A Guide to Solo Hiking the Laugavegur Trail + Fimmvörðuháls Trail (5-Day Itinerary) ICELAND

In August, I hiked the Fimmvörðuháls Trail and Laugavegur Trail in Iceland. Here you can use my guide to research and plan your epic adventure to Iceland.

The Laugavegur Trail is a hike I wanted to do after I visited Iceland on a road trip around the island in a campervan, in 2017. I only did short walks and I wanted to return to do more. The second trail, the Fimmvörðuháls Trail was one I’d not heard about, but when I started researching I realised that the two trails were linked so doing them both made sense!

The first step was learning how to pronounce the trail names. After a Google search, I found how to say Laugavegur is Loo-ga-vey-gur and Fimmvörðuháls is Fim-ver-der-hous. Good luck with the other Icelandic names, they are tough!

Here I will include all the useful information for planning your hiking trip to Iceland, plus my hiking kit list and other handy information. I will also answer the ‘frequently asked questions’ to help you plan your hike, from when you can hike the trail, what the weather is like, food and water on the trail plus loads more.

Please note, that this is a detailed guide (hence it’s big), you might want to grab a drink and a notebook or bookmark this page to read when you have the time. You can expand the contents to jump to the sections you want to read.

Please pop your questions in the comments below or pop me a message via Instagram @beckythetraveller

Planning my hiking trip to Iceland

First, I’ll start with all the things I booked in advance, from my flights, transfers, accommodation and buses.  I hiked the trail solo and independently so I arranged everything myself. If you prefer, some companies can do it for you, but this costs more. It was all easy to book online and I’ve included all the links so you can book directly from my post (if you want!)

Flights to Iceland

Both EasyJet and Icelandair fly to Iceland. I checked out prices and flight times and selected EasyJet, flying from London Luton Airport. They also fly from Manchester (and other UK locations) but Luton has the better flight dates, times (and costs). 

My outbound flight was in the morning, at 07.05, arriving in Iceland at 09.05. Then my return flight is also in the morning at 09.15 and arriving back in the UK at 13.10. The flight time is 3 hours on the way there and about 2 and a half hours on the return. The 1 hour time difference means you gain an hour on the way there, and lose one on the way back.

What luggage allowance to choose?

The EasyJet luggage allowance included a small under-seat cabin bag (45 x 36 x 20 cm)*. Then I had a few options for adding on extra cabin luggage or a hold bag. Read below to get the best deal before you book.

I took hiking poles and tent poles (most airlines don’t allow them in the cabin luggage) I opted for additional hold luggage instead of a cabin bag.

When you make your booking, you’re initially given the option to add 23 kg of hold luggage. This was an extra £50.98 (each way), so another £100+ on my flight costs! I had a 55-litre backpack which I used on the trek so I didn’t need 23 kg. If you ignore this option when you book the flights then you can add a smaller hold bag, which is cheaper. I paid £30.24 for a 15 kg hold luggage. My bag weighed 12 kg.

Flights costs were £140.32 + £60.48 (hold luggage) = £200.80

I drove to Luton Airport so I also booked the long-stay car parking which was £129.99 for 10 days. There was a free shuttle bus every 20 minutes, which took 10 minutes so allow some time for this when arriving (the bus I was on was full and drove past some stops!)

*Correct at the time of writing.

You can read my detailed breakdown of costs for this trip below.

Keflavik Flybus Airport Transfer

It’s about an hour from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik. For ease, I booked the Flybus Airport transfer for both my outbound and return flights. The bus is direct to the BSI bus station which is approximately 45 minutes. Then you can take a shuttle bus from the bus station to your hotel (included in the price).

The shuttle bus stops at various points in Reykjavik, with numbered stops. You can check the website beforehand so you know where you need to get off, but the driver also reminds you which one! The buses run almost hourly (24 hours a day), I walked straight out of the airport and there was a bus there so no waiting.

Book your bus here: Reykjavik Excursions or book via GetYourGuide (note, there are cheaper options if you travel straight to the bus station so pick the right option).

I booked a return ticket which cost £54.22. My bus stop is number 8, which stopped close to my accommodation at B47 Hostel

Accomodation in Reykavik

I booked hostel accommodation in Reykjavik for my arrival day and also departure day, plus an extra day after my trip, so 3 nights in total. This allowed me time to buy food supplies and camping gas before my hike. And time for shopping and exploring afterwards.

My accommodation via Booking.com: Hostel B47 I booked a 6-bed female dorm, which cost £43.30 per night.

