The trail began in a valley of black sand and green moss, with steam rising from vents in the earth and the smell of sulfur carried on the wind. This was Landmannalaugar, the starting point of the Laugavegur Trail, and it looked like the beginning of the world. Or the end. The mountains here are rhyolite, a volcanic rock that weathers into colors so vivid they seem painted: orange, pink, blue, and green, layered like a geological cake. I had flown from Reykjavik that morning in a small propeller plane that bounced through turbulence over the highlands. Now I was shouldering a pack that weighed eighteen kilograms, checking my boots one last time, and starting to walk south.
The Trail and the Terrain
The Laugavegur Trail is fifty-five kilometers long and connects Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork, a valley named for the Norse god Thor. Most hikers complete it in four days, staying in mountain huts operated by the Icelandic Touring Association. I walked it in late July, when the snow had melted and the rivers were crossable. The terrain changes dramatically. Day one crosses the rhyolite mountains and black lava fields of the highlands. Day two descends into the valley of Alftavatn, a lake surrounded by green meadows and volcanic peaks. Day three crosses the desert of Emstrur, a barren plain of ash and sand that feels like walking on the moon. Day four enters Thorsmork, where birch forests grow in the shelter of the mountains and glaciers hang from the ridges above.
The Huts and the People
The huts along the trail are basic but welcome. They have bunk beds, kitchens with gas stoves, and toilets that range from flush to compost. The cost is seventy-five dollars per night, and reservations are essential. I shared a hut with a group of Germans, a solo French woman, and an Icelandic family hiking together for the first time in years. The evenings were social. We cooked together, traded stories, and compared blisters. On the third night, a German man produced a bottle of schnapps and proposed a toast to the trail. We drank, and someone sang an Icelandic folk song, and for a moment the desert did not feel so empty.
River Crossings and Weather
The most dangerous parts of the Laugavegur are not the mountains but the rivers. Glacial rivers are cold, fast, and opaque with sediment. You cannot see the bottom, and the current can knock you off your feet. I crossed the Bratthalskvísl on the second day, linking arms with two other hikers and moving diagonally downstream. The water reached my thighs and was so cold that my legs went numb within thirty seconds. The Icelandic family crossed barefoot, holding their boots above their heads, laughing as they slipped on the rocks. The weather is equally challenging. I experienced sunshine, rain, hail, and fog in a single day. The wind at the high passes was strong enough to knock me sideways.
Costs and Planning
The Laugavegur Trail is accessible by bus from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar, a four-hour journey that costs sixty dollars. From Thorsmork, a bus returns to Reykjavik for fifty dollars. The hut fees are seventy-five dollars per night, and most hikers stay three nights. Food must be carried in. I spent one hundred twenty dollars on dehydrated meals, energy bars, and nuts. A rental car is not necessary but useful for exploring before and after the hike. The total cost for five days, including transport, huts, and food, was six hundred fifty dollars. Iceland is expensive, but this trail is one of the best value experiences in the country.
