The Great Fjallabak’s Öraefi Trek from Mount Hekla to Eldgjá

Trip difficulty: 3+ out of 5 possible.

Hekla Farmland - Eldgjá
Jeep assisted hike in breathtaking nature.

This wonderful, challenging trek in the south volcanic highlands can be compared, without a doubt, to the most beautiful and remote treks in the world. The most hidden parts of the Öræfi volcanic desert are a collection of strange and majestic landscapes, created from the great volcanic rift that splits Iceland in two. Where we walk, there are few signs, if any, of man’s existence. This is one of the few places in this world where the silence is complete. A true wilderness that will leave you spellbound with natural wonders at every turn. Our guides, all experienced mountaineers, will lead you safely through this incredible region. Starting at the foot of the imposing Mt Hekla, Iceland’s most active volcano, this trek will lead you through a world of volcanic features. You will discover dream-like, moss-filled valleys and drink from the freshest, clearest streams. And always watching over you are the majestic, shimmering icecaps, surrounded by vast black sand flats, criss-crossed by myriad melt water streams.Presenting no difficulty for good walkers, on most days each member carries only a light daypack as a 4x4 truck carries all personal belongings, heavy equipment and supplies. Every day involves an average of 6-8 hours hiking. Accommodation, during the trek is a combination of some nights in comfortable expedition tents and some nights in the well equipped mountain huts, all in beautiful locations. The isolation and severity of the landscape demands that each tour member be in good physical condition and that they actively participate in the trip i.e. the group must work together to set up camp, prepare food etc.

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Price: 289.990 ISK per person. Minimum 8 people.

Guaranteed departures:

08.júlí - 17.júlí 2010
20.júlí - 29.júlí 2010
01.ágúst - 10.ágúst 2010
13.ágúst - 22. ágúst 2010
25.ágúst - 03.september 2010
06.september - 15.september 2010

Rough itinerary:

Day 1: Reykjavik - Hekla Farmland
Day 2: West Face of Hekla
Day 3: Mount Krakatindur
Day 4: Valagjá - Mount Loðmundur
Day 5: Landmannahellir
Day 6: Landmannalaugar
Day 7: Hrafntinnusker Caldera
Day 8: Torfajökull - Mælifellssandur
Day 9: Strústslaug - Lake Hólmsárlón - Eldgjá
Day 10: North Fjallabak/South Coast - Reykjavík

See detailed itinerary below.

Included in price: Guiding, transfer from/to Reykjavík by bus, jeep transfer for food and equipment between campsites, food for 5 days (except breakfast on day one and dinner the last day), tents & cooking gear. Minimum: 4 persons. Maximum: 14 persons. Bring with you: warm outdoor clothing, waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good hiking boots are a vital! Sleeping bag and mattress can be rented from us if you let us know in advance.

Detailed itinerary:

Day 1

First section: Hekla Farmland
Distance: 130 km driving + ??? walking
Estimated travelling time: 3-4 hrs driving + 5-6 hrs walking
Vertical alteration: ~ 200 m

Early morning your guide will pick you up at your accommodation. Hiking clothes and day packs must be ready for trekking. There is about 3 hour road transfer to where we start our journey. The majestic Hekla volcano rises above a grassy plain and marks the entrance to the volcanic highlands of Iceland. It is probably Iceland’s most famous volcano and the second most active one. We´ll head off on foot by late morning, in the direction of the farms standing under Hekla's south face. Despite the volcano erupting approximately every 10 years, much of the countryside is now verdant with some former lava flows now covered in green moss and arctic birch. In August, our day´s hike can take a little longer than usually as berry and mushroom picking gets in the way of our passage.

Day 2

Second section: West face of Hekla
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 6 hours
Vertical alteration: ~ 300 m

We cross the river Rangá, then we hike the last series of hills made from palagonite rock (sub-glacially formed) that protect the last fragments of burnt countryside. On the other side, we arrive on a moon-like surface at the foot of Mount Hekla and cross a stretch of perfectly flat volcanic slag. The black surroundings, so dark it resembles the colour blue of a crow’s feathers.

Day 3

Third section: Mount Krakatindur
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 6 -7 hours
Vertical alteration: ~ 400 m

We reach the north of the volcano where (from a safe distance!) we set-up camp, not far from solitary Mount Krakatindur. Silver-colored lichen and velvety moss cover the surroundings of the monolith. Elevation +/- 300m - 6 hours walking - hut (B-L-D)

Day 4

Fourth section: Valagjá (pass of the lambs) - Mount Loðmundur
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 6 hours
Vertical alteration: ~ 200 m

We walk away from “the Gateway to Hell” (as Hekla was known in the middle ages) and the landscape begins to soften; the green colors of the mosses slowly covering lava fields and pumices that rain on the land with each eruption. Crossing the “pass of the lambs” we walk in the direction of the majestic monolithic crown of Mount Lodmundur, surrounded by marsh and rich pasture, reflecting in the beautiful lake Lodmundarvatn.

Day 5

Fifth section: Landmannahellir
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 6 hours
Vertical alteration: ~ 600  m

Landmannahellir as been for ages and is still used now by the shepherds as a base when catching thousand sheep in fall after having being grassing free the all summer. We are in a legendary place with thousand stories to tell. Easy ascension of Mount Lodmundur a flat-topped volcanic table mountain that erupted through glacial ice during the Ice Age.

