Join this 5-day trek from Landmannalaugar's geothermal hot spots to the verdant Þórsmörk valley. Guided by experienced experts, traverse vibrant yellow rhyolite mountains, black sand deserts, and majestic canyons. The enchanting landscape, illuminated by Iceland's long summer days, will captivate nature enthusiasts. Discover famous landmarks and hidden gems while indulging in cozy mountain huts and delicious Icelandic cuisine each evening. Conclude with a celebratory BBQ in Þórsmörk, highlighting why this trail earned a spot among National Geographic's top 20 treks globally.
Highlights
Explore the colorful mountains of Landmannalaugar and Hrafntinnusker
Discover the black deserts of Mælifellssandur and the green valleys of Emstrur
Experience the arctic birch forests and colorful flowers of Þórsmörk
Walk along paths in Þórsmörk, visit Sönghellir cave and Valahnúkur mountain
Requires high-intensity physical efforts that push the limits of one's fitness. May include tours with multiple days in a row of strenuous physical activity or single requiring more than 7 hours of activity. Recommended for travelers maintaining a demanding fitness level.
You take the public bus from the BSI bus terminal at 07:00, which, during the summer months, drives the mountain tracks that lead to Landmannalaugar, passing by the Hekla volcano and other volcanoes in the Dómadalur area. Arriving in Landmannalaugar at noon, you have lunch and head south into the mountains. The trail takes you past small gorges, steaming hot springs, and yellow mountain ridges. You arrive at Hrafntinnusker mountain hut, where you stay the night in the late afternoon.
Distance: 12 km (7.5 mi)
Walking time: 4 - 5 hrs
Ascent: 470 m (1540 ft)
After descending from Hrafntinnusker, the trail leads to the gullies of Jökultungur, an area filled with many hot springs and mud pools. From there, one can enjoy breathtaking views of the Álftavatn region (also known as Swan Lake), as well as the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. In the afternoon, arrive at Álftavatn hut, where you stay the night.
Distance: 12 km (7.5 mi)
Walking time: 4 - 5 hrs
Descent: 490 m (1610 ft)
Day 3: Álftavatn | Emstrur
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Your journey starts with a pass at the base of the green, cone-shaped volcano of Stórasúla. After that, reach the black deserts of Mælifellssandur. Heading towards the ancient volcano of Hattfell, enter the Emstrur region, where farmers traditionally grazed their sheep in the summers. Before arriving at the Botnar hut, where you spend the night, visit the stunning Markarfljót canyon. This natural wonder is situated south of Hattfell and is cut around 200 meters deep into the rocks.
Distance: 16 km (10 mi)
Walking time: 6 - 7 hrs
Descent: 40 m (130 ft)
Continue your journey up and down the small valleys and gullies of Emstrur, with the great Mýrdalsjökull glacier looming just a couple of kilometers away. As the day's hike ends, descend into the lush green valleys of Þórsmörk, filled with arctic birch forests and vibrant flowers. Upon reaching the huts in Þórsmörk, you can savor a delicious barbecue to cap off your fantastic journey.
Distance: 19 km (12 mi)
Walking time: 6 - 7 hrs
Descent: 300 m (985 ft)
Day 5: Þórsmörk | Valahnúkur | Reykjavík
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
In the morning, you can spend time in Þórsmörk, a beautiful place with many paths to explore. You can walk to the Sönghellir cave and climb the Valahnúkur mountain to enjoy the stunning views. After spending the day in Þórsmörk, you can take the afternoon bus to Reykjavík, which arrives at the Reykjavik BSI bus terminal at 19:30, marking the end of your trip.
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.
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 maximum $20,000 charge
We are so glad that we chose Adventure Life. The service is top-notch. Everything is well taken care of and we just have to print the documents and go. Franny even gave us timely updates on possible airport strike.
KC Chan
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
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6 hours ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
7 hours ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
22 hours ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
5 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
6 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.