Lysebotn Road
Norway, europe
8 km
900 m
difficult
June to September
# Lysebotn Road: Norway's Most Thrilling Mountain Ride
Ready for one of Scandinavia's most jaw-dropping drives? The Lysebotn Road (Lysevegen) in Norway's Rogaland county is basically a masterclass in mountain engineering wrapped up in some seriously gorgeous scenery.
This engineering masterpiece climbs a wild 900 meters over just 8 kilometers of road—and boy, does it do it dramatically. We're talking 27 hairpin bends that'll have your hands glued to the wheel and your eyes glued to the views. But here's where it gets really cool: there's a 1.1-kilometer tunnel burrowed right through the mountain that actually has a complete spiral turn inside it. The road literally spirals up *inside* the mountain to gain elevation before popping back out on the cliff face. It's the kind of engineering that makes you wonder how someone thought, "Yeah, let's build that."
You're heading down to Lysebotn, a genuinely remote little village tucked at the head of the stunning Lysefjord—so remote that your only options are this road or a ferry ride through some absolutely spectacular fjord scenery. Picture yourself surrounded by near-vertical cliff walls soaring over 1,000 meters. The area is famous for Kjeragbolten, an insane boulder wedged between two cliffs 984 meters up, and it's relatively close to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), one of Norway's most iconic spots.
Fair warning: this route only opens June through September because winter conditions are absolutely brutal. The narrow width and steep grades mean RVs and large vehicles need not apply. But if you're up for it, those final hairpin descents deliver views that'll stick with you forever.
Where is it?
Lysebotn Road is located in Rogaland, Norway (europe). Coordinates: 59.0558, 6.6456
Driving Tips
# Road Trip Tips for This Route
So heads up – you can only drive through here from June to September, so plan accordingly if you're thinking about visiting.
The spiral tunnel is pretty wild and can mess with your sense of direction, but at least it's well-lit so you won't be fumbling around in the dark. Just a heads up that if you're rolling in with a caravan, this route isn't going to work for you – it's just not suitable for that kind of setup.
While you're in the area, definitely combine this with the Kjeragbolten hike. It's totally worth adding to your itinerary. Also remember that the ferry service only runs during the summer months, so you'll need to time your trip around that.
Road Surface
Paved asphalt
Road Details
- Country
- Norway
- Continent
- europe
- Region
- Rogaland
- Length
- 8 km
- Max Elevation
- 900 m
- Difficulty
- difficult
- Surface
- Paved asphalt
- Best Season
- June to September
- Coordinates
- 59.0558, 6.6456
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