Day 6

Sixth section:Landmannalaugar
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 4-5 hrs
Vertical alteration: ~ 300 m

Hike on Domadalur to landmannalaugar. The area consists of more geological elements than you can count, but more obvious are the rhyolite mountains around coming in all the world's colors.

Day 7

Seventh section: Hrafntinnusker Caldera
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 6 - 7 hours
Vertical alteration: ~ 600 m

Slow climb to the colorful caldera of Hrafntinnusker. Then, walking among countless bubbling, steaming hot springs, we cross this pearl of the interior, famous for its incredible natural beauty. More obvious are the amazing rhyolite mountains, formed in incredible bands of pinks, browns, greens, yellows, blues, purples, blacks, whites, oranges and reds and glittering with innumerable black, glass-like obsidian lava…

Day 8

Eighth section: Torfajökull - Mælifellssandur
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 6-7 hours
Vertical alteration: ~ 500 m

Down to South Fjallabak to cross the sands of Mælifellssandur. In the middle of this strange black flatness stands the solitary cone of Maelifell, covered in fluorescent-colored moss. We are able to explore the extraordinary landscapes between the southern flank of the Torfajökull caldera and the mighty dome of the Myrdalsjökull icecap. Beneath this huge sheet of ice lies Katla, another of Iceland’s angriest volcanoes. She last erupted in 1918 and is long overdue for another.

Day 9

Ninth section: Strútslaug - Lake Hólmsárlón - Eldgjá
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 7-8 hours
Vertical alteration: ~ 300 m

Proceed to the shores of the long and narrow Holmsárlón lake. We reach the place nicknamed the red baptismal fountain. The waterfalls at the end of the turquoise colored lake plunging into the red crater, is a sight to behold. Of course, we cannot resist taking a bath in Strútslaug, a nearby, natural hot spring pool.

Day 10

Tenth section: North Fjallabak / South Coast - Reykjavík
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 2-3 hours walking + 240 km drive
Vertical alteration: ~ 300 m

 After the soft landscape of Alftavötn, the “lakes of the swans”, in a short walk we join the trail of Fjallabak North, near the inhabited lands of the Skaftá district, bordering the enormous lava fields of Laki. Then, by bus we travel on the Fjallabak North route or along the sea shore of the South coast, to reach Reykjavik where we arrive in late afternoon

Practical information:

Keflavik International Airport is 60 km from Reykjavik City center.

Please check out our equipment list for detailed information on what to bring with you on the tour.

Accommodation in Reykjavík: It is possible to choose different types of accommodations in Reykjavik. We recommend Reykjavík Backpackers and others.

Trip extension:  This trip can be combined with on an extension to the Westmann Islands Archipelago. You can also stay a couple of days in Reykjavik enjoying the world’s most northern capital. From there you can take short excursions to the Blue Lagoon or go whale watching…

Group size: Multi-national group 8 to 12 members (Note: for group sizes of 6-7 persons a small group surcharge applies) Fjallabak staff or Fjallabak representatives accompanying professionals (e.g. photographers, journalists etc…) and other discounted travelers such as children, are excluded from the participant count.

Transport: 4x4 vehicle, specially modified for Icelandic highland use. Vehicle also carries all luggage and specialist equipment. A tired member can travel in the vehicle if necessary.

Food: We pride ourselves on providing the best cuisine in the highlands! Breakfast is Scandinavian-style, with muesli, breads, jams, fish and cheese. Packed lunch, with a variety of sandwich fillings, from smoked meats and fish to local cheeses. Dinners involve fresh, local fish and meat dishes, with pasta, rice or potatoes, fresh vegetables and salad. Vegetarians and those with food allergies can be fully catered for with a range of tasty options. It is essential that you inform our office of any special food requirements at the time of booking!

Accommodation during the trip: A combination of sleeping bag, dormitory-style accommodation in comfortable mountain huts and 2 or 3 nights in spacious double tents equipped with comfortable mattresses. Showers are available in most of the huts.

Trip preparation and notes: Walking level - Moderate.10-day assisted trek, carrying a light daypack.
This should present no serious difficulty for persons with at least some mountain walking experience, plus a good level of personal fitness. An experienced Icelandic guide assisted by a driver leads the trek. The group is expected to assist with all aspects of making and breaking camp, including meal preparation. Once in the mountains, each group becomes an independent entity. The camaraderie, teamwork and friendships forged, add much to the richness of each person’s experience. This trek passes through some areas of complete wilderness. Most of the trekking is off-track, with underfoot conditions constantly changing. Therefore, sturdy, well worn-in hiking boots are a must. Most days involve river crossings, so it is essential that all trekkers carry suitable river-crossing footwear to change into. See our kit list for more information. We trek for 6-7 hours per day, on average, but this may be longer, dependent on weather conditions and group speed. Maximum altitude is no more than 1100m. Elevation change for most days should be no more than 400m.

Itinerary & Security: The day by day itinerary as it is indicated here is subject to  slightly change depending of natural circumstances (late or early heavy snow,  eruption’s threat, river inundation, storm…)  The guide knows the field perfectly and is able to judge exceptional  circumstances.
The guide and the driver of the assistance vehicle are connected via the Fjallabak’s VHS Radio channel. He is also connected to the huts wardens, to other colleagues working in the same area, to the civil security and the mountains rescue team.  

Disclaimer:
All hiking trips are undertaken on the responsibility of its participants. Arctic Adventures does not assume any responsibility for accidents which are caused by its customers or can be traced to there own actions. Participants have to sign a waiver before undertaking all trips stating that they realize that all outdoor activities carry an inherit risk.