Description
Summary
Description
Hike the Laugavegur Trail from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork on this guided trek through the southern highlands of Iceland, staying in mountain huts along the way. National Geographic has named the trail one of the 20 best treks in the world.
On day one, you take the public bus from the BSI Bus Terminal in Reykjavik at 7:00 a.m. In summer, it drives the mountain tracks to Landmannalaugar, passing Hekla Volcano and other volcanoes in the Domadalur area. You arrive at noon, have lunch, and hike south past small gorges, steaming hot springs, and yellow rhyolite ridges to the Hrafntinnusker mountain hut, where you spend the night. The day covers 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) in 4 to 5 hours.
On day two, you descend through the gullies of Jokultungur, with hundreds of steaming hot springs and mud pools, and views south to the Alftavatn area and the Myrdalsjokull and Eyjafjallajokull glaciers. In the afternoon, you reach the Hvanngil hut at the foot of Storasula, a green, cone-shaped volcano. The day covers 9.3 to 9.9 miles (15 to 16 kilometers) in about 5 hours.
On day three, you cross the black sand desert of Maelifellssandur toward Hattfell, another ancient volcano, and enter the Emstrur region, where farmers once grazed their sheep in summer. Before reaching the Botnar hut, you visit Markarfljot Canyon, cut almost 656 feet (200 meters) into the rock. The day covers 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) in about 6 hours.
On day four, you hike up and down the small valleys and gullies of Emstrur, with Myrdalsjokull Glacier only a short distance away, and then descend into the green valleys of Thorsmork, with Arctic birch forests and colorful flowers. The day ends with a celebratory barbecue at the huts in Thorsmork. The day covers 12 miles (19 kilometers) in 6 to 7 hours.
On the last morning, you walk one of the many paths in Thorsmork, for example to Songhellir Cave or up Valahnukur Mountain for the view. Then you take the afternoon bus back to Reykjavik, arriving at the BSI Bus Terminal at 7:20 p.m.
Your guide shows you the popular sights and hidden gems along the trail and shares stories and folklore. Your luggage is moved between the huts, so you only carry a daypack while you hike.
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