Eldgjá Canyon Trek, 4-Day Hut to Hut Trekking Tour

After pickup in Reykjavík the course is set for Landmannalaugar, a place that is well known for its colorful mountains, hot springs, and beautiful lava fields. Short hiking is optional for those who are willing to wear down their hiking boots as we stop for 2 hours in Landmannalaugar. Our guide will offer a tour through the Laugahraun Lava to the mountain Brennisteinsalda and back to Landmannalaugar through the Grænagil Canyon. This trek is 4,5 km and not technically complex. We will observe bubbling rivers, geothermal hot springs, beautiful lava, and colorful mountains.

Relaxing in the hot spring at Landmannalaugar is an option before we continue the journey.

Landmannalaugar is in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve. It is a protected wilderness area that is known for its rugged and dramatic landscapes, geothermal features, colorful rhyolite mountains, and pristine wilderness.

From Landmannalaugar the tour continues in our 4x4 bus as we drive the F208 mountain road to Lake Langisjór and the Peak Sveinstindur. F208 is a challenging mountain route only suitable for 4x4 vehicles. It takes us through some of Iceland’s most stunning and rugged landscapes in the highlands and offers access to various natural attractions.

The trek begins at Lake Langisjór by hiking to the top of the Peak Sveinstindur. The view from the top is spectacular. The view stretches over the breath-taking valleys and mountains. The hike continues from Peak Sveinstindur to a cabin by the river Skaftá where the first night will be spent. The first day’s hike will be around 4-5 hours long. The starting destination at the bottom of Sveinstindur is around 600 meters above sea level and the top is 1090 meters. The elevation is therefore 5-600 meters.

Langisjór is a large lake southwest of the glacier Vatnajökull. It is part of the Vatnajökull National Park. The lake is 27 square kilometers, 20km long and 2km wide, at its widest. The altitude is 662m above sea level. East of Langisjór is the mountain range Fögrufjöll in which many rock formations lead into the water and into the fjords and bays. By the southern end of the lake is Sveinstindur, a mountain named after Sveinn Pálsson, a physician and naturalist from the town of Vík. Sveinstindur is 1092m above sea level. The hike is relatively easy and hikers with little to no experience can get to the top with an increase of 400m in altitude. The view from the top is unique, it is said that in case the weather is good enough, a person should be able to see a view that stretches a quarter over Iceland. From the glacier Öræfajökull in the east, and the two glaciers Langjökull and Hofsjökull in the west. The view stretches over all Langisjór Lake additionally, an unforgettable sight to see. To the right of the lake is the mountain range Fögrufjöll with numerous lagoons between heights and peaks. East of Fögrufjöll runs the glacier river Skaftá, which has historically crashed with catastrophic floods. The floods originate in Skaftárkatlar, which is a geothermal area underneath the icecap of the Glacier Vatnajökull. From the east of the Skaftá river, one can see the crater Laki, where the lava from Laki crater flooded in the lowlands in 1783 – the third largest lava flow on earth since the last Ice Age.

On the second day of the trek, we leave the mountain hut at Peak Sveinstindur after breakfast and prepare our lunch pack for the day. We set the course to Skælingar hut. The trekking goes along side of the river Skaftá and through the valley Hvanngil. The second day of the hike is in a fabulously colorful landscape.

In Skælingar there is an old cabin that belong to the farmers in this part of Iceland. One of many such cabins in Iceland that were used in the autumn in the sheep round-up, when farmers collected sheep from the Highland. In Skælingar there are many amazing lava formations from the Laki eruption, that are beautiful scenery making the place strange and exotic. In Skælingar, the most adventurous hikers will be able to bathe in a cold mere.

Third trekking day starts with a trek to the mountain Gjátindur from the top of which a magnificent view of Iceland can be seen. From Gjátindur is a good view over the Eldgjá fissure wich is a 70 km long canyon.

Eldgjá is a fissure created by eruptions that took place in the year 934. The fissure is 60 km long and forms a canyon that extends from the mountain Gjátindur to the glacier Mýrdalsjökull in the southeast. We will observe the fissure and take a good look at the waterfall Ófærufoss.

The total lava flow from the Eldgjá eruption is estimated to be around 19 km3. That makes the Eldgjá eruption the most volumetric lava flow from one eruption in historical time. The origins of the Eldgjá eruption are from the Katla volcano system. At the end of this day trekkers will reach Hólakjól Highland Centre and mountain lodge with a little more luxury than the previous two huts on this trek.

The last day of this expedition we give us time to look at the at an amazing waterfall that is hidden close to Hólaskjól Highland Center. After breakfast we drive to the main road, number 1 on the South Coast. Our first stop will be in the village Vik where we will have lunch and visit the Lava show. Our next stop will be on the Black beach and then we head for the waterfall Seljalandsfoss and finally to Reykjavík City.