Iceland
Laugavegur Trail
- Best trek for: A surreal landscape experience
- Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
- Trek duration: Four days
- Max. elevation: 1,059m
- Accommodation: Huts or camping
- Start/end point: Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork
Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice, and nowhere is this more accurate than the Laugavegur Trail. This otherworldly hike begins in Landmannalaugar, a geothermal haven globally known for its bubbling hot springs and colourful rhyolite mountains.
Continuing en route brings you an array of natural wonders, from impressive glaciers to vast lava fields, and the 55km journey ends in Thorsmork, a mesmerising valley named after the Norse deity of thunder, Thor.
Need to know
Personally, when walking I love to see a tree or two – something Iceland is famously short of. What it does have is an austere, ethereal, often stark and otherworldly beauty epitomised on this short but dramatic trek.
The trail is accessible from June to early September. Conveniently, there are daily bus services from Reykjavik (which takes around four hours) to the trailhead locations of Landmannalaugar and Thorsmork.
The huts offer sleeping accommodation, kitchens and showers but must be booked beforehand. Laugavegur is one of Europe's most popular hikes, attracting around 10,000 visitors in its short season. I’d recommend avoiding the peak summer holiday period if you can, it’ll certainly make the trip more enjoyable.
