hiking boots rental reykjavik
Most likely you are staying in the capital city, Reykjavik and are loving the quirky vibe the city has. But you didn’t come to Iceland for the city life, no you came for the stunning Icelandic nature. The options are endless when it comes to places to visit in Iceland, but for those short on time that still want to get a taste of the Icelandic nature this post is for you. The 5 hikes below are all around an hour away from Reykjavik making them the perfect half day or less hiking excursion. If time allows I recommend doing all 5, but just one hike will have you falling in love with the Icelandic nature! Esjan is less than a 30 minute drive from Reykjavik making it the perfect destination for those with only a day in the city but still want to get an Icelandic hike in. You can chose how long you hike for, make it a short hike under two hours or spend an afternoon exploring all over the mountainside. And the views of Reykjavik from the top, amazing! If you can only fit one hike into your Icelandic itinerary I highly recommend making it a hike at Esjan.
A hike back to the second tallest waterfall in Iceland, Glymur, will more than satisfy your hiking needs. One of my favorite hikes I have done in Iceland, the views alone make this hike a must do! Reaching the waterfall is like an added bonus to your hike. This trip has it all, beautiful nature, waterfalls and stunning landscapes, and a surprise challenge that just adds to the Icelandic experience, but I will let you discover that for yourself. Fancy a true Icelandic style adventure? Take a short hike just outside of Hveragerði to the hot spring Rekjadalur. Complete your hike with a soak in the hot spring, preferably with an Icelandic beer and under the midnight sun. Hveragerði is a 45 minute drive from Reykjavik making it the perfect place for a half day adventure. Described to me as “the most beautiful place in Iceland”, Gjáin is a hidden Icelandic gem.Very few tourist ever visit Gjáin, I myself didn’t even know this place existed until a few months ago! When you arrive you will feel like you have stepped into a fairytale.
A short and easy hike, Gjáin is a perfect place for a picnic break during a day of exploring Iceland. If you have a bit more time to spend this hike is perfect for you. In the south of Iceland you can treat yourself to two stunning waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss , before heading off for this hike. A 20 minute walk back towards the mountains will bring you to one of the oldest swimming pools in Iceland. Treat yourself to a dip in the pool before leaving and you will leave Iceland with one unforgettable memory. And so you can be sure to not miss any of these places here is a map to save for when you make the wise decision to visit Iceland. Question of the Day? Are you a fan of hiking? What would you want to do if you visited Iceland?Reykjavík Combo Trip: Glacier Hiking & Ice Climbing Day-Tour 26030 From S$264.11 per person Book now Pick-up service Fetching... Be part of the adventure as you hike and ice climb to Sólheimajökull glacier Experience the rugged beauty of this remote glacier and see sights that most only dream of Test out your ice climbing skills and enjoy the incredible beauty of this natural glacier Glacier hike on Sólheimajökull glacier with a certified guide An introduction to ice climbing Glacier gear Pick-up from Reykavík (can be booked for an additional €40) Lunch (please bring a packed lunch and water bottle
One World Trade CenterRemember that time I hit you with loads of images from the beautiful Laugavegur Trek? I hope you do, and I hope it led you to immediately make up your mind to tackle this trek someday. Considered Iceland’s most popular hiking trail, the Laugavegur Trek (or Laugavegurinn) spans 55km from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk (Thorsmork). It passes through a very colorful, varied landscape: from rainbow-colored hills to black volcanic deserts, neon green valleys to ice caves.
ama dablam backpackThis is not a trek for wildlife spotting or tree hugging – nope, just wide open landscapes that seem to have sprung from another world.
cymbal backpack ebay Now that I’ve convinced you that it’s the most beautiful hike in all the land, I’m going to help you plan for the Laugavegur Trek: everything from how to get there from Reykjavik, to where to stay on the trail, to what to pack.
There are only 2-3 months out of the year where it’s possible to hike the Laugavegur Trek. Outside of mid-June through mid-September, the roads leading to and from the trail are impassible and buses do not run. Depending on weather, i.e. how heinous the winter was, there may be too much residual snow to make the trek in June. I highly recommend playing it safe and planning your Laugavegur Trek for somewhere in the mid-July to mid-September range. Thus, the very first thing you should do is check to ensure buses are running on the days you want to start and end the trek. Reykjavik Excursions is the main bus company serving Iceland, but Trex also runs buses to the trailheads. You might also consult Nordic Adventure Travel which consolidates the various timetables on a very messy, confusing website. You’ll want to check what time buses run between Reykjavik and Landmannalaugar, as well as Reykjavik and Thorsmork (or alternatively Skógar, if you want to add an extra day to your trek).
