Hiking Adventures in a Surreal Landscape
Southern Iceland Expedition
Overview
With spouting geysers, lava fields, and glaciers stretching as far as the eye can see, southern Iceland is a mystical realm of fantasy landscapes that must be seen to be believed. On coastal, mountain, and glacier adventures, we explore Vatnajökull National Park and the brooding heaths of saga country, where Viking clans created the world’s first parliament. We’ll hike high above Skógafoss waterfall, take in the sea views from the Dyrhólaey headland, and witness the visible tectonic plates at Thingvellir National Park, a World Heritage Site. Delights along the way include meals of fresh-caught local fish and soaks in geothermally heated mineral waters.
Arrive: Reykjavík, Iceland
Depart: Reykjavík, Iceland
Highlights
- Explore southern Iceland’s unearthly landscape of canyons, geysers, and iceberg-filled lagoons
- Hike the visible rift between the European and North American continental plates at Thingvellir National Park
- Walk up to the Skógafoss and Háifoss waterfalls, two of Iceland’s towering cascades
- Learn about Iceland’s Viking heritage, savor the long twilight of the midnight sun
- Taste savory Icelandic cuisine, soak in a geothermal hot spring
Itinerary
Spilling over the mountains, the massive Vatnajökull Glacier makes a dramatic backdrop for our first hike. The next day, we hike lakeside trails along Jökulsárlón Lagoon, filled with powder-blue icebergs calved from the Breidamerkurjökull Glacier.
In Vatnajökull National Park, one of the most spectacular settings in Iceland, we hike among crystalline glaciers and rushing rivers. From atop towering Dyrhólaey headland, 400 feet above the sea, we’ll enjoy fabulous birdwatching above a black-sand beach. One of our hikes brings us up to the 20-story-high Skógafoss cascade, and another leads into the hidden gem of Múlagljúfur, with views across the gorgeous glacier lagoons of Fjallsárlón and Jökulsárlón and the Vatnajökull Glacier, Europe’s largest.
Thingvellir, home to the world’s oldest parliament, first held in 930 AD, sits on a clearly visible part of the continental rift, where the European plate drifts away from the North American plate. Its deep chasms clearly demonstrate how the land is separating. Our hike on this famous rift is a perfect grand finale, and we’ll enjoy a soak in Sky Lagoon’s geothermal pool in Reykjavík before departing on Day 8.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 3+, Moderate, according to our trip grading system. It features daily mountain hikes and hotel accommodations throughout. You will need to be comfortable hiking up to 8 miles and being on your feet for 3 hours a day. The hikes can be considered strenuous because they are on undefined, steep trails or through some rocky or wet terrain. Trail conditions, weather, and the group’s level of fitness can affect hiking times and pacing—your Trip Leader may also need to change the hikes due to weather conditions.
Average Hiking Day
- 5-6 miles
- 2-3 hours
- 1,000' ascent/descent
The terrain can be very wet. There are many short but steep parts on our hikes, and much up and down. Sturdy, well-broken-in hiking boots are essential. Gaiters are not required but will protect your pant legs from getting wet when we hike through boggy areas. Hiking poles are highly recommended (we provide poles to those who do not wish to pack their own).
For your own enjoyment, we recommend you make a special effort to be in good physical condition. Daily brisk walking and/or regular hiking (or using a stair-climbing machine at your gym) are excellent preparatory exercises.
Temperatures should be in the mid 50s, perfect for hiking. The weather can provide spectacular clear days but can also be very wet, cold, and changeable, and we want you to be well prepared for all you may encounter. Icelandic weather is always unpredictable, so you must come prepared for at least some rain and bring appropriate rain gear. It is unlikely that it will be hot. The winds can be strong and very cold, even on sunny days.
Iceland's weather will dictate our exact hiking itinerary. Trip members need to remain flexible in consideration of inclement weather that may require changes, such as substituting different hiking routes, canceling hikes, or switching the days of certain hikes.
Iceland's weather will dictate our exact hiking itinerary. Trip members need to remain flexible in consideration of inclement weather that may require changes, such as substituting different hiking routes, canceling hikes, or switching the days of certain hikes.
Our nights will be spent at comfortable hotels and inns. Please keep in mind that on this trip we are crossing rural Iceland. The rooms in our hotels and inns will not always conform to international hotel standards and sizes. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm.
We drive to a starting point for our hike and our vehicle picks us up at the end of the hike to drive us to our night's lodging. Some days combine sightseeing and hiking, but we usually don't spend more than a couple of hours in the van at one stretch. Where possible, those who are not up for hiking can usually opt out and spend time on their own at the hotel.
