Trolltunga and Preikestolen
A tongue of rock suspended 700 metres above a lake, a granite pulpit towering over the Lysefjord: Norway's two most photographed hikes must be earned — and prepared.
Suggested stay — 3 nights
Preikestolen first, the more accessible: 8 km return from the car park (paid, around €25), 500 m of well-built ascent, and that perfectly flat granite platform jutting out over the Lysefjord — 604 m of drop with no railing, vertigo management required. Start before 7 am or after 4 pm in summer: in between, it's a procession. The greedy chain it with Kjeragbolten, the boulder wedged between two walls at the head of the same fjord.
Trolltunga is another commitment: 20 km return and 800 m of climb from Skjeggedal (cut to 27 km if the Mågelitopp shuttle is full), 8 to 12 hours of walking on the Hardanger plateau, doable without a guide only from mid-June to mid-September. The reward: that horizontal 'troll's tongue' above lake Ringedalsvatnet, where you sometimes queue an hour for your photo — start at dawn, the queue is part of the equation.
Don't miss
- Sunrise from Preikestolen, before the groups arrive from Stavanger
- The Trolltunga ledge and lake Ringedalsvatnet, 400 m below
- The Lysefjord by boat or kayak from Forsand, to see the pulpit from below
- The orchards and cider farms of the Hardangerfjord on the way to Odda (fjord in bloom in May)
Our tips on the ground
- For Trolltunga, book the P2-P3 Mågelitopp shuttle online: it saves 7 km and 400 m of climb — the difference between a big day and one day too many.
- Outside mid-June/mid-September, Trolltunga is guide-only (snow and fog on the plateau): that's not an administrative clause — hikers get lost up there every year.
- The two sites are 4.5 hours apart by road via the Lysefjord ferry: schedule a rest day between them, your thighs will vote in favour.
Our flagship guide — €44
Guide available“Norway on Your Own”, the complete edition, is out
10 chapters: day-by-day itineraries, driving and transport, a costed budget and checklists — the same method as our Namibia guide.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
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1. What you need
Before you go
Readers' questions about Trolltunga and Preikestolen
Is Trolltunga doable for an average hiker?
Yes, on three conditions: start before 8 am, have already walked 6-7 hours in the mountains without suffering, and accept turning back if the weather turns — the plateau offers no shelter. The trail isn't technical; it's the length that sorts people. If in doubt, Preikestolen delivers 80% of the emotion for 40% of the effort.
Can you sleep in a van near the trailheads?
At Skjeggedal (Trolltunga), the P2 car park allows overnight vans for a supplement — precious for the dawn start. At Preikestolen, the official car park forbids it but the neighbouring campsite (Preikestolen Camping) is 4 km from the trailhead. In both cases, book in July-August: your dawn start hangs on a parking space.