There are a few hostels in Reykjavik, some with camping options, dorms and private rooms. I selected a dorm room, but one of the smaller ones. There are cheaper accommodation options but they are sharing a 30+ bed dorm room, no thanks. I also chose my hostel based on its distance to the BSI bus stop, where I caught my bus to the start of the hike in Skogar.

The hostel was located in a large building, with the ground and first floor, I was on the first floor where there was a large social area, a small kitchen (there’s a bigger kitchen on the ground floor) and separate showers and toilets. My room was clean and spacious with plenty of plug sockets and a dark blind to ensure you have a good night’s sleep.

Check out other hostels here: Dalur -HI Eco Hostel, Kex Hostel, Baron’s Hostel, B14 Hostel

View all other accommodation options in Reykjavik via Booking.com here.

Things to do in Reykjavik

I have visited Reykjavik before (in 2017), so I did some activities from my ’10 Free Things to do in Reykjavik’ and enjoyed walking around the city and Reykjavik Harbour.

On this trip, I did a similar thing, walking around the city, eating food and enjoying the sites. Plus popping to the supermarket for some lunch supplies for the hike.

Read my guide here for how to travel on a budget in Iceland. There are a few tips I’ll be using on this trip, like bringing food from home in my hold luggage.

Hiking the Laugavegur Trail + Fimmvörðuháls Trail

Here’s the section on hiking the Laugavegur Trail and Fimmvörðuháls Trail! You can find all my planning for my hike, including how to get to the trail start, how far it is, which way I hiked the trail, plus loads more useful information. You’ll find my kit list in the next section.

I opted to hike the trail in the opposite direction, most people hike north to south, but I decided to switch and hike it south to north. You can read more below why I chose to do this. But first, I’ll answer a few important questions:

How long is the trail?

The length of the Laugavegur Trail is 55 km and the Fimmvörðuháls Trail is 25 km. 

The distance for the Fimmvörðuháls Trail is quoted differently in places, I’ve seen 22 km, 24 km and 25 km; however, if you are adding it onto the Laugavegur Trail then you’ll need to hike a few km between the trails which makes the total distance longer.

If you hike both then you’ll be hiking approximately 83 km, allowing for the extra in the middle.

Where does the trail start?

The official Laugavegur trail starts in Landmannalaugar and finishes in Thórsmörk. However, there is some bonus hiking to be done (completely optional) so you can continue from Thórsmörk on the Fimmvörðuháls Trail to Skogar, finishing at Skogafoss waterfall.

I hiked both trails but I chose to start in the south, beginning my hike in Skogar and finishing in Landmannalaugar.

How to get to the start of the hike?

There are two bus companies you can use to travel to the start of the trail – Reykjavik Excursions and Trex, they cost the same but offer different bus times. They also have different pick-up and drop-off locations in Reykjavik.

I booked my ticket to the start with Reykjavik Excursions (Highland Bus), costing £51.56. It left the BSI bus terminal at 07.00 and arrived in Skógar at 09.45 (2 hours 45 mins). I didn’t book my return until I’d finished the trail as I wanted flexibility to choose between two dates. 

Due to the bad weather on my departure day, I ended up booking a ticket with the Trex bus which was the earliest one departing Landmannalaugar. I left on the 14.30 bus which arrived back in Reykjavik at 18.20 (3 hours 50 mins). This ticket cost £71.76.

How long does it take to hike the trail?

If you do the traditional Landmannalaugar and finish in Thórsmörk, this is done on average in 4 days. If you’re adding the Fimmvörðuháls Trail to Skogar then you’ll need to factor in an extra day or two.

The huts on the trail (and the campsites are spread on the trail, roughly 12-16 km apart).

I planned to take 3-4 days to hike the trail (with the add-on to Skógar) so hiking between 20-25 km per day. I allowed extra days on my trips to allow flexibility and bonus hikes. I ended up taking 5 days to hike the two named trails, two days on the Fimmvörðuháls Trail and three days on the Laugavegur Trail.

In addition, I did some bonus hikes each day. I also spent two days at the end of the trail in Landmannalauger to do some day hikes in the area. I’d highly recommend this. Details below on my hikes.

When can you hike the trail?

There is a very small window that you can pick to hike these trails. The trail opens in mid-June and closes in mid-September, these dates are flexible if bad weather or heavy snow comes earlier then the hut wardens might decide to change them.

I picked August for my hike as I hoped that the weather would be better and I also there would be less snow on the trail as the majority of it would have melted. This meant it would be easier for hiking and also the river crossings wouldn’t be as deep/strong. Ironically, two days after I hiked the trail, snow fell on the trail! You can never predict Iceland’s weather.

Water on the hike

Most days I hiked with 1-1.5 litres of water. There were some water sources on the route and also, the weather wasn’t too hot so this was enough for me.

