In this post we will share how to do the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock (also known as Preikestolen) in Norway! Including the hike details, what to wear, when to go, if you need a guide, and our experience doing the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock.

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The hike to Pulpit Rock is one of Norway’s most famous and popular mountain hikes. And for good reason. Pulpit Rock is an iconic, unique rock formation and at its summit you will find breathtaking views of the Lysefjord over 600 meters below.

What could possibly make it even better? Hiking there to watch the sunrise over the fjord!

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We did the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock in late April 2018. Doing this hike in April was a gamble because of the weather, but we had the usually-crowded trail and Pulpit Rock all to ourselves. We started the hike at 2am to get to the cliff in time for sunrise. Although it ended up being foggy at the summit of Pulpit Rock, it was still incredibly beautiful.

We did this hike with Outdoorlife Norway and really liked our guides (and Molly their husky)! We know someday we will come back to try the hike to Pulpit Rock again in hopes of a clear view, but we seriously enjoyed this hike and our experience.

Along with this blog post, you can watch the video above to see our experience of the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock in action. If you enjoy the video, please give it a “thumbs up” and consider subscribing.

About the Sunrise Hike to Pulpit Rock

What is Pulpit Rock?

Pulpit Rock, or Preikestolen, is an iconic mountain plateau formed by glaciers over 10,000 years ago that sits 604 metres above the Lysefjord. Hiking to Pulpit Rock is one of Norway’s most famous mountain hikes – Pulpit Rock receives more than 300,000 hikers every year (source: VisitNorway).

You may recognize this iconic rock formation from the recent Mission Impossible movie, Fallout which filmed at the rock in 2017. When Peter and I visited in 2018 there was still some rigging equipment left at the top of the mountain from this shoot!

Learn more: Pulpit Rock Hike on VisitNorway

Pulpit Rock Hike Facts

Total Distance: 7.6 km / 4.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 350 meters / 1150 feet
Hike Difficulty: Medium
Time to Hike: 4 to 6 hours (depending on weather and crowds)

The hike to Pulpit Rock is moderately difficult. Some sections of the hike are quite steep and it is recommended to have some hiking experience in rough terrain before undertaking this hike.

If you have little hiking experience, it is still possible for you to complete this hike with the help of a guide (more on that below).

What to Wear to Hike to Pulpit Rock

Dress in Layers!

This will change somewhat depending on the time of year that you hike Pulpit Rock, but the principles remain the same: it’s all about the layers, baby.

When you start the hike you will be cold but once you get moving you will warm up and want to remove layers. Once you stop at the top of Pulpit Rock you will cool down quickly and want those layers back on.

This is especially the case with the sunrise hike as you will be hiking through the early hours of the morning before the sun has a chance to warm up the mountain, and then hiking back down as the sun rises higher into the sky causing a greater flux in temperatures from start to finish.

Layers allow you to easily regulate the temperature of your body no matter the weather. Just make sure to bring a hiking pack (as recommended below) to put those layers in when you take them off.

What to Wear

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Base layers to keep you warm. On top, I had on a long-sleeve thermal and a thick knit sweater as my base layers. On the bottom, I wore my merino wool pants with a pair of leggings on top to stay warm! (And over the top of these I wore my waterproof pants, mentioned below).

Waterproof hiking boots. High-quality hiking boots with proper support are essential for hikes like this one. We have these Oboz Bridger boots and they have never let us down.
Thick socks that will keep your feet warm! I would recommend ones with wool like these.
Warm coat, such as a down jacket. We have down jackets like these from Amazon.
Waterproof coat for your outer layer. We both have waterproof shell jackets from The North Face (Mens and Womens).
Waterproof pants. We have waterproof rain pants from Helly Hansen.
Gloves, preferably waterproof. I have the these Sealskinz waterproof gloves.
Hiking backpack to carry your water, snacks, and camera gear. We use the Osprey Daylite Plus Daypack and love it. It works seamlessly with the Osprey Hydraulics Water Reservoir (water bladders like this one are so great for long hikes).
Hiking Poles. Our tour provided us with hiking pokes, but if you are doing this hike on your own I highly recommend bringing hiking poles! Like these hiking poles.
Headlamp. Our tour also provided us with headlamps. But this is a must have item in order to see in the complete darkness for the first half of the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock. I can recommend this GearLight headlamp which we own and use for camping and hiking.

Do you need a guide to hike Preikestoklen / Pulpit Rock?

You don’t need a guide

You do not need a guide to do the hike to Pulpit Rock in Norway. You can do this hike entirely on your own! There are signs and a clearly marked trail for you to follow, and if you go during the day you can follow the other groups.

