Landmannalaugar - Skógar - Iceland's most popular trek

This trek starts at the central station in Reykjavik - accommodation and activites the night before can be added if desired. We take the regular bus that during the summer months drives the mountain tracks that lead to Landmannalaugar, passing by the Hekla volcano and other volcanoes in the Dómadalur area. Arriving in Landmannalaugar at noon, we have a lunch and then head south into the mountains. The trail takes us past small gorges, steaming hot springs and yellow mountain ridges. Arrival at Hrafntinnusker mountain hut, were we will stay the night, in the late afternoon.

From Hrafntinnusker we descend down in the gullies of Jökultungur with hundreds of steaming hot springs and mud pools. Fascinating views to the south to the Álftavatn area (Swan Lake), and the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. In the afternoon we arrive at Álftavatn hut where we stay the night.

We pass at the foot of the green conic volcano of Stórasúla before entering the black deserts of Mælifellssandur. Heading towards another ancient and verdurous volcano, the Hattfell, we enter the Emstrur region where farmers used to graze their sheep in summer. Before arriving at the Botnar hut where we stay the night, we visit the magnificent Markarfljót canyon cut almost 200 m down into the rocks south of Hattfell.

We continue up and down through the small valleys and gullies of Emstrur, where the great Mýrdalsjökull glacier rises only a couple of kilometers away. At the end of the day the vegetation starts to grow thicker and higher as we descend in to Þórsmörk's (the woods of Thor) green valleys filled with arctic birch forests and colorful flowers. We cross the river Krossá on a footbridge entering the magic landscapes of Goðaland.  Nestled at the foot of two glaciers this is a wonderland of ridges and cliffs covered by a multitude of flowers and grasses. We spend the night in the Básar hut

We climb up the hills leading to the pass of Fimmvörðuháls, walking along the Kattarhryggir ridges with views to the impressive mountain of Útigönguhöfði up to Morinsheiði heath. At the end of the Morinsheiði plateau we enjoy the view of the lava stream that flowed down from the Fimmvörðuháls volcano in 2010. As we gain height above Morinsheiði we come to the lava and then to the two craters Magni and Móði that erupted prior to the main Eyjafjallajökull crater. We head back to Þórsmörk with the magnificent view over the glaciers and this beautiful valley for our celebration barbeque dinner and night in Básar Hut.

We spend the day in Þórsmörk where we have an abundance of choice between various paths. For example, we can visit to the Sönghellir cave (“Song cave”), climb up the small mountain of Valahnúkur from where magnificent view can be enjoyed, or hike into the beautifully carved canyon Stakkholtsgjá. This oasis between the mountains also an ideal place to relax and just enjoy nature. Return to Reykjavik in the late afternoon.