Trek the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland
Tackle Iceland's legendary hut-to-hut trek - 55km of multi-coloured mountains, thermal pools, glaciers and volcanic slopes
Trek the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland
Tackle Iceland's legendary hut-to-hut trek - 55km of multi-coloured mountains, thermal pools, glaciers and volcanic slopes
DURATION
5 nights
LOCATION
Iceland
ANNUAL LEAVE
3 days off work
SEASON
Jun—Sep
GROUP SIZE
Up to 16 people
MEETING POINT
Keflavik International Airport, Iceland
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel · Mountain hut · Guesthouse
DIFFICULTY
Challenging
You should be comfortable hiking for 5-7 hours carrying your own kit so decent fitness and broken-in hiking boots are a must.
Trek through one of the world’s most iconic landscapes, including the otherworldly Landmannalaugar mountains, a multi-coloured geological wonder
Enjoy the pristine silence of Álftavatn and the undulating ‘Valley of Thor' before finishing beneath the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano
Thanks to this uncompromising scenery, the trek is included in National Geographic's '20 Best Hikes in the World'
All our reviews are verified
We only invite travellers to leave a review if they have booked this trip with Much Better Adventures.
— Phillip, July 2022
A+ trek - highly recommend! The Laugavegur Trail is otherworldly and remarkably beautiful! This is the perfect trip to escape the sweltering summer heat! This trip is very well designed and executed! Jon, our guide, was organized, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and friendly! The food was very good and the mountain huts were clean and well-maintained.
— Kal, June 2022
Great adventure, probably could have been done faster. Be prepared to get cosy with strangers.
— Stephen, July 2022
Iceland is amazing and this is a wonderful way to experience it up close and personal in a region away from the roads and any crowds. The trek covers a range of terrain types with unique vistas changing day by day. Challenging and rewarding with an expert guide. Like nowhere else on Earth. A real sense of personal achievement at the end and a great group achievement too.
— Nikki, September 2022
Fantastic hike, with a wonderful local guide that was half mountain goat and half man. The group was amazing, and although I was tired of hiking I would have gladly toured more of Iceland with the group.
— Martin, September 2022
This trek is a life-changing experience. It tests you mentally and physically but the rewards are phenomenal. I would highly recommend this trek, s definite bucket list contender.
— Jennifer, September 2022
A once-in-a-lifetime amazing experience, I cannot recommend this trip enough! Our guide Jon was fantastic and so much fun, I never felt unsafe or worried despite this being my first hut-to-hut trek! Some parts of the trail are very steep so I'd definitely recommend trekking poles if you're a bit nervous! The food was incredible, our group was hilarious and to top it all off we were even lucky enough to see the northern lights!
— Stephen, July 2022
Met all our expectations and more. Exhilarating landscapes and a good sense of physical achievement each day. Nothing like this anywhere else. Nice group size and we all got on well. Great guide with expert local knowledge.
— Alex, September 2022
My first solo adventure trip and it was incredible, not too challenging overall but some steep climbs here and there. Our local guide Jon was brilliant with lots of knowledge and stories to tell. If you want to detach from the rush of modern life and enjoy spectacular views this is the trip for you!
— Herve, June 2022
This trek is an opportunity to discover Iceland and its magnificent landscapes
— Viv, September 2022
A spectacular trek, well organised, expertly led and breathtaking from the first step. A trip of a lifetime to be present in some of the strangest, most awe inspiring landscapes on the planet. Book it.
Included
Guides
Expert, English-speaking guides
Accommodation
2 nights in a Reykjavik guesthouse and 3 nights in mountain huts
Meals
5 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners
Transfers
Transfers between Reykjavik and the Laugavegur trailhead (and back)
Permits
All permits and entry fees
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Some meals as described
Some equipment
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Reykjavik accommodation
Flexible - arrive any time on Day 1
Ends
Reykjavik City Centre
Flexible - depart any time on Day 6
Transfers
Your adventure starts at your hotel in downtown Reykjavik. When you arrive at Keflavik Airport you'll need to hop on one of the frequent Flybus services operated in connection with all arriving flights at Keflavik Airport. You can buy a ticket in advance on the Flybus website or at the Flybus desk in the Keflavik terminal - tickets cost £20/€24/$27 each way. The bus is very easy to find right outside the arrival terminal - just look for signs for Flybus. Your host will provide details on where you need to get off the bus and how to find your hotel in the pre-departure information you are sent prior to travelling to Iceland.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Iceland from airports across the UK, Europe and North America.
