Laugavegur Classic
Reykjavík, Iceland
5.0 (13 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Most Iconic Iceland Hike
- Stunning Landscapes
- Hot Springs & Geysers
- Cozy Mountain Huts
- Vehicle Assisted for Supplies
- Glaciers & Mountain Views
- Big Icelandic Waterfalls
Description
The ‘Laugavegur Classic’ portered trek is Iceland’s most iconic trek and for good reason! This hike will take you through a wide variety of landscapes from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork. On the Laugavegur Trek we will experience rainbow-colored mountains, a variety of fantastic geothermal features, obsidian lava fields, plunging waterfalls, thundering rivers, pristine lakes and serene natural settings. Additionally, black sand deserts and beautiful lush Birch forests are accompanied by huge glacier ice caps.
As on all Iceland treks, the weather can be relatively harsh (windy, cold and rainy usually mixed with some sunshine and calm conditions as well). The huts are communal and rustic, and provide wonderful refuge from potentially bad weather in the evenings. Join us and prepare yourself for a very authentic Icelandic hiking experience!
$200 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
On this trip the single supplement includes single rooms in the hotels we stay at before and after the trek. Once on our trek we will not have the ability to put guests in single rooms. Please be prepared to share rooms, huts, teahouse accommodations..etc. with other guests and hikers once we’re on the trek. Different sexes will never be asked to share a room unless they are traveling together or we are in communal lodging with several people in one room.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip has some long days (11-14 miles), but the elevation gain/loss is not extreme. Hiking in Iceland is generally at low elevations – often near or just above sea level – which makes the hiking more moderate than many higher elevation destinations.
Hiking Distances:
Up to 14 mi
Backpack Weight:
10-20 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
1600 ft
Heights Exposure:
Light
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-20 lb backpack for 8-10 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on variable, uneven terrain
- River and creek crossings
- Potentially hiking in cold, windy, rainy conditions
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Iceland hike a solitude 2. You can expect to have as much as an hour of solitude at a time while hiking.
BOOKING FLIGHTS
For our Iceland treks you will need to fly into Keflavik International Airport on Day 1, no later than 3 P.M. Your guide will rendezvous with you at our hotel (we provide a shuttle voucher for transport from the airport to the hotel). An orientation meeting and accommodations are included on Day 1. Your return flight should be scheduled for anytime the final day of the tour or later.
Flights to and from Keflavik International Airport are the guest’s responsibility. Multiple airlines operate flights into Keflavik from many U.S. and European international airports. Some of the primary U.S. departure cities include Denver, Portland, Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis. The duration of nonstop flights is 6-9 hours.
Your flight on the final day of the trip can depart at any time.
Minimum of 2 Guests
We require a minimum of 2 guests to confirm this trip. If a trip date is not confirmed yet, you can register and will be notified when the trip is officially confirmed. We recommend not making final travel arrangements until your trip meets the minimum number of guests and is confirmed.
In most cases, if a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 45 days before the departure date.
PRIVATE TRIPS
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
PRIVATE RATES FOR THIS TRIP
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 2
- 4-5 People: Rate x 1.5
- 6-10 People: Rate x 1.15
- 11-12 People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person and single supplements apply
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsItinerary
DAY 1
On this Iceland hiking tour, we provide you with a shuttle voucher to get from Keflavik International airport near Reykjavik, Iceland to tonight’s hotel. After checking into your hotel room (included), you are free to explore the capital city on your own. Reykjavik’s city center is small and you can travel everywhere on foot. Your guides will designate a time to conduct the pre-trip orientation meeting. The orientation meeting is time to ask questions, meet other expedition members, check over gear, and review the itinerary. Icelandic weather can be cold and rainy so be sure to follow the gear list closely! After the orientation meeting, your guide will make suggestions for fantastic dinner spots in Reykjavik, as dinner is on your own this evening.
NOTE: If your flight lands in the morning, your hotel room will not be ready for you to check in. However, you will be able to store your luggage and start your city exploration.
DAY 2
- Driving Duration: 4 hours
- Hiking Mileage: 3-5 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: minimal
- Trekking Duration: 1-2 hours
This morning your guide will pick you up at the hotel and transport you to the local bus station. From the bus station, you will have a 4-hour ride through the beautiful Icelandic country side. You will have amazing views of the famous Hekla volcano and journey into the Fjallabak Nature Reserve. We will arrive at the stunning and busy Landmannalaugar around mid-day, where lunch will be served and we will check into our rustic mountain hut. After check in, we will begin our first half-day hike. We will be immersed among colorful peaks and valleys, geothermal features and lava fields. Once we return from the hike, we will have time to soak in the geothermal hot creek which runs close to our hut. After we soak, we will enjoy the delicious dinner prepared by your guides. Typical Icelandic food consists of tender mountain lamb, delicious fish and lots of potatoes. Make sure you let us know if you have any dietary restrictions. After dinner, your guides will brief you on the plan for the next day and then the remainder of the evening is free for your enjoyment. Feel free to have another soak in the hot creek or take a stroll around the encampment. In June and July, it does not get dark in Iceland, so make sure to bring a ‘buff’ or scarf to aide in your sleeping.
