Stavanger/Pulpit Rock vs. Lofoten Islands help

[RSF Cruiser]

My daughter (33) and I (62) will be in Norway for two weeks this summer. We are planning a 10 day car trip and are having trouble narrowing down where we will go. From the looks of it, we can do most of what we want in the middle of Norway, just have to pick one of the ends - Pulpit Rock and Stavanger or Lofoten Islands - can't do both.

 

We'd drive to Stavanger from Oslo and stay two nights so we can hike to the top of Pulpit Rock and then proceed north and eventually get to Trondheim.

 

Or we can do the car trip from Oslo through the western fjord country and go up to Trondheim where we will fly to Lofoten and stay two nights before heading back to Trondheim and onto Oslo. I don't want to spend the time in the car driving/ferrying from Trondheim to Bodo/Lofoten.

 

We love the outdoors, hiking and scenery. Both Pulpit Rock and Lofoten have that, but from the searching I've done, it looks like we'll see similar fjord sights in the western fjord country (although perhaps not as spectacular as Pulpit Rock). And the pictures from Lofoten seem incredible and nothing is similar in other areas of Norway.

 

My question is, does it make sense to give up Pulpit Rock for Lofoten?

 

Thanks!

[Granny DI]

I would not recommend driving from Oslo to Stavanger. We lived there 6 years and very few people made that drive. Your best bet is to fly from Oslo to Stavanger or take the train to Bergen from Oslo. Take a "fast" boat from Bergen to Stavnager. Stavanger is a wonderful city...plenty of things to do around Stavanger. Rent your car in Stavanger.

[RSF Cruiser]

Thanks for your response. After a lot of thought and exploring materials on Norway, we've decided not to go to Stavanger, instead we are driving (with two friends from Oslo) to the Western fjords and then up to Trondheim where we will fly to Bodo, rent a car, and then take the ferry to Lofoten. We will have 10 days for this part of our trip and decided flying and renting a car will give us more time to be on Lofoten. any thoughts about this itinerary?

[kaisatsu]

On the drive up to Trondheim, try to pass through Geiranger. The Geirangerfjord is usually considered the most dramatic of the western fjords, and the Trollstigen road leading north from there is one of the most famous roads in Norway.

 

And enjoy Lofoten! It really is beautiful! But I wouldn't rush through the fjord country to spend more time there. Lofoten is pretty and well worth seeing, but it's definitely worth the time to do a cruise through the fjord and to get up in the hills for some of the views.