Kjerag

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globetrottergirl07
New York City, NY116 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Friends
I would absolutely not do this hike if the weather is poor. By this I mean any rain as the rock are extremely slippery and dangerous. Even with good shoes there is no grip. I was with an organized group and in retrospect I can’t believe authorities would let people in with the bad weather (rain, fog, wind) and knowing there was a bad storm coming in the afternoon. It was totally irresponsible. Not even 500m in people already started falling all over the place. The chains do not help much and actually located in the worst possible areas, actually they can be a big trap as there are much safer paths around. The track is not well maintained. By this I mean that the track is not well visible except from marked red T’s which can be difficult to spot. They can build more steps in locations. Unfortunately it was dangerous and fog and wind made it not possible to see the boulder for me. With the weather I had it was purely hell to attempt it.
Written August 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Severine
Nuneaton, UK572 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Solo
A must if you visit Norway. Difficult hike in some parts. The beginning especially climbing with chains. This is not a hike like preikestolen, a lot more challenging. Made it to the top in about 2 hours and 1 hour 50 mins coming down. It started drizzling on way back down so had to be very careful as it can be slippery. This is not a race, take your time and only go this hike if you are fit enough. The views at the top are just breathtaking, from the actual bolden to the fjord and 1000m waterfall. If you want to stand in the bolden, go for it without overthinking, it is not that hard as long as you don’t look down. You will have pics of a lifetime. I was lucky it was just our group at the top. We were barely 8 people. No queue, just an amazing an amazing clear view
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Renata L
Haugesund, Norway30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2013 • Couples
This was an amazing hike. Especially after already having done Preikestolen, it was a nice change from the amount of people here. Although I found the hike a lot more difficult than Pulpit Rock.
At Pulpit you go up then flat, up then flat and up again....but at Kjeragbolten you go UP then DOWN, UP then DOWN, etc.
Once we got there it was amazing. The view from the top WOW. As we arrived someone happened to be proposing to his girlfriend on the rock, she said YES: But I would have been scared to say no in that situation.
Since it was a beautiful day, there were a bunch of people there and a line of about 7 people to get on the rock. I myself was too scared to go on because I am a super klutz, but my husband did and I was super scared watching him climb on that things.
The hike back was hard, because again we had to go UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN, and my knees were killing me at this point.
I dont recommend doing this hike while its raining as most of the hike is on rock surface and slippery when wet. But other than that, worth doing if in the area. We drove here and it was about a 2 hour drive from Stavanger. Parking cost 100nok. At the base there is a place to stop and eat and enjoy the view as well.
Written October 26, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

stepsabroad
London, UK298 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2016 • Couples
I think because of the effort involved in this hike, the photo of you standing on Kjeragbolten means so much more! We didn't find much practical information beforehand so this hopefully helps those planning to do it.

Getting there from Stavanger: It doesn't actually take that long. We did Preikestolen the same morning using Tide Reiser and got back to Stavanger by 1:30pm. Being a Sunday, we had to go to the airport to rent a car, but you could get one in the city. In July I think there are bus tours too (Tide Reiser themselves do one, but you won't be able to do this and Preikestolen the same day in that case). There are four road sections and some beautiful lake and mountain scenery on the way. First, take the E39 to Algard. Then take route 45 to near Sinnes, and FV975 after that. Finally, there is a single-lane road, FV986, that goes to Oygardstol, the start of the hike. The other roads were empty on Sunday afternoon/evening and you can usually drive at 80-90km/h. The last road is more like 50km/h on average but with lots of blind turns and also passing places - this road gets cleared of snow in early May I think. At the end of May it was beautiful to see the snowdrifts around us and clear blue lakes. The whole journey takes about 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes and almost all of it (except near the end) works using mobile phone GPS. We just had Google Maps. There are a couple of tolls en route but in a rental car they are taken automatically with number plate recognition and the hire service just adds them on the bill.

Parking: The car park at Oygardstol has a patrol guy and a parking machine. It says it accepts credit card but didn't accept two of mine so may not work for international ones. The dodgy guy there on Sunday will accept cash for a voucher instead and took £15 (GBP) instead of the 150 NOK fee. There was plenty of space when we went.