DAY 3
- Hiking Mileage: 7-10 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1600 feet
- Trekking Duration: 7-8 hours
This morning after a delicious breakfast we will begin our trek. We will encounter multi-colored mountains, obsidian lava fields and geothermal features. The scenery today is unique to Iceland and usually surprises people by how “unearthly” it looks. Depending on our weather, we may have views of Mt. Hekla and several icecaps.
Our hike will eventually lead us to the obsidian dome where the Hrafntinnusker Mountain Hut is located. Don’t worry if you can’t pronounce it, we’ll teach you! The Hrafntinnusker hut is extremely rustic but chances are you will be thankful to have a roof over your head.
DAY 4
- Hiking Mileage: 7-10 miles
- Elevation Loss: 1600 feet
- Trekking Duration: 7-8 hours
This morning we will have a nutritious breakfast, pack our gear and begin our day’s trek. We start the day hiking across the Hrafntinnusker plateau with wide open views of geothermal formations, hot springs and mud pools. Depending on the month, we may be hiking in snow. Reaching the edge of this plateau, the view opens up to green plains and moss-covered hills. There are two classic mountain huts we can choose from for tonight’s stay, both offering a welcome rest, big dinner (prepared by your guides), and good night’s sleep.
DAY 5
- Hiking Mileage: 8-14 miles
- Elevation Gain: 900 feet
- Trekking Duration: 7-9 hours
After a delicious breakfast, we will begin our trek out of the mountains and across a black sand desert. Soon enough the glaciers and moss of the lush mountains we’ve been in will disappear and we will be hiking across an amazing desert of black sand. This afternoon we have the option – if weather and conditions permit – to hike along the Makarfljotsgljufur, a very impressive canyon, while being exposed to the neighboring icecaps. We can also enjoy a day hike to the edge of Makarfljotsgljufur and the ice caps after we’ve arrived at our hut if energy and time allow. We will be staying in the Botnar huts in the valley of Emstrur.
DAY 6
- Hiking Mileage: 10-11 miles
- Elevation Loss: 1000 feet
- Trekking Duration: 8 hours
This morning after breakfast, we leave the Emstrur Valley after a steep descent and a bridge crossing. We will witness amazing basaltic columns, green mossy gorges and views of the large glaciers. Eventually, we descend into a Birch forest with lush vegetation all around. We soon reach Thorsmork, where we finish our trek and get on a scheduled bus back to Reykjavik. The journey isn’t over yet, as the first part of the bus ride has some impressive river crossings. Once back in Reykjavik we will check into our hotel rooms (included) and your guide will make dining suggestions, as dinner is on your own this evening.
DAY 7
Today is the final day of the Wildland Trekking, Laugavegur Classic portered trek. We will ensure you get on the proper Flybus Shuttle for departure to Keflavik International Airport. If you are remaining in Iceland, please let us know. We can arrange extra activities in Iceland. Thanks for choosing Wildland Trekking!
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however occasionally trips are subject to itinerary changes based on a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to: lodging/campground availability, extreme weather, political or bureaucratic obstacles, earthquakes, fires, flooding and more. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- A detailed trip packet that takes the guesswork out of your travel, training, packing, and preparing for the trip
- Access to our Adventure Consultant team 7 days a week
- Transportation for the duration of the tour starting on Day 1 and ending on the day you depart
- Lodging before and after the trekking portion of the trip and mountain hut reservations and accommodations on the trek
- Sleeping pads and sleeping bags
- 4×4 vehicle service for transportation of luggage and supplies between huts
- Use of a day pack and trekking poles
- All meals from breakfast on Day 2 through lunch on the last day of the trekking portion of the trip
- Professional, certified Wildland Iceland hiking guides
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- A Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and dependents to a discount of 10% off any Wildland hiking trip after your first one (must book directly with us to receive the discount)!
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
- Flights to/from Iceland
- Dinners in Reykjavik
- Trip insurance that includes medical coverage and at least $200,000 in evacuation and repatriation coverage (strongly encouraged)
- Bar bills, drink bills, extra snacks, telephone bills, wifi bills and other personal expenses (shopping/laundry)
- All expenses due to unavoidable events e.g. flight cancellation, personal illness, strikes, etc. (we recommend trip insurance coverage for these variables)
- Clothes, rain gear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Gratuity for guide(s) and crew (industry recommendation is 10-20% of total trip cost; please tip your lead guide and they will distribute responsibly to the crew. USD or local currency is acceptable.)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
MEALS: WHAT TO EXPECT
This Iceland hiking tour features a combination of in-town meals and meals prepared by your guide. Most meals are prepared on the trail by your guides.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables. In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We can often accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee, and in some countries may be more difficult to accommodate than others. Please inquire with us for more information about the specific trip you’re interested in.
