Beautiful drives in Rogaland

Few places in Norway offer you so much in such a short distance as Rogaland. On the same day, you can drive from open sandy beaches towards the North Sea to steep mountain walls that plunge straight into the fjord. With Stavanger as your starting point, the trip can go in two completely different directions: south to the flat, wide-open coastal landscape of Jæren, or inland to Ryfylke to the fjords and mountains.

Southwards: coast, beaches and lighthouses

If you take a trip south from Stavanger, the city quickly transitions into a low, expansive agricultural landscape. This is Jæren – Norway's larder – where the sky seems bigger and the sea is never far away.

Much of the route follows the National Tourist Route Jæren, which runs for around 41 kilometres along County Road 507 (Nordsjøvegen) from Bore in the north to Ogna in the south. Here, it is the sea, not the road, that plays the main role. The Jæren beaches stretch for around 70 kilometres from Tungenes in the north to Sirevåg in the south, and are some of the finest sandy beaches in the country.

Worth a stop along the way

Orrestranden: Three kilometres of continuous, Blue Flag sandy beach with parking and refreshments at Orre Open Air Museum.
Børestraen: popular with surfers, with plenty of space and equipment hire in season.
Solastranden: voted among the world's most beautiful beaches by the Sunday Times, and practically a neighbour to Stavanger Airport.
The lighthouses: Obrestad Lighthouse (where you can actually stay overnight), Kvassheim Lighthouse and Tungenes Lighthouse tell the story of one of Norway’s most weather-beaten and dangerous stretches of coastline.
The old Obrestad parsonage, an art and culture centre right by the sea, with a café and an Iron Age burial ground nearby.

A good tip: the beaches are nature reserves, and you're not allowed to drive motor vehicles onto the sand itself. Park in the designated areas and walk the rest of the way – the walking trails between the beaches are excellent in themselves.

Into the heart of Ryfylke: fjords and mountains

If you'd prefer drama, head east into Ryfylke. From Stavanger, you'll today travel through the Ryfylke Tunnel (Ryfast), which opened in 2020 and is one of the world's longest and deepest subsea road tunnels. It replaced the old Stavanger-Tau ferry and means you'll be at the foot of Preikestolen in about 40 minutes.

From here, the Ryfylke National Tourist Route begins – one of the longest of Norway’s 18 national tourist routes. The 260 kilometres along Rv. 13 and County Road 520 wind their way from Oanes on the Lysefjord all the way to Hårå in Røldal, through a landscape that alternates between idyllic green archipelagos, lush cultivated landscapes, rocky outcrops and sheer cliffs. Along the way, you’ll encounter ferries, small villages, designated rest areas and viewpoints featuring award-winning architecture.

Some highlights along the route:

Svandalsfossen by Sauda, where a modern staircase construction allows you to get close and feel the power of the waterfall.
Allmannajuvet in Sauda, a former zinc mine complex redesigned by the renowned Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.
Small towns such as Jørpeland, Sand and Hjelmeland, offering dining, accommodation and local food.

Lysefjord, Pulpit Rock and Kjerag

Most people associate Ryfylke with Lysefjorden, and with good reason. The fjord is 42 kilometres long and over 400 metres deep, and frames two of Norway’s best-known tourist destinations.

Preikestolen rises 604 metres straight up from the fjord. The hike itself is around eight kilometres there and back and takes about two hours each way, along a well-marked path where Nepalese Sherpas have laid solid stone steps on the steepest sections. The path is moderately challenging, but manageable for most people in reasonable fitness.

Kjerag is a tougher affair. At 1,084 metres, it is the highest point on the Lysefjord, and the famous Kjeragbolten is wedged into a mountain crevice around 1,000 metres above the water. The hike starts at Øygardstøl above Lysebotn, covers 10–11 kilometres, and typically takes 6–10 hours. Certain sections are steep enough that you have to pull yourself up using chains – not a hike to be taken lightly, and not one for trainers.

A tip for those particularly interested: right in the middle of the fjord lies the roadless industrial village of Flørli, famous for the world’s longest wooden staircase, with 4,444 steps. You can only get there by boat.

Practical information about the roads

Much of the best here requires a little planning:

The Lysevegen road down to Lysebotn is one of Norway’s most dramatic mountain roads, with a long series of hairpin bends winding down the mountainside. It is closed in winter and normally reopens around mid-May.
From the south, you can take the Lauvvik–Oanes ferry, which runs all year round.
From Stavanger, you can also experience the fjord from the water on a fjord cruise or a passenger ferry into Lysefjorden – a great option if you want to combine a road trip with a boat trip.
Kjerag is a seasonal trip and is considered inaccessible without equipment and a guide until the county road from Sirdal opens in the spring.

Food and stops along the way

It’s the stops along the way that make the drive more than just a means of transport. Ryfylke is renowned for its world-class salmon, local cheese and apple cider from the orchards around Hjelmeland. In Jæren, it’s all about the sea and the land: award-winning cheeses, some of Norway’s sweetest tomatoes and fresh seafood. Along both routes, you’ll find farm shops, small cafés and rest stops that are well worth taking the time to visit.

The best time to drive

Spring and summer are the prime seasons, with long, bright days and more stable weather – and that’s when the mountain roads are open. Autumn can be just as beautiful, with vibrant colours in the landscape and far less traffic on the roads. In winter, the Jæren coast remains a wonderful destination, particularly on a stormy day with sea spray, but you should bear in mind that several of the mountain roads leading into Ryfylke will be closed.

Whichever direction you take: take your time. The finest thing about a drive in Rogaland is not arriving, but all that you get to experience along the way.