Hike: This really is a tough hike, especially after the morning Preikestolen hike and the drive there. However remember that summer days in this part of Norway mean that sunset is at almost 11pm so you have lots of time to get there and back. It took us 2 hours 10-30 min each way, but we did pass a couple of groups on the way back who had to take multiple breaks to return. As others have said, it involves three steep climbs in the first half of the journey, separated by almost as steep descents. The first climb is possibly the highest and you'll see it from the car park. It's also an introduction to the chains that help a lot with grip on the way up and the way down. The second climb is even steeper and even has a little vertical bit requiring a metal foothold to be drilled in by the people who made the route. There are more chains. The third is slightly easier and less steep. There is a river crossing before the third mountain too but easy to get across without getting wet (on a not very rainy day). After the third climb, it is mostly just a flat plateau of bare rock and snowdrifts to walk through - these are fine with trainers (sneakers). Pay attention to other hikers or for the red waypoints throughout although thankfully it is mostly a straight path. At the final snowdrift if it is still there, there is a fork going uphill and straight and to the right. Right leads to the boulder and straight goes up to the summit of Kjerag I think. We went right to the boulder only. Here you will see the boulder ahead at the angle seen in all the photos. Keep walking towards the left and you'll come to another small flat plateau (like a tiny Preikestolen) where everyone will rest and sit down and queue to step on the boulder. Getting on to the boulder is almost as scary as standing on it. I suggest not looking down.

We woke at 7am and took the 7:30am ferry for Preikestolen and returned from Kjeragbolten to Stavanger at 1am, so it was a long long day. You could save 1 hour by renting a car beforehand I imagine. Take plenty of water and snacks, and enjoy the journey!
Written June 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Yullee
Riga, Latvia40 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2015 • Solo
So, it was August 4. Rainy, windy and quite cold day, but my trip was pre-booked and my flight back was on the next morning. So, it was now or never.
I am not an experienced hiker. I am not very sporty(I guess I cold slowly jog 7-8 km and not die, I can do several push-ups and 0 pull-ups). I wasn't equipped for 100%. So I did it wearing waterproof jacket, hiking boots and regular trekking trousers.
It was quit demanding, but very inspiring experience. I was really worried about weather conditions, since the most reviews I could find was only about hiking in sunny days.
But it’s doable. I can’t say it is super enjoyable, since you are thinking all about how to not fall on the rocks and how not to get lost.

It was raining heavily, so my pants were wet already on the way there. We were freezing on the last UP part, ‘cause you have to be very careful and can’t move fast there and wind was strong, but we warmed up on the last plateau since we were able to speed up there. The whole plateau was covered with water streams since it was raining for hours and there is no soil to absorb the water. So me feet got wet in this part. Finally we reached the Kjeragbolten itself. It was an adventure to step on it because of the feeling that you’ll be blown down by a wind blast(I think it is possible and not just an irrational fear), but nevertheless I waited for a moment and step on that. O! What a moment of glory was that! I was hiking-high the half way back

The way back was a bit nightmare – we got lost on the plateau a bit, got cold and going DOWN doesn’t mean just clamber wet stones but sometimes literally step in little mountain rain rivers. It was challenging and dangerous. My waterproof jacket started to slowly leak somewhere on the 2nd slope. But in the end I did it! Happily, with no big damages: I just fall twice – for the first time on the way back while going down for the first time in the black slush with the whole body (my whole right side was dirty, but by the time a reached parking everything was cleaned by rain) and for the second a slipped on the part with chains (several bruises as a nice souvenir for 1-2 weeks on my right leg).

Long story short: it is doable in the rain, not enjoyable (the landscapes are hiding in the fog, but you can admire a crazy swirling clouds), but super exciting if you like challenges. I would do it again but by good weather. If I could reschedule my hike that day to some days later when weather improved I would do this for sure. I did the whole hike in 4 hours there and back. It was all about hiking and 15-20 minutes by Kjeragbolten.

Some tips for those daredevils hiking in a rainy day:
1. You better have proper waterproof garments (water-resistant staff will not save you; cellophane raincoat will disturb you).
2. Wear proper shoes. It is doable in normal running shoes (some hikers from our bus did it, but you will be have 3 times careful on super slippery rocks)
3. Take gloves with you – they will give you a better traction with chains and will save your hands from getting sore. I was wearing the cheapest fabric gloves with PVC spots on palms from the household shop. A hat is also a very good thing – I was wearing jacket’s hood, but it was not that comfortable.
4. Take spare pants and shirt with you to change the clothing when you finish if you got wet.
5. If you can take spare shoes with you (I regretted that I didn’t took my trainers with me). Or take at least spare socks and 2 plastic bags. When you finish the hike: put dry socks on, than plastic bags and then your super wet shoes. And you will feel AMAZING
6. Follow the signs. And have some company. It is so easy to get lost when you are alone – everything is gray and not everywhere those red signs are seen clearly.
7. Have some food and water with you.
8. Put your electronics and everything inside your backpack in the plastic bag.
9. Be careful and have fun anyway.

