Included:

• • An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • 6-day all-women Laugavegur Trail hiking tour
  • Accommodation for 5 nights in cozy mountain huts (shared rooms)
  • All meals during the journey (possible to accommodate vegetarians and those with allergies)
  • Transportation from Reykjavik to the trailhead and back
  • Luggage transport from hut to hut
  • WhatsApp group before the departure

Not included:

• • Flights to and from Iceland
  • Accommodation before and after the adventure
  • Airport transfers
  • Sleeping bag (can be rented from camping rental stores in Reykjavik)
  • Travel and medical insurance — optional
  • Guide gratuities — optional

Great fitness is required, and prior multi-day hiking experience is recommended. To make the most of this hiking adventure, you’ll need to be able to:

• • Hike 4 to 9 hours a day for 5-6 full days while carrying a daypack full of gear.
  • Hike a total of 43-53 miles (70-85 km) in a week.
  • Cover 7.5-10.5 miles (12-17 km) a day on the Classic Tour, or up to 15 miles (24 km) a day on the Challenging Tour.
  • Handle a max of 1,970-2,620 ft (600-800 m) of elevation gain in a day.

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. Muddy areas and volcanic landscapes are also to be expected.

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.

Clothing, footwear, and things to carry in your backpack (large enough to carry all the items listed below):

• • Waterproof cover for your daypack
  • Waterproof hiking boots (with padded ankle and good arch support, well broken in, suitable for rocky terrain)
  • Waterproof jacket & waterproof pants
  • Hiking pants or leggings
  • Base layer — thermal top or t-shirt (merino wool, polyester, silk)
  • Mid layer — breathable that retains body heat (wool, goose down, fleece)
  • Buff or face covering
  • Warm hat
  • Hiking socks
  • Gaiters (optional for those hiking in June month)
  • Sunhat
  • Waterproof gloves or mittens
  • Breathable & waterproof jacket and waterproof pants (no plastic ponchos)
  • Sunglasses
  • Water bottle or water bladder
  • Sunscreen
  • River crossing shoes
  • Fresh food and snacks (provided by Viking Women every day)
  • Extra fleece sweater or down jacket to put on when we stop for breaks
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Hiking poles (optional)
  • Camera (optional)

In your luggage:

• • Sleeping bag (doesn’t have to be in your luggage, just attached to it somehow)
  • Travel pillow (optional)
  • Underwear and socks
  • Extra clothes for the trail
  • Extra clothes for the huts
  • Medicine
  • Hygiene and beauty products
  • Towel
  • Headlamp or a flashlight (for those doing the hike in August – September)
  • Powerbank to charge your devices
  • Earplugs and a sleeping mask
  • Swimsuit (if hot pools or pools are part of the itinerary)
  • Cash or a debit/credit card

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:

• • For this adventure, the max client-to-guide ratio is 16:1.
  • It takes a minimum of 8 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 16 participants.
  • Single supplement is not an option.

Hiking in Laugavegur can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

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 (KEF), located 45 minutes from downtown Reykjavik. 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.

You will most likely meet your guide at the BSÍ bus terminal in Reykjavík at 6:45am.

We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, we partnered up with Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!

Redpoint tailors their insurance packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s insurance. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!

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