Arrive in Reykjavík and meet your group at Amarok Adventures Basecamp for a quick briefing—you’ll want to make sure everything’s packed and ready. Afterward, fly together to Egilsstaðir and travel as a team to Laugarfell, where the real highlands vibe kicks in. If the weather cooperates, stretch your legs with an evening hike around Laugarfell’s wild landscapes to shake off the travel day and get a taste of what’s ahead. Tonight, rest up in simple bunk bed rooms with shared toilets—nothing fancy, but it sets the stage for your first night away from the crowds.

Accommodation: Lodge

After breakfast, ride out from Laugarfell to the trailhead—there’s a buzz of anticipation in the air as you load up your backpack and leave the last trace of roads behind. By noon, you’re trekking through wide-open highland country, making your way across wild, empty terrain toward the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier. Every step pulls you deeper into Iceland’s wilderness, with nothing but your group and the endless horizon for company. As afternoon stretches out, you reach your first mountain hut, perched near the massive glacial edge. Drop your pack, breathe deeply, and settle in—your real adventure has kicked off.

Distance: 8 miles (13 km)
Elevation gain: 384 ft (117 m)
Elevation loss: 46 ft (14 m)
Accommodation: Mountain hut

You leave Geldingafell behind and strike out over rough, unmarked trails across broken lava fields and river valleys—this is where the true Highlands vibe hits. Waterfalls tumble in the distance and cliffs mark your progress, all while the sense of total remoteness sets in. By late day, you reach a small hut with a wood stove set right in front of an amazing lake—the perfect place to dry out and refuel far from everything.

Distance: 10.5 miles (17 km)
Elevation gain: 889 ft (271 m)
Elevation loss: 1,316 ft (401 m)
Accommodation: Mountain hut

We break camp at Egilssel and start the day exploring the dramatic Troll Cliffs—expect big drops, wild views, and a section where you’ll grip ropes and chains as you make your way across. The descent threads through forests tucked among colorful rhyolite mountains, and toward the base of the valley we pass near massive glaciers—close enough to feel the air shift. Every step is demanding, but the solitude and scenery are absolutely worth it. The route is tough and exposed, so take your time and stay sharp. A small, simple hut at Múlaskáli by the river is our reward for the day’s effort.

Distance: 12.5 km (7.8 mi)
Elevation gain: 212 m (696 ft)
Elevation loss: 641 m (2,103 ft)
Accommodation: Mountain hut

You get a full day to explore the wild terrain around Múlaskáli with your group. Your guide will choose the route based on the weather, and it will include exposed ridges, diques, river crossings, and hidden valleys—so you’ll get off the beaten track and into seriously amazing scenery. By evening, circle back to the hut to rest up for tomorrow’s push deeper out of the Eastern Highlands.

Distance: 13–20 km (8–12.5 mi)
Elevation gain: 805 m (2,641 ft)
Elevation loss: 805 m (2,641 ft)
Accommodation: Mountain hut

We leave Múlaskáli behind and head out toward Iceland’s largest suspension bridge, taking on deep canyons, steep slopes, and jaw-dropping rhyolite mountain scenery—this section is especially exposed, so every move counts. Stay sharp on the ledges and soak up the sense of raw wilderness as we work our way across this final, wild stretch. At the bridge, celebrate the finish line and hop in the vehicle for a well-earned ride back to Höfn. That night, relax in a twin room and share one last dinner with the group—hard-earned stories and big grins all around.

Distance: 13 km (8 mi)
Elevation gain: 515 m (1,690 ft)
Elevation loss: 590 m (1,935 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel

After breakfast in Höfn, head to the airport for your short domestic flight back to Reykjavík. You’ve earned this final easy stretch—feet up, looking back on wild days in the highlands. Services end upon arrival at Reykjavík’s domestic airport, and from here, you’re free to continue exploring Iceland or make your way home. The last night in Reykjavík is not included—consider planning your next moves accordingly. That’s a wrap—an adventure through Iceland’s real wilderness, start to finish.