Guided 2 Day Hiking Tour of the East Highlands on the Two Rivers Trail
Description
Summary
Description
Join us for a hike through the remote and untouched eastern Highlands. This tour is a two-day wilderness adventure, combining the action of hiking past impressive waterfalls, canyons and pulling your self across a glacial river in a cable ferry. While there enjoy the serenity of these vast and beautiful highlands.
During the tour, you will be accompanied by a passionate local guide with excellent knowledge of the area as well as Icelandic pack horses that carry some of the luggage. On this tour, you will breathe the fresh wilderness air, see historical sites and experience the wild authenticity of the area. While out there, you are more likely to meet reindeer than you are to come across humans.
Over these two days, you will be seeing countless beautiful sights along the hiking trail we follow. From the lush green valleys to the glacier-carved landscape. You will see powerful glacier rivers, serene freshwater streams and stunning waterfalls.
There is no better way to enjoy Iceland's stunning nature than hiking in the wilderness and camping in the pure mountain air. Travelling in a small group with like-minded people in the wilderness is an experience of a lifetime.
For an added thrill, you can also try your hand at pulling yourself across the glacier river on a renovated cableway cart. These kinds of carts were used by the locals in this valley and the nearby valleys as the main transportation across the river back before bridges were built in places they could reach in wintertime.
So, jump at the chance to have an authentic wilderness adventure in Iceland and book your tour now. Check availability by choosing a date.
Included
Map
Activities
Daily itinerary
Day 1 - To the Wild, to the Hidden Gems of Iceland
Departure from the Wilderness Center is bright and early in the morning. A pack horse will carry our provisions. We will make a stop at the abandoned farm Kleif, take a look around and hear tales from the past.
Once we leave Kleif, we'll cross the Jökulsá river by a recently restored cableway-cart. While we hike along the beautiful Jökulsá canyon, we‘ll walk past one waterfall after the other. Across the river, there is a pretty view of the natural birchwood Kleifarskógur.
Further on we‘ll be passing many more waterfalls, both in the Jökulsá river itself or some of its many tributaries – small or large. Faxi and Kirkjufoss are the tallest falls we see on this trail; they are amongst Iceland‘s most impressive waterfalls.
We‘ll set up for the night at Hrakströnd hut close to an old shepherd‘s hut and have dinner. The surroundings at are both unique and picturesque. Between rocks, you‘ll find a small pond, perfect for taking a dip on a sunny day. While at Hrakströnd the sound of water will draw you to the Hrakstrandarfoss falls. Standing by the waterfall gives you an unusual view of Mt. Snæfell.
Day 2 - A Land Carved by Glaciers
When we leave Hrakströnd, we head northeast over the untouched terrain of Mt. Múlinn. This is a place where tranquillity reigns above all. Should you meet another human while being right here, you'll be served a drink on us in the evening!
Most of this area is grown with vegetation, but now and then we‘ll come across spots where the glacier has scraped away the soil, leaving patches of bare rocks or gravel. After walking for approximately two hours across Múlinn, we‘ll see down into the Þorgerðarstaðadalur valley and later into Suðurdalur valley. From there we head toward Lake Dimmavatn and then along the Tunguá river until we reach its junction with the river Kelduá.
The stark contrast between the two rivers; the glacial Jökulsá and today’s spring-fed Kelduá river, is quite astonishing. Even if not quite as voluminous as the waterfalls in Jökulsá, those in the clear Kelduá are just as beautiful.
Now we hike through a wood of birch, Þorgerðarstaðir Woods. While walking on the sunny side of this grassy valley, we pass the ruins of a few sheds and pens from when farmers would take their livestock away from the farm for summer grazing. After, we find a place to ford the Kelduá river and continue along the slopes of Mt. Kiðafell.
A the end of the day we head back to civilization. We will walk to Sturluflöt farm, and from there the group will be driven back to the Wilderness Center.
What to bring
Good to know
You will need the following gear for the tour.
Clothing for the hike:
T-shirt or vest, wool or fleece
Woollen socks
Warm sweater (e.g. Icelandic wool sweater) or fleece jacket
Light, quick-dry hiking pants
Hiking shoes
For the rucksack:
Woollen undergarments (top and long-johns)
Extra outer top (such as a thick jumper or a light down jacket)
An extra pair of woollen socks (we recommend wool with terry). Never wear cotton liners!
Proper Icelandic woollen mittens
A woollen cap, balaclava, headband or similar
Light rainwear (jacket and pants), e.g. Goretex
Shinguards
Camping gear:
Rucksack. Recommended sizes for longer trips are 55–65 litres for ladies and 60–75 litres for men.
A light sleeping bag, with a down or fibre filling. Recommended temperature tolerance is 0°C for comfort and at least -10°C for extreme conditions.
Mattress for insulation
Sandals or sneakers, for wading rivers
And the little extras:
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Toilet paper roll
A very small towel
The trip starts and ends at the Wilderness Center. We recommend staying in or near the Center the night before the tour since departure early in the morning. Participants staying overnight at the Center before or after the trip will enjoy a special price on the accommodation. You can choose to add a night before your tour starts of after its end. We also offer dinner. Please contact us by clicking 'inquire about this tour' to add to your booking.
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