Discipletrek will be taking a team to Iceland to complete a 4 day combo trek of the iconic Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls trails. This trek will explore glaciers, lava fields, and waterfalls. There is literally no place in the world quite like Iceland, and we couldn’t be more exited to bring a team on this incredible adventure.
It is important to note that this will be a very rugged adventure. We will be sleeping in tents and carrying all of our gear from site to site for the entirety of this trip, so each team member will need to keep their clothing/gear to an absolute minimum. We will provide a detailed packing list for this adventure, and if an item is not on the list, you really shouldn’t bring it. We will leave a team bag with a change of clothes and additional toiletries for each team member in a locker in Reykjavik that we will retrieve after the trek, so we will have clean clothes for our night in Reykjavik and our return travel home. Other than that, everything we bring with us to Iceland we will carry along the trek.
***We are limiting the team size for this trip, so please do not wait to register.***
Dates: August 22-29, 2024
The trip dates and cost include international travel from a major USA airport. We will work with each team member to accommodate their travel needs.
Cost: $2,900 (Including flights from USA to Iceland)
- A non-refundable $725 deposit is required at the time of registration to secure your spot on the team.
- $1,450 is due before May 15th, 2024
- $2,900 is due before July 15th, 2024
What is included:
- All ground transportation within Iceland to and from KEF airport and to and from the start/finish of the trek.
- 5 nights tent camping along the trail and 1 night tent camping in Reykjavik.
- All food within Iceland, which will include a simple lunch in Reykjavik upon arrival, camp style meals along the trail, and a celebratory dinner in Reykjavik at the conclusion of our trek.
- We will arrange for bag storage in Reykjavik for any items needed in travel but not on the trek itself. This will allow you to bring extra travel clothes and toiletry items. We will retrieve our bags in Reykjavik on the last day of the trek when we check in to the Reykjavik Campground.
- We provide tents for the trek (2 people to a tent). Single occupancy tents can be arranged for a modest up-charge, and individuals will have to carry a full tent weight vs only half during the trek.
What is NOT included:
- You are required to bring your own trekking gear (sleeping bag and sleeping pad, backpack, clothes, hiking shoes/boots, etc.). We will provide an extensive and detailed packing/gear list for all of our participants.
- You are responsible for your own trekking snacks (we will provide a sample list of what most trekkers will be bringing). There are snacks available for purchase at the huts along the trail, but they will not be cheap.
- You are responsible to carry all of your own gear plus half of your shared tent weight. Limiting gear to the absolute necessities is essential.
- Showers are available at the various huts along the trail. If you choose to grab a shower at one of the huts, you are responsible for that cost. Showers are around $5-10.
Trek Difficulty: Difficult
Our Iceland trek is not one of our most difficult treks, but it is not to be taken lightly either. Though we will not face high elevation on this trek, it is still a very challenging physical endeavor. The primary variable that can significantly increase the difficulty of this trek is the weather. Icelandic weather can change incredibly quickly and it is possible to be hiking in beautiful sunshine and only minutes later be facing bone chilling wind and rain. Fortunately, since we are hiking from north to south, most of the expected wind and weather should be at our backs. That said, you should expect to spend some time on the trail in difficult weather conditions.
In addition, the water crossings on this trek can be very challenging. Not so much in that they are particularly difficult to cross the rivers themselves, but more so in terms of making yourself wade through incredibly cold water. We recommend that team members attempt to acclimate themselves to cold water by taking an occasional ice bath in the midst of their training.
It is possible to complete our Iceland trek without being in top physical condition, but we recommend you take the season of preparation seriously. We suggest that all members of our team devote themselves to a season of physical training that should include a mix of smaller training hikes, strength work, and significant cardiovascular exercise.
Itinerary:
Day 1 (Aug 22nd)
Depart from the USA.
Day 2 (Aug 23rd)
Arrive in Reykjavik in the morning, eat lunch in the city and arrange a few final logistics, and then take a tourist bus to the starting point of the trek at Landmannalaugar where we will set up camp, eat dinner, and relax in the famous hot springs (bring a swimsuit). We will spend our first night in the tent and begin our trek early the next morning. It is important to mention that the sun will not fully set throughout the duration of our trek, so you will want to bring a sleeping mask.
Day 3 (Aug 24th)
Today we will be trekking from Landmannalaugar to Álftavatn, which is approximately 13 miles. This is a pretty difficult day of trekking with significant elevation gains in the first half of the day before a long descent into Álftavatn. One of the most difficult elements of this trek is that we will be fjording rivers. Most of them will be around ankle deep, but some may be as deep as mid thigh. You will need to bring an extra pair of shoes/chacos/sandals for the river crossings. Flip flops are no good here…they are likely to be swept off of your feet. The water will be invigorating (very very cold), but this is all part of the Icelandic adventure.
Day 4 (Aug 25th)
Today we will trek 10 miles from Álftavatn to Emstrur. There will be another couple of river crossings, including one right at the start of the day to wake you up, and we will finish this day trekking across a dessert-like landscape unlike anywhere else on the planet.
Day 5 (Aug 26th)
Today we will be trekking another 10 miles from Emstrur to Þórsmörk. This day has quite a lot of downhill with incredible scenery and you guessed it…more river crossings. This marks the finish of the traditional Laugavegur trek, but we will be continuing on one more day on the difficult but spectacular Fimmvörðuháls Trail.
Day 6 (Aug 27th)
Today we will be conquering the Fimmvörðuháls trail to Skogar. There is no way to sugarcoat it–this is a brutally difficult 15 mile trail. Most will do it over two days, but we will do it in one. The first half of the day will be very difficult uphill trekking and we will spend the afternoon giving back all of the elevation and descending to the spectacular waterfalls of Skogar. We will spend our last night in the tent at Skogar and make our way back to Reykjavik the next morning.
Day 7 (Aug 28th)
Today we will make our way back to Reykjavik where we will check in to the Reykjavik Campground (hot showers are available and included), grab our bag with our fresh clothes, and enjoy a celebratory dinner in a fun restaurant. Depending upon what time we arrive back in Reykjavik, we might be able to get in some sight seeing in the city.
Day 8 (Aug 29th)
Depart Iceland for the States. We will arrive back in the States that evening.