Some of the world’s greatest hikes are located in Norway, with towering cliffs and mountains overlooking the scintillating fjords below. The views at the top of these cliffs are priceless and rank amongst the worlds best. I personally have hiked several and my favorite by far is Kjerag, the home of Kjeragbolten.
Kjerag is a massive mountain located over Lysefjord near the town of Lysebotn. From Lysebotn you take a spectacular windy road that is closed in winter up to a parking area at Øygardsstølen. From there, it’s a 2.5 to 3 hour hike, depending on how fit you are and how well you do on steep rocks.
The hike to Kjerag can be classified by the 3 mountainous hills you have to climb and descend to reach Kjerag and Kjeragbolten. The first is a brutal stretch of rock some 300 meters straight up. There are chains to hold on to which help you should you have trouble balancing yourself. In my opinion, this first stretch is the hardest. Once you’ve reached the top of this first mountain you’re treated to some great views of Lysefjord and Lysebotn far below. The more gradual descent on the backside of the mountain takes you into a river valley of sorts and has some amazing vistas. When I was there, the snow was melting and the run offs were fantastic creating surreal looking scenery.
The hike up the second mountain isn’t too bad, it ascends some 200 meters and is more muddy than rocky. It also involves walking through snow and likely getting your feet wet and dirty. At the top you know you are getting close when the clouds start to lift and the mountains begin to take shape before your eyes.
The third mountain is basically a long walk across frozen tundra, so to speak. You literally walk through snow for several hundred meters, several times. Your feet will again get soaked and if you are unlucky, you can fall through the snow and cut your leg on the rocks below, as I did.
After trekking for about 30 minutes you reach Kjerag and your first reaction is simply stunned disbelief. I couldn’t even find words to describe the beauty of what I was seeing as the clouds below made for an eerie, Gotham kind of appeal.
Then make your way down the snow hill until you see Kjeragbolten, which is the main reason you came on the hike in the first place. It is a 5m boulder wedged into a mountain crevice at Kjerag. If you don’t suffer from vertigo, it’s possible to go and stand on it without ropes or anything. All you need is some guts and good balance. My two buddies and I all hopped out on it immediately.
It’s an almost indescribable feeling being out there on Kjeragbolten because it’s a very small surface area with absolutely no protection from falling. From there it’s a direct 241 meter drop below then another 735 meter tumble to the fjord. Let’s just say you’d be in serious trouble if you fell. It’s a fact that several people have fallen but anyway, most choose not to go out there. It’s scary, I won’t lie. You’re knees feel like they’re going to give out, especially after the 2 to 3 hours of hiking up mountain to get there.
Aside from the amazing pictures and views there, there are also magnificent views of Lysefjord below and the mountains above the clouds across the fjord from the northern drop of Kjerag. Kjerag is a popular place for base jumpers all over the world to come and hurl themselves off the massive cliffs with only a parachute or one of those squirrel suits on. I base jumped once in a controlled environment and it was scary as hell. These guys who base jump off Kjerag are completely insane! After snapping pictures and taking in the views, I recommend taking a little time to reflect on how lucky you are to be in this amazing place. There aren’t very many better views on the planet.
After the hike, head to Lysebotn below and catch the 3pm car ferry down the 42-kilometer Lysefjord. From below it’s awesome realizing how high you just were!