In the huts, there was drinking water so you could top up. Since I returned home I read there was an outbreak of Norovirus. All hikers are now advised to boil all drinking water, however, it wasn’t confirmed what the source of the outbreak was. I also took a water filter with me but I didn’t end up using it.

Do you have to hike with your rubbish?

As you would expect there are no bins on the trail, however, they do have places to dispose of rubbish and recycling at the huts.

This was except for the Baldvinsskáli Hut and Emstrur-Botnar Hut. Due to the remoteness of these locations, you are asked to carry all waste out with you. You can then dispose of it at the subsequent huts.

It’s worth packing a small rubbish bag that you can reuse on the trail.

Which direction should you hike the trail?

Hiking north to south

This is the official direction to hike the Laugavegur trail. The hike from Landmannaalaugar to Hrafntinnusker (11.7 km/7.3 miles) is one of the toughest sections. If you are hiking south there is 680 m/2,231 ft of ascent and you reach the highest point on the hike at 1,050 m. Generally, the weather is worse because of the elevation and remote mountain locations. If you can survive this weather, then the rest of the trail (in theory) should be better.

If you are planning to stay in the huts then you can ONLY book these if you are hiking north to south. If you are camping it’s fine to hike in either direction and book the campsites day by day.

You might read that the views in some instances are better hiking south; however, you simply need to remember to turn around to stop and enjoy the view so I don’t feel this is a bit factor in choosing the direction.

Hiking south to north

Firstly, although the distance will be the same, if you hike south the north you will hike more ascent because the start point at Skogar is 25 m above sea level and Landmannalaugar is 585 m above sea level.

If you start in Skogar, the total ascent is approximately 2,500 m with 1,900 m descent, it’s reversed if you start in Landmannalaugar, so you’re roughly hiking an additional 600 m over the two trails (83 km in total).

The Fimmvörðuháls Trail is deemed to be the tougher of the two trails, so people opt to do this at the end, which means they have the choice based on how they found the rest of the trail.

Why did I choose to hike the trail from south to north?

My reasons are personal to me, however, they might resonate with you so I thought I’d pop them here!

• I love waterfalls so beginning my hike in the south meant as I walked north I was able to see every waterfall in its full glory as I hiked towards them.
• I wanted to hike with fewer people around me, by hiking north it meant I had the start and end of each day on my own, and passed most people in the middle part of my day.
• I wanted a relaxing experience without feeling like I was in a hiking procession, overtaking hikers or having them pass me. (I get competitive at times so this can influence my pace).
• But the main thing is that I wanted to end my hike in Landmannalaugar, for four reasons: 

1. Landmannalaugar has a hot springs which for me is the perfect end to any hike.
2. I’d read that the Rainbow Mountains were a highlight of the trail and therefore a stunning way to end my hike
3. I wanted the option to spend extra time and do day hikes from Landmannalaugar – there are loads of great trails you can do from here, unlike Skogar which doesn’t have any. More details below.
4. There were more bus options for my return journey to Reykjavik, allowing great flexibility

My Iceland hiking itinerary

Here’s how I split my hiking trip to Iceland, over the two trails plus my day hikes from Landmannalaugar, including the distances and total ascent I hiked each day.

Fimmvörðuháls Trail

• Day 1 – Skogar to Baldvinsskáli Hut (Fimmvörðuháls Trail) – 13.7 km/1,002 m
• Day 2 – Baldvinsskáli Hut to Thórsmörk (þórsmörk) – Langidalur Hut (Fimmvörðuháls Trail) – 14.3 km/332 m
• Day 2 – Bonus hike from Thórsmörk (þórsmörk) – (Tindfjöll Circuit) – 11 km/360 m 

Laugavegur Trail

• Day 3 – Thórsmörk (þórsmörk) – Langidalur Hut to Emstrur-Botnar (Laugavegur Trail) – 16.2 km/680 m
• Day 3 – Bonus hike from Emstrur-Botnar (Markarfljótsgljúfur Canyon) – 4 km/100 m
• Day 4 – Emstrur-Botnar to Álftavatn (Laugavegur Trail) –  16.2 km/435 m
• Day 5 – Álftavatn to Landmannalauger (Laugavegur Trail) – 23.8 km/955 m

Landmannalaugar day hikes

• Day 6 – Landmannalaugar full-day circular hike (Ljótipollur crater lake, Stútur crater and Norðournámur mountain) – 18.3 km/818 m
• Day 7 – Landmannalaugar short circular hike – 5 km/183 m

What would I have done differently?

