Guided Hikes Through Iceland: Expert-Led Adventures

Hiking in Iceland can be a great way to see this spectacular country. For most people, short hikes are the answer. You can do them on your own, and they range in difficulty from easy to moderate. In this article, we will explore some guided hikes through Iceland.

If you take your hiking more seriously, you might want to consider a more extended trip. Given Iceland's stark landscape, doing these longer hikes or treks with a guide is best. But there is so much here for outdoor enthusiasts, whether it's glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs, or beautiful northern forests. Hiking in Iceland's summer also gives you the advantage of longer days and light evenings, which are splendid for reading around the campsite at the end of the day.

Here are some of our favorite longer hikes that you can consider as part of your Iceland trip. Some of them warrant building the entire trip around. Others are a superb addition to a road trip. Hike for three days, five days, or longer through these fantastic parts of Iceland.

Iceland's wild landscapes

Laugavegur Trail (+ Fimmvörðuháls)

One of the guided hikes through Iceland is the Laugavegur Trail. The Laugavegur Trail is sometimes called "Iceland's Hot Spring Route." For a more extended trip, you can combine it with the fascinating and lovely terrain of Fimmvörðuháls. It's considered one of the best hikes in the world, and with reason. The full length of the trail is 55 kilometers from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk. This takes most hikers four to five days, but if you're planning on including Fimmvörðuháls, you need to add a day or two.

You can't get to Laugavegur by regular car. The best way is to book a spot on the summer-only bus, but you can also rent a 4x4 and drive yourself. This will take you across 181 km of mountain roads. The bus is a public bus (Icelanders love their hiking) from the BSI bus terminal, which goes past the Hekla volcano on its way through the summer landscape.

The route takes you up steep slopes from Landmannalaugar and across extensive lava fields. Even in summer, you'll find snowy patches often surprisingly close to places where steam rises from the ground. Take a bathing suit because you will likely want to take advantage of the natural hot spring at the Landmannalaugar trail-head. The Fimmvörðuháls trail extends onwards from Þórsmörk to the Skógafoss waterfall. Most of the trail is downhill after the initial climb to Hrafntinnusker, but Fimmvörðuháls also has some climbs. Trail accommodation in tents or, even better, mountain huts.

Enjoy high peaks, lava flows, arctic birch forests, and beautiful rock formations. This is the kind of trail people take and then talk about forever!

Explore the Laugavegur hiking trail, a nature's masterpiece at every turn!

Fimmvörðuháls, One of the Guided Hikes Through Iceland

If you just want to do a day hike, Fimmvörðuháls is an excellent choice. Start at Þórsmörk (which means "Thor's forest") and climb up to the pass at Fimmvörðuháls, where you will see recent volcanic activity and experience magnificent views.

This is 20 kilometers, so it takes most people six to seven hours - a full day with a break for lunch - and includes a total ascent of just under 914 meters. So, this is still not a trial for novices. You'll walk between two glaciers. It's still advisable to take a guide; Fimmvörðuháls is known for extremely unpredictable weather and summer snowstorms. Pack extra warm clothes.

You can also overnight at the hut at the top of the main trail, which is awesome if you want to take more time. For example, you might want to explore the peaks of Magni and Móði, two mountains that might well be younger than you are - they formed in the eruption in 2010.

Hornstrandir Nature Reserve Hike

Hornstrandir is another one of the guided hikes through Iceland. This nature reserve hike is one of the last true wildernesses in Europe. You have to go all the way up to the northwest corner to enjoy this 588-square-kilometer nature reserve with cliffs, waterfalls, and a glacier. It's so remote you have to get there by ferry from  Ísafjörður, about an 30 km crossing. Wear warm clothes if you plan on going outside on the boat.

The reserve is home to Arctic foxes, seals, puffins, sea eagles, black guillemots, Arctic terns, and a plethora of other seabirds. Visitor season is short - the hostels and huts are open between late June and mid-August, with the best weather in July.

You can take day hikes out from the Old Doctor's House, a guesthouse in Hesteyri. Or you can take the ferry to a remote drop-off point. If you don't have a lot of mountain experience and the best gear, though, you should absolutely take a guided trek. You also need to be willing to deal with bare-bone campsites or hostels that offer sleeping bag accommodation.

A longer guided tour can be the best way to really appreciate Hornstrandir. This is true backpacking; you'll only have what you carry with you. But it's worth it for the spectacular landscape and the feeling of being at the end of the world. This is a true trackless wilderness and, again, best seen with an experienced guide who can make sure you stay safe. We recommend this demanding trip for the serious hiker who wants to experience a place few humans have ever, or will ever, tread.

Þórsmörk Valley Hike

Þórsmörk Valley Hike is one of Iceland's wild landscapes that you must also visit. Þórsmörk Valley is another beautiful nature reserve with unrivaled views of volcanoes and glaciers. There are plenty of short trails here, but you can also take more challenging multi-day expeditions while staying in tents or huts. A bus takes you through the valley to various trailheads, so there's no need to drive or worry about where to put a car. All rental vehicles in Iceland are forbidden to drive F249, the road to Þórsmörk.

