Explore the enchanting beauty of Iceland's winter on this immersive 7-day tour. From chasing the Northern lights to traversing snow-covered landscapes on snowshoes, each day unveils new wonders. With expert guides and carefully curated experiences, this journey promises unforgettable moments in one of the world's most captivating winter destinations. Embark on a voyage that blends adventure, relaxation, and the natural splendor of Iceland's winter wonderland.
After your pick up at the airport, you’ll have the time to explore the city of Reykjavík on your own before your winter adventure starts. Get settled in your accommodation and meet the rest of your group over a welcome dinner.
Driving: 1 hour
Meals: Welcome dinner
Today we’ll go snowshoeing in the Hengill area. Hengill is a large volcano close to Reykjavík, with a lot of geothermal activity around it. We will look for the best snow conditions in that area and spend the day snowshoeing through the beautiful landscape. Few outdoor activities are as beginner friendly as this, so no worries if you’ve never snowshoed before. Your guides will make sure you have the best equipment and they’ll show you basic techniques for walking in the deep snow.
Driving: 2 hours
Hiking: 3-4 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Thorsmork is an isolated valley, hidden behind glaciers and volcanoes. There’s only one mountain road that leads to it, and in wintertime you need a big modified 4×4 vehicle to reach the valley. The whole day will be spent exploring Thorsmork in its winter coat. Canyons, glaciers, volcanos and big rivers are what awaits us in this dramatic landscape.
Driving: 2-3 hours
Hiking: 2-3 hours
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
The south coast is one of Iceland’s most iconic areas. Filled with waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches and some of Iceland’s largest volcanoes, there’s no shortage of spectacular things to see. We’ll spend the full day exploring the coast with sights including Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss and Black sand beach. In the end, we’ll strap on crampons and throw on some harnesses for a glacier walk on Sólheimajökull.
Driving: 2 hours
Hiking: 2 hours
Meals: Breakfast
We leave our hotel behind and our goal for the day is to go deep into the Icelandic highlands, an area called Kerlingarfjöll, where we spend the next two nights. We get in another big modified 4×4 vehicle and the whole journey to reach Kerlingarfjöll is an adventure all to itself, driving through deep snow and completely untouched wilderness. Kerlingarfjöll is a mountain range, located almost in the center of the island, where there’s nothing except one great hotel and endless possibilities for winter activities. It’s also the perfect spot to see the northern lights!
Driving: 3-5 hours
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
We’ll spend the whole day snowshoeing in the Kerlingarfjöll area — beautiful landscapes all around us, with a big geothermal area and stunning mountains. On a clear day you can see a large portion of the country! After a full day of snowshoeing, you’ll be able to soak in the natural geothermal pools located close to the hotel. A truly unique place for winter and surely one of the highlights for this trip!
Hiking: 3-6 hours
Meals: Breakfast
Today we head back to civilization. We have a long drive ahead of us back from Kerlingarfjöll, all the way to Reykjavík. We’ll make a couple of stops along the way and reach the city in the afternoon, where you can stay longer for some sightseeing or head to the airport to catch a flight back home.
Driving: 3-5 hours
Included:
Not included:
To join this guided hiking trip in Iceland, you need to be in good physical condition. All participants should have hiking experience in winter conditions. It is enough to be accustomed to full-day hikes. On this tour, you will mostly have a longer hike one day and a shorter hike the next day—this alternation will allow everyone to recuperate and have a more enjoyable experience. You will also go on a snowshoeing tour on Day 2 and Day 6. Your guide will teach you the basics and you’ll get the hang of it pretty quickly.
To prepare for this tour, we encourage regular cardiovascular exercise (especially hiking!) in weeks prior to the adventure. Keep in mind that you will always have a guide by your side to encourage you, assess your fitness level, and keep everyone safe by changing the route if it is too strenuous or doing an alternate hike due to bad weather.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
This tour includes snowshoeing activities. The good news is that snowshoes fit pretty much any type of boot, so your main concern is to wear something that keeps your feet warm and dry. Insulated, waterproof winter boots with thick soles and rubber or leather uppers are ideal. Bring wool or synthetic socks that wick sweat—carry an extra pair in case they get soaked.
Bring comfortable clothes appropriate for the season. We suggest checking the weather forecast and being prepared for different conditions. Layers with clothing that can handle cold, wet conditions are best.
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Winter is a fascinating time in Iceland. The country turns from a green and lush island into a stunning winter wonderland, where you can experience amazing winter activities. The days are shorter, because the sun is lower on the horizon, but in return you get this amazing light throughout the whole day that is being cast onto the snowy landscape and is absolutely breathtaking for photography.
Even though it’s winter, you can still easily go out and enjoy nature on foot. Snowshoeing is the perfect way to explore the countryside during winter.
This is also peak season for the Northern lights, so after a full day of adventuring, it’s great to relax at your countryside hotel and be on the lookout from the hot tub. Just keep in mind that lights are never guaranteed and we always advise people to view them as an extra bonus for your trip.
During winter, it becomes very difficult to access the Highlands. Everything up there is covered in snow and there’s no winter service. The only way to access them is to do so on a heavily modified truck, which we call Super-Jeeps. However, this is no problem for your experienced guides!
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking in Iceland can be arranged for private 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 Reykjavik, the starting point of your Iceland Northern Lights package holidays, fly into Keflavik International Airport (KEF). 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 and your group on the evening of Day 1. It’s recommended that you either pick an early-morning flight so you get to seize the day or spend the night in Reykjavik a night prior to your adventure.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection 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 protection. 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 are 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://youtu.be/QA3-BXYuYrw?feature=shared