GEAR WE PROVIDE
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Backpacks
- Trekking poles
- Sleeping bags, sleeping pads
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device
WHAT GEAR TO BRING
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter water bottles per person and basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important.
WHAT CLOTHES TO BRING
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required.
Trip Logistics
HOW DO I REGISTER?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
WHERE DO WE MEET?
Wildland Trekking will provide a Flybus (airport shuttle) voucher for you to exchange for a free ticket to get to your hotel when you arrive at the Keflavik International Airport near Reykjavik, Iceland. After checking in the hotel rooms, you are free to explore the capital city on your own. Reykjavik’s city center is small and very walkable. Your guide will contact you approximately 45 days before your trip begins to answer any questions you have and coordinate a time to conduct the pre-trip orientation meeting.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
Your safety is our top priority. This trek is led by professional hiking guides along with additional support staff. All of our guides are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and all tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
In the interest of your safety, it’s important to refer to the Center for Disease Control website for up-to-date recommendations on immunizations before your trip.
GUIDES
This trip is led by expert, local Wildland guides. Our approach to international travel is to combine the best of two worlds: the dialed-in details, professionalism and consistency Wildland trips are known for; and the cultural immersion and intimate regional knowledge that only locals can provide. To excel with this approach, we vet and hire the best local guides, welcome them into the Wildland family and train them to meet our standard of excellence with every aspect of a trip. But along with managing logistics and safety, your guides will teach you about the area’s history and culture, and provide a level of familiarity and intimate detail only locals can.
Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
GUIDE WORKING PARAMETERS
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
GROUP SIZE AND AGE RESTRICTIONS
The standard group size on this hiking tour is 12 guests. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Age restrictions are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
TRIP INSURANCE
For your protection, we strongly recommend the purchase of field evacuation, repatriation, and medical trip insurance. International travel is expensive, and the modest cost of trip insurance is a sound investment in an uncertain world.
If you wish to purchase trip insurance, we recommend IMG/iTravelinsured. They are one of the world’s leading providers of travel insurance.
For information on recommended IMG/iTravelinsured policies please click here.
For even greater information, or if you simply prefer communicating with a real, live person, feel free to contact our exclusive agent Michael Bennett. Michael will help you identify the best product for your needs, and there is no cost associated with his assistance. You may contact him at:
Email: WildLandTrekking@EasyToInsureME.com
US by Phone: 877-305-9083
Direct/International by Phone: 702-448-3664
If you already have insurance or wish to purchase from anyone other than IMG/iTravelinsured, we recommend careful consultation with the provider to ensure appropriate coverage. This is because many providers have a number of policy exclusions.
If you secure an insurance policy please bring a copy of it to provide to your guides at the orientation meeting.
WEATHER IN ICELAND
The weather in Iceland is generally cool, and the country has what is considered a temperate climate. The relatively warm North Atlantic Current makes Iceland’s temperatures more temperate than many places of similar latitude. It can be quite cool, rainy and windy in the summer, so being prepared with the proper rain gear and warmth layers is critical.
The average temperatures and precipitation in Iceland are:
| Month | Hi | Low | Wet Days |
| June | 54° F | 45° F | 15 days |
| July | 60° F | 50° F | 15 days |
| August | 57° F | 48° F | 16 days |
| September | 52° F | 43° F | 18 days |
Accommodations
FOSSHOTEL RAUÐARÁ
2 NIGHTS
In central Reykjavík, this premier hotel is easy walking distance to the main shopping district, many great restaurants, and a wonderful city park.
ICELAND MOUNTAIN HUTS
4 NIGHTS
Iceland’s mountain huts offer cozy, dry, warm shelters with rustic, communal accommodations and dorm style sleeping. Amenities range from hut to hut and at most include hot water, showers or electricity.
* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used.
Trip Reviews
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Bob M.
Laugavegur Trail with Wildland Trekking
Not my first trip with Wildland and not my last. I have always had Iceland on my list, and I knew Wildland would do it right. While I am generally a solo hiker, the advantage of using a good outfitter and local guide can be immeasurable. For this particular trek, the ability to have a support vehicle meant less less pack weight and incredible meals; having a local guide meant seeing all of the meaningful sights, some off the main trail. Our guide Michael and his able assistant Antoine were excellent, both providing those who wished the opportunity to explore hidden sights along alternate routes to do so, some spending perhaps a third of the trip off the main trail and away from any crowds. While not always the driest time, September proved to be only sightly overcast and a period with less trekkers and more semi-private accommodations in the huts; we literally had every night either a private room in a hut or in two cases an entire hut to ourselves, which I attribute to the shoulder season and having a locally known guide.
Claudia K
Our Trip Was Perfect
I highly recommend Wildland Trekking. This was our second trip with the company and we were not dissapointed!
Sejal P
Excellent Guide
I can not recommend Laugavegur Classic trek and the guide Michael enough. Amazing guide, loved he took us off the beaten path and took such good care of the group. I couldn't have imagined doing the trek with anyone else.
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