A multi-day trip in this area can give you a wide variety of trails at a variety of difficulties to suit your mood and how you are feeling while still engaging with some truly spectacular landscapes.

Be careful, though. Some of these trails are still steep and have significant elevation changes. Always go with a guide if you are planning a multi-day trip, and avoid hiking solo. If you must go out alone or with a small group, take a GPS device and radio or satellite phone to ensure somebody can call for help in an emergency. With fairly close proximity to Reykjavik, this is a prominent area for your hiking trip.

Kerlingarfjöll Geothermal Area Hike

Another one of the guided hikes through Iceland is the Kerlingarfjöll. This area has some absolutely fantastic day hikes, ranging from a four-hour, 8-kilometer route in Neðri Hveradalir to a challenging 9-hour expedition to Skuggafoss and Jökulkrókur.

While these hikes are typically safer to do on your own, it's still a good idea to go with a group or have a guide. These hikes include steep sections and summer snow, taking you up onto a 1477 m volcanic mass. You can only get here by driving on F-roads, for which you legally need a 4x4 vehicle. You can also take the bus in the summer. But once there, you will see rust-colored mountains and clouds of steam.

However, Kerlingarfjöll is a year-round resort, popular with snowmobilers in the winter - but in the winter, the roads are closed, and you will have to travel with an organized group. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to drive here from Reykjavik. You can stay at the Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort in the hotel or hostel huts, which you should reserve well in advance. The campsite, however, typically takes walk-ups and has bathroom, shower, and kitchen facilities.

Again, take your bathing suit. There is a small thermal pool you can relax in by the resort, and it's always good to enjoy hot springs after a long day's hiking in a landscape that is lovely but also often stark and cold. The geothermal springs in this area are yet another reason to check it out.

Another fantastic place to go hiking. We can do itineraries in this area with hut or tent accommodations, or you can take a shorter hike there. Enjoy the volcanic landscape and beautiful views, as well as appreciate the geothermal springs.

The Kerlingarfjöll area has some absolutely fantastic day hikes.

Tips For Multi-Day Guided Hikes Through Iceland

We can't stress this enough: For multi-day hikes in Iceland's wild landscapes, you should go with a guide. Experienced hikers can do day hikes in some of these areas, where the trails are well marked, and there are often other hikers.

For Hornstrandir, go with a guide. It's very easy to become fatally lost. Make sure you take the right gear. Good boots are vital; do not try to take any of these hikes in sneakers or tennis shoes. Even in the summer, the temperature can drop dramatically with elevation, so take warm clothes. Take a change of warm clothes and extra pairs of socks. Ankle-deep or deeper river crossings are not uncommon on some of these routes, and the water may be a little colder than you would want to go barefoot. We recommend river shoes, which are typically walking sandals or worn running shoes that you don't care about getting wet.

Make sure to bring a water bottle and keep it full. Use synthetic or wool base layers. Avoid cotton, which loses a lot of warmth when you start sweating. Many people add to their wool clothing after reaching Iceland because the wool here is high quality. Wear proper hiking pants, not jeans, and make sure to have a waterproof outer layer, a hat, and gloves. We require our hikers to have full rain gear, pants, and a top. If you're bringing a camera, bring a sealed, waterproof camera because water can get inside the camera box and ruin your photos. If using your phone, put it in a good case and bring a dry bag for river crossings. Bring spare camera batteries or a solar charger, as most mountain huts do not have power. You don't want to lose a good photo opportunity.

Sunscreen is also important. While Iceland's summers are cool to mild, the sun can be intense at altitude. Sunglasses are vital if you are going anywhere where there might be snow, as the summer sun reflecting off the snow can cause dangerous glare. Take an LED flashlight or, better yet, a headlamp. On the other hand, always wear a bathing suit. Safe places to enjoy thermal springs are common in Iceland, and there's nothing better than relaxing in nature's hot tub after a long hike.

Listen to your guide. They have knowledge of the environment and safety and can help you navigate difficult terrain, especially volcanic landscapes. Even if you're a more experienced hiker, lava fields can be treacherous without specific knowledge. We recommend a guide for all volcano or glacier hiking, with the latter requiring special additional gear. They'll also take you to lesser known places and tell you cool stories about trolls and other interesting history and folklore. Your guide will also have an emergency radio and GPS. Cell phone service is remarkably good in Iceland but will fail you in remote places. You can rely on them to keep you safe and give you the best possible experience.

Hornstrandir is one of the last true Wildernesses in Europe.

Contact Us About Iceland's Wild Landscapes

We hope that you'll enjoy guided hikes through Iceland. Remember that Iceland's weather can be unpredictable, even in the summer. Be ready to put layers on. Also, take them off as needed and watch out for high winds and, yes, snowfall in the middle of summer.

If you want to take a multi-day hiking trek in Iceland, check out our multi-day trekking tours. Don't see the itinerary you want? You can request a personalized itinerary or contact Tour.is to discuss the hiking trip of your dreams.