Trek of the Vikings

Trekking from hut to hut, in a zone rightly considered the cradle of hiking in Iceland. Our trek connects two spectacular sites:  Landmannalaugar with its colored hills and its geysers, and Þórsmörk, snuggle in a green valley hidden behind the large glaciers. Between the two, cascades, geysers, turbulent rivers, canyons, deserts and lava flow, hot springs, a beautiful sample of Icelandic nature.

• Day 1/  Arrive in Reykjavik
• Day 2/  Landmannalaugar - Hrafntinnusker mountain hut
• Day 3/  Gullies of Jökultungur, hot springs and mud pools - Álftavatn hut
• Day 4/  Emstrur region - Botnar hut
• Day 5/  Great Mýrdalsjökull glacier - hut in Þórsmörk
• Day 6/  Sönghellir cave, back to Reykjavik.
• Day 7/ Depart from Reykjavik.

This short trek connects two of the most prestigious sites of Iceland.
Landmannalaugar enjoys its justified awesome reputation by the beauty of its seizing colorful rhyolite (volcanic rock) mountain landscapes and by its exceptional geothermic activity. It is indeed one of the rare places in the world where one immediately feels the power of the telluric forces in action: the lava seems hardly cooled, and steam geysers and water vapor rise from everywhere. A completely different decor can be seen in Þórsmörk where powerful rivers, originating from massive icecaps, have deeply cut the valleys and the canyons in the tuff (a sort of dark conglomerate made up of volcanic remains and ashes from the sub glacial eruptions).  
Between these two sites, a whole palette of volcanic and glacial landscapes, desert or green, plateaus, deep canyons and wild water running...
These two areas, full of contrasts, joined together by spectacular landscapes have attracted trekkers since very early on and can be described as the "cradle of hiking in Iceland.

Day 1/ Arrival Reykjavik
Arrival at Keflavik airport. Transfer to Reykjavik, 30 miles. Lodging in a guest house.

Day 2/ Landmannalaugar - Hrafntinnusker mountain hut
Pick up at the hotel or gesthouse in Reykjavík between 7:40 to 8:00 am.  We then take a traditional bus, that during the summer months travels the mountain tracks that lead to Landmannalaugar, passing by the Hekla volcano and other volcanoes in the Dómadalur area. Arriving at Landmannalaugar at noon, we have  lunch and then head south into the mountains.  The trail takes us past small gorges, steaming hot springs and yellow mountain ridges. Arrival at the Hrafntinnusker mountain hut in the late afternoon where we stay the night. 4 to 5 hours walk

Day 3/ Hrafntinnusker - Jökultungur - Álftavatn hut
From Hrafntinnusker we descend down into the gullies of Jökultungur with hundreds of steaming hot springs and mud pools. The ‘smokey valley' carries it's name well.  It looks like the set on a science fiction film with the multicolored soft hills and green valleys blocked by black lava flow and vapor curls escaping up to the sky in all directions.  We cross a river and follow a lava field, made primarily of obsidian, a very dark shiny.... we go along a lava field mainly made of obsidian, a very shinny dark volcanic rock. Fascinating view south to the Álftavatn area (Swanlake) and the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. In the afternoon we arrive at the Álftavatn hut where we stay the night.
4 to 5 hours walk

Day 4/  Álftavatn  - Mælifellssandur. - Botnar hut
We pass by the foot of Storasula,  the green conic volcano, before entering the black deserts of  Mælifellssandur.  Heading towards another old green volcano, the Hattfell, we enter the Emstrur region where farmers used to graze their sheep in the summer time. Before arriving at the Botnar hut where we stay the night, we  visit the magnificent Markarfljót canyon cut almost 650 feet down in the rocks south of Hattfell.
6 to 7 hours walk

Day 5/ Botnar  - Emstur - Þórsmörk
We continue up and down into the small valleys and gullies of Emstur, with the great Mýrdalsjökull glacier only one mile away.  Towards the end of the day, the vegetation becomes thicker and taller as we descend in to Þórsmörk's (the woods of Thor) green valleys with birch forests and rich flowers. Overnight in one of the huts in Þórsmörk.
6 to 7 hours walk

Day 6/ Þórsmörk - Reykjavík
We climb on Valahnúkur mountain, fantastic sight seeing on the busy valley with unnumbered glacial river arms. The valley is bordered by steep volcanic rock sides covered with vegetation, with many caverns and strange rock developments. Two craters of ice crown the summits: the Myrdalsjokull and its little brother, the Eyjafjallajokull, which dominate the valley with their more than 4,200 feet of grandeur. We pass by the Song cave. Then we take the bus back to Reykjavik.
Night in a guesthouse.
3 hours walk and 3 to 4 hours drive.

Day 7/ Depart from Reykjavik
Transfer to the airport for flight home.