Day 1
Hotel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 4
Mountain hut · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Guesthouse · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
During the trek, the emphasis will be on lightweight meals prepared by the trip leader with some help from the group. For dinner expect soups, pasta with smoked salmon, couscous, sausages and freeze-dried meals. Breakfasts will consist of muesli, porridge, crispbread, swiss miss, tea and coffee. For packed lunches you'll make sandwiches from various ingredients, including Icelandic flatbread, pâté, salami, cheese, peanut butter, smoked salmon. Snack items include biscuits, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, fruits and energy bars. Vegans and vegetarians can be accommodated on this trek. Please let your host know in advance.
What is the accommodation like?
Reykjavik
Before and after the trek you'll stay in one of a selection of 3* star hotels dotted around the centre of Reykjavik. Depending on availability it'll be either the Hotel Leifur Eiriksson, or one of the Fosshotel Baron, Fosshotel Lind or Fosshotel Raudará. They are all similarly located, a stone's throw from bars and cafes in the heart of Reykjavik. You'll stay in twin-share rooms as standard, with private bathrooms.
The trek
During the hike, you’ll stay in classic Icelandic mountain huts in mixed dormitory-style accommodation. Due to their remote locations, the huts are basic, so it's good to prepare yourself for the simple comfort levels while you are on the trek. The huts have basic amenities, such as cold running water, furnaces for heating and gas stoves for cooking but there's no electricity for charging devices. Showers are available in all but the first hut for a fee of around ISK 500 for 5 minutes. Toilets are generally housed in separate huts. The surrounding scenery, however, is nothing short of epic.
Upgrades
For solo travellers wanting their own space, there is the option to upgrade to a private room if you would like to do so, subject to availability. See Optional Extras for prices. Note this only covers your nights in Reykjavik - there are no solo rooms available in the mountain huts on the Laugavegur trail.
Day 1
Reykjavik
Head to Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. After checking into your guesthouse, set off and explore the city’s huge array of quaint bars, cafes, art museums and churches.
Day 2
Landmannalaugar
Driving
4.5hrs
Hiking
4-5hrs · 12km · 588m up · 166m down
Grab an early breakfast and then catch a bus to the trailhead at Landmannalaugar, passing through the Dómadalur area along the way, home to several active volcanoes. Grab some lunch and then set off on one of the world’s great hikes - the Laugavegur Trail. The trail immediately winds through small gorges, steadily climbing past sulphur vents and yellow mountain ridges (yes, we mean yellow) before descending to steaming hot springs. Reach Hrafntinnusker mountain hut late in the afternoon and after dinner in this spectacular location, spend the night surrounded by nature at its wildest.
Day 3
Álftavatn (Swan Lake)
Hiking
4-5hrs · 12km · 171m up · 617m down
From Hrafntinnusker, descend into the gullies of Jökultungur, home to hundreds of steaming hot springs and mud pools. As the trail turns south, prepare yourself for some spectacular views across dark volcanic plains stretching towards the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. Make your way to Álftavatn hut beside 'Swan Lake' where you can rest up and reflect on an epic day's trekking.
Day 4
Ancient volcanoes and black deserts
Hiking
6-7hrs · 16km · 258m up · 345m down
Skirt the foot of the green conic volcano of Stórasúla and negotiate a few river crossings before approaching the black deserts of Mælifellssandur. From this strange and mesmerising landscape, head towards another ancient volcano, the Hattfell, before entering the pasturelands of the Emstrur region. Take a short detour to visit the magnificent Markarfljót canyon, cut almost 200m down into the rocks, and then continue on to the Botnar mountain hut, where you'll spend the night.
Day 5
The finish line at Þórsmörk
Hiking
6-7hrs · 17km · 412m up · 686m down
Hike the final stretch of the Laugavegur Trail through the undulating valleys and gullies of Emstrur, with the mighty Mýrdalsjökull glacier only a few kilometres away. Reach the trek's climactic finish beneath the shadow of Eyjafjallajökull volcano and soak up the fact that you've just completed one of the world’s great treks, before hopping on a bus back to Reykjavik.
Day 6
Time to head home
Check out of the guesthouse and either explore some more of the land of ice and fire or head back to the airport in time for your flight home.
15% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 15% discount on us to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What do I need to bring?
