The Kjeragbolten hike is one of the most spectacular hikes in the world. We have hiked on some amazing trails around the globe, in countries like Australia, South Africa, China, and Nepal. The four of us agree that the Kjeragbolten hike is still our favorite in the world.

To read about our 20 favorite hikes in the world, read this post: 20 Best Day Hikes in the World. And for our favorite hikes in Europe, take a look at our article 20 Amazing Hikes in Europe.

WHERE IS KJERAGBOLTEN?

Kjeragbolten is located in southern Norway. The closest town is Lysebotn, just 15 minutes away by car. From Oslo, you can fly to Stavanger and then drive to the start of the Kjeragbolten hike. From Oslo, you can also drive to Lysebotn, a 500 km journey that takes 7.5 hours.

Most people stay in Stavanger in order to do this hike. It is a two and a half hour drive between Stavanger and the car park. It’s a very scenic drive and you do not need to take a ferry on this route.

Øygardstøl is the starting point of the hike. There is a car park (the fee is 300 NOK), bathrooms, and a restaurant here. To find the start of the hike, put “Kjerag parking” into Google maps.

For those without a car, you can take a bus from Stavanger to the start of Kjeragbolten hike (from roughly mid-June through the end of September). The entire round trip journey takes 12 hours. See the Visit Norway site for more information.

KJERAGBOLTEN HIKING STATS

Distance: 12 km (7.5 miles) out-and-back

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 1 and September 30. During the winter months the road is closed due to snow and the hike can be dangerous. Snow can cover the roads and the trails through the end of 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 to beat 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. Beware, when it is wet, the climbs and descents can be slippery!

HIKING TO KJERAGBOLTEN WITH KIDS

Yes, kids can do this hike! When we hiked to Kjeragbolten, Tyler was 10 years old and Kara was a few weeks away from turning 9 years old. They loved this hike. 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.

Sources 👇

Earthtrekkers

https://www.earthtrekkers.com/kjeragbolten-hike-complete-guide

Thank You

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