Trek along Mt. Hekla, one of Iceland´s most active volcanoes.

Trip difficulty: 3 out of 5 possible.

Hekla - Landmannalaugar
Full comfort, jeep assisted hike in breathtaking nature.
 
An exploration along the best known of Iceland's volcanoes This concentrated itinerary is part of our collection of trips that speak to the purist hiker with a spirit of adventure.
This year, we are offering several departures for a maximum number of 12 participants. The Hekla volcano and the magic that revolves around its reputation has always fascinated people, in Iceland and elsewhere. The volcanoes eruptions often ruined the surrounding countryside and were the source of worry for the islands' people, who feared and revered the volcano at the same time. But what was feared the most was that an eruption from one of the faces of the volcano would ruin its perfect shape. This beautiful volcano is still active and closely monitored by the volcanologists' seismographs. We hike around the entire volcano from a reasonably safe distance in order to maintain safety and we stay informed of the relative volcanic activity before attempting to ascend the volcano.The hike to the summit will also depend on a favourable weather outlook. With the exception of a lightweight day pack, all equipment and luggage is transported by a 4x4 support vehicle, which will make numerous detours in order to meet us at our evening destination. The guide is linked by radio to our base station in Reykjavik and to 4x4 vehicle assistance if required.

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Price: 189.900 ISK per person. Minimum 6 people.

Guaranteed departures:

8.-13.júlí
20.-25.júlí
1.-6.ágúst
13.-18.ágúst
25.-30.ágúst
6.-11.september

Rough itinerary:

Day 1: Reykjavik - Hekla Farmland
Day 2: West Face of Hekla
Day 3: Mount Krakatindur
Day 4: Valagjá pass
Day 5: Landmannahellir - Mount Loðmundur
Day 6: Landmannalaugar - Reykjavík

Included in price: English speaking guide, 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. Accommodation during the trek, huts or tents.

Not included in price: Flights to/from Iceland, Transfer to/from Iceland, accommodation and meals in Reykjavík, drinks and other personal expenses, personal travel insurance.

Check out our equipment list for multy day treks.

Detailed itinerary:

Day 1  

First section: Hekla Farmland
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 5-6 hrs
Vertical alteration: ~ 200 m

Early morning your guide will pick you up at your accommodation. Hiking clothes must be on and a daypack must be ready for trekking. There is about 3 hours drive to where we start our journey. Hekla volcano rises up from the lowlands of the south and marks the beginning of the Icelandic highlands. We´ll start our journey on foot late morning, in the direction of the farms standing below Hekla´s south face. These farms have had their ups and downs throughout the centuries due to frequent eruptions of their graceful neighbor. Surprisingly, much of the countryside is now quite green as former lava flows are covered in green moss and arctic birch. The vegetation and the black volcanic ash and lava make amazing contrasts, the black somehow makes you appreciate the green more. In August, this day might get a bit 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 hrs
Vertical alteration: ~300 m

We add a refreshing twist to the day as we cross the ice cold spring water Rangá river. Wide awake and alert we hike the last series of hills made from sub glacially formed palagonite rock. On the other side of these hills we leave the country side behind and enter a moon like landscape at the foot of Mt. Hekla and cross an area of perfectly flat volcanic rock. The black surroundings are so dark, they might remind you of the bluish color of ravens feathers.

Day 3

Third section: Mount Krakatindur
Distance:
Estimated travelling time: 6-7 hours
Vertical alteration: ~300m

This day we reach the north of the volcano where we set-up camp. Not so far away is the beautiful but solitary Mt. Krakatindur. Silver-colored lichen and velvety moss cover the surroundings of the monolith.

Day 4

Forth section: Valagjá – Pass of the lambs
Distance:
Estimated traveling time: 6 hrs
Vertical alteration: ~200 m

We walk away from “the Gateway to Hell” as Hekla was known as in the middle ages. The landscape now begins to soften; the green colors of the moss slowly starting to cover lava fields and pumice that rains on the land in each Hekla eruption. Crossing the “pass of the lambs” we walk in the direction of the majestic crown of Mt. Lodmundur, surrounded by marsh and rich pasture, reflecting in the beautiful lake Lodmundarvatn.

Day 5

Fifth section: Landmannahellir – Mount Loðmundur
Distance:
Estimated traveling time: 6 hrs
Vertical alteration: ~300 m

Landmannahellir cave has been used as a shelter for ages and is still used by the shepherds as a base when gathering thousands of sheep in the fall. It is quite a hard work for the farmers to collect all their sheep in the fall after they have been grazing free in the highlands all summer. This area is a legendary place with thousand stories to tell. There is an easy ascension of Mount Loðmundur a flat-topped volcanic table mountain that erupted through glacial ice during the Ice Age. We´ll hike to the top and enjoy the landscape.

Day 6

Sixth section: Landmannalaugar - Reykjavík
Distance:
Estimated traveling time: 4-5 hrs
Vertical alteration: ~ 500 m

The last day of trekking we´ll hike along Dómadalur valley to Landmannalaugar. The area consists of more geological elements than you can count, but the most obvious are the rhyolite mountains, appearing in all kinds of colors; pink, brown, green, yellow, blue, purple, black and white. From Landmannalaugar we drive to Reykjavik where we arrive in late afternoon.

Notice: Itinerary may be reversed or slightly modified, especially before the middle of July or in September. The duration of the daily hike are only indicative and can be shorter or longer depending on weather, on terrain condition and the group.

Trip extension: This trip can be combined with the 6 day South Coast & Highlands Discovery. You can also add 2 days to this trip by choosing to go on an extension to the Westmann Islands Archipelago.

Group size: Multi-national group 6 to 12 members.

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: Sleeping bag accommodation in mountain huts (usually one, comfortable, mixed bunkhouse) and depending on route and conditions, at the peak of the season 1 or 2 nights may be spent in spacious double tents equipped with comfortable mattress. Showers are available in most of the huts.

Trip preparation and notes: Walking level - Moderate. 6-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 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, dependant on weather conditions and group speed. Maximum altitude gain is never more than 1300m. Elevation change for most days should be no more than 600m, rising to 1000m if ascent Mount Hekla.

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 a 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.