I was happy with how I split my day’s hiking, with my bonus hikes and add-ons I hiked between 14-26 km each day, some of those miles without my bigger backpack.

On my first day, I thought about delaying as it was forecast heavy rain. It was the type that soaks you, but the following day was good weather and since day one was all about the waterfalls I decided to go ahead with my plan. If it had been good weather, I’d have probably continued to Thórsmörk (þórsmörk) as the trail was mostly downhill but it turned out a night in the Baldvinsskáli Hut was fun. As a camper, this is the only hut you’re allowed inside, as it also doubles as an emergency shelter for day hikers and campers.

I loved my second and third days, hiking on the trail, setting up camp early and then heading off for bonus day hikes without my backpack, it was fun to hike with the freedom of no weight!

Day 4 was great, however, if I had more time, I’d have added another two days into this section. A day for doing the day hikes from the Hvanngil Hut and another to do a day hike from Álftavatn. These locations are in the heart of the trail and the scenery was mind-blowing, I’d have certainly enjoyed doing some long day hikes from these spots.

And my final day, I opted to hike up to the hut at Hrafntinnusker but then continue to Landmannalaugar, instead of splitting this into two days. I did this for two reasons, firstly, I felt that the distance was achievable in a day, without needing to rush the section. It took me 7 hours and 45 minutes. Although the main reason is that the temperature had dropped and the wind had increased. The thought of camping at 1,032 m at the hut when there is limited shelter from strong wind gusts didn’t appeal so heading down to 585 m made sense.

More useful information about the trails

Here you can read more useful information about the trails and what to expect in terms of the terrain, difficulty, way-marking and of course, the river crossings!

About the Fimmvörðuháls Trail 

I’ve read that this trail is deemed to be tougher than the Laugavagur Trail. I agree in parts. The first section from Skogar up to the Baldvinsskáli Hut, is a straightforward trail. It runs alongside the Skoga River so in terms of navigating it’s easy to follow and there’s not much technical ground. After crossing the bridge you then follow a wide track to the hut, again, this is easy to hike on and navigate.

The tougher section is after the Baldvinsskáli Hut, you head down and across volcanic terrain, a combination of black sand, ash and slabs of snow/ice. I worried that I needed my microspikes, but the ash meant it wasn’t icy! You’re following bright yellow snow poles here, spread fairly close so they are easy to spot.

 

The trail splits and one way goes via the Fimmvörðuháls Hut, but I stayed on the main trail heading uphill and then past the newly formed craters of Magni and Möði. They are worth a detour (in good weather).

You then have a steep descent, with epic views so it’s worth taking your time. At the bottom, there is a small exposed section with chains. It’s about 50 m, but with a big backpack, it felt a little scary. I hiked with my body weight leaning towards the side and took my time.  

The terrain is now noticeably more green and you continue your descent to the valley. The first hut you go past is Básar, then you have your first river crossing to reach the hut at Thórsmörk. There is a metal mobile bridge over the deepest/strongest section of the river, then you walk the other shallower parts to the finish.

About the Laugavegur Trail 

This trail begins on a lovely path from the campsite at Langidalur Hut and then takes you uphill before descending to your first river crossing. This is known as the most challenging on the trail, so hiking north means you do the hardest one first! Read more about Iceland’s river crossings below.

The route is well-marked and there are beautiful views, a good chunk of the first day is easy trails, long flat sections intersected with a few inclines. There’s an impressive lookout down to the river before you head downhill and make your way to a narrow path (with a handheld chain) and a bridge over the raging river! And then, a steep uphill to a viewpoint where you can see Emstrur-Botnar.

After this hut, again the trail is fairly easy and mostly flat, there’s a river crossing early on (which I used stones to cross) and then another one with a bridge this time. Just before the Hvanngil Hut, there’s a wide river crossing, followed by another bridge before reaching this hut. And as you leave there’s another steep uphill as you walk through fields of bog cotton before a descent to another river crossing just before you reach Álftavatn.

The hut and campsite at Álftavatn is next to a beautiful lake with mountains surrounding it, the perfect spot to spend the night. From here, you follow a wide track before the final river crossing of the trail. This one has a rope to assist, but luckily I also managed to use the rocks to navigate across this one. There’s a big uphill section, again, it’s steep and tricky in places.

Once you reach the top the terrain completely switches up a gear. The colour of the rocks changes to yellow and oranges, and there’s a lot of evidence of geothermal activity.  

About 6 km in the distance you can see the Hrafntinnusker Hut but this section is deceiving as you need to hike up and down across the barren ash plains. It’s steep both up and down, with muddy paths meaning it’s challenging, especially in wet weather. You also need to look out for snow bridges, and avoid walking on these!

