventure, guaranteed to be crowd-free! Start your day in the midst of darkness, and hike with headlamps through the morning twilight on trails that have recently been upgraded by Nepalese Sherpas. Experience standing atop Preikestolen before the crowds of tourists arrive, and watch as the first deep orange beams of sunlight illuminate the steep mountain walls that tower over the Lysefjord. Finish off the morning with a well-deserved breakfast/lunch at Preikestolen Mountain Lodge.This is a moderately-demanding 6-hour, 8 kilometer hike with a total ascent of 500 meters.After the hike, your guide will take you back to Stavanger.Duration:Total: ~9-12.5 hours (depends on time of year, weather, and pick-up location)Hiking: ~6 hours (including breaks)Transportation: ~1 hour (each way)Post-Hike Rest: ~1 hour (breakfast at Preikestolen Mountain Lodge)Drop-off:The tour ends in Stavanger between* 10:00am and 13:30 (01:30pm).*This is an approximation which depends highly on the time of year, weather, and other factors.
Kjerag Summer Hike - Beat the Crowds
Your journey begins early-morning when your professional nature guide picks you up at Stavanger Tourist Information Office at 04:55am. While being transported to the edge of the fjord, you’ll be able to catch glimpses of some of Norway’s stunning landscapes. Upon arrival at the shore of the Høgsfjord, you’ll board a speed-ferry.*The ferry will set-off navigating under a suspension bridge that spans the mouth of the Lysefjord. Steep mountain walls towering hundreds of meters above the fjord will then emerge. The cruise will transport you further into the Lysefjord where you will pass waterfalls, abandoned farms, and the famous Preikestolen cliff, which towers 604 meters above sea-level.Once ashore, you’ll be driven through 26 hairpin turns along the road from the village of Lysebotn up to the Sirdal mountains and then onward to the Eagle’s Nest trail-head. Before the crowds of tourists have begun to arrive, you’ll be well on your way up to the Kjerag boulder.During the 2.5-hour hike to the boulder, you’ll encounter 3 periods of steep climbing interspersed with 2 shallow valleys. Along the way, you’ll enjoy views of the village of Lysebotn, which is situated at the head of the Lysefjord. The final 2 kilometers leading up to the Kjerag boulder are relatively flat and will allow you to focus more on the spectacular nature around you. Once you reach the edge of the mountain’s plateau, while standing on a 1000-meter-high cliff, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of the 42-kilometer-long Lysefjord.Cliff-side, you’ll have plenty of time to rest and enjoy your packed lunch. If you’re among the brave, you’ll have the opportunity to stand atop the Kjerag boulder. Base-jumping is legal in Norway, so if you’re lucky, you’ll get to watch as daredevils hurdle themselves off the side of the cliff. =)After the lunch break, your guide will lead you back down, which takes approximately 2 hours. On the drive back to Stavanger, the guide will navigate over a mountain pass through the municipality of Sirdal. You’ll pass through a barren, glacier-scoured landscape that many experience as being moon-like.*On Saturdays, the speed ferry does not run and we will drive around the mountains. To compensate, the Saturday hikes are 100 NOK cheaper. On Sundays, the trip’s itinerary is reversed: instead of at the start of the day, you’ll cruise through the Lysefjord during the afternoon, before traveling back to Stavanger.Duration:Total: ~11-12 hours (depends on weather conditions + pick-up location)Hiking: ~6 hours (including breaks)Fjord cruise: ~1 hourTransportation: ~1.5 + 2.5 hoursDrop-off:The tour ends in Stavanger at approximately 17:00 (5:00pm). (depends on weather conditions and drop-off location.)