Trek along the iconic Laugavegur Trail, see the wonders of the South Coast, hike on a glacier and explore the Golden Circle! This 8-day tour is a trekking adventure without compare, the complete Icelandic experience for people who really want to push themselves to the limit!
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This incredible 8-day tour is ideal for anyone who wants a true Icelandic adventure. It starts on the world-famous Laugavegur Trail, renowned for its glorious mountains, ominous black sand deserts, and sprawling glaciers. Then continues into the fascinating volcanic world surrounding Eyjafjallajökull, before exploring the South Coast and Golden Circle.
The first 6 days of the tour are spent trekking in Iceland’s untouched Highlands, beginning at the colorful rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar. The tour then proceeds through some of the most dramatic natural scenery on the planet. We'll see glassy obsidian fields, black deserts interrupted by electric blue glacial streams and emerald-colored mountains, ominous volcanos, mighty glaciers among other sights.
The Laugavegur Trail finishes in a verdant oasis called Thorsmork, but our adventure will only be at the midpoint. We’ll hike the spectacular Fimmvörðuhals mountain and see an ever-changing volcanic wonderland that was created by the notorious Eyjafjallajökull eruption in 2010.
We'll leave the wilderness on day 7 and explore the wonders of Iceland's South Coast, before going on an amazing glacier hike. Then spend our final day on a small-group minibus tour of Iceland's iconic Golden Circle. We'll see Iceland's most famous attractions, including Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss. Then to top everything off, we’ll have a relaxing soak in the Secret Lagoon, the perfect end to an action-packed 8-days.
A knowledgeable local guide will be with you every step of the way to really make the 8-day adventure special and make sure that you don’t miss anything. We’ll stay in secluded mountain huts during the trekking part of the tour and eat dinner under the midnight sun, switching to comfortable hotels on the final two days.
We’ll also provide a support vehicle, so you won’t need to sacrifice luxury during the trek. You’ll only be carrying a day backpack with a water bottle and anything you may need on the hiking trail. If you want an 8-day adventure that offers a complete Icelandic experience, then this is the only tour for you!
The odyssey begins, at 7 - 7:30 a.m., with pick-up from your selected location in Reykjavik. The scenic 3-4-hour drive to the Highlands takes us past some incredible attractions, including one of Iceland’s most active volcanos, Hekla. It has erupted every 10-15 years over the past century, making the surrounding volcanic landscape one of the most interesting places in Iceland.
Our support bus will drop us at our Landmannalaugar basecamp at the beginning of the Laugavegur Trail. Take a moment to grab a bite to eat or use the restrooms before our 6-day trekking adventure begins in earnest!
The Laugavegur Trail begins in Landmannalaugar or the ‘people’s pools’ in Icelandic. Weary travelers over the centuries would pause in this peaceful oasis to soak in a hot spring after the difficult journey through the Highlands. The area is picturesque thanks to the multicolored rhyolite mountains that are dyed various shades of blue, red, purple, yellow, and brown by the mineral deposits on their slopes.
The route then proceeds on to the Stórihver hot spring and a seemingly endless obsidian desert as we make our way to our hut in Hrafntinnusker. It’s set just beneath a snow-capped mountain peak and offers stunning views of a mesmerizing geothermal valley. We’ll pause there for the night and enjoy a hearty dinner under the light of the midnight sun. We may also go on a short hike around the area or simply get a good night’s sleep before the next day’s adventures.
Distance: 8 kilometers (4.9 miles)
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Altitude: Ascent
Altitude value: 470 meters (1,540 feet)
We'll start day two with a filling breakfast and then trek to a verdant valley. Along the way, we'll pass the colorful Reykjafjöll Mountains and the mesmerizing Jökultungur area, famed for the stunning contrasts of the mineral deposits against its sandy sloped mountains. If the weather is good, we’ll get some awesome vistas from Fjallabak and Álftavatn Lake.
Our next hut is perched right on the edge of the lake and surrounded by rolling green meadows, giving it a very peaceful ambiance. We’ll ford a small stream to reach it, a thrilling experience that everyone enjoys. Our professional trekking guide will be with you throughout it, ensuring that you’re safe during the river crossing.