Client Testimonials
"Really great trip. Relaxing and fun, well thought out, organized. I would definitely take a WT trip again."
Aaron W.
San Francisco, CA
"This trip is excellent! Perfectly organized. The guides were fantastic, and I loved their humor and awesome knowledge of the area. The attention to their clients was great to see."
David R.
Beaufort, SC
"This trip gets my highest rating in terms of leadership and management of details. Iceland is a delightful and surprisingly beautiful place to visit."
Dennis S.
Oakland, CA
"Superior trip, excellent leadership."
Edgar G.
Syracuse, NY
"The trip far exceeded our expectations in beauty. The moss-covered mountains, waterfalls, gorges, and glaciers were truly gorgeous."
Ellen & Harvey F.
Los Angeles, CA
"A very well balanced trip with excellent guides. I felt safe and comfortable the entire journey. The hiking was excellent, as was the variety of locations and scenery."
Ellen R.
Santa Barbara, CA
"Great itinerary and top quality food, and the locations of all the hotels was excellent."
Fan X.
Jersey City, NJ
"Well conceived and well run trip. Iceland’s a fantastic place."
Gail L.
Chicago, IL
"A wonderful trip in a beautiful place!"
Jeff L.
Sioux Falls, SD
"I was pleasantly surprised with the itinerary that we did so much more than just hiking each day. It was a wonderful blend of hiking and seeing the sights—a great immersion into the country allowing us to gain a great appreciation for its beauty and culture."
Jeff P.
Rescue, CA
"The trip sought out the best of Iceland. The guides were excellent, with wonderful knowledge of the history, geology, and environment, and the participants were all great companions."
Jim Y.
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
"We fell in love with Iceland. It was really hard to leave such a beautiful country and people."
Joyce N.
Fort Mohave, AZ
"The landscape was beautiful and we did some exciting and well thought out hikes to see different sights of Iceland. The guides were excellent thoughout the trip and were very attentive, knowledgeable, and fun to be around."
Kaye R.
The Woodlands, TX
"I loved Iceland. The geographic diversity from day to day made each hike so different, from glaciers and icebergs to swimming in a hot river."
Ken G.
Orlando, FL
"Without a doubt this was the top trip we have taken. The itinerary was varied and the hikes were great. We would do this trip again in a second."
Larry A.
Wymore, NE
"This was an amazing trip. I feel like I am still walking the fjords! The beauty of Iceland will never leave me. Thank you!"
Linda A.
Minneapolis, MN
"This was our first WT adventure and our first attempt at an active (hiking) vacation. It was a great success on all counts."
Lynne F.
Hastings, NE
"Loved the trip, loved the challenge of the hikes, the scenery, and getting to know Iceland and its culture. Would love to go back and see more."
Margie C.
Lake Forest, IL
"We were both very pleased with the trip. We loved having everything organized for us leaving us free to just enjoy the scenery and relax!"
Michelle H.
Sunnyvale, CA
"Iceland was a beautiful country with lovely people, extraordinary scenery, and wonderful remote hikes."
Nancy D.
San Francisco, CA
"This was a marvelous introduction to and overview of a complex country and its people. We were delighted by the diversity of experiences—landscapes, length and difficulty of hikes, variety of foods."
Patricia M.
Asheville, NC
"One of the best trips we've ever taken. The beauty of Iceland cannot be surpassed."
Paul & Joy K.
Phoenix, AZ
"Wow! There's so much more to Iceland than glaciers and basalt and waterfalls (although there's plenty of all three). The varied scenery was amazing, the food exceeded my expectations, and our accommodations were clean and comfortable. Overall, it was a stimulating, fun, and enlightening journey!"
Rob C.
Concord, MA
"Iceland is one of the most beautiful and natural places we’ve ever been."
Robert V.
Virginia Beach, VA
"I cannot say enough good things about our trip leaders; they were outstanding in all respects. Extremely competent, assured our safety and well-being without being obviously obsessive about it, full of interesting and useful information about Iceland and its people and history, and certainly great fun to be with. The kind of people I'd love to travel with anywhere."
Tom C.
Spokane, WA
"Iceland is a marvelous country and the itinerary was really, really good—from seaside, through glaciers, waterfalls, then geothermals. It didn't hurt that the weather cooperated mightily."
Walter S.
Tucson, AZ
"This was a fantastic trip that allowed us to experience many of the highlights of the Icelandic landscape in a very personal, intimate, and enjoyable way. I feel like we learned so much about Icelandic culture. The itinerary kept us busy hiking and exploring beautiful and different Icelandic landscapes while returning each evening to nice, clean, and comfortable accomodations and with tasty meals."
Yvonne D.
Pasadena, MD
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.