Bags
- Trekking backpack 50-75 litres (you'll need to leave 8-10 litres of space for group food)
- Waterproof liner for backpack
Clothes
- Hiking boots (worn-in, waterproof and with ankle support)
- Long-sleeved thermal tops / breathable wicking layers (wool or synthetic)
- T-shirts
- Fleece jacket or similar
- Lightweight hiking trousers/shorts (quick-drying, e.g. softshell)
- Waterproof jacket with hood (windproof and breathable, e.g. Gore-Tex or similar)
- Waterproof trousers (windproof and breathable, e.g. Gore-Tex or similar)
- Gaiters (optional but recommended for June/early July departures)
- Lightweight down/synthetic fill jacket
- Lightweight gloves (wool or synthetic)
- Underwear
- Hiking socks (2-3 pairs, wool or synthetic)
- Buff or neckscarf
- Swimwear (for thermal pools)
- Sunglasses
- Sunhat
- Something to sleep in
- Sandals/beach shoes/old trainers for crossing rivers, and a pair or neoprene socks
- Clothes and shoes/sandals for the evenings in the huts
Other
- Lightweight sleeping bag (the huts are heated so no extreme temperature rating is required)
- Sleeping bag liner (optional)
- Pillowcase (stuff your down jacket inside to make a pillow)
- Eyemask
- Walking poles (optional but recommended, with rubber tips to protect the environment)
- Lunchbox
- Reusable water bottle x 1 ltr (2 of these if you have room)
- Water purification tablets/treatment system
- Headtorch (especially for late August departures)
- Universal travel adapter
- Power bank or solar charger (small solar cells tend not to work too well in Icelend so a power bank if preferable)
- Spare camera batteries
- Passports (and visas)
- Travel Insurance documents
- Earplugs
- Suncream
- Personal first-aid kit (inc. blister treatment)
- Personal items (biodegradable toiletries, sanitary wear etc)
- Quick-dry towel
- Alcohol hand-gel
- Biodegradable wet-wipes
- Energy bars and snacks
Sleeping bag hire
Payable Before Departure
Sleeping bag hire
…
Double/Twin Room
Payable Before Departure
Double/Twin Room
… Per Night
Single Room
Payable Before Departure
Single Room
… Per Night
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
…
Private Transfer Keflavik Airport - Reykjavik accommodation (up to 4 people)
Payable Before Departure
Private Transfer Keflavik Airport - Reykjavik accommodation (up to 4 people)
…
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 94kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2022 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
For up to date advice on the entry requirements related to COVID-19, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
You'll need to have good fitness levels for this trek. You'll be hiking for 5-7 hours each day on 4 consecutive days of hiking. The route isn’t overly technical and doesn’t reach high altitudes, so beginner hikers will be fine - providing you have good fitness levels and a pair of broken in hiking boots!
Yes. This is a hut-to-hut trek through the Icelandic wilderness, so there is no luggage transport available. You will carry your own luggage and the food supplies will also be divided equally. Please leave around 8-10 litres of free space in your backpack for food. A 50-75 litre backpack is generally fine on this trek.
In short ever-changing and awesome. It is sometimes a bit rocky but very accessible for those used to hiking over uneven terrain. You will need to cross rivers almost every day and the water level can fluctuate due to seasonal conditions - from stone to stone to get to the other side, to full on wading. Neoprene socks and sandals or neoprene shoes (beach shoes) are the best choice to bring along and trekking poles might also come in handy. Your guide can provide you with advice. For those bringing their phone, connection can be unstable and you might need to hike up the nearest hilltop to find a network. There's no WiFi in any of the huts, but you might be able to connect to 4G in some, as well as in places along the trail.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
As the old Iceland saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes”. Icelandic weather is famously fickle so you’ll need to prepare for anything - from balmy all-day sunshine in the mid-twenties, to wind, rain - and everything in between! This is all part of the adventure, but be sure to pack good waterproofs in case the rain gods come calling. Remember that in Iceland summer means nearly 24 hours of daylight, so don’t forget your eye mask!
If the hotel in Reykjavik does not have enough space to store your luggage then it is possible to store it in the luggage lockers at BSI Central Station (the departure point for the bus to Landmannalaugar). Your host will meet you at your hotel at approximately 06:15 on Day 2 of the tour and you'll then transfer to BSI bus terminal in time to store your excess luggage in the lockers before catching the bus to Landmannalaugar at approximately 07:00. On Day 5 you'll return to BSI Bus Terminal where you can collect your excess luggage before transferring back to your hotel in Reykjavik.
Alternatively, there are four centrally located places in Reykjavik where you can store luggage. Speak to your host about the options, or you can pre-book here.
For current advice about travelling in Iceland, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
Full Financial Protection
Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
Pay In Installments
You can choose to pay for this trip in as many installments as you like, with no interest or fees.
