Country Iceland
Trip Month (08) – August
Report / Notes
3 days 2 nights.
Map:https://caltopo.com/m/FD6T
Solitude: 1 out of 10 for day 1. 4 out of 10 for the remained\r
Difficulty 6 out of 10
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuyAjIDWdEk&t=7s
Water: No need to carry more than a liter
Navigation: Just follow the markers. I only looked at the GPS once to confirm east I already knew.
Mileage: 35-40
The Laugavegur Trail in Iceland is Stunning. In fact it is the most beauty trail I have hiked in my 50 years on trail. And I have hiked a lot of stunning places.
The internet is overflowing with content on how to get there and how to walk it. Most of the content is for the kind of 25 year old “backpacker” who has a eurorail pass. Not for the typical audience of backpackinglight.com. Rather than wax poetic on the stunning, omnipresent landscape Ill try to stick to information that might be useful.
Having just returned from a three day trek of the Laugavegur I thought it might be useful to offer a slightly more on target perspective.
There are two sections of the Laugavegur.
Map: https://caltopo.com/m/FD6T
-Landmannalaugar and Pórsmörk (Considered the Laugavegur Trail)
-Pórsmörk to Skógar
The first section can easily be done in 2 full days. (in good weather). The internet will tell you 4 or 5 days. But that timeline is more suited for the “eurorail backpacker”
We took a bus for Rekiavik to the Landmannalaugar trail head. It arrived about noon . Hoping to avoid the crowds the other backpackers we hit the trail instantly. This may have been a mistake. Too many others had the same idea.
After the first 6 or 7 miles the crowds dropped off. During those miles we were wondering if we made a mistake. Too many people. Most of them in giant 85 littler plus backpacks, new boots with coffee makers, crocs, bluetooth speakers, Lanshan tents strapped to the outside of their bulging giants packs. I even saw a Spiderman lunchbox.
You are required to stay at designated sites/ Tent cities. This is not my favorite way to stay, but it is highly effective in reducing the impact on the environment .
Weather. We were told that you will never get 3 straight clear day in Iceland. We got very lucky and got a few drop literally 500 yards from the end of the trail ( year forms he and of the trail. ) Bring the good rain gear. There is no brush to snag it on.
Suggested itinerary (in hindsight, and weather dependent)
1. Stay in Landmannalaugar night one. Get up early before the tour busses arrive
2. Landmannalaugar to Alftavatn Hut
3. Alftavatn to Pórsmörk
Pórsmörk—> Skógar. I’m of no value to you as I did not do that section. I’m told its stunning. But weather and too many day out of the office made us exclude this section.
Reykjavík can be seen in 3 or 4 hours.
Reykjavík Expeditions bus “Hiker Pass” works quite well for this hike.
If you are North American to Europe, Iceland air allows a free day layover in Iceland. Perfect for this hike.
