Hiking in Iceland

Hiking is something of a national sport in Iceland. The reasons are rather obvious, Icelanders have a backyard full of amazing natural wonders, untouched wilderness as far as the eye can see and picture-perfect postcard views. Then there’s the health benefits of steady exercise in the fresh Icelandic air mixed with the spiritual vitamins of seeing new landscapes at every turn.

Hiking near Reykjavik

This is no less true for the people of Reykjavik who live close to many amazing and diverse routes just outside the capital. Some of them are easy circuits or peak at a destination and return the same way but the most popular routes are a more ambitious venture with different starting and finishing points. This requires a great deal of planning and sometimes more advanced vehicles than a group of local hikers possesses. Dropping off a return vehicle beforehand in some remote highland road can be time consuming and even impossible for a regular car.

A-B Hikes

Which is probably why our A-B hiking tours have become such a hit. This autumn, Reykjavik Excursions has planned a number of hikes, with and without a guide, that consist of a bus ride to the starting point (A) and pick up at the end (B). This makes the more ambitious hiking routes so much more accessible and eliminates what used to be something of a logistical nightmare.

Iceland on Your Own

The A-B hiking routes are chosen with regard to the routes being well-marked and accessible in the Wapp hiking app. The Wapp is a free app with a collection of GPS tracks for hiking, trekking or walking in Iceland with various information on nature, history, folk tales and the environment. The trails come with a detailed map that can be downloaded beforehand and used offline. So even if you join an unguided tour or just want to enjoy the solitude of the great outdoors, you can still make sure you stay on track and stay safe.

Joining an A-B hike is a great way to do the amazing Icelandic outdoors like the locals, in a group or on your own, in the safest way possible.