Iceland Behind the Mountains
A hiking trip through Iceland's volcanic and mystic landscapes
Trip Summary
Referring to highlands between the brooding volcano of Mt. Hekla and the glaciers of Iceland's most southerly coast, Fjallabak means "behind the mountains." Truly between fire and ice, this is a region of chaotically beautiful and dynamic landscapes. Epic geothermic activity has created an almost mystical convergence of volcanoes, lava fields, basalt fortresses, green meadows, blue iceberg lagoons, pristine glaciers, powerful rivers, crystalline waterfalls, and black sand beaches.
During our 10-day hiking trip, we’ll venture into the interior of Iceland, only accessible during summer months, to discover this world behind the mountains. This is an active and in-depth exploration, taking place both on foot and with the assistance of a 4WD vehicle. In the Highlands of Fjallabak, we will hike more and drive less than during our days on the South Coast. Each day, our guides will curate a unique walking experience suited to the terrain and weather. Iceland's long daylight hours may also lend themselves to an occasional evening walk.
For this trip, we are thrilled to be collaborating with our good friends at Fjallabak Trekking, a leader in Icelandic hiking and discovery tours. Having worked directly with this family-run business for over 15 years, our mutual philosophies of exploring in ways that bring us closer to the heart of a place has led to a great friendship. Together, we look forward to introducing you to some of the more hidden corners of this most amazing country.
Iceland Behind the Mountains Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Reykjavik: All trip members will be on their own to travel from to get form Keflavik International Airport to our hotel in downtown Reykjavík. The world’s most northerly capital, Reykjavik occupies a small peninsula jutting out into the Greenland Sea. Scandinavian in feel, this picturesque city is enjoyably manageable in size, with an interesting blend of historic and modern architecture. It’s a great city to wander to, full of intriguing, interesting museums and inviting cafes. The trip will officially begin at 6:00 pm at our hotel with an orientation meeting followed by our welcome dinner.
Day 2: South Fjallabak: Today we leave Reykjavik and head to South Fjallabak with its ever-changing landscape. One can admire here the alignment of mountain ranges, all perfectly parallel and aligned in the same direction: the direction of the mid-Atlantic ridge that crosses Iceland from North to South enjoying a spectacular view of three major icecaps: Mýrdalsjökull, Eyjafjallajökull and Tíndafjallajökull.
From here we cross the sands of Mælifellssandur. In the middle of this strange black flatness stands the solitary conical landmass of Mælifell, covered in fluorescent, green-colored moss. We spend the next two nights in a hut looking out to Mælifell. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 3: Torfajökull and the warm pool of Strútslaug: Today, we’ll explore the extraordinary landscapes on the southern flank of the Torfajökull caldera on the opposite end of Lake Hólmsárlón from where we hiked the day before. Torfajökull caldera, a circular volcanic depression covering an area of 18 km / 11 miles by 12 km / 7 miles, is one of Iceland’s largest geothermal areas. Torfajökull, a once subglacial volcano, emitted a relatively rare rhyolitic lava producing lighter colors of rock. Of course, we cannot resist taking an unforgettable soak in Strútslaug, a nearby, natural hot spring pool. We’ll spend another night at the hut with a shared bunkroom. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 4: North Fjallabak: Our route takes us through the Landmannahellir, an area long used by the shepherds in the autumn as a base for gathering their sheep after a summer of free roaming. Mount Loðmundur, a flat-topped volcanic monolith that erupted during the Ice Age, is a dominant figure, surrounded by marshland, pastures, and the nearby lake of Loðmundarvatn. From here, we walk through the dazzling colors of rhyolite volcanic rock that lead us to the notorious Landmannalaugar Valley. This is a legendary place with a thousand stories to tell. Our day ends with a drive along the North Fjallabak track, crossing many rivers, to Eldgjá. We will spend the next two nights at the Hut of Eldgjá-Holaskjol. Shared bunk room. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 5: Eldgjá: Our day will be spent exploring the ridge of Eldgjá, the longest eruptive fissure in the world. Iceland's Eldgjá eruption occurred from approximately CE 934 to 940. During the six years, the eruption was active, lava flowed from several vents along a discontinuous 75-km-long (47-mile-long) fissure system and buried more than 781 square km (302 square miles) of southern Iceland. Fortunately, huge, and historic eruptions like that of Eldgjá are very unusual, and the area is now covered by moss and crossed by a clear stream. We spend a second night at the Hut of Eldgjá-Holaskjol. Shared bunk room. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 6: Explore Kirkjubæjarklaustur: Today we reach the Ring Road on Iceland’s South Coast and the village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Surrounding the village is the vast expanse of the Eldhraun lava field formed during the Laki eruption. Not far from the interior highlands, this area parallels the fault of Eldgjá and is now verdantly covered in green moss. We’ll visit the gorge of Fjarðárgljúfur and the Eldhraun pseudo-craters, and hike along the black sand beaches and grassy headlands of Vik in Mýrdal. This is an area that is home to numerous seabirds and rich in local fauna. Our accommodation is a lovely hotel at the entrance of the village of Vik. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 7: Explore the local area or drive north to the lava field of Laki: Depending on the weather and the recommendation of the guide, we will either explore the area close by or drive up north to the lava field of Laki.