Once you reach the hut at Hrafntinnusker there’s a short ascent before you then begin descending to Landmannalaugar, with lots to see on the route and then amazing Rainbow Mountains at the end this hike delivers right up util the finish.

What are the river crossings like?

For many, river crossings are not a normal part of their hikes. Most people would opt to walk around or use a bridge, however, in Iceland, you don’t have that luxury.

In total, across the two trails, there are 6 river crossings on the map. Two of these have multiple crossings so it feels like you’re doing more. This is the Krossá River between Þósmörk (Thósmörk) and Básar and also, the Þröngá (Thröngá) River shortly after Thósmörk or just before if you’re hiking south. If you are finishing (or starting) at Þósmörk (Thósmörk) then you can skip this river crossing as the overland bus fjords the river to pick you up.

River crossings (in order from south to north)

1. Krossá River between Thósmörk to Básar
2. Þröngá River (3 km after Thósmörk)
3. Unnamed river (2.5 km after Emstrur-Botnar Hut)
4. Bládfjallakvisl River (1.5 km before Hvanngil Hut)
5. River Brathálskvisl (2 km after Hvanngil Hut) 
6. Grashagakvisl River (4 km after Álftavatn Hut) 

Notes for each crossing*

1. You only need to cross this if you’re continuing to the Fimmvörðuháls Trail. There is a metal mobile bridge over the deepest/strongest current but then you need to walk through the smaller streams
2. This is known as the toughest crossing, the river is split so you end up crossing two smaller sections and one deep/strong section. The water was strong in the middle and the water splashed up to my knees but the depth was below knee level.
3. The water level was ankle deep and I used stones to cross – I didn’t realise it was the official crossing until about 1 km later.
4. This was the widest river crossing, and strong in the middle (not as bad as the first one). Note DO NOT cross at the road, this is much deeper, walk left and cross where the water split between land and it is noticeably shallower. It was just below knee-deep.
5. This was a short crossing, not particularly strong, it was shin-deep in the centre. Not challenging.
6. The final crossing was noticeably deep and there was also some rope between two rocks; however, the water was shallow enough so that I could cross safely on dry rocks.

*Information based on when I crossed in August 2024. I am 5 ft 7″ – if you’re wondering!

My tips for river crossing in Iceland

Firstly, I hiked the trail in August, although it rained on my first day the rest of the hike was relatively dry. Also, if you hike earlier in the season (from mid-June to July), the river levels are likely to be higher due to increased snowmelt.

I’m a qualified Summer Mountian Leader in the UK, so my tips are based on my Mountain Leader Training Qualification and previous experience.

Planning before your hike

• Pack an additional pair of footwear for the river crossings, I used my Teva Sandals, but you can also use water shoes or Crocs. Do not wear flip-flops (the power of the water will pull these off your feet – which happened to two hikers I met).
• Ensure all your kit is packed in a waterproof bag (inside your backpack). If do do fall, at least your clothes and sleeping bag will stay dry.
• Pack a small towel so you can dry your feet on the other side.
• Bring a Caraniner to clip your footwear to your bag so you have both hands free.
• Take hiking poles, these will also be useful on other parts of the hike but you’ll be glad to have them when crossing the rivers too.
• Consider what you will wear ie trousers, leggings or shorts (I hiked in shorts but many people wear trousers so think about how easy these are to roll up)

Crossing the river

• First plan where to cross – the widest sections of the river will likely be the shallowest but also look for any white water as this will be dangerous as the current will be stronger.
• Once you’ve picked a point, make sure you can get out on the other side
• Change into your footwear, remove knee supports and roll up trousers/leggings (or remove them)
• Unclip both your chest and waist strap on your backpack (if you fall you can easily remove it).
• Take your time when crossing, take small steps and don’t rush.
• If you are unsure, then wait for fellow hikers and cross together.

Once you’ve crossed the river make sure you get your warm layers back on straight away, the water is ice cold and it can also bring your body temperature down so it’s important to get warm socks and shoes on and get hiking to get the blood pumping around your body and back to your feet.

You can find more information, plus some videos of my river crossings on my Instagram @beckythetraveller

Laugavegur Trail + Fimmvörðuháls Trail Kit List (Hiking + Camping Gear)

Here is my list of what I took on the trip, from my camping kit, and hiking items, to what I wore and also what food I packed for the trip.

