Get an early start today. Have breakfast at your hotel and then drive to the trailhead for the Kjeragbolten hike. It takes two and a half hours to drive to Kjeragbolten (140 km) from Stavanger.
This is an incredible hike. In fact, it’s one of our favorite hikes, ever. Not only do you get to test how daring you are by standing on Kjerag, but the scenery from the trail is jaw-dropping. Even if you can’t get up the nerve to stand on the boulder, this is still an epic hike.
For those without a car, you can take a bus from Stavanger to the start of Kjeragbolten hike (from mid-June through the end of September). The entire round trip journey takes 12 hours.
KJERAGBOLTEN HIKING STATS
- Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles)
- Elevation Gain: 570 meters
- Difficulty: Strenuous
- Length of Time: 6 to 8 hours
BEST TIME TO DO THE KJERAGBOLTEN HIKE
The hike should be attempted only during the summer months, between June and September. Snow can cover the roads and the trails through the May.
HOW LONG DOES THE KJERABOLTEN HIKE TAKE?
The distance of the Kjeragbolten hike is 12 km with 570 meters of climbing.Allow 6 to 8 hours to make the entire journey, round trip. If you are a fast hiker, it is possible that 6 hour time estimate. It took us six and a half hours to complete the hike and this includes the wait time to take our photos of Kjerag.
WHO CAN DO THIS HIKE?
Any person with “reasonable fitness.” It’s not a long hike but there are three rather steep, strenuous climbs. No technical climbing skills are necessary, just a sense of adventure. There are chains in the steeper sections (see the photos below) to assist hikers.
HIKING TO KJERAGBOLTEN WITH KIDS
Yes, kids can do this hike! When we hiked to Kjeragbolten,This was their first hike using chains and they thought it was pure fun. There was one very steep section where we had to give them a boost but other than that they did the hike without assistance.
We did not allow Tyler and Kara to step out onto the boulder, that was for crazy parents only!
Children who are very active and adventurous and have prior hiking experience, should be able to do this hike.
THE KJERAGBOLTEN HIKE (TRAIL GUIDE)
From the carpark, you start your first climb. This is one of the most sections, so if you can get to the top of the first section you should have no trouble completing the hike. It was raining when we arrived but luckily the clouds moved out just before we started the hike. The ground was wet and very slippery! This hike would to do in rainy.
This is the view from the top of the first climb. You can see the Oygardstol carpark down below and clouds that were slowly dissipating.
Continue the journey a little farther. This is the view of the first climb down and the green.
Another view for You can see the trail snaking across it and then up the hill for the second climb of the hike.
Now we are down in the side with the second climb in front of us. We saw some sheep here, munching on the grass, their bells clanging as they walked around. This place is awesome!
The second climb of the hike is the shortest but the steepest. This is the section where you will have to do some rock and use more chains. We had to give Tyler and Kara a boost up here but on the return journey they down on their own.
A closer view of the steepest section of the Kjeragbolten hike.
From the top of the second climb, this is the view back down . The trail climbs up the small ridge in the center and then down the other side, where the car park is. Now that most of the clouds have cleared away you can see the real beauty of this place.
