Legends of the lava fields

Bite-sized trip

Itinerary:
Sprendisandur - Landmannalaugar National
Duration:
2 days / 1 night (flexible)
Price:
from £ 415.- per person (excluding flights)

On this trip you will step into the rugged Icelandic interior. Travel along dusty gravel roads through rivers and barren wasteland. Along the way, see the basalt waterfall at Aldeyjarfoss and the spectacularly coloured mountains of Landmannalaugar. You’ll spend the night in a simply highland hotel and after a good night's sleep, a local guide will take you on a hike through remote Landmannalaugar valley.

Day 1 – Sprengisandur highland route to South Iceland

Today you will head out on an exciting rally through Iceland’s emptiest landscape. Your first stop is at the Godafoss waterfall, before swapping to the gravel road on the Sprengisandur highland route. It’s a bumpy ride, which is why you’ll need a 4×4 jeep for this trip. After a few miles you will take a side road to Aldeyjarfoss, a special basalt waterfall. The road follows a narrow river which runs like a lifeline through this otherwise almost lifeless landscape. The blue glaciers, snowfields and overgrown mountains of Tungnafellsjökull make for a nice change in the otherwise black landscape. In the evening you’ll be welcomed at your highland accommodation, where you can enjoy typical Icelandic dishes for dinner.

Day 2 – Landmannalaugar hike

The following morning you will begin your hike through the Landmannalaugar area. Landmannalaugar is a valley in the interior of Iceland, not far from the Hekla volcano and is particularly known for its colourful rhyolite mountains. Discover yellow, red, brown and grey-green mountains all around you and when the sun shines, the mountains light up beautifully. Not only will you see these impressive mountains, but you will also find lava fields here. The most impressive of which is Laugahraun, where it is said that creatures such as trolls and elves are hidden in the solidified lava. At the foot of the lava field you will find hot and cold springs that open up into a stream. The hike takes about four hours and afterwards you will drive on to your next destination.