Walking the Laugavegur Trail, one of Iceland’s most famous hiking trails, is a wonderful way to escape the country’s influx of visitors and to see some of the most beautiful parts of Iceland at the same time and active European holiday specialist, UTracks, has added a third walking itinerary to its Laugavegur offering for the 2019 season.
As UTracks General Manager, Kate Baker, sees it, it’s not surprising that Iceland has become a sought after travel experience for active travelers.
“Hiking through some of the world’s most dramatic landscapes, climbing old volcanoes, plunging into glacial lakes, walking through ice caves and soaking in a hot spring thermal bath are highlights of the 54 kilometre Laugavegur Trail or ‘hot springs trail’ in southern Iceland,” she said.
UTracks has released Laugavegur Trail video, which shows some of the reasons this walk has become so popular.
Here’s three ways (over four, five or seven days) to experience the drama, colour and beauty of the Laugavegur with UTracks in 2019:
New | Laugavegur Trail Highlights – four day Guided Walk
Beginning in the geothermal valley of Landmannalaugar in the southern highlands, the itinerary heads south past small gorges to the Þórsmörk valley. Arriving at the foot of Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which last erupted in 2010 and whose crater is completely covered by an icecap, marks one of the many highlights of the trip. The trail then crosses the third biggest geothermal zone in the world, where steaming hot springs are dotted through a landscape of yellow rhyolite mountains and black deserts, past great canyons and into the green valley of Thórsmörk. Throughout this guided trip, you will stay in mountain huts and will carry your pack with all your requirements, including food and kit. Priced from $2,290 per person, departing Reykjavik on 4 and 18 July and 1 and 15 August, 2019.
Laugavegur Trail Guided Walk – 5 days
As well as the luxury of daily luggage transfers, this five-day guided Laugavegur Trail itinerary includes an additional day on the trails around Thórsmörk, where you can visit the Sönghellir (‘singing’) cave or experience the incredible views from the small mountain of Valahnúkur. Priced from $3,150 per person*, departing Reykjavik June and July, 2019.
*New for 2019, discounts apply for teenagers aged 14 to 16 years old.
Laugavegur Trail to Skogar – Seven day Guided Walk
Two days longer than our popular Laugavegur Trail guided walk takes you through the magical landscapes of Goðalönd – the abode of the Gods where a multitude of flowers and grasses cover the cliffs and glaciers, volcanoes and lava streams occupy the view. Reaching the famous Skógafoss waterfall, with the coast so close you can almost taste the salt, is a fitting conclusion to this outstanding hike. As with all UTracks’ Laugavegur itineraries, accommodation is in mountain huts. Luggage transfers are included on all but the last two days, when you will be required to carry a light pack (food and blankets are stored in the overnight hut). Priced from $4,290 per person, departing Reykjavik regularly through the season.
And, in addition to the summertime walking offerings, UTracks offers a three day wintertime Northern Lights itinerary.
Iceland Northern Lights – Three day Guided Walk
Discover Iceland’s ‘Golden Circle’ when the days are short and the nights are full of the possibility of viewing the famous northern lights. This three day mini break is packed full of adventures and highlights, with two-four hours walking each day in dramatic landscapes. From geysers, majestic waterfalls, and the fault lines of Thingvellir National Park to Glacier Lagoon (Jökulsárlón), complete with its huge icebergs and sunbathing seals, and exploring an ice cave in the heart of Vatnajökull, this trip optimises your Iceland winter experience. The final day includes walking on the black southern beaches and hiking with crampons on the Sólheimajökull glacier. At night stay in a comfortable hotel literally in the middle of nowhere, to maximise your chance to view the extraordinary sight of coloured lights streaming through the northern sky, the Aurora Borealis. Priced from $1,690 per person, departing Reykjavik between January and March.
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