"Lysebotn and Lysefjorden" Lysebotn by evaanna

Lysebotn Travel Guide: 18 reviews and 107 photos

Lysebotn is a tiny village in the innermost part of the Lysefjord in Rogaland. I had seen it on the webcams before and wanted very much to see it in reality. And this year my dream came true, if not exactly the way I had dreamt it, which I will explain in my tips. But the scenic part of it even surpassed my expectations: I had not thought southern Norway could have such wild sheer mountains and that the wilderness of Hardangervidda could be found here as well.
Lysebotn has not always been the sleepy place it is now. Some time ago the village had a lively and active community, a school and some shops. Not any longer. The power plants that used to provide jobs for the local people have become automated and remotely controlled, thus making many of the workers redundant. The village lost its livelihood and a third of the population had to move elsewhere. Not easily accessible, the place would have fallen into oblivion, had it not been discovered by tourists. It now has a motel, a campsite, a cafe and a pub. But it still looks deserted: no people can be seen near the few private houses, the streets (just two I think) are mostly empty. Life, if any, concentrates on the campsite and in the port area, where at weekends you can see some yachts moored to the embankment. The place comes to life for a while when a ferry or boat calls in but then goes to sleep again.

Waterfall on the Lysefjord

The greatest attractions of Lysebotn include hiking trips in the mountains, especially to Kjerag, the rock massif that offers a great view of the fjord and the mountains, to Preikestolen (see the tip) and the less known but equally beautiful Florli. You can join one of the guided hiking tours, ask for information on the campsite.
Another great attraction is the boat trip on the fjord with breathtaking scenery - the high mountains looming right above you, the picturesque waterfalls and the view of the Forsand bridge spanning the fjord.

Last visit to Lysebotn: Aug 2005
Intro Updated Feb 2, 2010
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Reviews (14)

Meeting with the sheep Favorites (2)

As you go along the deserted mountain road to Adneram, the only living creatures you encounter are sheep grazing by... more travel advice

Preikestolen from the Lysefjord - Lysebotn

Preikestolen - the Pulpit Rock Things to Do (5)

This famous rock, 25 by 25 m in size and hanging 600 m above the Lysefjord is a well-known destination of hikers.... more travel advice

Visit to King of the Mountains' Grotto, Lysefjord - Lysebotn

Visiting a King's palace Things to Do (5)

I had just gone down to the bar to get a drink on our boat trip on the Lysefjord when I heard music - Grieg's ' In the... more travel advice

The sheer rocks of the Lysefjord just above us - Lysebotn

Boat trip on the Lysefjord Things to Do (5)

This is an experience not to be missed if you are in the area of Stavanger. We went one way - from Lysebotn to Forsand... more travel advice

Hotels (3)
See All A house to ourselves
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Comments (17)

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balhannah Feb 1, 2010 at 5:37 PM

What a lovely time you had here, the cruise sounds wonderful, one that I would really like to do! Smiling about the "Trolls!"
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LoriPori Feb 1, 2010 at 4:49 AM

Very enjoyable reading about Lysebotn. The boat trip on the Lysefjord must have been amazing.
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hopang Jul 24, 2009 at 2:36 AM

Lysebotn certainly has great natural beauty with excellent view of the fjord, the Pulpit Rock and the mountains. The King's Palace indeed looks amazing! Thanks for sharing. ~ho & pang
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lynnehamman Jun 13, 2009 at 3:03 AM

Seeing these beautiful photos, and reading your tips- I can understand why you love returning here. Osterhus's guesthouse was a great place to have to yourselves.Thanks for sharing.
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adema29 Sep 30, 2007 at 8:46 AM

Landscapes of an out of this world beauty! Your photos are great!
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Bwana_Brown Mar 25, 2007 at 8:04 AM

Stupendous photos of Lysefjord and your adventures there! Wow, that drive down into the fjord sounds like more fun than a circus ride! At least you had a very scenic and peaceful ferry ride out! It seems you had some accommodations adventures too.
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scottishvisitor Jan 20, 2007 at 9:12 AM

Great update Ewa with lovely photos = might go to Lysebotn some day Norway is overdue a visit from me!
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matcrazy1 Nov 1, 2006 at 3:51 PM

Outstanding page! Great pictures (including these hidden ones) of amazing landscape and a lot of practical info.
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easyoar Jun 2, 2006 at 3:42 PM

That was a very pretty house you had, just a shame you never got to meet the king of the mountains in person ;-)
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JLBG Dec 23, 2005 at 9:48 PM

The more I visit your Norway pages, the more I feel that I have to go for another (longer !) visit of this wonderful country !