Stavanger Fjord Cruise

Lysefjord Cruise

Silent Currents

Sail into Lysefjord aboard a whisper-quiet electric catamaran, gliding beneath Preikestolen and the spray of Hengjanefossen waterfall. Leather seating, panoramic windows, and fresh waffles make the 3.5-hour voyage as comfortable as it is scenic.

Free Cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.

Reserve Now & Pay Later

Keep travel plans flexible — book a spot and pay nothing today.

Duration 3.5 Hours

Check availability to see today's starting times.

Audio Guide Included

Available in English and Norwegian.

Wheelchair Accessible

The catamaran and pier welcome wheelchair users.

Lysefjord Cruise
Our Story

A Lysefjord Boat Tour Built Around Silence

Departing from Stavanger's own harbor, this tour trades a diesel engine for a fully electric catamaran, so the crossing into Lysefjord happens without the usual rumble underfoot. Once the city falls away, the mountains take over — steep, close, and rising straight out of the water, with seventy years of local know-how behind the route that shows them off best.

The boat pauses rather than rushes, giving everyone time to look up at the cliffs, hear a local legend or two, and let the scenery do most of the talking. There's room to wander the open decks or settle into the warm lounge with its wide windows, and a snack bar nearby serving the kind of coffee and waffles that taste better with a fjord view attached.

The Route

Charting the Lysefjord Tour, Stop by Stop

Every sailing follows the same easy shape: leave the pier, ease into the fjord, pause at the landmarks that make Lysefjord famous, and glide back before the afternoon runs out.

  1. Start

    Strandkaien Pier, Vågen

    Boarding begins at the cruise departure point on Strandkaien, right in Stavanger's historic harbor.

  2. ≈ 80 minutes

    Fantehola

    A photo stop beneath Fantehola, the fjordside cave once used as shelter by wanderers and outlaws, with the guide sharing the stories tied to this stretch of cliff.

  3. ≈ 1.5 hours

    Preikestolen

    The boat slows beneath Preikestolen, looking straight up at the plateau as it rises 604 meters above the fjord — a very different angle than the one most hikers get.

  4. ≈ 100 minutes

    Hengjanefossen Waterfall

    A close pass by the Hengjanefossen waterfall, near enough to feel the cool spray carried on the wind.

  5. Finish

    Back to Strandkaien Pier

    Arrival back at the starting pier roughly 3.5 hours after departure.

Lysefjord Sightseeing

Prices Shift With the Season

Departure times and rates change through the year — check today's tour price before planning the rest of the day.

Onboard

Life Onboard This Lysefjord Cruise from Stavanger

A calm, well-equipped catamaran built to keep every guest comfortable for the full 3.5 hours, whichever deck they choose to spend it on.

Lysefjord Boat Tour Stavanger
  • A quiet, fully electric, and notably stable catamaran hull
  • Leather seating paired with wide panoramic windows
  • Open sun deck for photos, or the warm indoor lounge on cooler days
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout the crossing
  • A running audio guide available in English and Norwegian
  • Fresh waffles, cinnamon buns, coffee, and drinks from the onboard snack bar

What's included

  • Round-trip fjord cruise from Strandkaien
  • Transportation aboard the electric catamaran
  • Leather seating, panoramic windows, and sun deck access
  • Free Wi-Fi and an audio guide

Good to know

Food and drinks are not included in the ticket price but can be purchased onboard. Departure times vary by season, so it's worth checking availability before locking in the rest of the day's plans.

Wild & Wonderful

Why This Lysefjord Sightseeing Trip Feels Different

The Lysefjord is magical in any weather, which is why this tour sails rain or shine rather than waiting for a perfect forecast. Low cloud can soften the cliffs into something moodier; clear skies light up the water all the way to the mountaintops. Either way, it's worth keeping a camera within reach.

Keep a lookout for

  • Mountain goats picking their way across the cliffside ledges
  • White-tailed sea eagles riding the wind above the fjord
  • Porpoises occasionally breaking the surface near the boat

The legend of Fantehola

Long before sightseeing boats came through, Fantehola served as a hideout for travelers living outside the law — its name is Norwegian for the wanderers who once sheltered there. The guide picks the story back up as the boat drifts close to the cave mouth, right where the cliffs seem to swallow the shoreline whole.

Lysefjord Cruise Stavanger

Sailings Sell Out in Peak Season

With a fixed group size and only a few departures a day, popular time slots go quickly. See what's currently available.

