Hiking the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland
Kraig AdamsJul 2022 · Solo
- Days
- 12 days, 3 on the Laugavegur
- Cost
- See his costs
- Lodging
- Huts and tent
Europe · Iceland
Southern Iceland: the Laugavegur and a group trip
Southern Iceland
- Distance
- 58.7 mi94.5 km
- Days
- 12 days12 days, 3 on the Laugavegur
- Elevation gain
- 8,881 ft2,707 m
- High point
- 3,442 ft1,049 m
- Season
- Late June to early September
- Lodging
- Huts and tent
Hikes / Europe / Southern Iceland: the Laugavegur and a group trip
In July 2022 I hiked alone across the highlands of southern Iceland in three days. I started at Landmannalaugar, walked the Laugavegur through the coloured rhyolite hills, the snowfields and the black-sand deserts to Þórsmörk, and then crossed the Fimmvörðuháls pass between two glaciers and followed the Skógá down past waterfall after waterfall to Skógafoss. Technically it's two hikes put together. It came to about 59 miles by my GPS. I camped at the huts and took the highland bus from Reykjavík.
Kraig Adams
Effort at this pace: Easy · about 5 mi (8 km) and 740 ft (226 m) of climbing a day over 12 days, up to 3,442 ft (1,049 m). Our grade for the days given, worked out from distance, climbing and altitude a day; it isn't the trail's usual difficulty rating (under Basics) and doesn't rate exposure, terrain or weather.
Where these numbers come from
From Kraig Adams's GPS recording and guide.
From Kraig Adams's GPS
The route, day by day
Elevation33–3,438 ft58.7 mi
From Kraig Adams's GPS. Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM) on AWS · Glaciers, rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors
Tap a day for his map of it
The film
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Hiking the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland
Before you go
The basics
- Start
- Landmannalaugar, about 4.5 hours by highland bus from Reykjavík
- Finish
- Skógafoss, in the village of Skógar on the Ring Road
- Usual difficulty
- It's low and not technical: you just have to do the miles. The river crossings are the hardest part; I had cold water up to my waist at one point. The other thing is the weather: wind, rain and sometimes snow and hail. Pick a good forecast window.
- Best time
- Late June to early September; the huts are staffed then
- Permits
- Book huts or campsites ahead: FÍ expects confirmed bookings before you start
- Getting there
- My Iceland trip began with an overnight flight from Denver to Reykjavík. I hung out in Reykjavík after the red-eye, got a hotel, and gathered supplies and snacks. I bought a hiking pass from Reykjavik Excursions, which is like a round-trip bus ticket from the trailheads, for $107. They've got a whole schedule, so you can pick and choose where you go from. I think it's the cheapest and easiest option. Before I got on the bus I bought my cooking fuel at the gas station right next to the BSÍ bus terminal. The bus left at 7 a.m.
- Lodging
- Huts and tent
From Kraig Adams's guide
Costs and gear
What Kraig carried
my Hyperlite pack · a small green NEMO tent · a small gas stove · trail runners · blue and orange camp shoes · a dark rain jacket, an orange insulated jacket and a beanie · Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 · NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 1P and 22 more.
From Kraig Adams's guide
Safety
Rescue numbers
- Call 112.
Phone signal
- Patchy.
- FÍ says coverage can be unstable on the trail and you may have to find a hilltop. Álftavatn has a connection; at Emstrur it's on the hill above the huts.
Insurance
- Search and rescue in Iceland is run by volunteers (ICE-SAR); get travel insurance that covers rescue.
Bail-out points
- Day 1, Landmannalaugar to Hvanngil. Before Hrafntinnusker, go back to Landmannalaugar. In bad weather, stay at a hut: FÍ says the wardens may tell you not to leave. Álftavatn and Hvanngil sit by a 4x4 mountain road with river fords (it's on the map), but none of the 2026 highland bus lines in this guide stop there. The next bus stops are in Þórsmörk.
- Day 2, Hvanngil to Þórsmörk. Hvanngil and Emstrur are on 4x4 tracks, but none of the 2026 highland bus lines in this guide stop there. Keep going to Þórsmörk: the highland buses stop at Húsadalur, Langidalur and Básar (2026: afternoon buses back to Reykjavík, arriving at 19:30).
- Day 3, Þórsmörk to Skógafoss. Before the climb, stay in Þórsmörk: the highland buses stop at Básar, Langidalur and Húsadalur. On the pass, the two huts are your shelter. From Baldvinsskáli a track runs down to the Skógá bridge. In fog or storm, turn back or wait at a hut.
From Kraig Adams's guide. For planning, not navigation: check before you go.
Their films and versions
Creators who've done it
1 creator so far: Kraig, 12 days, huts and tent.
Hiking the Laugavegur Trail in Iceland
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Typical: 12 days, 3 on the Laugavegur (the hike's facts).
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Questions people ask
How many days do you need for Southern Iceland: the Laugavegur and a group trip?
Most people walk the Laugavegur in four days, sleeping in the huts, and add Fimmvörðuháls as a fifth. I did it in three in July 2022, about 20 miles a day: two days from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk and one over Fimmvörðuháls to Skógafoss, 58.7 miles on my GPS.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How much does Southern Iceland: the Laugavegur and a group trip cost?
Iceland is expensive in general, and this hike doesn't escape that. Any time you buy food it's more expensive than even in New York City. In 2027 an FÍ hut bed is 18,000 ISK a night (about $150) and a campsite 3,600 ISK. See what I paid.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
When is the best time to hike Southern Iceland: the Laugavegur and a group trip?
FÍ says the trail is open on average from June 25 to September 15, and that July and August are the most reliable. In 2026 it opened on July 2, with considerable snow between Landmannalaugar and Álftavatn. I went July 12 to 14, 2022, and walked in snow on the high section and on the pass.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How hard is the Laugavegur trail?
It's low and not technical: you just have to do the miles. The river crossings are the hardest part; I had cold water up to my waist at one point. The other thing is the weather: wind, rain and sometimes snow and hail. Pick a good forecast window.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Can you wild camp on the Laugavegur?
No. The trail crosses protected land where overnight stays are only allowed in huts and at designated campsites, so you camp at the huts and pay per person. I camped at Hvanngil and at the Volcano Huts in Þórsmörk. In 2027 an FÍ campsite is 3,600 ISK a person and a hut bed 18,000 ISK.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Do you need to book the Laugavegur huts?
Yes. FÍ, the Iceland Touring Association, expects hikers to have confirmed hut or campsite bookings before they start, and it only books the huts north to south, from Landmannalaugar toward Þórsmörk. Book and pay online at fi.is.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Is Fimmvörðuháls safe to hike?
Check before you go. In late August 2026 FÍ, Útivist and the local rescue team warned against hiking Fimmvörðuháls because glacier retreat had opened ravines and crevasses between the two huts on the pass, and FÍ then marked a detour. There's also no water on the glacial pass, so fill up before the climb.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.