The second hut is bigger than the first hut and has outstanding kitchen and dining facilities. We’ll enjoy a traditional Icelandic meal together and then explore the picturesque scenery around the hut or relax, depending on the mood of the group.
Distance: 24 kilometers (14.9 miles)
Hiking Time: 4-5 hours
Altitude: Descent
Altitude value: 490 meters (1,610 feet)
We'll enjoy a delicious early morning meal and then cross the stream again. Day 3's trekking is mostly flat, offering a great opportunity to enjoy the amazing views along the way.
The early part of the trek is dominated by stunning views of the Stórasúla and Hattafell volcanoes. Each is usually covered in verdant moss, making them stand out against the jet-black desert. We usually find that this area is especially popular with photographers, who love attempting to capture the vivid colors that we see.
As the day continues, we’ll push deeper into the ominous volcanic desert, which offers some truly stunning views of both Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. As we near our hut in Emstrur, we’ll find ourselves in a beautiful green oasis, which contrasts with the seemingly never-ending expanse of black sand. It’s perched on the edge of a cavernous 200-m (656-ft) deep river canyon, hewn into the surface of the earth by glacial meltwaters over the centuries.
It’s a spectacular end to an adventure-filled day and we’ll spend some time there, before heading to our hut. We’ll enjoy a delicious dinner under the rays of the midnight sun and then you’ll be free to do whatever you fancy for the rest of the day.
Distance: 15 kilometers (9.5 miles)
Hiking Time: 6-7 hours
Altitude: Descent
Altitude value: 40 meters (130 feet)
Day 4 is the final part of the iconic Laugavegur Trek. It starts as we walk along the dramatic Almenningar Gorge, passing Mount Einhyrningur ‘the Unicorn Mountain’ along the way. It actually does look like a unicorn from some angles!
We’ll soon make our way out of the desert and begin to see vegetation again, continuing on until we reach the birch forest that marks our arrival at Thórsmörk. It's a remarkable place, which feels a bit like the Garden of Eden when compared to the barren desert that we've just crossed. The Icelandic sagas claim that it was created by a strike of Thor’s mighty hammer, which is why it’s called Thor’s Mark.
Our hut is set right in the heart of the valley, surrounded by emerald slopes that lie in the shadow of both Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. We’ll tuck into a mouthwatering dinner cooked by our guides and celebrate that we have completed the legendary Laugavegur Trek!
Distance: 15 km / 9.5 mi
Hiking Time: 6 - 7 hours
Altitude: Descent
Altitude value: 300 m / 985 feet
Day five will take us on a challenging trek up the Fimmvörðuháls Pass, which is nestled between the Mýrdalajökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. It will reward us with gorgeous vistas of Thorsmork and the rest of the Icelandic Highlands. Then, once we reach its summit, spectacular mountain ranges will appear in the distance, along with vast glaciers that reach far beyond our sightline. It’s a profoundly beautiful place and will give you a new sense of just how amazing the land of fire and ice can be.
Fimmvörðuháls runs between the Mýrdalajökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers, the latter being responsible for the famous eruption of 2010. We’ll see the beauty of this ever-changing volcanic landscape, including Magni and Móði, a pair of craters that were created in 2010 and named after the sons of Thor.
Our descent takes us back the same way, allowing us another glimpse of this epic landscape. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of Iceland’s Highlands one last time and then enjoy a well-earnt rest at our camp back in Thorsmork.
Distance: 16 km / 10 mi
Hiking Time: 7 - 8 hours
Altitude: Ascent
Altitude value: 800 m / 2,600 feet
Our final day in the Highlands is more flexible, allowing us to visit what you and the rest of the group want to see.
We might head to the volcanic landscapes around Katla and Eyjafjallajokull. Or, climb to the summit of Valahnukur Mountain for yet more incredible vistas over the Highlands. We could also explore Thorsmork in more detail or divide into smaller groups and do different things.
Then, it’s time to leave the Highlands and head to a cozy countryside hotel in Hella. Grab a warm shower and enjoy a night in a bed, ahead of our South Coast and glacier expedition on day 7!