Anyway it is an AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!
Written September 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Skye
London, UK340 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2015 • Friends
we were there on 28 May 2015. the tourist info receptionist said as a matter of factly it'll be fine to walk in hiking shoes with no poles - this is absolutely not true. the whole path is covered in 1-3 foot deep snow and it was snowing heavily on the day as well. there is no clear path and visibility was extremely low. path can be extremely slippery and some snow can be so deep it reaches a normal adult's waist. it's dangerous even with snow gear - just not a good time to visit and we can't see that improving much within the next month. we had to come back after hiking 1.5 hour one way and slide down some paths in the snow.
Written May 31, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mark B
Wakefield, UK33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2014 • Friends
We visited Stavanger in June 2014 for three days, and the weather was fantastic, so we struck lucky. I and two friends hired a car and did this walk on our second day.

We left the hotel about half past six and arrived at the Cafe and car park which marks the start of the walk at about 9.15 a.m. The drive was beautiful; a scenic meander through a mostly pristine landscape, dotted with woods and lakes; cliff faces streaming with water, only yards from the roadside. Twenty minutes from the car park, the road narrows and is actually cut out of the snow in places; you can see why it is often closed in winter. At that time of the morning, the car park was half empty, but filling up, so I wouldn't go much later, not least because the walk itself takes between six and seven hours, depending on how long you hang around at the summit, marvelling at the jaw-dropping views. The cafe is home to some wonderful views before you even start the walk, perched as it is above a huge drop into a beautiful valley; you are already at a fair altitude, for everyday folk like me anyway.

The actual walk consists of three steep climbs, up and down twice before the final ascent. This makes it a pretty tough challenge; on the day we went, it was very warm, and the glacial streams in the two small valleys between the first two summits were very welcome. I filled my water pouches, couldn't drink enough, and threw the water over my head enthusiastically; it was the sweetest, cleanest, coldest water I have ever tasted, and perhaps ever will. I think that if you went on a wet or cold day, this walk could be a little miserable for some people, as it is mostly over smooth rock and boulder, and you have metal chains for much of the climbs. I suppose it just requires gloves and good footwear. It was popular up there, but not too crowded I found.

The rewards, during the climb, and of course, at the summit where the Bolt is, are worth all the effort and more. This really is a majestic landscape: vertical walls of rock dropping thousands of feet to the fjord below; the sheer size and scope of it all is so beautiful, I didn't want to leave. One of my friends queued to stand on the Bolt, a boulder which is wedged between two rock faces around three thousand feet above the fjord. I bottled it, but it doesn't bother me; I didn't go to tick boxes, just to sit there in the sunshine on the edge of the cliff, eating a cracking pork pie (Gledhills butchers, Wakefield!), and sipping a coffee, was more than enough for me. I have never experienced the reality of the overused term, 'breathtaking', but I did on more than one occasion on this walk.

I did struggle a bit on the way back, and by the time we trudged into the cafe at around five o'clock that afternoon, I was spent, glad that I hadn't volunteered to drive back to Stavanger.

If you have a decent fitness, like a challenge, and appreciate natural beauty, make the effort and do this walk, you will never forget it. Norway is beautiful and I intend to return someday to do walks further north.

PS. We did the Pulpit Rock walk the next day; that is definitely the best way round to do these to, if doing both, as the latter is much easier, and although beautiful as well, it is incredibly crowded, which took a lot of the enjoyment of that walk away for me.
Written March 17, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pasto64
Stavanger, Norway125 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2013 • Friends
I have been to Kjerag 10-15 times, and I still find it absolutely amazing.

The hike to the Kjerag boulder takes 1,5-2,5 hours (maybe more), depending of you fitness, The hiking is going up very steep hills, and it can be pretty hard. It is high mountain, and pretty hard hiking, so you need good shoes, hiking boots is the best, and you need to check the weather forecast before you go and be prepared for a change in the weather.

