Snowshoeing in the Icelandic Highlands

In summer the green valley of Þórsmörk, ringed by glaciers, is one of Iceland's busiest highland spots. In winter, when the mountain F-roads close and the rivers run high with meltwater and ice, it becomes almost impossible to reach — and utterly deserted.

Getting in means a specialist super-jeep that fords icy rivers, and then travelling on snowshoes across ground no wheel can cross. The reward is the highlands at their most elemental: snow-laden birch woods, frozen waterfalls, glacier snouts and total silence, with the short winter light turning everything pink and gold.

It is a rare, effortful way to see a landscape that most people only ever experience in the crowded warmth of July, and the sense of having it entirely to yourself is the whole point.

A guided winter day out combining a rugged super-jeep drive across frozen or flooded rivers with travel on foot over deep snow using snowshoes, which spread your weight so you can walk on powder rather than wade through it.

The snowshoeing itself is straightforward — a natural walking motion, no skill required — but the environment is serious Arctic winter: deep cold, short daylight, and highland weather that can turn fast. Distances are modest and the pace gentle, so reasonable fitness is enough.

Guides handle the river crossings, navigation and safety, which are non-trivial out here. Expect frozen waterfalls, snow-buried birch and glacier views, and the strange stillness of a place that is thronged in summer and empty in winter.

Go in the winter months, roughly December to April, and go with a guided operator — independent winter access to Þórsmörk is genuinely dangerous because of the river fords and the remoteness. Trips run as day tours or overnights from Reykjavík or Hvolsvöllur in modified super-jeeps that carry the snowshoes.

Dress for hard Arctic cold in full layers, waterproof boots and gloves; operators often lend the snowshoes and can advise on the rest.

No experience is needed, making it suitable for beginners and older children, but you must be comfortable being cold and out in a wild place for a full day. Book ahead, keep your plans flexible around the weather, and let the guide make the call on conditions.