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What better way to spend 9 days than by visiting the hottest locations in the Land of Ice and Fire? Join a group of like-minded adventurous women and explore the most Instagrammable winter wonderland in the world! If you’re on your own, no worries—this is the perfect opportunity to forge meaningful friendships in a safe and welcoming environment. Enjoy rugged landscapes by day and elegant hotels by night, all while keeping an eye out for that magical glow of the Northern Lights in the sky.
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Meet your guide around 6 p.m. at the 22 Hill Hotel in Reykjavik. You’ll have an introductory meeting about the itinerary and a welcome dinner with your fellow hikers. Get to know your group and have a good night’s sleep for the adventure ahead of you.
Meals: Dinner
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Every day you’ll be hitting the road between 8 and 9 a.m. Kick off the trip with a Golden Circle tour, a 190-mile route of Iceland’s three major natural attractions. Walk in the seismic rift valley of the Thingvellir National Park, marvel at the highly active Geysir Geothermal Area, and feel the drizzle of the 105-foot-tall Gullfoss, the golden falls.
Next stop is the Friðheimar greenhouse—learn how they use geothermal heating to grow vegetables, pick fresh tomatoes from above your table, and have lunch. End your day by unwinding in the Secret Lagoon, the oldest geothermal pool in Iceland surrounded by natural hot spring baths. As a cherry on top of each day, you’ll be on the hunt for Northern Lights every single night!
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
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Today you’re taking a deep dive into Iceland’s Southcoast. Visit the 200-foot-high Seljalandsfoss waterfall, and if the weather allows you, go behind it to capture that iconic viewpoint through the hole. Continue onto the mighty Skógarfoss waterfall, after which you’ll do around 3 hours of glacier hiking on the Sólheimajökull glacier, sitting atop the Katla volcano.
Walk along on black sand beaches, then hike through the Fjaðrárgljúfur, a lush green canyon with a river carving through jagged cliffs. Spend the night in Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
Meals: Breakfast
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New day, new natural phenomena. With an off-road drive in a massive jeep, you’ll reach ice caves, formed in glaciers. Take a tour of 700-year-old ice formations with an expert guide and see turquoise-tinted crystal caves. Next stop is the Glacier Lagoon, after which you’ll head to Diamond Beach. Its black sand and glistening icebergs are like no other place on Earth. Finally, retreat to your hotel in Höfn, the lobster capital of Iceland, and look forward to a delicious dinner.
Meals: Breakfast
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This day is dedicated to cultural exploration of East Fjords. Visit old houses along the coast and numerous quaint villages, such as Djúpivogur. Take a 3-mile hike to Hengifoss, a 420-foot-tall waterfall dropping into a gorge. Spend the rest of the day and the night in Egilsstaðir, East Iceland’s largest town, and get to know its local culture!
Meals: Breakfast
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Start off the day with a drive to Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall, fed by a river flowing from the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull. Tour the waterfall and pass by the highest inhabited point in Iceland. Next up is the Námaskarð geothermal area, a Mars-like zone with no vegetation, but with a palette of vivid colors streaking through the earth.
Continue to Lake Mývatn, where you can take a dip in the hot springs! Walking through the lava field nearby will give you serious Game of Thrones vibes. Second to last stop is Goðafoss, “Waterfall of the Gods”, a symbol of Iceland’s conversion from Norse mythology to Christianity. As you reach Akureyri, your stay for the night, feel free to stroll around the city and explore its selection of Icelandic cuisine.
Meals: Breakfast
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Put on a warm flotation suit and board a fishing boat in Dalvik! Sail through the fjords for three hours and spot some whales along the way. Following the boat ride, drive through Tröllaskagi, the Troll Peninsula, a beautiful road trip area offering something new at every turn you take. End your day in Laugarbakki, a charming village offering a hotel with hot tubs and great food.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour the Snaefellsnes peninsula in West Iceland and a volcanic crater. See Kirkjufell, the actual Arrowhead mountain of Game of Thrones and pass the center of the Earth, at least according to Jules Verne. Head to the Ytri Tunga beach, one of the best places for spotting seals in Iceland! Head back to Reykjavik and have a goodbye dinner with your group.
Meals: Breakfast and dinner
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Book your flight in the afternoon so you can take a dip in the Blue Lagoon, only a 15-minute drive from the airport. As a perfect ending to your trip, swim in this turquoise geothermal spa located inside a lava field. If you want to stay a bit longer in the land of ice and fire, feel free to go back to Reykjavik with your guide. However, if you’re ready to go home and eager to comb through all the incredible photos from the journey, there’s going to be arranged transportation to the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
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What you get on this adventure:
- An experienced, local hiking guide and driver with extensive knowledge of the area
- 9 days of guided sightseeing and hiking in Iceland
- Transportation during the tour with a minibus (headset)
- Accommodation at hotels
- Welcome and goodbye dinner
- Breakfasts at hotels
- All special equipment
- Greenhouse visit with lunch, secret lagoon, glacier hike, ice cave visit, whale watching, blue lagoon
- All other mentioned activities from the itinerary
- Drop off at the airport
- WhatsApp group created shortly before the tour starts
Note: Special dietary requirements can be accommodated.
What’s not included:
- Transportation to and from Iceland
- Pick-up from the airport
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities (optional)
- Lunches and dinners not mentioned in the itinerary
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This winter hiking tour in Iceland is beginner-friendly! No special skills are required, as you’ll be walking and sightseeing for the majority of the tour. You’ll only do two hikes lasting around 3 hours, but other than that, you’ll be leisurely exploring Iceland!
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Clothing and things to carry in your daypack (large enough to carry all the items listed below):
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- Waterproof cover for your daypack
- Waterproof hiking boots
- Hiking pants
- Thermal top or lightweight T-shirt
- Wool socks that dry quickly
- Mid layer
- Buff or face covering
- Warm hat
- 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:
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- 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
- Bathing suit (for those doing the 3 days on the trail adventure)
- 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.
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Group sizes and prices:
- For this guided winter hike in Iceland, the max client-to-guide ratio is 10:1.
- It takes a minimum of 6 people for a tour to operate. The cost does not decrease as the group grows.
- In case you would like to ensure a room for yourself, and not share it with anybody, there is a possibility of a single room for an additional fee.
Hiking in Iceland 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.
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To get to Reykjavik, the starting point of this tour, most people fly into Keflavik International Airport. From there, you have a 45-minute drive to Reykjavik by bus or a cab. Buses leave the airport every hour, 24/7, so you don’t have to worry about getting delayed.
You’ll meet your guide on day 1 at 6 p.m. at the Exeter Hotel in downtown Reykjavik, where you’ll have an introductory meeting and a welcome dinner with your fellow hikers.
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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!
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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-infoOr 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
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