Distance: Optional
Hiking Time: Optional
We’ll eat breakfast in the hotel and then leave for the South Coast between 9:30 and 10 a.m.
Our first stop on the South Coast will be Seljalandsfoss, a remarkable 196 ft waterfall, where you can actually walk behind the roaring cascade. Our final stop of the morning will be Skogafoss, where you can climb a set of stairs for a stunning view over the steep waterfall and surrounding area.
Our final adventure of the day will take place on the surface of a glacier, as we strap on our crampons and prepare for a glacier hike. Expect to see a maze of deep crevasses, deep moulins that bore right down into the heart of the glacier, and some stunning frozen icefalls.
An expert local guide will be there to tell us all about how glaciers have helped to craft Iceland and tell us a bit more about their uncertain future. We’ll then head back to Reykjavik and spend the night in a charming hotel.
Duration: 2-3 hours of glacier hike and 8-9 hours of minibus sightseeing.
The last day of our epic odyssey will take us to the Golden Circle. It's the most popular tourist route in Iceland and contains some of the most famous attractions in the land of fire and ice. Our small group minibus tour will start at 8 a.m. when we collect you from the hotel in Reykjavik and make the scenic drive to Thingvellir National Park.
Thingvellir National Park holds a special place in all Icelander’s hearts, due to its historical and geological significance. It straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, hosting a rugged right valley, where you can see the gap between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
It’s also the original location of Althingi, where a group of Icelanders met in 930 AD to create Iceland’s first parliament. Your friendly guide will show you the spot where the Lawspeaker used to rule over proceedings, which is backed by a vast craggy cliff and offers some of the best photo opportunities in Iceland.
Our next stop will be the Geysir Geothermal Area. A place of intense geothermal activity where plumes of steam rise from hot springs and geysers erupt regularly. The most famous of these is Strokkur, which tosses boiling torrents of water up to 40 meters into the air every 5 minutes or so. We'll also see the famous Great Geysir, which was the first geyser to be mentioned in the English language and gives all geysers their name.
Our penultimate stop is Gullfoss (the golden waterfall), which crashes more than 105 ft into a dramatic canyon below. It was rated as one of the best waterfalls in the world by the World of Waterfalls and is breathtakingly beautiful. On sunny days rainbows form above its golden cascade, making for some of the best photos that you’ll ever take.
We’ll finish the adventure with a relaxing soak in a natural hot spring called the Secret Lagoon. It’s located in the midst of a lava field and is the perfect way to finish our 8-day trekking tour. We hope you’ll enjoy your time with us and can’t wait to see you on the next adventure.
Duration: 5-6 hours of minibus touring and 2 hours of hot spring bathing.
The scenery on the tour is full of stunning, breathtaking views that you’ll almost definitely want to capture forever, so you should definitely bring your camera along. Your tour guide will also be happy to take your photo.
This is surely a personal choice, we do not deny pregnant women on our glacier trips but we highly recommend you to take a closer look at our trip description and difficulty ratings, they will hopefully give you a better idea. We also recommend you to contact your physician, as pregnant women’s health can be quite different. If you have any further questions or concerns then feel free to contact us.
Crampons enable you to walk on the glacier ice without slipping. They are metal spikes that we attach to the soles of your hiking shoes.
Yes, we have specially trained and certified glacier guides on every glacier tour that we offer. And for our 3rd party tours we only partner with operators that meet our quality and safety standards.
Yes, we provide you with all the necessary glacier gear for our glacier hiking tours. Ice axes, crampons, harnesses, and helmets are provided. This will help you to complete the tour safely. The minimum shoe size to attach crampons is EU 35.
Rain is common in Iceland but we never let the rain be in our way to go forward with our tours.
That’s why we highly recommend appropriate clothing so you can stay warm and dry.
Nature is out of our control and therefore we need to adapt to the weather. Your safety is our priority so if your safety is compromised by going on the tour then we will cancel it and you will get full reimbursement.
The guide on your glacier hiking tour will provide you with all the information you might need when preparing for a glacier hike.