That being said, a guide can offer a wealth of knowledge that can greatly add to your experience. Throughout our hike, our guide told us about mythology and history of the area, as well as pointing out wildlife and interesting plant life along the hike which was fascinating. This is why, if we can justify the added cost, Peter and I love taking guided tours during our travels around the world.

Most tours also include transportation to and from Stavanger which is convenient if you are not renting a car for your trip to Norway. If you are doing the hike on your own without a guided tour, you can reach Pulpit Rock by car or public buses that leave Stavanger daily.

Do you need a guide for the sunrise hike?

While it is still totally possible to do the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock on your own, this is when I would start to really consider having a guide. Starting your hike at 2am, the trail is in complete darkness for the entire ascent of the mountain and the trail can be difficult to see. Especially if you are hiking when there is still snow on the ground, as there was for our hike in April.

If you have done this hike before and know the weather is good, then you could probably figure out how to do the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock on your own. Otherwise I would recommend hiring a guide. Plus, it takes all of the stress out of the hike so you can fully enjoy the experience.

Looking over Stavanger before Pulpit Rock sunrise hike

Our Guide: Outdoorlife Norway

For our sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock, we booked a guide with the tour company Outdoorlife Norway. After doing much research across the internet, they seemed to have the best reviews and offered exactly what we were looking for. We booked their Preikestolen Sunrise Hike for 1,390.00kr (aprox. $158 USD) per person.

As I mentioned previously, our guide greatly added to our experience hiking to Pulpit Rock by sharing mythology and history of the area and teaching us about the flora and fauna along the hike. For example, he showed us plants that we could eat and pointed out birds and wildlife we otherwise would have missed. Also, our guide took photos throughout the hike which you could purchase afterward. This was awesome because Peter and I hardly get photos together.

Another benefit of our guided tour was that the guide took us on the “off the beaten track” route for our return down the mountain. There is no way we would have gotten this experience if we had done this hike without a guide.

This is not sponsored (though I wish it was), we just really enjoyed our hike with them!

Website: Outdoorlife Norway

What time of year should you hike to Pulpit Rock?

You can actually make the hike to Pulpit Rock all year round – even in winter! You just would need to come equipped with the proper gear and a guide would be highly recommended. Many tour companies offer the hike to Pulpit Rock in winter so it is totally possible if you have your heart set on seeing the fjord covered in snow (the photos of this look stunning).

Summer

The “best” time of year to hike to Pulpit Rock / Preikestolen is in summer, which is from June to August. By visiting during summer, you will have the best chances for a clear day and thus a clear view of the fjord below from the top of Pulpit Rock. But this will also be when the trail is most crowded.

I’m sure you have seen the pictures of Pulpit Rock covered in tourists, all vying for a spot to take a picture on the edge (like the one below from Forbes).

However, by doing the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock rather than making the hike during the day, you will cut back on the number of other groups at the top of Pulpit Rock when you ascend.

We asked our guide and he told us it could still be busy during peak season, as the sunrise hike is growing in popularity, but it was certainly better than during the middle of the day. Another reason to do the sunrise hike!

Hiking to Pulpit Rock in April with snow

Shoulder Season

If you want to avoid the crowds and save money on your trip by not going during peak tourist season, you can go during the shoulder seasons of Spring or Fall. Spring shoulder season is April–May and the Fall shoulder season is September–October.

However, hiking during the shoulder season comes with a risk of not having a clear view at the top of Pulpit Rock. Or you will have a perfectly clear, sunny day and Pulpit Rock all to yourself! It’s a risk and you will have to decide whether it is worth it or not for you.

Hiking Pulpit Rock during shoulder season is what we decided to do 1. to avoid the crowds (hi my name is Linny and I’m an introvert) and 2. because we found a crazy flight deal to Norway for April which kind of decided it for us. We ended up doing the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock near the end of April.

Doing this hike in April was a gamble because of the weather, but we had the usually-crowded trail and Pulpit Rock all to ourselves. We literally never saw another person during our 5 hours of hiking! Although it ended up being foggy at the summit of Pulpit Rock, it was still incredibly beautiful.

Our Experience Doing the Sunrise Hike to Pulpit Rock

Pickup from Stavanger at 12:30am

Our day began with an alarm at 12:00am midnight. We had packed the night before and went to bed around 7pm to get a few hours of sleep before our hike.

We were picked up from our hotel in Stavanger around 12:30am by our tour group in a comfortable van. We both slept for most of the hour-long ride to the Pulpit Rock parking lot.

