The final port of call on our Fjords cruise saw us arrive in Norway’s fourth largest city: Stavanger. Whilst the sail into the port isn’t as breathtaking as the other ports, it certainly feels like you’re arriving back into civilisation.
What can you do from the port Stavanger?
From the port there are plenty of excursions to pick from :
- Do your own thing and take a walk and discover:
- Gamle Stavanger (Old Stavanger) – Depending on where you dock this gem is a stones throw from the ship
- Øvre Holmegate – visit the colourful streets and have a drink or bite to eat at one of the many cafes
- The Norwegian Petroleum Museum – learn more about the rich history of Stavanger’s offshore energy exploration
- Explore further afield by:
- Taking a guided hike to Pulpit Rock
- Hop on a ferry to head deeper into Lysefjord and appreciate its beauty
- Fancy getting the adrenaline pumping? Board a RIB to visit Pulpit Rock from a different perspective
What did we do in Stavanger?
As this was our second visit to the port we decided to go with the adrenaline option before taking a relaxing walk around Stavanger and booked a RIB Tour to Lysefjord with FjordEvents via GetYourGuide.
After disembarking Sky Princess, the check-in point was less than a ten minute walk from where we docked and luckily the sun had decided to shine.
After a fast check-in and being assigned our suits, we took a short walk to the boarding area where we had our safety briefing. We were now ready to board! We weren’t quite sure what to expect but the heart rate was starting to steadily increase!
Although you straddle the seats, they’re surprising comfortable and there’s a handy zip pocket in the head rest of the seat in front of you. If you take a bag it is placed into a large dry bag with other passengers bags and securely stowed in the boat you’re in. There’s plenty of pockets in your suit to secure your mobile phone or any other loose items you may want to keep in your possession.
Top tip: sit towards the back of the boat if you’re worried about motion sickness!
Making our way out of the port at a leisurely pace you’re then issued with goggles and gloves to use if you wish. As you get out of the port speed limits, the fun really begins! The experienced skipper pumps up the music and goes full throttle towards Lysefjord.
How long does it take to get to Lysefjord on a RIB ride?
From leaving the port to entering the fjord, it takes around half an hour. Following this, you get plenty of time for three stop offs and a short commentary from the driver at each.
First stop is the Fantahålå (The Vagabond’s Cave) where you hear the legend of the vagabond’s crossing the fjord to loot farms and how the farmers retaliated in an attempt to stop their farms being looted.
Next stop is the main event, Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), where the 604 metre rock towers over you and you can see the unique formation.
The final stop is likely the most fun one which is Hengjanefossen also known as Whisky Falls. The tale goes that during probation an illicit distillery was in operation and the owner got wind that the authorities were on the way to shut down the operation, so he poured the whisky down the waterfall. The RIB takes you within centimetres of the falls so you can feel the refreshing spray.
After the final stop you begin making your way back to the port of Stavanger but this is where the adrenaline kicks in again as the RIB hops, skips and jumps across the water with a few doughnut turns thrown in to end the experience.
After disembarking and taking a few deep breaths we collected our belongings, handed the suits back and headed off to explore more of Stavanger.
What did we wear for the RIB ride?
The advice was to dress weather appropriately and as the temperatures were increasing we did that by wearing shorts, t-shirts and a thin fleece. Fear not, as FjordEvents supply all the gear you need including a floatation suit, goggles and waterproof gloves which were definitely needed as the boat sped up to get us into the fjord.
Top tip: get a wrist strap for your phone or a waterproof phone case that you can wear around your neck.
Fancy the RIB ride? Book here!
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