Cycling around the fjord, you will experience nature in a completely different way.
During the seven stages, you cycle through towns, along fjords and up mountain sides. From the bicycle seat you get close to nature, and it is easy to stop at viewpoints and attractions along the way.
The iconic Preikestolen and Kjerag are both located along Lysefjordruta, but you also get the opportunity to travel off the beaten track and discover hidden gems. Feel free to take a rest day somewhere to go for a hike, or just enjoy nature and relax.
The most demanding, but also the most spectacular stages, are the mountain pass with the wilderness from Årdal to Songesand, and the 27 steep hairpin bends from Lysebotn to Sirdal.
Lysefjordruta is described clockwise around the Lysefjord, using Sandnes as start and finish. However, it is of course possible to start/end elsewhere. You can cycle a stage as a shorter day trip or combine several stages on a longer day tour. Or what about spending several days cycling multiple sections or even the entire Lysefjordruta?
The mountain passes are most suitable for race/touring bikes or electric bikes, but there are also several family-friendly stages.
Facts about Lysefjordruta
Distance: 250 km
Total elevation gain: Ca 3200 metres
Stage, difficulty and distance:
1. Sandnes-Oanes/Forsand - easy - 24 km
2. Oanes/Forsand-Jørpeland - moderate - 25 km
3. Jørpeland-Årdal - moderate - 34 km
4. Årdal-Songesand/Lysebotn - demanding - 27 km
5. Songesand/Lysebotn-Sirdal - very demanding - 47 km
6. Sirdal-Byrkjedal - moderate - 38 km
7. Byrkjedal-Sandnes - moderate - 51 km
The route is signposted to be cycled in both directions.