Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls are two of the most popular hiking trails in Iceland. The landscape is like nothing you have seen before, rhyolite mountains, green and lush valleys, lava fields and glaciers.

The Hiking Pass

Our Highland Bus system is a great way to travel to and from Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk or Skógar where these hikes begin or end. The Hiking Pass allows you to take a bus to either Skógar, Þórsmörk or Landmannalaugar for your hike, and catch a bus back to Reykjavík from Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk or Skógar, in your own time and depending on which route you take.

Landmannalaugar

Landmannalaugar is the start (or finish) of the Laugavegur hike, which takes 2-4 days. It is 55 km long (34 mi) and is famous for its wide variety of landscapes. There are four huts between Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk, which need to be booked in advance. If you do not book accommodation inside, you can camp outside the huts for a small fee. There are also huts in Landmannalaugar and Þórsmörk which also need to be pre-booked. It is, of course, possible to hike the trail in a longer time. Using the hiking pass gives you the freedom to stay as long as you like, as long as it is within the timeframe of the passport: 14 June – 20 September. The Laugavegur hike ends in Þórsmörk, but from there it is possible to walk the Fimmvörðuháls trail over to Skógar as well. Please note that the huts must be booked in advance if you want to stay there. It is also not possible to buy food on the hike so you need to bring all the food you need with you. If you do not have a place in the hut, you cannot use the kitchen facilities there, thus you need to bring your own. Additionally, the Laugavegur hike is demanding and you need to wear good shoes and be prepared for all kinds of weather. Please be familiar with weather forecasts and conditions and consider leaving your travel plan with Safe Travel. Do not go ahead with the hike if staff in the huts advise against it.

Þórsmörk

You can also do the Laugavegur hike the other way around. Þórsmörk is a very special place in Iceland. The valley is deep and closed in between glaciers, with Mýrdalsjökull glacier at the end. This makes the climate there especially good and warm. Þórsmörk is probably one of the greenest places in Iceland. The valley wasn't always this green, up until Katla's eruption in 1918, farmers had sent their sheep there to graze in summer which resulted in severe deforestation. The glacial river Krossá runs through Þórsmörk and can be difficult to cross. However, a footbridge was built fifteen years ago which makes the crossing considerably safer. From Þórsmörk, as stated before, you can start your hike towards Landmannalaugar, you can also hike Fimmvörðuháls towards Skógar. If you want, you can do shorter hikes in the area before starting your longer hike to Skógar or Landmannalaugar.

Fimmvörðuháls and Skógar

Fimmvörðuháls is probably most famous for the "tourist" volcano eruption in 2010, a month before the world famous Eyjafjallajökull eruption. The Fimmvörðuháls hike is 22 km long (14 mi) and involves climbing about 1000 metres (3300 feet). There are two huts on the way which you can stay in overnight, but they both need to be pre-booked. The eruption in 2010 opened two new craters, which were named Magni and Móði, after the sons of Thor, the god of thunder. The names are fitting since Þórsmörk (field of Thor) is close by. The 2010 eruption was called a "tourist" eruption because it was not an explosive eruption like the one in Eyjafjallajökull, meaning people could get quite close to the show. Skógar is a popular tourist destination in South Iceland. Skógafoss waterfall is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Iceland, and not without reason; it is incredibly picturesque, often adorned with a rainbow crown. The waterfall is a popular filming location and has been used in films such as Thor 2 and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Whichever route you choose, we can guarantee close encounters with awesome landscapes and an otherworldly atmosphere. Hiking the Icelandic highlands is a unique experience all on its own.