Trek the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland: The Hut-to-Hut Edition
Tackle Iceland's legendary trek, hiking through 55km of multi-coloured mountains, thermal pools, glaciers and volcanic slopes
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, English-speaking guidesAll accommodation
2 nights in a Reykjavik guesthouse and 3 nights in mountain hutsMeals
5 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinnersTransfers
Transfers between Reykjavik and the Laugavegur trailhead (and back)Permits
All permits and entry feesSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 16 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
What's it like?
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'
Want to get even wilder? Check out our camping edition of the Laugavegur Trail to sleep out in the elements as you go
Key Information
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
Hiking
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
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
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
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.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
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.
If you'd like to extend your stay in Iceland your host can also help to arrange extra nights' accommodation in Reykjavik before or after the tour (subject to availability). Prices are available on request from your host.
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.
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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
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Single Room in Reykjavik: 2024 Prices starting from...
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Payable Before Departure
Single Room in Reykjavik: 2025 Prices starting from...
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Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
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Great guide and scenery
The trek was through fantastic landscape, and our Icelandic guide was very knowledgeable and a great leader for the group
Amazing few days hiking. One
Amazing few days hiking. One of the best holidays I've ever taken. The landscapes are gorgeous and utterly breathtaking. The accommodation and food is a little basic, but it's decided better than a tent, and absolutely what you should expect from the description on the website! Our guide was brilliant. Kept the group together well and was super knowledgeable on the geography and geology.
Laugavegur
The quality of the scenery is absolutely first class and dwarfs other issues.
The logistics worked well and the guide, Palli, was pleasant and capable.
On the opportunity side, there was an absence of generosity in the food and drink provision given the high price of the tour. It was very disappointing that two of the three evening meals were dehydrated food eaten straight from the pack. It would only have taken a little imagination to bring the ingredients promised in MBA’s marketing (pasta, lentils, salmon etc) that would have made the evenings much more fun. Our party would have been more than happy to share the cooking.
It is also worth noting that the success of the trip is very conditional upon the fifteen members of the team moving at the same pace. In our case, this was not an issue but I have heard reports of one or two slow, unfit or injured trekkers causing enormous problems for the guide, who would be quickly be spread too thin.
Despite these observations, I do not regret going on the tour at all. The geology of Iceland is so spectacular that the trek is still an unmissable experience. A little more investment by MBA/Iceland Mountain Guides would , however, make a big difference to customer satisfaction and risk management. I wonder if they will rise to this challenge.
A life changing trip
What a perfect week we had. Four totally different days with changing landscape, fauna and weather. We were so lucky that it never rained. A perfect sized group, five hikers with our guide Solvi and his wife. Solvi was absolutely fantastic. Always willing to help and advise, happy to,point out interesting geographical features and served up that night. Our group all got on so well right from the start with lots of laughs and one deeper conversations. I had no issues with the huts.They were all warm and well fitted out. It was great to see them at the end of a days hike. It really is a bewildering, beautiful landscape, one that’s hard to take in at times. Photos cannot do it justice. The Much Better Adventures team had excellent communications before and after the trip, accommodation at the hotel before and after was spot on and we were all sad when it was all over. It was tough and the toughness created lifelong bonds between all of us. A fantastic experience with great memories to look back on. Highly recommended.
Loved it!!!
Iceland is beautiful and I loved this trip! Our guide, Palli did a wonderful job guiding us and he even cooked a delicious meal for us on the last day. i would highly recommend this trip to anyone considering!!
Amazing trip
An absolutely amazing trip, the views are even better than the pictures.
The views were spectacular.The trail wasn’t too challenging but enough with a large pack.Our was excellent,but the mountain huts are a let down with no electricity in any of them and no showers in the first hut which also had us sleeping with a mattress on the floor and we’ll crammed in.
A wonderful experience, especially with the local guides
Absolutely gorgeous views, led by a fantastic local guide. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to truly experience Iceland.
An incredible landscape with equally incredible people. A trip I will remember forever!
Excellent trip, outstanding scenery and nice locals. However its the third most expensive country in the world and theres better value trips elsewhere invthe world!
Great hike with spectacular views. Local guide Palli was great. The hike itself is not too challenging and could be cut down to a day less. Overall an amazing trip, with a great group.
Amazing scenery all along the way. A must for any hiker’s bucket list!
Amazing trek with stunning landscapes. Nights are a bit challenging with shared beds but still a lifetime moment
Amazing experience!
Absolutely loved this trip, so beautiful. Definitely recommend.
The Laugavegur Trail was one of the most impressive treks I have ever done. The trip was broken out over 4 days, making each day manageable, even with the elevation changes. Our guide, Palli, was amazing; he did a great job leading our group and always made us feel safe. The weather tried to throw a lot at us, but we all managed to have a great time in any condition. Palli was very good at communicating with us what to expect from day to day, which helped us start each day prepared, which kept moral high. An added bonus to the trip was making new friends with our group; such an amazing thing to experience with 15 strangers! 10/10. would hike again!
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.
Great adventure, probably could have been done faster. Be prepared to get cosy with strangers.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
This trek is an opportunity to discover Iceland and its magnificent landscapes
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.
I highly recommend this trip. Everything ran like clockwork. Only thing spoiling anything was the weather! Expect to get up Close and personal with your new found friends in the mountain huts which if you have a group as great as ours won’t be an issue 🤣🤣 our guide - Agust was excellent and really looked after us. He had great local knowledge. The scenery is fabulous and totally different to lots of other places. The walk isn’t technically difficult and the days aren’t too long just be Prepared for carrying all your gear. Highly recommend this trip
Incredible trip cannot recommend enough!
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
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 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. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
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.
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.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
As the Icelandic Tourist Board explains in this video, it's confined to the Reykjanes Peninsula and not affecting travel at all. Iceland is open for business and perfectly safe.
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.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.
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 always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
Our team of Adventure Hunters create exclusive adventures with highly vetted, specialist hosts. We only work with independent, local in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
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DEPARTURE DATES
Wednesday • 7th August 2024
to Monday • 12th August 2024
