Trekking in the Icelandic Highlands

The Laugavegur is Iceland's most famous trek, and with reason: in a handful of days it crosses more kinds of landscape than most whole countries contain. It begins in the rhyolite hills of Landmannalaugar — orange, green and sulphurous, with hot springs to soak in — then works across black-sand desert, snowfields and braided glacial rivers to the birch woods of Þórsmörk.

Add the Fimmvörðuháls extension and you finish by walking over the pass between two ice caps, past craters that were still steaming a decade after the 2010 eruption. Around eighty kilometres in all, with rivers you wade and weather that can turn in an hour.

The huts are booked through Ferðafélag Íslands and sell out months ahead, and the season is genuinely short — roughly late June to early September. Come prepared for cold and wet even in midsummer; the Icelandic interior makes its own weather, and it rarely makes it kind.

Iceland's most famous trek, and with reason: in a handful of days it crosses more kinds of landscape than most whole countries contain.

It begins in the rhyolite hills of Landmannalaugar — orange, green and sulphurous, with hot springs to soak in — then works across black-sand desert, snowfields and braided glacial rivers to the birch woods of Þórsmörk.

Add the Fimmvörðuháls extension and you finish over the pass between two ice caps, past craters still steaming a decade after the 2010 eruption. Around eighty kilometres in all, with rivers you wade and weather that can turn in an hour — cold and wet even in midsummer.

Book the huts through Ferðafélag Íslands months ahead — they sell out early, and the season is genuinely short, roughly late June to early September. Reach the start at Landmannalaugar by mountain bus from Reykjavík.

This is intermediate-to-advanced trekking: expect unbridged river crossings you wade, so bring sandals or crossing shoes and trekking poles, and come prepared for cold, wet weather in any month. Camp only at designated sites if you are not in huts.

Carry proper waterproofs and warm layers — the Icelandic interior makes its own weather, and it rarely makes it kind. Add Fimmvörðuháls if you want the ice-cap finish.