Amazing 8-Day Hiking Tour of Laugavegur Trail with Transfer from Reykjavik

On the second day of the Laugavegur trek tour, you'll descend around 1608 feet (490 meters) from a snowy peak into a lush green valley and cross a flowing river. You'll walk around 14.9 miles (24 kilometers) through the Jokultungur area.

Start day 2 of your hike with a nutritious and delicious breakfast, ideal for getting you energized and ready to head back on the trail. Today you'll get to enjoy views of the whole Fjallabak area.

These fantastic views include the colorful Reykjafjoll mountains and the Jokultungur area. The geothermal activity here contrasts starkly with the valley's green fields and soft colors, with steam billowing from the ground.

You'll be guided across a river on foot, which will be an unforgettable experience. The water will be cold and will come up to your knee or thigh, but its perfectly safe to cross.

Be sure to bring the shoes needed for this experience, so old sneakers or other footwear you don't mind getting wet are perfect.

Tonight's accommodation is a large mountain hut which offers a spacious kitchen and dining area on Alftavatn lake. Here you'll enjoy a hearty dinner and a walk around the local area under the midnight sun.

Time for the third day of this summer hiking tour. Day three will see you walk around 9.5 miles (15 kilometers) over six to seven hours, taking in some stunning views of the surrounding landscapes.

You'll see plenty of unique natural features like volcanoes and glaciers.

Once again, you'll start the day with a nutritious breakfast to set you up for the trek. The walking on day three begins with a wade across a stream. After your river crossing on day two, you will be an expert at this, and you shouldn't have too much difficulty.

Following your stream crossing, the next part of the trail is flat and easy, a good rest for your legs. You'll pass by Storasula and Hattafell volcanoes which make for breathtaking sights. Be sure to have your camera at the ready.

The peaks of the mountains are covered with green moss, so they stand out from the rocky desert terrain surrounding them.

Continuing along the trail, if the weather is clear, you'll be able to enjoy panoramic views of Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull, two spectacular glacier-capped volcanoes. You may have heard of Eyjafjallajokull before, as it erupted in 2010, stopping all European air traffic with its ash plume.

On your way to your accommodation for the night, you'll find yourself on the side of a deep glacier river canyon in a black sand desert. You'll truly experience the wide variety of landscapes that make Iceland special.

Your accommodation on day three is a mountain hut in Emstrur. The building is situated alongside a babbling brook. Fall asleep to the sounds of the stream running past in this idyllic location.

The fourth day of your summer tour is the last leg of the Laugavegur Trek. Today you’ll walk around 9.5 miles (15 kilometers) over 6-7 hours, passing through gorges, mountains, and glaciers.

Your walk on day 4 starts with a hike along the Almenningar gorge. The gorge is picturesque and provides fantastic views of the surrounding glaciers. You’ll enjoy this view for the next few miles until the end of the hike.

You’ll pass by Mount Einhyrningur, also known as “unicorn mountain,” thanks to its similarity in shape to the mythical animal. See if you can spot its horn.

As you near the end of your hike, you’ll notice that your surroundings start to change. From rocky landscapes, you’ll begin to see small trees and bushes until you eventually find yourself walking through a birch forest in Thorsmork valley.

Thorsmork is named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder. This area is a nature reserve and one of Iceland’s most popular destinations for hiking, thanks to its beautiful woodlands, surrounding glaciers, and hidden waterfalls.

Thorsmork’s wet climate means that the trees and bushes here have a lush emerald green color, contrasting with some of the rocky terrain you see elsewhere in Iceland.

Your accommodation for the night is situated at the official end of the well-known Laugavegur trail, so you can celebrate finishing the route with dinner and a well-deserved drink once you arrive.

Another stunning location to spend the night, this mountain hut is in the heart of the valley beneath the Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull glaciers and is surrounded by green-colored slopes.

Day 5 will see you tackle the most demanding section of your hiking tour. Make sure you enjoy a hearty breakfast to give you the energy to complete the 2,600 feet (800 meters) ascent.

On the fifth day of your tour, you'll be walking around 10 miles (16 kilometers) over seven to eight hours.

Although this is the most challenging part of the trek, you'll be rewarded for your efforts with perhaps the best scenery of the trip as you hike up the spectacular Fimmvorduhals pass.

You'll ascend a steep path up to a broad plateau from the valley. As you take the trail, you'll be able to enjoy spectacular views across the surrounding mossy slopes and jagged green valleys.