Note: At the time that we did this hike in 2018, there was a ferry that we had to take as a part of the journey, but since then they have built a tunnel so that the ferry is no longer needed. Getting to Pulpit Rock from Stavanger is easier than ever!

Started hiking at 2am

The hike started around 2am. Our guides provided us with headlamps and hiking poles. The hiking poles were a godsend on the slippery, wet rocks and I would strongly recommend bringing your own if you are not going with a guide who is providing them (like these hiking poles). And the headlamp is a no-brainer to help you navigate in the complete darkness (like this headlamp).

The hike to Pulpit Rock began with an intense uphill trail up steep stone stairs. We hike often and I consider myself in shape, but I quickly became out of breath with these relentless stairs! I also blame it on the fact that I was carrying the backpack of heavy camera gear which I eventually handed off to Peter. Our guide told us that this would be the most difficult part of the hike and it was.

It rained and snowed

At the beginning of our hike the ground was covered in green grass. As we slowly climbed higher along the mountain trail, there started to be slush and snow. And then it began to rain. Further up the trail, that rain turned to snow. It was actually very beautiful.

The hike to Pulpit Rock has 350 meters (1150 feet) of elevation gain, which means you can encounter summer, spring, and winter all in one hike depending on the day.

The change in weather didn’t bother us thanks to our warm layers of clothing including a waterproof outer shell. The weather in Norway can be unpredictable, especially at the top of a mountain, so come prepared!

Near the top

There was more snow on the ground as we got closer to the top of Pulpit Rock. We ascended above the tree line and all plant-life turned to stone beneath our feet. The ice and snow here made the rock somewhat slick, so the hiking poles were especially appreciated.

The sky was beginning to grow lighter and we knew that soon we would be at the top of Pulpit Rock for sunrise. A layer of mist hung above our heads and as we hiked we made our way up into the clouds.

It was foggy

As we made the final ascent onto Pulpit Rock, it was apparent that luck was not with us today – the entire summit was shrouded in fog. This came as little surprise to us as it had been raining throughout our hike, and as we climbed the mountain we had entered into the cloud layer.

Again, the weather in Norway is unpredictable and can change suddenly. It is good to go into this hike knowing that this may be a possibility for your hike as well. The chances are even higher in the early morning for sunrise before the sun is able to burn off the cloud layer. However, we learned that the sunrise hike tour the day after ours had a perfectly clear day! So it really comes down to luck.

Although the ultimate goal is a clear day to enjoy the view of the fjord below, the fog still made for a spectacular scene. It was like looking out into the abyss and was eerily beautiful.

At the top of Pulpit Rock

We spent about an hour at the top of Pulpit Rock taking pictures and enjoying the absolute peacefulness as we had the rock entirely to ourselves.

Our guide gave us a hot berry drink to enjoy while we watched the sky grow brighter. I cannot for the life of me remember the name of this drink, but it is typically made from blackcurrants mixed with other berry juices. Apparently, it is a typical Scandinavian drink enjoyed during winter activities such as skiing and ice fishing and after hikes. It was delicious and warmed us up from the inside.

Hiking back down the mountain

On our way back down the mountain from Pulpit Rock, our guide took us on the “off the beaten path” route. We are good hikers and had made good time, so he decided we would be able to do this slightly-more-difficult route without issue and we were fully on board for a change of scenery.

The “off the beaten path” trail was possibly my favorite part of the hike, even more so than Pulpit Rock itself. It was like we were hiking through undiscovered lands, surrounded by raw, beautiful nature. And we were back below the cloud line so we could enjoy all the beautiful scenery in daylight.

Along the way there was a mountain lake that we stopped at for pictures. It was incredibly still like glass and was one of the highlights of our hike for me.

End of our hike to Pulpit Rock

Once we had descended the mountain, we returned to the parking lot from which we had started near Preikestolen Mountain Lodge.

Our guided hike included breakfast at the Preikestolen Mountain Lodge near the start to the trailhead. The Mountain Lodge has a Foodhall with a buffet style breakfast which is what we ate. It was basic but good, including our favorite Norwegian style breakfast of hearty bread with meats and cheeses.

After breakfast, our tour group drove us back to our hotel in Stavanger. I’m pretty sure we all slept during the entire drive back.

Are you planning to do the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock?

Would you do the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock? Or are you planning to to the hike during the day? Either way, we hope that this blog post has been helpful to you! If you have any questions about the hike, or if you have done the hike to Pulpit Rock before and have some advice to share, please leave it in the comments below.

We absolutely loved the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock and hope to do it again someday in the hopes of a clear view! We also would like to do more of the many incredible hikes that Norway has to offer.

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