All activities / Trekking / Hiking / Landmannalaugar
Trekking / Hiking in LandmannalaugarIS
The rhyolite trailhead of the Laugavegur, Iceland's classic hut-to-hut trek through obsidian fields, black-sand desert, and glacier rivers.
Why here
The Laugavegur runs 55km from Landmannalaugar's steaming rhyolite mountains to the birch woods of Thorsmork, crossing obsidian fields, black-sand desert, and glacier-fed river fords in three to four hut-to-hut days, with the Fimmvorduhals extension to Skogar adding a fifth over the 2010 eruption craters. Ferdafelag Islands, the Iceland Touring Association, built the route and operates all six huts along it, from Landmannalaugar's 78 beds to Thorsmork, and beds for the roughly ten-week season sell out months ahead. No trek anywhere packs this much geological variety into so few days, and the compressed season is part of the deal: the highlands open when the F-roads do and close when the snow returns.
Best months
The huts open around June 25 and close by mid-September; July and August are the honest core, with late June and early September as shoulder. River fords are genuine and weather buffers are mandatory planning, not caution theater. Hut beds book out months ahead; camping is the fallback.
Getting there & around
Highland buses run from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar when the F-roads open. Book huts through Ferdafelag Islands the previous winter, or join a guided departure with luggage transfer. Finish at Thorsmork or push over Fimmvorduhals to Skogar.
Skill levels: intermediate, advanced
Schools & guides (3)
Arctic Adventures
OutfitterRuns guided four-day Laugavegur hut treks from June to September with luggage transfer between huts.
Ferdafelag Islands
ClubThe Iceland Touring Association, which built the Laugavegur and operates all six huts along it; hut bookings and trail information run through its site.
Icelandic Mountain Guides
GuideIceland's long-established guiding company, running classic guided Laugavegur hut treks from June to September with hut meals and the Thorsmork finish.