Then, with bus schedules at hand, it’s time to piece together your route for the Laugavegur Trek. You can do the Landmannalaugar-Thorsmork section comfortably in 4 days/3 nights; however, if your time in Iceland is not so limited, I encourage you to add extra days to more thoroughly explore the region. You have a few options here: You’ll want to plan your route so that you arrive early enough on your last day to catch the bus back to Reykjavik. (I may or may not have inadvertently planned on taking a bus back on the same day I was due to fly out of Reykjavik… oops!) Also consider the direction in which you’d like to tackle the hike. Trekking north to south is most common, as Landmannalaugar is 300m higher in elevation than Thorsmork – though it can very well be done in reverse. As soon as you know approximately where you’ll be trekking each day, you should book your huts. Ferðafélag Íslands (FI) hosts several huts along the trail which they highly recommend trekkers book several months in advance.
The huts are in full operation while the buses are still running to/from the trail; if buses aren’t running, then the huts are closed for the season. Most huts along the Laugavegur Trek are 6500kr ($54 US) per night, but before you let sticker shock take hold, consider the value here. I don’t know about you, but there’s precious little I want more after a long, arduous, and potentially wet day of hiking than to envelop myself in warmth and sprawl out on a mattress to recover from the day. In addition to heat and beds, these huts come fully equipped with kitchen utensils, lighters, tables and benches, and well-kept bathroom facilities. Some even offer hot showers (5 minutes for 500kr/$4 US). Alternatively, if lugging a tent and enduring the cold and wind aint no thang to you, you have the option of camping outside of the huts for 1200kr ($10 US) per night, plus 500kr ($4) to use the hut kitchen. Theoretically, you could save $40/night this way and still be able to hang out and cook dinner in the heated hut before retreating to your (cold, confined, wildly uncomfortable) tent for the night.
These are the huts available for booking along the trail (in order from north to south), which you can reserve for 6500kr/night by emailing fi@fi.is: * These huts are a couple km apart, so you’ll book one or the other but not both Since Þórsmörk (Thorsmork) is a hub for several day hikes and is more easily accessible than Landmannalaugar, it actually hosts 3 separate huts. The above mentioned Langidalur is a FI hut, but there are two other hut options in Thorsmork as well: A few other things to note about the huts on the Laugavegur Trek: You’re going to be tackling a challenging trek in the remote southern highlands of Iceland. Don’t make it any harder for yourself by being careless with your packing. Instead, take the time beforehand to procure essential gear and stock up on light yet filling foodstuff. There is a restaurant and small shop at the Volcano Hut at Húsadalur where you can pick up extra gear and snacks, but it won’t do you much good if you’re starting the trek up at Landmannalaugar.
Better to pack and carry in everything you’ll be needing for the entire trek. And what exactly do you need to pack, you might ask? Read on for my best tips on what food and gear to bring on the Laugavegur Trek! One thing you won’t have to worry about is water. As long as you are equipped with water bottles and/or a camelbak pack, you can easily refill with clean water each day at the huts along the trek. Food, on the other hand, you’ll have to carry in with you. What you bring depends on your dietary needs and preferences, but in general you’ll want to pack food that is filling and light in weight. Weather is very unpredictable in Iceland. You should go into the Laugavegur Trek expecting to encounter rain, wind, and hail, and then consider yourself lucky if you’re not met with all three! In addition to the obvious jacket and wool layers, be sure to include these must-pack items in your backpack for the trek: If this article helped you, I’d greatly appreciate it if you’d consider making your Iceland trip purchases through the following affiliate links.
Any profits I make through your purchases go directly into covering the ever-increasing cost of running this site at no extra cost to you! to find the best hotel deals Use Airbnb to book an apartment for your Iceland accommodation (use this link and get $25 off your first booking!) to buy any hiking or camping gear you need for your Iceland trip Check out my other posts about Iceland: Laugavegur: The Most Beautiful Trek In All The Land Scenes From The Road In Iceland I Saw The Northern Lights: Now I Can Die Happy! As of September 2014 — Via Ferðafélag Íslands (FI): Huts along the Laugavegur Trek are 6500kr ($54 US) per night, while campsites are 1200kr ($10 US) per night. A 5 minute hot shower is available at some of the huts and costs 500kr ($4 US). The bus from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar takes 4 hours and costs 9000kr ($74 US). It runs from mid-June through mid-September (exact dates vary each year). The bus from Thorsmork to Reykjavik takes 3.5 hours and costs 7500kr ($62 US).