Trek through the multi-coloured Landmannalaugar mountains, past serene Lake Álftavatn, and into the surreal Valley of Thor
Tick off one of National Geographic's '20 Best Hikes in the World' to finish beneath the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano
Camp beside thermal rivers, epic glaciers and volcanic lakes for memorable sleep-outs and warm dips beneath Iceland’s midnight sun
Not a camper? Then check out our much-loved hut-to-hut edition of the Laugavegur Trail instead
Day 1
Touchdown at Keflavik Airport and hop on the Flybus that whisks you to downtown Reykjavik. Check into your guesthouse and if you have spare time you can explore the city’s huge array of quaint bars, cafes, art museums and churches. Meet up with your fellow trekkers and guide at 18:00 for a chat through the adventure to come, then head out for dinner.
Day 2
Grab an early breakfast then hop on the bus, settling in for a road trip through Iceland's highlands to the trailhead at Landmannalaugar. Arrive late morning, set up camp and grab some lunch before setting off for a warm-up hike in preparation for your trek. Hike up to the astonishing red and orange Ljótipollur crater, or if conditions are good you can opt for an ascent of Bláhnúkur (the 'blue mountain') to gaze over the landscape you'll be immersed in for the next week. At the end of the day grab a swim in the warm thermal waters of the Landmannalaugar River while the midnight sun lingers above. Settle in for your first night of camping in the Icelandic wilds.
Day 3
It's time to set off on one of the world’s great hikes – the Laugavegur Trail. Meander through the mesmerising rhyolite massifs toward the high plateau of Hrafntinnusker, into the heart of a vast caldera. This landscape is unlike anything else with a stunning array of pastel colours in one of the most active geothermal areas on earth. The area is dotted with countless fumaroles (pools of sulfurous mud), lava fields, crystal-clear lakes and pristine ice caps stretching as far as the eye can see. Descend from the caldera to the south through a series of hidden valleys nestled at the base of the Tindfjöll glacier, catching glimpses of the massive Myrdalsjökull glacier cap. Wind up your first day on the trail at Lake Álftavatn, where you'll set up camp for the night and tuck into dinner.
Day 4
Unzip the tent and peer out at the lakeside setting, fuel up on coffee and breakfast and set off through the black desert of Emstrur. Pass a series of huge, lonesome, conical green mountains contrasting against the volcanic backdrop – this section of the trail is like nowhere else. At certain times in the summer the trail here gets interrupted by glacial rivers that you'll need to wade through. It's a chance to bond further with your fellow trekkers and show some teamwork, as these river crossings are definitely a group effort. Make your way around the Hattafell cone and eventually reach your campsite while gazing at the majestic Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
Day 5
You'll have settled into the rhythm of life on the trail by now, waking under canvas before packing down camp and prepping for the day ahead. Trekking further on from Emstrur, you'll reach the impressive canyon of the Markarfljót this morning with roaring water flowing 200m below you. The trail runs along this immense gorge decorated with basalt sculptures for a while before continuing south towards Thorsmörk. Little by little the landscape softens and takes on the appearance of an alpine cirque. You'll reach the cheerful valley of Thorsmörk (Thor's Woods) as you hike the final stretch among Arctic birches and birdsong to the banks of the Krossa River. Set up camp in another beautiful spot for your final night sleeping out in the Icelandic elements.
Day 6
Pack down camp one last time and set off for the final stretch of the Laugavegur Trail through the surreal setting of 'Thor’s wood'. Meander on further between the black canyons veined with fluorescent green and volcanic rock formations sculpted by wind and sea spray, flanked by the steel-coloured rivers and the sparkling ice cap of Myrdallsjökull. The landscape the past few days has been otherworldly, so soak up the last of this truly unique trek ahead of the finish line where you'll reluctantly hop in the van for the return drive to civilisation, arriving in Reykjavik in the early evening. Enjoy some creature comforts at the hotel and head out to toast the end of an epic trek with a beer and a bite downtown.
Day 7
Your adventure comes to an end today. Check out of the guesthouse this morning and either explore some more of the land of fire and ice, or head back to the airport in time for your flight home.
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
This trip begins and ends in central Reykjavik, so you'll need to make your own way to and from the airport – see the 'Getting There' section for more information.
Tipping is welcomed but not mandatory in Iceland and should be at the discretion of each individual. It's important to note that tips do not serve as a substitute for fair wages; the guides on this trip are paid well and receive excellent care from your host.
If you find yourself pleased with the services provided by your guide, we suggest a tip in the range of £30-£40 per person for the whole trip, which equates to 5000-6600 ISK. If you feel you received average or subpar service there is no expectation to leave a tip.
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine (opens in new tab), as their insurance offers all of the above.
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Looking for a private room? See Optional Extras for details and pricing.
Each day will start with a hearty breakfast of muesli, porridge, crispbread and fillings, eggs and bread accompanied by plenty of tea and coffee. Every morning you'll prepare and carry a picnic lunch for the day which will consist of salads and sandw…
For solo travellers wanting their own space, there is the option to upgrade to a private room for the two nights in Reykjavik and a solo tent for the four nights of camping if you would like to do so. Please note, this is subject to availability and accommodation can be tricky to secure in Iceland, so please request this at the time of booking and your host will do their best to confirm. See Optional Extras for prices.
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Created for adventurers ready to take on a few longer, more demanding days
You'll need to have good fitness levels for this trek. You'll be hiking for 5-7 hours each day on five consecutive days of hiking. The route isn’t overly technical and doesn’t...
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Sunday 5th July 2026
to Saturday 11th July 2026
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Know before you go! Some stuff we'll provide, other things you'll need to bring.
As the Icelandic Tourist Board explains in this video, it's confined to the Reykjanes Peninsula and not affecting travel at all. Iceland is open for business and perfectly safe.
If the hotel in Reykjavik does not have enough space to store your luggage then it is possible to store it in the luggage lockers at BSI Central Station (the departure point for the bus to Landmannalaugar). Your host will offer some guidance, but this is best done on the evening of Day 1 as you'll have an early start on Day 2 to catch the bus to Landmannalaugur. On Day 6 you'll return to BSI Bus Terminal, where you can collect your excess luggage before transferring back to your hotel in Reykjavik.
Alternatively, there are four other centrally located places in Reykjavik where you can store luggage. Speak to your host about the options, or you can pre-book here.
The tap water in Iceland is safe to drink and you'll be able to fill up from the taps at the mountain refuges located close to each campsite that you'll stay at. There are also natural water sources to fill up from along the route – your guide will provide guidance on this, but we recommend bringing along water purification options if you wish to do this. Have a read of our guide to the best water filters for adventurers.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
As the old Icelandic saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes”. Icelandic weather is famously fickle so you’ll need to prepare for anything – from balmy all-day sunshine in the mid-twenties, to wind, rain – and everything in between! This is all part of the adventure, but be sure to pack good waterproofs in case the rain gods come calling. You're also advised to bring dry bags, including something to keep your sleeping bag dry, in case it gets wet during the pack down and luggage transfer each day. Remember that in Iceland summer means nearly 24 hours of daylight, so don’t forget your eye mask!
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 113kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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