Iceland (2024)
August 7–21, 2024
This trip was planned around the Laugavegur Trail, a multi-day hiking route through Iceland’s central highlands. The journey unfolded in two distinct phases: a fast-paced trek across volcanic and glacial terrain, followed by a counterclockwise camper van loop around the Ring Road.
Reykjavík served as both the entry point and the transition zone between hiking and road travel.
Route overview
- Arrival in Reykjavík — city time and meet-up with trail friends
- Bus transfer to Landmannalaugar — trailhead access
- Laugavegur Trail (4 days) — completed at a faster pace than average, skipping several huts
- Fimmvörðuháls — continuation beyond the standard route
- Return to Reykjavík
- Camper van rental (Happy Campers)
- Ring Road (counterclockwise) — South → East → North → West
- Return to Reykjavík — final city day and departure
The hiking phase
The Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls routes moved through rapidly shifting landscapes: volcanic fields, snow patches, glaciers, mossy valleys, and exposed ridgelines. The terrain was rarely extreme, but the variability and weather demanded attention.
We completed the main Laugavegur section in four days, faster than the typical six, carrying relatively light packs compared to most other hikers. The extension over Fimmvörðuháls added both elevation and exposure, and we ended up convincing a few hesitant hikers to continue with us.
River crossings were present but manageable, and conditions remained challenging primarily due to wind and cold rather than technical difficulty.
The road phase
After returning to Reykjavík, we transitioned to a camper van and began a counterclockwise loop of the Ring Road. Travel during this phase combined campsites, pull-offs, short hikes, and long scenic drives.
Stops included coastal towns, glacier regions, volcanic areas, waterfalls, geysers, black sand beaches, and remote interior sites. We visited turf houses, ruins from early settlements, sulfuric geothermal areas, and the Shark Museum, where fermented Greenland shark is prepared due to the meat being toxic when fresh.
The north of the island brought colder conditions and heavier wind, while the south felt comparatively mild. Across the entire loop, the density of waterfalls and the scale of the landscape were difficult to overstate.
Looking back
This trip mattered because it reinforced how much we value moving through landscapes on foot, while also showing how effective vehicle-based travel can be for covering larger regions. The contrast between the two modes—trail and road—made the trip feel both expansive and grounded.
Iceland remains one of the most otherworldly places we’ve traveled.