The Laki Eruptions, or Skaftár Fires as it’s referred to in Iceland, was one of the largest lava flow eruptions in recorded history. Beginning in June of 1783, the eruption was active for eight months during which time it spewed an astounding 42 billion tons of basaltic lava out of 140 vents along a 23-km-long (14 miles) set of fissures. The accompanying clouds of poisonous gases were ultimately responsible for the devastation of 60% of Iceland’s livestock and 20% of its human population via starvation due to crop failure. Thousands of deaths in Europe were attributed to the thick sulfurous haze that drifted over Britain and the continent, and subsequent extreme temperatures throughout the northern hemisphere resulted in crop failures and widespread famine. Then we head farther east along the south coast to Skaftafell National Park which is situated at the foot of the famous Eyjafjallajökull. We’ll spend the next two nights at a hotel in Skaftafell National Park. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 8: Skaftafell National Park and the glacier lagoon of Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach: We head east between the shore and Vatnajökull glacier to the beautiful glacier lagoon of Jökulsárlón and the Diamond Beach that is covered with beautiful icebergs that look like diamonds. We will explore this beautiful area. Jökulsárlón is a glacial lagoon bordering Vatnajökull National Park in southeastern Iceland. Its still, blue waters are dotted with icebergs from the surrounding Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier, part of the larger Vatnajökull Glacier. Second night at Hotel Skaftafell. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 9: Reykjavík: On our last full day, we’ll take our time exploring the South Coast as we make our way back to Reykjavik. We’ll walk the beautiful black sand beach of Reynisfjara located between the famous reefs and the promontory of Reynisdrangar. We’ll visit Dyrhólaey, the southernmost point in Iceland. Literally meaning “Door Hill Island", the high peninsula of Dyrhólaey is known for its impressive black basalt arch. As we drive the flank of the glacier volcano Eyjafjallajökull, which last erupted in 2010 halting air traffic across Europe, we may have time to visit the beautiful waterfalls Skógafoss (optional visit to the Folk Museum Skógar) and Seljalandsfoss. We’ll cross the vast “pampas”-like grasslands between the East and West of Rangá rivers, arriving back at our hotel in Reykjavik. We return to our centrally located Reykjavik hotel and celebrate our trip together with a farewell dinner. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.
Day 10: Depart: Our trip will end after breakfast with independent travel onward to your next destination.
- Please note: This itinerary is subject to change prior to the trip start or en route.
Additional Information
SOLO TRAVELERS
If you wish to have your own room, there is a single room supplement fee of $700. Please let us know at the time of registration if you would like a single room. Single rooms are limited.
If you are traveling alone and would like to share a room, we will match you with a roommate. If there is no one with whom you can share, a “forced” single" fee of $350 will apply.
- Note: Private, single rooms are not available in the huts.
INCLUDED
- 4 nights in cozy mountain huts with bunkrooms
- 3 nights in charming country hotels with private facilities
- 2 nights in Reykjavik in boutique hotel in downtown Reykjavik
- Transport in 4WD bus or jeep
- All meals from dinner Day 1 through dinner Day 9
- English-speaking Fjallabak driver/guide
- Distant Journeys trip leader
NOT INCLUDED
Airfare, optional/individual transfers between inns or individual excursions, beverages, entrance fees for museums, swimming pools, and optional excursions, insurance, tips to guides, items of a personal nature.