The higher you go, the better the views, especially in good weather. If you get a clear day, you'll be able to see mountain ranges, snowy peaks, and glaciers.

You'll head to two volcanic craters, Magni and Modi. These new craters were formed when the famous Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010. Soak up the scenery of these two craters, named after Thor's sons.

Once you've marveled at these spectacular peaks, it's time to return to Thorsmork along the same path. The descent is a lot easier and provides an excellent opportunity to make the most of the scenery on the way back down.

Tonight, you'll sleep in a mountain hut at the end of the Fimmvorduhals pass. You'll be able to relax and celebrate completing the Laugavegur and Fimmvorduhals hike. This trail has been chosen as one of the 20 best hikes in the world by National Geographic, making it a fantastic check off your bucket list.

Enjoy the midnight sun before retiring, as this is your last night in the wilds.

The sixth day of the Laugavegur trek tour is your last day in the Icelandic Highland wilderness. Day six is a flexible day with no fixed plans. On this day, there are several choices for the itinerary, and your guide and group will decide what you want to do together.

The two options are exploring the area around the volcanoes of Katla and Eyjafjallajokull or hiking up Valahnukur mountain.

Katla is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Iceland. It has erupted on average once every 50 years since the first settlers arrived here.

Valahnukur mountain offers the most spectacular viewpoint in the area as you can see all over the Thorsmork valley. It has an elevation of around 3,280 feet (1,000 meters) above sea level.

As well as the glaciers and forests of the Thorsmork valley, you’ll also be able to see the surrounding Highlands and the South Coast. It’s a fantastic place to get some photos to remember your trip.

Once the day’s adventures have finished, it’s time to leave Thorsmork and the Highlands behind and head to your accommodation for the night.

Tonight’s accommodation is a country hotel in Hella. You’ll probably be feeling a little tired from your hike by now, so you can relax here in comfort and get a great night’s sleep before sightseeing continues the next day.

Day seven of your multi-day hiking adventure explores Iceland's spectacular South Coast, home to many of the country's most famous sites.

The morning of the seventh day sees a later start, but you'll still get off in the morning. You'll appreciate this chance to rest and recuperate following the challenging hiking you've tackled over the previous days.

Day seven is more relaxing than previous days as you will take things at a slower pace. However, the scenery and sights are no less beautiful.

You'll visit two of the most well-known waterfalls in Iceland, Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss.

Skogafoss is a wide waterfall around 200 feet (60 meters) high. You can walk right up to the cascading wall of water and feel its spray on your face. After ascending a steep staircase to an observational platform, you can also view it from the top.

Seljalandsfoss waterfall drops down 200 feet (60 meters) over cliffs and is narrower than Skogafoss. The cliffs here have a vast cavern behind the waterfall, meaning guests can walk around it in summer.

After this, it's time to don your crampons for a glacier hike, the last adventurous activity on this tour. An expert glacier guide will lead you on a walk across the surface of the ancient ice while telling you about the history and geology of the glacier.

Your glacier tongue of Solheimajokull is renowned for its beautiful views and vivid colors.

Finally, you'll return to a hotel in the capital of Reykjavik.

Day eight is the final day of the Laugavegur trek tour, and it's time to discover the beautiful attractions found on Iceland's Golden Circle route. The Golden Circle is perhaps the most famous sightseeing route in Iceland, and it's not to be missed on your trip to the country.

Highlights of the eighth day of your tour include geysers, waterfalls, and rugged valleys.

The first stop of the day is Thingvellir National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most interesting places in Iceland. It is most well-known for being home to an area where tectonic plate boundaries move apart.

Interestingly, Thingvellir was also where Iceland's parliament was founded in around 930 AD.

Next, you'll head to the Geysir geothermal area, where you'll experience steaming vents, hot springs, and geysers. One of the most well-known geysers is Strokkur which spouts water up to 131 feet (40 meters) into the air. You'll see this several times during your stop here as it happens every five to 10 minutes.

If you didn't get enough waterfalls on the seventh day of the tour, then you're in luck, as there's another to visit today. Gullfoss waterfall has a two-stage drop that totals 105 feet (32 meters). It's an impressive sight as the water flows through the rugged canyon below.

Your Golden Circle sightseeing day will finish with a dip in the Secret Lagoon, a geothermal spa with hot springs and mini geysers. Here you can relax and be rejuvenated by the spring water, the perfect end to an active adventure tour in Iceland.

Your guide will then drive you back to Reykjavik, where you can reflect on eight incredible days.