I packed everything in my Atom Packs 50-litre backpack, with expandable sections adding an extra 5 litres. This is a great lightweight pack (it’s frameless) but I’ve used it for a couple of trips, including travelling around Costa Rica and also hiking the 200-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

Camping kit

• Tent – MSR Access 1 (4-season tent)
• Tent groundsheet – MSR footprint
• Sleeping mat – Thermarest X-Therm
• Sleeping bag – Thermarest Hyperion (900-fill 0 degrees comfort/-6 limit)
• Pillow – Thermarest Air Head
• Sleeping bag liner – Thermarest

Cooking gear

• Stove – MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe (with self-ignitor)
• Camping pot – MSR pot)
• Gas medium size (bought in Iceland)
• Lighter (bought in Iceland)
• Long spoon – MSR 

Hiking clothes

• Hiking shoes – Salomon Ultra Glide 2
• Hiking sandals (for water crossing/camp) – Tevas
• Waterproof jacket – Salomon 
• Windproof jacket – Hoka lightweight
• Waterproof trousers – Salomon Bonatti
• Warm down jacket – Salomon
• Mid layer/hoody – Salomon 
• Hiking shorts – Salomon 
• T-shirt – Salomon Tee
• Long-sleeved base layer (top + bottoms) – Polypro 
• Spare t-shirt + leggings (camp/sleepwear)
• Warm beanie – Salomon
• Cap – 
• Gloves x 2 (Montane warm winter and Merino liner gloves)
• Mittens x 2 (Salomon lightweight waterproof mittens)
• Hiking socks x 4
• Waterproof socks x 1
• Underwear x 4
• Sports bra x 2
• Bikini 
• Sunglasses

Hiking kit

• Water bottle and soft flask – Salomon
• Water filter and bladder – Platypus
• Hiking poles (Black Diamond running poles)

Other items

• Sun cream – Premax 
• Body/face wipes
• Small towel (bath towels were included at my hostel)
• Small notebook and pen
• Ear plugs + eye mask
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Shampoo and soap
• First aid kit

Food

• Coffee bags x 7
• Peppermint tea bags x 8
• Camp meals x 7 (Mix of Summit to Eat and Torq Camp Meals)
• Porridge x 8 (Moma porridge pots/sachets – decanted into zip-lock bags)
• Snack bars x 15
• Pepperami sticks
• Kendal mint cake x 2 (small bars)
• Lunch – I bought this when I arrived in Iceland

 

Iceland trip costs

Iceland is an expensive country to travel to, however, there are things you can do to reduce the costs. I have included my costs here for travelling to Iceland, transport costs and accommodation whilst I was there and also the costs of my hike. Below you can also read my suggestions for how I could have saved more money on my hike.

Travelling to Iceland

• Airport parking (10 days) £129.99
• Fuel costs (Nottingham to Luton) return £60 (approx)
• Flights including extra for hold luggage £200.80

Sub-total £390.79

Transport, accommodation and food in Reykyavik

• Airport transfer (outbound and return) £54.22
• Hostel – 6-bed dorm (3 nights in Reykjavik) £131.99
• Dinners x 4 (Icelandic Street Food – photo above (Unlimited soup + drink) £20.41, Vitabar (burger + beer) £18.14, New York Pizza + beer £27.96, 101 Street Food (Icelandic soup + beer) £18.66 = £85.17
• Lunch + other meals Savory crepe + drink £17.14, Cinamon bun £4.31, Takeaway Hot dog £6.16 
• Grocery shopping (breakfast bars + bananas) – £2.44

Sub-total £301.43

Transport costs to/from the hike

• Transport to the start of the trail in Skogar £51.56
• Transport from the end of the trail in Landmannalaugar is £71.74 (Trex bus)

Sub-total £123.30

Costs on the hike (accommodation and food)

• Grocery shopping (lunch/snacks for hike bought in Reykyavik) £21.62
• Campsite costs x 6 nights (Baldvinsskali £17.68, Thorsmork £17.42, Emstrur £17.66, Alftavatn £17.66, Landmannalauger x 2 £35.08) = £105.50
• Medium gas canister – £9.19
• Food on the trail (and at the end) (Soup and hot drink at Alftavatn £16.91, Food at Landmannalauger crisps £5.01, soup and drink £13.35, hot chocolate £5.32, soup £10.09)

Sub-total £186.99

 

Total costs for my Iceland trip

These are the costs for my 10-day trip to Iceland, if you exclude my costs for travelling to Iceland (£390.79), then my total cost for my 10 days in Iceland was £611.72, and half those costs were from spending 2 days/3 nights in Reykjavik. 

