There’s a reason National Geographic named this 34-mile trek through Iceland’s Southern Highlands one of the most beautiful hikes in the world. The geothermal features give Yellowstone a run for its money, with looming glaciers, hidden waterfalls, inviting thermal springs, and black sand deserts dotted with huge shards of obsidian. This legendary all-women hike will have you sleeping under the midnight sun as you trek from place to place on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure! Explore the neverending beauty of Laugavegur by hiking the trail in 3 or 4 days—depending on your fitness. With each mile, you’ll feel more confident and get a more refined sense of self than you had before. Learn more about this hiking adventure that combines wellness and adventure in the ancient land of the Vikings from Saga Lif, a local guide and the owner of Viking Women.
One of the most incredible shorter thru-hikes in the world
Landscapes formed by millennia of glaciers and volcanoes
Explore glacier-fed lakes, deep canyon, and hidden waterfalls
What you get on this adventure:
Note: Some special dietary requirements can be accommodated. The lack of space and facilities in the huts make it difficult for your guide to prepare numerous dishes daily. We can cater to vegetarians and those with food allergies.
What’s not included:
To make the most of this hiking adventure, you’ll need to be able to:
The trails are not paved, but in some places, paths have formed. Some trails are rocky but are easily accessible to anyone used to hiking in uneven terrain. Participants will need to hike up and down steep slopes that sometimes have loose grounds and require good balance. Hikes will involve river crossings on the trail every day except the first. The water level in the rivers changes from time to time due to seasonal conditions. In some cases, you will be able to step from stone to stone to get to the other side. In other cases, you will need to take your shoes and socks off, put on river-crossing shoes and wade the rivers. Neoprene socks and sandals or neoprene shoes (beach shoes) are the best choice. Your guide will provide you with advice for river crossing, as well as help you to cross the river. Trekking poles might come in handy when wading rivers, as well as crossing with a partner.
In your daypack – large enough to carry all the items listed below (around a 25-40L bag)
In your luggage:
What to wear on the trail:
Your main luggage will be transported by transport vehicle, and you will not have access to it until you reach the huts in the afternoon. This also includes your sleeping bag. Everything needed for the day’s trek must be in your daypack.
You are allowed to take one piece of luggage on the tour. Your guide advises you not to bring a massive one, as the huts don´t have much room to spread out our stuff. There are luggage lockers at four centrally located places in Reykjavik where you can store your extra luggage.
For your own well-being and safety, we strongly suggest following the advice of this equipment list. This includes having good quality rain gear, tops, and bottoms. Cotton clothing is not appropriate for any strenuous outdoor activity – nor are jeans and cotton t-shirts. Modern outdoor clothing is by far more comfortable and will greatly improve your experience.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking in Laugavegur can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Iceland, most people fly into Keflavík International Airport, located 45 minutes from the city center. From there, the best and the cheapest way is to take one of the public busses like Airport Direct or Flybus. Buses leave 35-40 minutes after the arrival of each flight, 24/7.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, whether that’s at the BSÍ bus terminal in Reykjavík or a predetermined location. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.
Iceland, the “Land of Fire and Ice”, has forever lived with volcanic activity. Minor and major eruptions have occurred every few years since the island was formed. Some of Iceland’s appeal, aside from sheer natural beauty, surely stems from this very fact.
However, every new eruption, such as the recent Reykjanes Peninsula fissure, will make some travelers, tourists, and adventurers uneasy, especially given the fact that sensationalist media is not immune to misinformation and speculation.
Since we work with a number of expert local guides in Iceland, we thought we’d share their input and fill you in on what’s actually going on.
First of all, air traffic has not been affected. Flights to and from Keflavík International Airport and Reykjavík Domestic Airport are operating as they always do.
Second, the effects of volcanic activity have been localized, with some roads closed, and all services in Iceland operating as usual. Reykjavik, the capital, is around 40 km (25 miles) away from the volcanic fissure, and life there is as normal as ever.
And third, trips offered by 57hours are taking place much further away, and are thereby even less likely to be affected by the volcanic activity, being perfectly safe for adventurers. Naturally, the authorities (and guides) are monitoring the situation and doing everything possible to keep both local residents and visitors safe and well informed.
In case you have any additional questions or dilemmas, feel free to get in touch with either your guide or 57hours. For more information, please visit:
https://safetravel.is/
https://www.visiticeland.com/article/volcano-info
Or watch the video with Dr. Matthew Roberts from the Icelandic Meteorological Office explaining the recent volcanic activities in Iceland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA3-BXYuYrw
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Laugavegur, Iceland, please refer to the official COVID-19 guidelines for traveling to and from Iceland.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
Secure your spot for the following season with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you’ll be the first one to know. Pick the month that suits you best and we’ll let you know once the dates are live—don’t risk missing out on your bucket list adventure!
For set dates, a 30% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the 30% deposit is no longer refundable.
In the event that the minimum number of people to confirm the trip is not reached, your guide can cancel the departure at most 2 months before the start of the trip. In that case, 90% of the total amount is refundable. Please note the dates for this year and next year are expected to reach the minimum number of people soon, and the likelihood of trip not happening is very low.
Once the trip is confirmed, the cancellation policy below applies:
