Laugavegur Trail at a glance
- Distance: 55 km (plus optional 25 km to Skógar)
- Time needed: 2–4 days
- Total ascent: approx. 1,200 m total ascent
- Start / finish: Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk
- Season: Late June to early September
- Accommodation: Ferðafélag Íslands huts and campsites — book far ahead
- Difficulty: Moderate — weather and river crossings, not gradient
Stage by stage
- Landmannalaugar to Hrafntinnusker — 12 km climbing through rhyolite hills and steam vents; snow often lies here all summer.
- Hrafntinnusker to Álftavatn — 12 km with a big descent and the first serious river crossing.
- Álftavatn to Emstrur — 15 km across black sand desert.
- Emstrur to Þórsmörk — 15 km through the Markarfljót canyon to the birch woods.
The weather is the route
Laugavegur is not steep, but it is high, treeless Icelandic interior. Whiteout, sideways rain and near-freezing temperatures occur in July, and the Hrafntinnusker plateau is the section where unprepared walkers get into trouble. Full waterproofs and real insulation are non-negotiable even in midsummer.
River crossings
Several rivers are unbridged, most notably below Álftavatn and near Emstrur. They are usually thigh-deep and cold, and they rise through the day with meltwater — crossing early matters. Crossing shoes and a technique for facing upstream with a partner or poles are standard practice.
Booking and transport
The huts are run by Ferðafélag Íslands and open bookings months ahead; they sell out for peak July and August almost immediately. Access at both ends is by highland bus over unbridged F-roads, which only run during the season.
Do you need a certified guide on the Laugavegur Trail?
Guided trips are the norm here, and for good reason: the river crossings, the exposure of the Hrafntinnusker plateau and the highland transport are all things a local guide handles routinely and visitors do not. Confident, well-equipped hikers walk it independently in settled weather.
Laugavegur Trail questions
How difficult is the Laugavegur Trail?
Moderate. Daily distances are 12–15 km with modest ascent, but the trail crosses unbridged rivers and open highland where the weather can turn severe in any month.
When can you hike the Laugavegur Trail?
Roughly late June to early September, when the huts are staffed and the highland buses run. Outside that window it becomes a winter expedition.
Do you need a guide for the Laugavegur Trail?
Not legally, but many walk it guided. A guide manages river crossings, navigation in whiteout on the Hrafntinnusker plateau and the highland transport at both ends.
Can you extend Laugavegur to Skógar?
Yes. Adding the Fimmvörðuháls pass from Þórsmörk to Skógar makes it roughly 80 km and one or two days longer, passing between two glaciers and the 2010 eruption site.