The scenery on the hike is great, the view of the fjord 1000 meter below is amazing, and if you have the guts to go on the boulder you should do it. I find it scary, but have been on it a few times anyway.

Season, depend on snow, normally the end of May to end of September. Public transport on bus is only from mid. June to mid. August. Check with tourist office in Stavanger. Parking fee is in 2013 Nok 100,-, but there is not any fee to hike in the mountain.
Written September 10, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tasha E
21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2013 • Couples
My husband and I visited Norway (Stavanger) in particular to visit Kjerag and Preikestolen. We went tp Preikestolen on the first day and attempted to go to Kjerag on the second. Because it was so late in the season, (they close the road to Kjerag in winter) the buses had already stopped going out to the trail so we rented a car.

It is a two hour drive to the trail head, however the first time we tried, we got almost there (about 30 minutes more), but there was a road closed sign and a man next to it. Come to find out, the week before there had been a rock slide that cover the road and they were still fixing it. He said the road was only open at 7-8 am and 4-5 pm. So we decided to go back and try again the next day. So moral of the story, keep up with local news to make sure all roads are open. There is a ferry that you can take all the way up the fjord, but it was completely booked because of the road closure.

The second day we got through at 7 in the morning. The drive is lovely, though a bit scary at times. We got to the trail head and it is 100 nok; however, we did not have any coins and it is coin only. Also, the restaurant and park info was closed so we didn't end up paying although we intended too. We had no way to do so. We even waited until 9 am to see if someone would come, but I think because the season technically had ended...everything was closed.

The hike is quite strenuous. It going practically straight up for a good bit and then flat and then up again and so on. We hiked in tennis shoes that had decent grip, but I would suggest something more like hiking boots as it can be slippery. The day we went was gorgeous...no fog...clouds...just the beautiful sun. There are chains to help, but beware that some of them were loose. We pretty much used them only when absolutely necessary and always tugged on them first just to be sure they were in there good. The trail is very well mark with red "T" (Turistforening). When you come down the crevasse, you see the boulder suspended. It's pretty amazing. Walking out onto it was more scary then actually standing on it because it's so narrow. We had a blast though. And We did it!! It took us a good 5 hours roundtrip. Definitely bring a snack and water. It was so worth the hike and feeling the accomplishment! Another must-see in Norway!
Written October 13, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nite B
32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2017 • Family
Did this hike on 8/26/2017, with my wife and two kids, ages 11 and 9. Awesome hike. We did Preikestolen and Trolltunga as well, and we thought this was the hardest of the hikes. See below. We stayed in Stavenger, and had a rental car for the week long trip in Norway. It took us 2 hours and 15 min from stavenger to get to Kjerag car park because of a road closure and detour.

CAR PARK:
200 NOK. thank god I took cash, as they were not accepting credit cards that day (machines were down). We got there at 9:30 am, and plenty of parking spaces, right off of the trail head. Restrooms also present at car park.

THE HIKE:
It was a cloudy day, with the sun peaking through at times. At least it was dry! Would be tricky on a rainy day going up and down the steep sides. Hiking boots recommended and were extremely helpful/crucial. There are lots of places you need good traction on the steep slopes. 3 major up and down sections as you traverse 3 mountains. Chains bolted to the side of the rock face as you cannot just walk up or down some of the steeper sides. So be prepared. This is what made the hike slightly difficult, although not that bad. My 9 year old had no problem, although she has hiked before on several moderate difficulty hikes. There are a few spots of running water you can fill up and drink, but we brought plenty of water. I also bought a sawyer filter, which was great to filter water incase we needed it. Anyway, the boulder is truly spectacular, and worth the hike for the view and the picture of a lifetime. Even my 11 year old son went on it by himself!. My daughter was more cautious and crawled onto the rock with me sitting on it and holding her tight. Like many people on prior posts have said, it is not as bad as you think getting onto the rock, but it does require one big step to get onto it. Feels stable when you are on the rock, but I did not look down. Also, wanted to get off fast after my pics as it is nerve racking to be up on it. Hike back was equally as difficult as its just the reverse hike with 3 up and down sections. We did the hike in exactly 6 hours with several breaks throughout the hike, and ample time at the boulder for lunch and pictures. Well worth it. Recommend it to all.
Written September 7, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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