Stage 1: SANDNES – OANES/FORSAND

Lysefjordruta starts in the cycling town of Sandnes. You’ll leave Sandnes by cycling up a few hills, before the cycle route winds along Lake Lutsi – a real paddling paradise surrounded by lush mountains with plenty of hiking opportunities. On your way to the Lysefjord, cycle along Høgsfjorden and the settlements of Ims and Høle. From Lauvvik you can see the mouth of the mighty Lysefjord.

Good cycle paths and roads with little traffic, combined with a gentle elevation profile, make this shorter stage suitable for many types of cyclists.

Stage 2: OANES/FORSAND – jørpeland

The settlements of Oanes and Forsand at the mouth of the Lysefjorden offer wonderful nature experiences. Cycling the “old road” via Kolabygda to Jørpeland, you get to experience the Lysefjord, Høgsfjord and Botnefjord. Along the way, there are a number of small hills to overcome, but the effort is rewarded with nice downhills. You cycle along fjord arms with many cozy coves and small farms. It is possible to take a detour to the islands of Idsal and Idse, or go for a walk in the Hesten nature reserve, encompassing distinctive Norwegian coastal pine forest. The Ryfylke town of Jørpeland is a natural place to have a good dinner, sleep well, and experience a typical Norwegian fjord landscape.

stage 3: Jørpeland – Årdal

From Jørpeland, enjoy a few gentle kilometers along the fjord, with wide views over the Ryfylke basin. One sees Rennesøy and glimpses of several other Ryfylke islands and islets, as well as Stavanger in the distance. The village of Tau, known for its beautiful Møllepark, is worth a stop. From here, the route turns east, past Lake Bjørheimsvatnet. On each side of Lake Tysdalsvatnet, steep mountain sides tower hundreds of meters above the water. Here you cycle without traffic on the old road, through wild nature. The last kilometers towards Årdal must be cycled on national road 13, without a cycle path. The road through Målandsdalen goes over a saddle, and here there can be a lot of traffic and trucks.

stage 4: Årdal – Songesand/lysebotn

Songesand Road runs from Årdal, over Lyngsheia to the Lysefjord. The mountain pass is not long and with little traffic, but quite steep. On the uphill slopes, Årdal quickly disappears behind you. At Lyngsheia, you get the feeling of being in wilderness, with wide views. On calm days, the mountain peaks are reflected in Lake Sandvatnet. After Mørkebudalen, the route quickly descends towards the Lysefjord. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a fantastic views of the fjord, with Preikestolen in the background. The last kilometers down to Songesand run through a magical wooded gorge, along the river Dalaåna. You can spend the night in magical Songesand, or take the boat on to Lysebotn.  

Stage 5: Songesand/lysebotn – Sirdal

This stage is for adventurers. From Lysebotn up to Øygardstøl (Kjerag Trailhead) it is only 7.5 kilometres. But cyclists have to overcome a whopping 640 metres, spread over a dizzying 27 hairpin bends. One of the bends is halfway through a 1,000-metre-long tunnel. The climb does not end after the turns. Lysevegen Road over to Sirdal has its highest point 932 meters above sea level. The road is narrow, winding and with many hills, through a moon-like barren landscape. The road goes through the Setesdal Vesthei Ryfylkeheiane landscape conservation area, before it descends into the beautiful valley of Sirdal.

Stage 6: Sirdal – Byrkjedal

This stage is not too demanding, on paper. After some good uphills between the valleys of Sirdal and Hunnedalen, it is downhill all the way to Byrkjedal. However, there are often headwinds in this spectacular, glacier-cut valley. North of Hunnedalen lies the Frafjordheiane landscape conservation area, the starting point for many fine mountain hikes – summer and winter. The trip down to Byrkjedal is beautiful. There are steep mountain sides along the beautiful Dirdal River. Large boulders are scattered around as silent witnesses to the last ice age. Byrkjedal is a little hub for travelers from several directions. Here you can relax and enjoy nature, a nice meal and a good night’s sleep, before the last stage back to civilization.

stage 7: Byrkjedal – Sandnes

From Byrkjedal, the route squeezes its way through a narrow gorge to Dirdal. Think safety when cycling through a couple of tunnels. There are great cycle paths in Dirdal. Frafjord and Månafossen are possible detours here, but the mountain pass over Giljastølen is demanding. In Dirdal, the route passes Ramnstoknuten Trailhead. From here it goes up steeply to Oltedal, before leaving car traffic behind again. Via Lake Oltedalsvatnet, Gjesdal Church and Lake Limavatnet, you’ll reach Ålgård. Following good cycle paths, you cycle along the Figgjo River and Lake Bråsteinvatnet. Via Høyland and Austrått you roll down into Sandnes again. Congratulations, you have completed Lysefjordruta!