The Bolder Lodges - Float Above Norway's Lysefjord in These Gravity-Defying Mountain Cabins

Suspended 170 meters above Norway's Lysefjord, The Bolder lodges look like they might drift away at any moment. This is architecture that refuses to play it safe – six cabins scattered across 170 hectares of wilderness, each one appearing to hover over one of the country's most dramatic fjords.

The location is Ryfylke, southwestern Norway, about 50 minutes from Stavanger Airport. You'll find the lodges nestled among gnarled pine trees and boulders left behind when the last ice age packed up and left. The nearby Pulpit Rock draws thousands of visitors annually, but up here, it's just you, the fjord, and the kind of silence that makes city life feel like a distant memory.

Architecture That Respects the Landscape

The project began when Tom Bjarte Norland bought 180 hectares of untouched land. His initial plan for simple hermit huts evolved into something more ambitious – a series of structures that would blur the line between inside and outside, giving visitors what he calls "a front row view to one of the best-known fjords in the world."

Enter Snøhetta, the Norwegian architecture firm better known for projects like the Oslo Opera House and the world's first underwater restaurant, Under. They approached this smaller-scale project with the same intensity, with architects spending days living in a camper van on site to understand the terrain and how their buildings could work within it.

The result is a collection of cabins that tread lightly on the landscape. Each structure sits on concrete pillars – cast with aggregate taken from the site itself – lifting them above the ground to minimize environmental impact. Red cedar cladding will grey naturally over time, helping the buildings blend into the rocky surroundings. The asymmetric forms create an illusion of tilting slightly over the fjord, enhanced by mirrored roof and underside designs that give a visual effect of weightlessness.

"We wanted to capture the transitional drama between the fjord and the mountain," explains Snøhetta project manager Frank Denis Foray. "The approaches to the cabins are raised above the terrain with walkways made of corten steel, as well as careful lighting for the most natural experience possible – and perhaps most importantly, a minimal footprint in nature."

Three Ways to Sleep in the Sky

The cabins were prefabricated and transported by helicopter to avoid disrupting the landscape. Everything has been designed with reversibility in mind – in theory, the entire site could be restored to its original state in the future.

Star Lodge

Snøhetta's Star Lodges are the showpiece here – three 38-square-meter cabins with tall ceilings and panoramic windows that make you feel suspended in midair.

Floor-to-ceiling glass wraps around the space, bringing the fjord right into your bedroom. The interiors, designed by Danish brand Vipp, follow a minimalist approach that keeps your attention focused outward.

Each cabin has a different wood flooring and paneling color, giving them distinct personalities despite the similar layout.

Inside, you'll find a designer kitchen from Vipp, a dining area that seats four, and a spacious bathroom. The bed faces those panoramic windows, so you'll fall asleep and wake up staring at the fjord.

It's designed for two people who want the full floating-above-nature experience.

Sky Lodge

The two Sky Lodges take a different approach entirely. Designed by architect John Birger Grytdal, these are two-floor cubes wrapped in Canadian cedar and balanced on a single column. Yes, they sway gently on windy days – it's not a bug, it's a feature.

At 22 square meters, these are compact spaces that pack in two double bedrooms, a Vipp kitchen, a bathroom, and a dining area. The master bedroom has a 180-degree view and a skylight window, with fully adjustable beds that let you sleep as close to the clouds as you're likely to get without actually camping outside. The design won an award for Best Cabin Project of the Year 2020 in Norway.

Fair warning: if you're bringing four people to Sky Lodge No. 1, make sure you actually like each other. The cozy dimensions demand familiarity.

Grand Lodge

Opened in 2023, the Grand Lodge is Snøhetta's largest contribution to The Bolder – 80 square meters designed with accessibility in mind, including full wheelchair access. This is where the project shifts from intimate couple's retreat to group gathering space.

The main floor features a large Vipp kitchen, a lounge with panoramic views, and a dining table that seats 12. Downstairs you'll find two double bedrooms and another bathroom. There's also the option to convert part of the main floor lounge into an open bedroom with a double bed.

The furniture comes from Eikund, a Norwegian company specializing in re-launched classics from the 1950s and 60s. You can sink into Fredrik A. Kayser's Fluffy lounge chair and contemplate the fjord, or gather around the dining table for meals prepared in what might be one of Norway's most scenically located kitchens. The Bolder has partnerships with some of the country's top chefs if you'd rather not cook.

All lodges come with soft linens, luxury toiletries from Barbor and Sprekenhus, and kitchens equipped with refrigerators, induction cooktops, ovens, Nespresso machines, and tea kettles. You bring the food; they provide everything else.

The Landscape Beyond Your Window

The lodges sit above Lysefjorden, a 42-kilometer fjord flanked by steep mountains and dramatic cliffs. The region, Ryfylke, is known for landmarks like Kjerag, Flørli, and Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), but there's more here than the famous spots. Waterfalls, mountain passes, and small moments of local life fill in the spaces between the Instagram-famous viewpoints.

Waymarked walking trails start right from the lodges. Three hikes stand out:

Skjerajuvet takes you through rolling terrain past stunning cliffs and small canyons, with a steep climb to Telenor-toppen (where a telephone mast marks the summit) and the breathtaking Skjerajuvet gorge.

Hatten follows a well-marked trail along the fjord with gentle ascents and descents past dramatic cliffs and rock formations. Some exposed sections add excitement, though most hikers find it manageable unless you have a serious fear of heights.

Fantapytten is the showstopper – a brand-new trail that rivals Preikestolen for drama. Seventy-five percent of the route runs close to the fjord, winding along mountain cliffs several hundred meters above sea level. Look carefully and you'll find Fantapytten itself – Lysefjord's own infinity pool.