Meeting Point

Where the Voyage Begins

Meet on the front pier 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Look for the cruise boat departing from Strandkaien, Vågen, right on the edge of Stavanger's old harbor.

Lysefjord Tour
Good to Know

Getting There Is the Easy Part

Strandkaien sits in central Stavanger, an easy walk from most hotels and from the cathedral and Old Town. Arriving a little early leaves time to find the right boat among the harbor traffic and settle in before the lines are cast off.

Good to Know

Good to Know Before Your Lysefjord Boat Tour

A few practical details gathered from the tour's official terms, to help guests plan the rest of their day around it.

What's Included

  • Round-trip fjord cruise
  • Transportation by electric catamaran
  • Leather seating, panoramic windows, and sun deck access
  • Free Wi-Fi and an audio guide

Not Included

  • Food and drinks (available to purchase onboard)

Flexible Booking

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
  • Reserve a spot now and pay nothing today

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair accessible boat and pier
  • Audio guide available in English and Norwegian

Weather & Boat

  • Sails rain or shine — the fjord is magical either way
  • A boat change may occasionally occur

On the Day

  • Arrive 30 minutes early at Strandkaien pier
  • Tour runs about 3.5 hours; check availability for exact times
Kind Words

Real Stories from the Lysefjord Cruise from Stavanger

Guests have shared their own accounts of sailing into Lysefjord. A few of their stories, and the team's replies, are collected below.

★★★★★
Dax WhitfieldMissoula, Montana, USA

The moment the engines switched to electric mode past the harbor, the whole boat went quiet — you could actually hear the water. Preikestolen looked completely different from below than in any photo I'd seen. Worth rearranging our whole Stavanger schedule around.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thanks, Dax! That hush right after the harbor is everyone's favorite moment, and it's great to hear you rearranged the day for it.
★★★★★
Corinne AshbrookSavannah, Georgia, USA

Calm water, warm waffles, and cliffs that never stopped. Perfect afternoon.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thank you, Corinne. A perfect afternoon is exactly the goal.
★★★★☆
Beau TillermanSan Diego, California, USA

Beautiful cruise overall, and the electric catamaran is impressively smooth. We got a little unlucky with rain near Hengjanefossen so the waterfall photos came out hazier than I'd hoped, though the crew handed out ponchos without us even asking. Four stars mostly because of the weather, not the tour itself.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: We sail rain or shine for exactly that reason, Beau. Glad the ponchos helped, even if the weather didn't cooperate for photos.
★★★★★
Marguerite SowinskiBuffalo, New York, USA

We've done a fair number of fjord cruises across Scandinavia over the years, and this one stands out for how unhurried it felt. The captain slowed right down under Preikestolen so everyone could actually get a decent photo instead of cruising past at speed, and the guide's commentary on the audio system was informative without being constant chatter. My husband, who gets seasick easily, said the catamaran felt noticeably more stable than the older diesel boats we'd been on elsewhere. The cinnamon buns from the snack bar were an unexpected highlight too.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Stability is one of the real advantages of the catamaran hull, Marguerite. Glad your husband felt the difference, and yes, those cinnamon buns have their own fan base.
★★★★★
Étienne LachanceTrois-Rivières, Québec, Canada

Silent, scenic, and surprisingly comfortable. Highly recommend the window seats.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Window seats are the move, Étienne — thanks for the tip to future guests!
★★★★★
Bridget FennimoreKelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Booked this on a whim during a stopover in Stavanger and it turned into the best three and a half hours of the whole trip. Our guide pointed out a white-tailed eagle circling above Fantehola, and the story about the cave itself was more interesting than I expected from what I assumed would just be a quick photo stop.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Stopovers turning into highlights is what we love to hear, Bridget. That eagle timing was a nice bit of luck.
★★★★★
Naoya IchikawaNagoya, Japan

Quiet, clean, and the mountains felt close enough to touch.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thank you, Naoya. That closeness to the cliffs is what makes Lysefjord special.
★★★★★
Kotone BabaSendai, Japan

Traveled with my elderly parents and was worried about comfort on a boat trip this long. The leather seating inside the lounge made a real difference, and staff were very attentive when my mother needed to move around. Preikestolen from the water was more dramatic than seeing it from the hiking trail photos everyone posts online.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Comfort for guests of all ages matters a lot to us, Kotone — glad the lounge worked well for your parents.
★★★★☆
Ryo TashiroOkayama, Japan

