Iceland's Laugavegur Trek

Hike one of the best-loved walking trails in Iceland to discover otherworldly landscapes

Iceland is now firmly established as one of the most dramatic trekking destinations on the planet – the varied landscapes forged over eons by volcanic eruptions and gigantic glaciers. One of the most popular trails is known as the Laugavegur Trail, and this is the focus of our week. All meals are included while camping, and we start in the colourful Landmannalaugar mountains before heading to the dramatic Thorsmork region where we discover the craters from the 2010 eruption. Few trekking routes can match the striking vistas on offer here.

In addition, the early departures offer long days, up to 24 hours of daylight in July, while the late August and early September departures bring darkness and with that the chance to see the Northern Lights.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• We stay in family-owned farms, which provides a great opportunity for interaction with local people.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• Our local partner is a member of Landvernd the Icelandic Environment Association, and Fuglavernd Bird Life Iceland. Both are heavily involved in local conservation initiatives.
• We rewild 1,075swft (100sqm) per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Walking trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low-impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Visa

Iceland

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Iceland. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/europe/iceland
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/iceland
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/iceland/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Iceland.html

Vaccination

Iceland

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus and rabies. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners are included.

Typical meals when camping:

• Breakfast: Fresh fruit, yoghurt, porridge, muesli, bread, jam, tea/coffee
• Lunch: Bread and soup, cheese, tuna, biscuits
• Evening meal: A combination of the following: meat (including Icelandic specialities such as smoked lamb), fish, pasta, beans, noodles, vegetables, and hot drinks. We will also have a few bars of chocolate, dried fruit, biscuits and some sweets to sustain us on the walks. Those who prefer evening drinks are advised to buy them in the duty-free upon arrival at the airport.

Dietary requirements: Vegetarians can be catered for, please advise at time of booking. As this is predominantly a camping trip, there is limited flexibility in camp. If you have specific dietary requirements, please ask at the time of booking to allow us to check with our local partners. Unfortunately, due to the remoteness of some locations, we are unable to cater for vegans.

Weather

Iceland is on the northern edge of the temperate zone, meaning it has cool summers. Daytime temperatures in summer can be anything from 10C to 20C (50F to 68F), though they can reach 25C (77F) and could equally drop close to freezing point. As we are in a mountain area, you must be prepared for some days of poor weather with strong winds and rain, but usually the weather is quite pleasant, though cool. There is constant daylight, but not midnight sun, in May, June and July.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging).

Walks are of varying length and distance – the longest day is around nine hours. This trek is on a clearly defined path; however, there can be some loose ground and uneven terrain. Walks are subject to change in the event of adverse weather conditions. While camping, group members are expected to participate, including putting up and dismantling your own tent and helping the leader with some kitchen duties and preparing meals. Luggage is transported by minibus from camp to camp, meaning you only need to carry provisions for each day, see packing list for further details.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.