Trek four days in one of Iceland's most remote regions. Hike in East Vatnajökull National Park on this Iceland hiking tour which starts at Mt. Snæfell and stays in three various mountain huts en route to the old farmstead of Eskifell in the Lónsöræfi region. On this Iceland trek, you have the opportunity to admire stunning landscapes, including the Tröllakrókar Cliffs, views from Geldingafell Mountain, and colorful rhyolite hills. Wild reindeer do roam this area certain times of year and may be spotted by keen observers. Stay in comfortable mountain huts on this light backpacking trek, and arrive finding your day's rations already stocked up for you. This is a challenging hike in a very remote and unique area and is not recommended for those looking for more of a 'main highlights' hiking trip in Iceland.
Highlights
Trek from Mt. Snæfell to the remote yet stunning Lónsöræfi region
Observe colorful rhyolite hillds and snow-capped mountain scenery
Keep your eyes peeled for possible wild reindeer sightings in the area
Stay in comfortable mountain huts on this light backpacking trip
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive to Reykjavik where you check in and settle for the night.
Day 2: Fly Egilsstaðir | Geldingafell Mountain
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Transfer to the airport early this morning for your domestic flight on to Egilsstaðir. Meet the rest of your group and your guide here before setting out on a drive to the Eyjabakkar area. Here you get out of the vehicles and start the hike, first following along the riverbanks of the Jökulsá glacial river with the majestic Mt.Snæfell in the background. Arrive to the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier and turn east towards the Geldingafell mountains. Here the lush vegetation fades away and the area becomes rough from the receding glacier. The area also has the distinction of being one of the few where you may be able to spot reindeer roaming freely. Arrive to your comfortable mountain hut for the evening.
Hiking: 9.5 miles (15 km) / 6-8 hours
Ascent: 490 ft (150 m)
Day 3: Geldingafell Mountain | Egilssel Hut
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Get ready to hike over the mountain of Geldingafell today. Your efforts reward you with excellent views over Vatnajökull Glacier and its adjacent lagoons. Follow the top of the valley of Vesturdalur before you descend towards Lake Kollumúlavatn and your fully equipped mountain hut for the night, Egilssel.
Hiking: 9.5 miles (15 km) / 6-8 hours
Ascent/Descent: 980 ft (300 m)/1640 ft (500 m)
Day 4: Tröllakrókar Cliffs
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Circle the lake today and arrive to the Tröllakrókahnaus, a basalt column outcrop on the majestic Tröllakrókar cliffs. Hike along the cliffs' edges and enjoy the stunning views of rock formations and mountains. This one-toned landscape soon changes into a colorful display of rhyolite hills with purple, orange, and pink colors showing in the soils. Hike down into the glacial valley of Jökulsá í Lóni River and arrive to your hut for the night.
Hiking: 7.5 miles (12 km) / 5-7 hours
Ascent/Descent: 650 ft (200 m)/1450 ft (450 m)
Cross the river using the nearby footbridge today before you start the climb of Illikambur Hill. Enjoy the colorful landscape and stunning views once atop the ridgeline. Follow the Jökulsá í Lóni River, crossing the glacial river again by another footbridge. Continue south to the old remote farmstead of Eskifell where a bus awaits to take you to Höfn for a well-deserved hotel overnight.
Hiking: 7 miles (11km) | 6-8 hours
Ascent/Descent: 820 ft (250 m) / 980 ft (300 m)
Day 6: Return Reykjavik | Return Home
1 Breakfast
Drive the rest of the way back to Reykjavik today where you continue on with your travels or return home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$1,440
Notes
Select a Date
Rates based on Group Departures of 6-15 people.
Private Group Rates available starting at $3335 for group of 4.
Rates are based on the current exchange rate with the Iceland Krona and may fluctuate.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. Final payments by credit card may be subject to surcharge and a maximum $20,000 charge
This was our first trip to South America and we were a little nervous. But Adventure Life made things so easy! All our questions were answered before we left, and our guide, Vidal, was amazing! He gave us enough space to explore without rushing us along. He also knew where the best picture taking opportunities were, which was great.
Lindsay Gompf
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.