LUGGAGE
This trip is vehicle-supported, with luggage and supplies being transferred to each overnight location. This means that for our hikes and walks you will only need to carry a daypack with those items you will need during the day’s hike. Having said that, we recommend keeping your luggage to a size you can easily manage, given that accommodations may have narrow hallways and no elevators. See our sample packing list. You will receive a more detailed packing list upon registration.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEALS
For our Iceland Behind the Mountains trip, we’ll be staying in a mix of hotels, guesthouses, and backcountry huts. Our comfortable hotels and guesthouses provide double occupancy ensuite rooms. A limited number of single rooms are available for a supplemental fee.
Our backcountry huts offer sleeping bag accommodation (usually one comfortable bunkhouse), a dining area and well-equipped kitchen, running water, outdoor toilets, and hot showers. There is the possibility of recharging electrical devices (220V electrical outlets are European standards) on this trip, however, some of the huts may not have electricity. The huts are rustic and in absolutely incredible locations.
Fjallabak folks pride themselves in providing the best cuisine in the highlands! Breakfast is Scandinavian-style, with muesli, bread, jams, fish and cheese. Packed lunches may include a variety of sandwiches, from smoked meats and fish to local cheeses and salads. Dinners involve fresh, local fish and meat dishes, with pasta, rice or potatoes, fresh vegetables, and salad. Vegetarians and those with food allergies can be fully catered for with a range of tasty options. It is essential that you inform our office of any special food requirements at the time of booking!
TRAVEL
All international flights are served by Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport, which is about 45 minutes outside the capital city of Reykjavik.
MEETING POINT
Our Iceland Behind the Mountains trip will officially begin at 6:00 pm at our hotel with an orientation meeting followed by our welcome dinner.
ENDING POINT
The trip will end after breakfast with independent travel to your next destination. Flybus/Reykjavik Excursions offer frequent departures to the airport along with a hotel pick-up.
WHO WOULD LIKE THIS TRIP?
This trip is designed expressly for Distant Journeys and our travelers who have yet to experience the beauty and power of Iceland's hidden landscapes. During the trip, the group will stay in a combination of huts, hotels, and guesthouses, each acting as a base from which to venture out. Staying in the huts gives us an opportunity to immerse ourselves in these rare and isolated spaces. Alternately, the hotels and guesthouses give us a taste of Icelandic hospitality and some welcome comfort.
SAFETY
The remoteness of some of the terrain, coupled with an ever-changing climate can make this a more challenging environment; therefore, safety is of primary concern. Your guides and support vehicle are radio-equipped. Fjallabak’s guides are all experienced mountaineers with extensive local knowledge and are fully trained in wilderness first aid and rescue procedures. It's important that each participant have adequate clothing and gear, as outlined in the packing list, to ensure for comfort in all kinds of weather.
MORE INFORMATION
Please contact us for a more detailed itinerary, for additional information, or to register. We're also happy to supply a list of past participants willing to share insights into this guided Iceland Behind the Mountains experience.
How to Reserve This Trip
A deposit of $500 along with your completed registration forms will reserve a space on your requested trip. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express card as well as personal checks. To make a deposit, you may either follow one of the “Reserve a Trip” links below, give us a call at 1-888-845-5781, or include your payment information in the area provided when completing your registration forms.
The balance is due 90 days prior to departure for most of our trips. When applying less than 75 days prior to departure, full payment is due. For final payments, we accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express, as well as personal checks.
As confirmation of receipt of your deposit, we will send you a comprehensive packet of information pertaining to your trip, an invoice for final payment and additional information including release agreement form, medical information form, travel information, and packing list. Upon receipt of final payment and no later than 30 days prior to your trip start, you will receive trip rendezvous information and a list of accommodations. Returning trip participants will receive a 5% discount on most trips.
Receipt of all forms will finalize your registration.
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Reserve Your Spot
How to Reserve This Trip
A deposit of $500 along with your completed registration forms will reserve a space on your requested trip. We accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express card as well as personal checks. To make a deposit, you may either follow one of the “Reserve a Trip” links below, give us a call at 1-888-845-5781, or include your payment information in the area provided when completing your registration forms.
The balance is due 90 days prior to departure for most of our trips. When applying less than 75 days prior to departure, full payment is due. For final payments, we accept MasterCard, Visa, and American Express, as well as personal checks.
As confirmation of receipt of your deposit, we will send you a comprehensive packet of information pertaining to your trip, an invoice for final payment and additional information including release agreement form, medical information form, travel information, and packing list. Upon receipt of final payment and no later than 30 days prior to your trip start, you will receive trip rendezvous information and a list of accommodations. Returning trip participants will receive a 5% discount on most trips.
Receipt of all forms will finalize your registration.
