I did it with my husband and two daughters ( who were 13 and 11) from the
Disney Cruise in 2016. The first and last sections are quite steep but the total elevation gain is actually not too bad. If you are in OK shape you will be absolutely fine. We were up and down in 3 and a half hours with a break of around 20 mins at the top. I should add that we are regular hikers and normally manage hikes a lot quicker than the suggested times. For Pulpit Rock I think it’s recommended 5 hours up and down. We did this trip on our own rather than with
DCL and saved $$$, we also made it back to the ship for lunch in Cabanas! You definitely need hiking boots as it is rocky in parts and can be slippy if it’s wet. We got to the top just before the rain set in so got the amazing view of the fjord but honestly if it’s really wet there is no point as you will see nothing from up there. We passed the DCL excursion on its way up as we were coming back down and I was so thankful that we had made the call to diy. This hike was on our bucket list and it would be amazing on a clear day. We also hiked up Sukkertoppen in Alesund, which I actually enjoyed more. There were 360 views of all the surrounding islands. For that one it’s an easy hour to the top and there were only locals on the trail.