• Travel costs to Iceland £390.79
• Transport, accommodation and food in Reykyavik £301.43
• Transport to/from the hike £123.30
• Cost of the hike (accommodation and food) is £186.99

Total costs = £1,002.51

Travelling on a budget in Iceland

As you can see when you look at my breakdown of costs for my hiking trip to Iceland I did aim to do it on a small budget. However, there were lots of ways I could have made my trip cheaper. Here are my suggestions below:

• Spend less time in Reykjavik – as you can see from my costs, the biggest spending was in the city, both accommodation and eating out. To reduce these costs I could have booked fewer days or instead of staying in a hostel, I could have camped in Reykyavik.
• Food costs in Reykjavik – I chose to eat out every evening (4 nights), I did pick lower-priced restaurants but to save more I could have bought food from the supermarket and cooked at the hostel.
• Pack more food from home – I took enough meals/snacks for my hike but packing some extra food for after my hike (my 2 days in Landmannalauger) would have saved some money. 
• Don’t drink beer – I had 3 beers on my trip, which might not seem a lot but at roughly £10 each, that’s another £30 I could have saved on my trip.
• Camp meals – this was a big saving for me, in the UK, I buy my camp meals from Base Camp Food, a company that sells different brands so you can mix and match which means you take. At the camp shop in Reykjavik, these meals were double the cost.

Things to do in Landmannalaugar

I arrived at Landmannalaugar on my final day at 4 pm, after setting up my tent and having food there was one thing I wanted to do – take a bath!

Landmannalaugar hot springs

The best thing to do at the end of an epic hike is to chill in the natural hot springs. In Landmannalaugar this is located next to the hut/campsite, along a short boardwalk.

Here they have added steps with a handrail into the water and a small area where you can hang up your towels and clothes.

Please note, there is nowhere private to change into your swimwear. Most people get dressed in their swimwear beforehand and do a quick change into dry clothes afterwards.

I went in twice and both times sat in different places according to the water temperature. Generally, the further back the hotter the water. On the first day it was cold and windy so I sat in warmer water, the following day it was sunny and the water temperature was much hotter.

The riverbed had small stones, but it was fine going in barefoot.

Day hikes from Landmannalaugar

I opted to spend two extra days in Landmannalauger to explore hikes in the area. On my second day, the weather was awful. The temperature dropped over 10 degrees, and there were strong wind gusts (35 mph in camp) so they were even stronger up high, oh and it was heavy rain, followed by snow. This meant I ended up doing a shorter hike instead of a longer day hike and I caught the earlier bus back to Reykjavik.

There are 3 buses you can catch back to Reykjavik, 14.30, 15.45 and 18.00.

Ljótipollur Crater Lake hike from camp

Distance: 18 km
Ascent: x
Time: 6-7 hours

From the Landmannalaugar campsite, it’s a short walk along the road before a small hill overlooking the lake. You also have great views of Stútur, another volcanic Crater which you can hike up to.

The route then takes you alongside a small section of the road before you hike up to the rim of the crater.

It’s 4 km to walk the entire loop, and I’d highly recommend doing this. I walked around it in a clockwise direction and this was great as I finished the loop with the best views (in my opinion).

After I hiked around the crater I descended and hiked up the mountain opposite. This is a steep ascent (and even steeper on the other side) but the views were amazing and I had a great view of the Crater Lake from above.

Top tip – wear a neck gaiter on the road section on the way back as passing vehicles kick up a lot of dust.

Laugavegur Trail FAQs

How difficult is the Laugavegur Trail?

I read a few guides about hiking the trail in preparation for my trip and I was confident that I wouldn’t find the trail too challenging. My biggest concerns were the river crossings and the unpredictable weather but both of those were fine. 

In terms of the terrain, the Fimmvörðuháls Trail had the trickier sections, a lava field, a small exposed section and a couple of steep rocky descents (or ascents if you were heading north) but then it also had some good trails and tracks to hike on.

The Laugavagur Trail again, had some steep ascents and descents, but mostly the terrain and paths were good. There were a couple of sections where the path disappeared due to the terrain, but the trail markings were good so I didn’t struggle.

I’d say a good level of UK hiking experience, in different weathers will ensure you’re as prepared as you can be for hiking in Iceland. 

What is the best time of year to do the hike?

After researching, the best time of year is between the end of June to mid-September. My first trip was mid-June and it was still cool in the evenings but the main thing in Iceland is the crazy winds! But hopefully, in August, it’ll be perfect weather, or at least good enough to hike and camp!

Can you hike the trail without a guide?

Yes, you can hike it without a guide, that’s what I did. I have hiked numerous trails solo and felt I had a good level of experience to hike the trail solo. Interestingly I did spot signs, saying ‘Never hike solo’, I guess for a first hiking trail this might not be the one to pick as the weather and terrain can be tough at times so you need to be prepared. I did spot a few other solo hikers but I was the only solo person (that I know of heading in the south the north direction). If it is your first solo hike I would recommend hiking north to south as you’ll be around a lot more people each day so if you need help it’s more easily available.