Lovely scenery throughout and the electric engine really is remarkably quiet. Only reason for four stars is that the boat felt a bit crowded near the outdoor deck during the Preikestolen stop, though I understand that's just timing and popularity. Still a memorable few hours on the water.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thanks for the honest note on deck space, Ryo. That's exactly the kind of feedback we pass along to the crew.
★★★★★
Yumeko ArataKanazawa, Japan

This was the highlight of our entire Norway itinerary, and we visited four cities. What struck me most was how the boat lingered rather than rushing between stops — near Hengjanefossen, the captain brought us close enough that we could feel the spray, and nobody seemed to mind getting slightly wet. The audio guide's Norwegian and English tracks were both clear and well-paced, never talking over the scenery. We also appreciated that the crew kept checking on my grandmother, who uses a wheelchair, without making a fuss about it.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Making sure every guest feels looked after, without making it awkward, is something we take seriously, Yumeko. Thank you for noticing, and for such a detailed review.
★★★★★
Xiaolei PengChengdu, Sichuan, China

Booked this after seeing photos of Preikestolen from below and it did not disappoint. The catamaran is impressively stable even when the wind picked up near the open fjord. Coffee and waffles from the snack bar made the ride even better.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: That view from below really does look different from any photo, Xiaolei — glad it lived up to expectations.
★★★★★
Yun Qiao FeiXiamen, China

Peaceful ride, dramatic scenery, friendly crew throughout.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Peaceful and dramatic in one sentence; we'll take it, Yun Qiao. Thank you!
★★★★★
Bohai RongQingdao, China

As someone who has spent a lot of time on boats along the Chinese coast, I went in expecting a fairly standard sightseeing trip, but this exceeded that easily. The transition from harbor to open fjord happens quickly, and within twenty minutes the cliffs were rising almost vertically on both sides. Our guide's story about Fantehola and the people who once hid there added real depth to what could have just been a photo stop. The panoramic windows in the lounge meant that even when we stepped inside to warm up, we didn't miss any of the scenery. Booking through the official site felt straightforward and the confirmation was fast.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Glad the fjord surprised you despite your experience on the water, Bohai. That shift from harbor to cliffs gets us too, every time.
★★★★☆
Lianjie XunKunming, Yunnan, China

Really enjoyable afternoon with properly impressive scenery near the waterfall. We had a partial boat change on the day due to maintenance, which was communicated clearly beforehand but did shift our departure time by about twenty minutes. Not a big deal in the end, and the replacement boat was just as comfortable.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Appreciate your patience with the boat change, Lianjie. We always aim to communicate those early, and it's good to hear the replacement didn't lower the experience.
★★★★★
Frederike SonnenscheinTübingen, Germany

A wonderfully calm way to see Preikestolen without the several-hour hike. The electric catamaran barely makes a sound, so you actually hear the waterfall before you see it. Would happily do this again on a return trip to Stavanger.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Hearing the waterfall before seeing it is one of our favorite little details, Frederike — thank you!
★★★★★
Matthias HerweghRostock, Germany

I'll admit I was skeptical about how much a boat tour could add compared to hiking to Preikestolen directly, but seeing the rock formation from below completely changed my understanding of its scale. The guide's commentary struck a good balance between geology, local history, and the folklore around Fantehola, without ever feeling like a rehearsed script. My children, aged eight and eleven, stayed engaged the entire three and a half hours, partly thanks to the wildlife spotting and partly thanks to a steady supply of cinnamon buns. A well-organized, memorable morning.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Comparing the view from below to the hike is a common revelation for our guests, Matthias. Glad the kids stayed hooked too, cinnamon buns included.
★★★★★
Solveig MarchalChambéry, France

Even growing up near the Alps, this fjord impressed me.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Thank you, Solveig — high praise from the Alps.
★★★★☆
Aurélien DuchampsRennes, France

A properly relaxing trip with excellent views of Hengjanefossen and the cliffs around Fantehola. We went in early autumn and the weather turned overcast partway through, which softened some of the photos, but the crew's storytelling more than made up for it. Would recommend booking the earliest available departure for the best light.

Lysefjord Cruise Team replied: Good tip on the early departure for light, Aurélien. We'll make sure that's easy to find at checkout, and glad the storytelling carried the afternoon.

Ready to See Lysefjord From the Water?

Availability shifts by season, so it's worth checking sooner rather than later — see today's price and open departure times.