There is no single best time to visit Stavanger. It depends on what you want to do. For hiking Kjerag or driving the mountain roads, you need the summer half of the year. For quieter trails and a calmer fjord, spring and autumn are often better. Here is what each season is really like around Stavanger and the Lysefjord, with the numbers that matter: daylight, temperature, rain and what is open.
The short answer
- Best all-round: late May to mid-June, and the first half of September. Long or reasonably long days, mountain roads open, fewer people than in July.
- Warmest and most open: July and August. Also the busiest months on the popular hikes.
- Quietest: November to February. Short days, few visitors and a very different kind of trip.
- Driest on average: April and May.
Weather and daylight through the year
Stavanger has a mild, wet coastal climate. Winters are rarely very cold in the city, and summers are rarely hot. These are the climate normals from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute’s station at Våland in Stavanger, as published on yr.no:
- January: 2.5 °C average, about 126 mm of precipitation
- April: 6.8 °C, about 69 mm
- May: 10.3 °C, about 71 mm
- July: 15.4 °C, about 101 mm
- September: 12.7 °C, about 155 mm
- October: 8.7 °C, about 170 mm, the wettest month
- November: 5.6 °C, about 160 mm
Remember that these are averages for the whole day in the city. On the mountain plateaus it is colder and windier, and the weather can change within an hour.
Daylight changes more than the temperature does. Around midsummer the sun rises in Stavanger at about 04:30 and sets just before 23:00. Around midwinter it rises at about 09:30 and sets at about 15:40, which leaves roughly six hours of daylight. That, more than the cold, is what shapes a winter trip.
Spring: March to May
Spring is when the region wakes up. April and May are on average the driest months of the year, the days get long quickly and the big summer crowds have not arrived yet.
Preikestolen is a good spring hike once the snow has gone from the trail, but check conditions in March and April, when there can still be ice higher up. The Preikestolen trail foundation advises not starting the hike after 13:00 in March, 15:00 in April and 16:30 in May. The Lysevegen road to Kjerag usually opens in late May, depending on the snow.
From mid-May the fruit trees in Hardanger usually blossom for about a month, which makes late May a lovely time to combine Stavanger with a few days further north.
Summer: June to August
Summer is the easiest time to visit. Everything is open, the days are very long, and you can do the big hikes: Kjerag from May to October, and Trolltunga, whose main season for hiking without a guide runs from 1 June to 31 August.
It is also the busiest time. Preikestolen is at its most crowded on sunny summer weekends, when the car parks fill up. Starting before 08:00 or walking in the late afternoon makes a big difference. Book stays early, especially small lodges and fjord hotels.
Food lovers can plan around Gladmat, Stavanger’s large food festival around the harbour in late June. The 2027 festival is listed for 23–26 June.
Do not expect a heatwave. July and August average around 15 °C in Stavanger, and August is wetter than June. Pack layers and a waterproof jacket even in midsummer.
Autumn: September to November
September is one of our favourite months. The trails are quieter, the colours start to change and the mountain roads are still open. The catch is rain: October and November are the wettest months of the year, and September is not far behind, so keep your hiking days flexible.
By October the days are noticeably shorter, and the advice for Preikestolen is not to start after 13:00. The Lysevegen road usually closes in November when the snow arrives, and with it the summer access to Kjerag.
Autumn is a good time for the Lysefjord from the water. Rødne runs fjord trips from Stavanger all year round, and the Lysefjord cruise takes about three to three and a half hours. Our Lysefjord from Stavanger guide compares a cruise, a private boat and the hikes.
Winter: December to February
Winter in Stavanger is usually mild and wet rather than snowy, but up in the mountains it is real winter. Kjerag and Trolltunga are not for independent hikers in this season. Preikestolen can be hiked with the right equipment and an early start: the advice is not to start after 11:00 in December and January. Our guide to Preikestolen in winter explains what to expect, and why many people choose to go with a guide.
The rewards are quiet trails, low winter light on the fjord and a city with few visitors. One honest note: the chance of seeing the northern lights around Stavanger is very low.
Which month fits your trip?
- Big hikes (Kjerag, Trolltunga): June to early September.
- Preikestolen with fewer people: May, June or September, early in the morning.
- A couple’s trip or honeymoon: mid-May to June for long evenings. See our Norway honeymoon guide.
- A week through the fjords: late May to mid-September. See our Norway 7-day itinerary.
- A quiet city and fjord break: October to April.
How we plan around the season
We live here, so we plan with the season rather than against it. That means suggesting the right month for what you want to do, keeping a spare day in longer trips, and moving a hike to a better day when the forecast changes. Our Norway vacation packages show sample routes, and our private travel page explains how we work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Stavanger?
For most visitors, June or early September. You get long days, open mountain roads and fewer crowds than in July and August.
What is the rainiest month in Stavanger?
October, with about 170 mm of precipitation on average. November is close behind, with about 160 mm.
Can I visit the Lysefjord in winter?
Yes. Boat trips on the Lysefjord run in winter too, and Preikestolen can be hiked with the right equipment and an early start. Kjerag and the Lysevegen road are closed.
When is Kjerag open?
The normal hiking season is May to October. The Lysevegen road up from Lysebotn usually opens in late May and closes in November, depending on the snow.
See the full climate statistics on yr.no and the monthly hiking advice from Preikestolen365.
Why travel with NORDIQ Travel?
NORDIQ Travel is a small team based in Stavanger. John and Gert Olsson started guiding here in 2019, under the name TrollAdventure. Both work as firefighters in Norway, and our guiding network is built around people from the emergency services: fire, police and medical. We also hike these mountains because we love it, not only because it is our job.
That shows in how we work: careful preparation, clear communication and calm decisions when conditions change. We plan your days, sort out transport and ferry connections, match you with a local guide and set the pace around the people travelling. You have one person to talk to from your first message to your last day, and we will always tell you honestly what is possible, and what depends on the weather and the season.