Are there bugs on the trail?

This might be the first hiking trail I’ve done where there were no bugs on the hike, well, none that I saw anyway! No midges, mosquitoes or other annoying bugs that bring you out in bites. That’s not to say that you’d never get them, however, hiking the trail in August, I had a mix of warm and cold weather, some windy days and some very calm and I didn’t see or feel anything.

How many river crossings are there?

In total, over the two trails, there were six river crossings, varying from very easy to hard. You can read my detailed information and top tips in the river crossing section above.

And if you watched my Instagram stories of crossing the rivers, then I can confirm they were freezing cold!

What challenges were specific to hiking in Iceland?

I would say the main challenges in Iceland were the river crossings and the weather. There can be bad weather anywhere you hike, but Iceland is remote in places, with zero shelter for large sections of the hike so if the weather is bad then you only have your clothes and kit to protect you.

In addition, camping can be challenging due to Iceland’s weather, the wind gusts can be strong and they can break tents, so ensuring you’ve pitched it well is important. I found that even when the wind speed was fairly low, for example, 10-15 mph, the wind gusts could be between 30-35 mph. You noticed them hit when you were in your tent! My top tip is to pitch your tent well, but also take earplugs so the wind doesn’t keep you awake.

Can you wild camp in Iceland?

Before my trip, I reached wild camping in Iceland. On the trail, wild camping is not allowed in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, which is the section between Landmannalaugar and (just before) Álftavatn Hut. Also, you are not permitted to wild camp around Skogafoss, but there is a campsite here.

On the remainder of the trail, I did spot a couple of suitable wild camp spots, however, for this trip I opted to stay at the campsites, so I had access to toilets, water and the all-important weather updates that the wardens at each hut provide.

What did you do for navigation?

For my hike, I had a few different navigation tools. On my phone, I downloaded each section of the trail (for offline use) from my Komoot App. I also bought a guidebook, which included detailed navigation instructions and I also bought a map which had both trails on and I took my compass with me. The map also had a QR code for the GPX file.

Each night, I researched the trail ahead, checking the map to see what challenges I was going to come across and how much ascent I was going to do. I also looked at where the river crossings were on the map (as this determined what I started hiking in). For example, I hiked in shorts most days, putting on my waterproof/windproof trousers if the weather was bad, but if I had a river crossing 3 km from the hut I would leave these off until after I’d crossed. Personally, my legs don’t get too cold so as long as my core was warm I’d be ok for a few km in shorts.

Was the trail easy to follow?

Each day, I mostly used the guideposts to navigate the trail, there were wooden stakes with blue marks on them on the Laugavegur Trail and in some places, there were bright yellow snow poles which led the way. I was fortunate to have good visibility on most days, but I can imagine some parts of the trail would be more challenging in bad weather. Overall, I didn’t have any navigation challenges.

On the Laugavegur Trail, in addition, there are detailed signposts, with distances and useful information, there are 28 of these in total, (they are numbered, I didn’t count them). These also provide the elevation, nearby challenges/dangers and where the nearest shelter is (in time).

Do you need to carry all your food?

Yes, you need to carry all your food for the trip. The huts have a few basic supplies, porridge pots, noodles, chocolate bars and soft drinks (some alcoholic too).

I have shared what food I took for the trip above so you can use it for inspiration for your trip.

There was one restaurant on the trail, at the Álftavatn Hut, they also had a small bar too. They offer one option for lunch and one dinner, I popped in when I arrived and was still in time for the lunch which was a lovely hot Tomato Soup and a hot drink.

Is there Wi-Fi or phone service in any of the huts?

On the trail, there was no Wi-Fi in any of the huts, except the privately owned Volcano Huts at Thórsmörk. 

As regards phone service, as the UK are no longer in the EU my phone provider charges an additional £2.47 per day to use my data. I chose to keep my phone in Flight Mode for the entire trip, except at Landmannalaugar when I needed to turn it on to book my bus ticket back to Reykjavik (you can’t buy them on the bus). This was to enjoy a phone detox but also to preserve my phone battery so I could take lots of photos and videos of my trip.

However, some fellow hikers, also hiking south to north, had their phones on and they had some phone signal every day on the trail, I can’t confirm where the ‘dead’ spots were but I can imagine there would have been a few due to large sections hiking in the valleys.

The main reason I would have used my phone would be for weather updates, but the wardens at each hut provided the daily weather forecast and for the following day too.

If you have any more questions then pop them below. I’ll be updating this guide as I plan my trip and once I return I’ll add lots more detail and useful information.