Norway 7-Day Itinerary: Stavanger, the Lysefjord and Hardanger

Seven days is enough to see the best of Fjord Norway without spending the whole week in a car. This route starts in Stavanger, gives you time on the Lysefjord and its mountains, then crosses Ryfylke to Hardanger and ends in Bergen. Below is the day-by-day plan we would suggest, with realistic drive times, what changes with the season and where the plan can bend if the weather does.

Why this route works for a first week in Norway

Many 7-day itineraries try to cover Oslo, Bergen, the Sognefjord and the Geirangerfjord in one go. It can be done, but you see a lot of the country through a windscreen. This plan stays in Western Norway and uses only two bases, so you unpack twice, not five times.

• Days 1–3: Stavanger, with the Lysefjord, Preikestolen and the coast close by.
• Day 4: a scenic travel day through Ryfylke to Hardanger.
• Days 5–6: Hardanger, with fjord villages, orchards, a glacier and, in summer, Trolltunga.
• Day 7: on to Bergen for your flight home, or back to Stavanger.

It also works in reverse. If your flight arrives in Bergen, start in Hardanger and finish in Stavanger.

Day 1: Arrive in Stavanger and walk the old town

Keep the first day light. Stavanger airport is close to the city, and once you have checked in, everything you need for the evening is within walking distance: the white wooden houses of Gamle Stavanger, the colourful Øvre Holmegate and the harbour. If you land early, the Norwegian Petroleum Museum on the waterfront explains a lot about how the city grew. Our three-day Stavanger plan has more ideas for the city.

Day 2: The Lysefjord and Preikestolen

This is the day to plan around the forecast. There are three good ways to do it:

• From the water. Sightseeing boats leave from Stavanger harbour, and the Lysefjord cruise takes about three to three and a half hours, past the cliffs below Preikestolen and the Hengjanefossen waterfall.
• From the top. The Preikestolen hike is roughly 8 km there and back and takes about four to five hours. In June, July and August the trail is at its busiest, so start before 08:00 or go in the late afternoon.
• Both in one day. A private boat or RIB on the fjord followed by a guided hike, on your own timetable. Our guide to the Lysefjord from Stavanger compares the options.

Day 3: A second mountain, or the open coast

Day 3 depends on the season and how much hiking you want.

Late May to October: fit hikers can drive the Lysevegen road, with its 27 hairpin bends, up to Øygardstøl and hike to Kjerag. Plan on about 11 km and six hours on a demanding trail. The road is closed in winter, usually from November until late May.

All year: the wooden stairway at Flørli, reached by boat on the Lysefjord, is another full day. For something calmer, drive south along the flat Jæren coast, with long beaches, farmland and big skies. It is a good choice when the cloud sits low on the mountains.

Day 4: Through Ryfylke to Hardanger

This is a travel day, but a scenic one. From Stavanger you drive under the sea through the Ryfast tunnel, which Fjord Norway describes as the world’s longest undersea road tunnel, and continue north on road 13 through Ryfylke. The short car ferry between Hjelmeland and Nesvik takes about ten minutes and cannot be booked in advance, so you simply drive up and wait.

Plan on about four to five hours from Stavanger to Hardanger, including the ferry. With photo stops along the Norwegian Scenic Route Ryfylke, a walk and a long lunch, it easily becomes a full day. That is the point: the journey is part of the trip. Spend the night by the Sørfjord, around Lofthus or Odda.

If you would rather not drive, this is where a private driver makes the biggest difference. Nobody has to watch the narrow roads, and everyone gets to look at the view.

Day 5: Trolltunga, a glacier or the orchards

Hardanger gives you three very different days, and you only need one of them.

• Trolltunga (fit, experienced hikers, summer only). From the Skjeggedal trailhead it is about 27 km there and back, with close to 800 metres of climbing, and takes 10–12 hours. From the higher Mågelitopp car park it is about 20 km and 7–10 hours. Visit Norway gives 1 June to 31 August as the main season for hiking without a guide, and advises always going with a guide from 1 October to 31 May. Start before 08:00. Our Trolltunga page explains how we plan it.
• A guided glacier walk. Folgefonna, Norway’s third-largest glacier, rises above the Sørfjord. Guided tours run on its Buer glacier arm near Odda, and guided glacier crossings are offered from May. Walk on the ice only with a local glacier guide.
• A slow day in the orchards. Hardanger grows close to half of Norway’s fruit. The Fruit Trail at Lofthus is an easy walk through the orchards, and from mid-May the trees are usually in blossom for about a month.

Day 6: Fjord villages and a spare half-day

Keep this day loose. If Trolltunga or the glacier was postponed because of the weather, this is your second chance. If not, spend the day by the water. In Ulvik, the Fruit and Cider Route links three farms with tours and tastings. Further west, the Baroniet Rosendal manor dates from 1665 and is known for its rose garden, which is at its best in summer.

A spare half-day is not wasted time. On the west coast, it is often what makes the difference between seeing Trolltunga and only reading about it.

Day 7: On to Bergen, or back to Stavanger

From Odda it is about three hours to Bergen, which makes it a natural place to end the trip and fly home. If you need to return to Stavanger instead, you can drive back through Ryfylke, or take the faster E39 between Bergen and Stavanger, which takes about four hours with two ferry crossings.

What changes with the season

• June to August: long days and everything open, but the popular trails are busy. Book stays early.
• Late May and September: often the best balance of open roads and fewer people. Remember that Trolltunga’s main season ends on 31 August and the Lysevegen road usually closes in November.
• October to April: short days, and Kjerag and Trolltunga are not realistic without a specialist guide. A winter week works better as a Stavanger base, with a guided winter hike to Preikestolen. Our Preikestolen in winter guide explains what to expect.

How we can help with your seven days

You can follow this route on your own. What we add is the planning and the judgement along the way: the right day for each hike, private transport and drivers, local guides around the Lysefjord, partners we trust in Hardanger, and a plan B when the weather turns. You can see sample routes on our Norway vacation packages page, and read how we work on our private travel page.

Frequently asked questions

Is seven days enough for Norway?

Seven days is enough for one region done well. For Fjord Norway, that means Stavanger, the Lysefjord and Hardanger. Adding Oslo or the northern fjords in the same week means much more time on the road.

Do I need a car for this itinerary?

For days 3 to 7, a car or a private driver makes it much easier. Public transport works well for the city and the Lysefjord cruise, but in Ryfylke and Hardanger you depend on bus and boat timetables, which makes long hiking days harder to fit in.

Can I do Preikestolen and Trolltunga in the same week?

Yes, in summer, if you are fit and used to long hikes. Leave at least one rest day between them, and keep a spare day in Hardanger in case of bad weather.

Can this route be done in winter?

Partly. Stavanger, the Lysefjord cruise and a guided winter hike to Preikestolen work well. Trolltunga and Kjerag need specialist guides and conditions, so most winter weeks are better planned from one base.

For the official trail information, see Visit Norway’s guide to hiking to Trolltunga and Fjord Norway’s page on getting to and around Ryfylke.