This circuit is individual registration. This means that you will be grouped with other people, of different nationalities. Welcome and guiding in English.
- The walking time schedules are given only as an estimate.
- For different reasons involving trip organization, daily schedules and planned altitude gains (ascent or descent) may be modified without any prior  notice. 

The luggage is carried by a 4x4 super jeep (big wheels) from hut to hut, which also allows you to rest your possibly tired feet!
In the case of an emergency or necessity, the vehicles can transport the group to any of the nearby huts from any track end closest to the group of that time.

An English-speaking Icelandic Mountain World Travel guide, from the Organization of mountain guides, passionate of volcanism or ornithology and specialized in guiding treks.
To note: Iceland is a very expensive destination. To propose you quality service at a reasonable price, we choose to work with general-purpose guides in charge of guiding .... as well as cooking, driving.

Use of vehicles adapted to the trail, for domestic transportation: from raised minibuses, on the easy trails, to 4x4 vehicles, especially customized for the difficult tracks in the center of the island.

In Reykjavík: bed & breakfast in guest-house, based on double occupancy.
Outside of Reykjavík: in guest-houses (or hotels), based on double occupancy.

The names of accommodations (hotels, lodges, etc...) when they are indicated, are only indicative.
Depending on availability, accommodations (hotels/Lodges, etc...) may be replaced by another equivalent type.
It is possible that accommodations may change without prior notice due to a number of factors. 

- Reykjavik: breakfast at the guesthouse, evening meal at the restaurant.
- The meals are prepared and enjoyed as a group, with provisions brought from Reykjavík, supplemented with purchases made by the guide along the way.
Water is drinkable and excellent everywhere in Iceland; therefore, no mineral water supply for this circuit.

Although we are an experienced adventure travel company doing our best to respect the itinerary schedule as presented on this detailed itinerary, there is always the possibility that we may need to modify it for different reasons beyond our control. Please read the Registration Conditions: Terms and Booking conditions - Limitations of Liability.

• International flights in/out Keflavik 
• All services mentioned in Services +/extensions/options
• Personal medical & Travel Insurance
• All items not expressively mentioned in "What's included".

• Drinks
• Personal expenses.
• Tips for guide
• All items not expressively mentioned in "What's included".

As airfare is NOT included in our adventures, please check if your trip is "a guaranteed departure" before confirming your own airline travel arrangements. You can check your trip status at the Mountain World Travel website or contact the Mountain World Travel office at 1 888-MWT-TREK (698-8735).

Our preferred airlines to fly to Kevlavik:
Icelandair operates daily flights from Baltimore, Boston, Minneapolis, Orlando, New York, Washington.

Formalities for US, Canada, Australia, NZ passports travelers: a valid passport is required. No visa needed for a stay up to 90 days.
For US citizens, please check with   US Government Travel Entry Exit Requirements.
For other nationalities, please contact the Iceland embassy of your country.

Vaccines
No vaccine is obligatory. We however advise you, to be up date with traditional vaccinations: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, typhoid fever, hepatitis.
For more information visit the website of the  US Department of Health.

Dentist and doctor
A check up before your departure is recommended.

LEVEL 4
3 months prior:  Hike 10 to 12 miles every weekend or on two consecutive days OR if you are regularly committed, on an annual basis, to another sports activity that develops stamina (jogging, cycling or swimming) for a cumulative duration of 2 to 3 hours per week (without excessive shortness of breath or exceptional fatigue), you should be up to speed.  

Basic equipment
- A warm fleece hat
- A cap or a hat to protect from the sun
- Sun glasses (minimum index 3 or 4 for high mountain)
- Thermal top and bottom, short and long) underwear (fast drying).
- Fleece turtle neck top
- A warm fleece jacket (light weight/well insulated).
- A waterproof/breathable shell jacket (Gore-Tex).
- A pair of gloves
- A rain poncho
- Hiking shorts
- Lightweight hiking long pants
- A Camelback or a water bottle.

Shoes and technical material
- Hiking socks
- Waterproof ankle hiking boots and a sole offering good traction.
- Gaiters
- Head lamp
- A pair of telescopic walking poles

Sleeping
- Sleeping bag (that will keep warm from a temperature of 23° F to 32° F).

Luggage
- A back pack equipped with broad straps, with an adjustable anatomical back reinforcement, and a capacity of 7 to 9 gallons, for your daily belongings
- A soft travel bag, which can hold between 18 to 23 gallons that will be transported by the porter team or by vehicle during the day.

Miscellaneous
- A change of clothes.
- A pair of replacement shoe laces
- A dop-kit and a bath towel.
- Toilet paper.
- A pocket knife (not in carry on luggage).
- Some plastic bags to protect your belongings.
- Duct tape
- A bathing suit.
- A small pocket anti-theft protection device, to always keep on yourself, along with your identity papers, money, certificate of insurance.

Some advice
During your flight your back pack should contain fragile and useful items that you might need while on the plane (camera, memory cards, jacket, books, magazines, medication, dop-kit etc).