From Langisjor to Eyjafjallajökull

Title: From Langisjor to Eyjafjallajökull

Length : 8 days / 7 nights
1460 Euros per person

Thanks to its’ 2010 eruption, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, had everyone talking about Iceland. We feel that it is high time to repair its reputation starting with this trek that will bring you to the brand new lava fields and craters that bear witness to the volcano’s recent mischief. From Lake Langisjór, one of the least known jewels of Iceland’s volcanic rift, to the superb valley of Thórsmörk, you will discover during this eight day trek a whole panoply of enchanting, spectacular and more than anything, varied, landscapes that result from the area’s high volcanic activity. An intense trek that resembles the kind of epic journey that only Tolkien could dream up.
From the beginning of June to the end of September

Strengths:

- The brand new lava fields and craters of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano
- The lava flows of Laki along the river Skaftá and Eldgjá explosive fault
- Baths in the hot water rivers of Landmannalaugar and Strútslaug
- The Katla volcano that lays dormant under the Mýrdalsjökull glacier
- Vast expanses of black volcanic sand
- Nights spent in mountain huts!

Summary:

Group: 5 to 14 participants
Trek: 8 days with a light backpack. Vehicular assistance with baggage transportation.
Length of walks: from 4 to 8 hours
Total distance covered: about 135 km
Average distance covered per day: 17 km
Altitude: 450-1100m
Maximum change in altitude per day: 800m
Price: 1460 €
Departure dates: July 11 and July 25

Friendly Advice:

- Don’t cut corners when it comes to the quality of your equipment. Bring protection against potential cold and rain, a quality overcoat and shoes...
- Prepare yourself before your departure and leave with shoes that are already moulded to your feet.

Staff:

Experienced English speaking Icelander mountain guide. If the weather is good, this trek will seem more like a challenging hike, but otherwise, you’ll be glad to have the knowledge and support of your guide!

Accommodations are provided in well-kept mountain huts. They are heated, some even have electricity and hot water, but they remain nevertheless mountain huts with no luxury and little privacy. You will stay in shared rooms with bunks that you may be forced to share. But in this wild environment, especially if there is difficult weather, these mountain huts will seem like four star hotels! Your guides prepare your breakfast and dinners in the mountain huts with your help of course! Lunch will be taken in the form of cold picnics on site.

What's Included:

- 7 days with a professional Icelander mountain guide.
- All meals from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 7.
- Transfer to and from your accommodations in Reykjavik.
- Nights in mountain huts

What's not Included:

- Flights and airport transfers.
- Drinks.
- Tips and extras
- Showers in the mountain huts (about 500 ISK – for five minutes of hot water)
- Reykjavik Accomodations

Price:

PRICE PER PERSON
- From the 11 to the 18 of July: 1460 Euros
- From the 25 of July to the 1st of August: 1460 Euros

It is possible to schedule a private departure date with a minimum of five participants

Afficher From Langisjor to Eyjafjallajökull sur une carte plus grande

Day 1: Reykjavík - Landamannalaugar - Langisjór
Leave your Reykjavik accommodations early in the morning for your transfer to Langisjór, including a stop in Landmannalaugar for a bath in its hot water river. In the afternoon, you’ll climb to the summit of Sveinstindur (1090m) or hike in the mountain pass of the Fögrufjöll meaning “beautiful mountains” in Icelandic. Spectacular panoramas of the delta that is the source of the glacial river of Skaftá, the splendid Langisjór Lake meaning “the long sea”, and Vatnajökull’s icecap. Overnight in a mountain hut.
Transfer: 240km - 5h
Distance walked: 13 km max.
Length of walk: 5h max.
Altitude at starting point: 600m
Altitude at ending point: 670m
Minimum altitude: 600m
Maximum altitude: 1100


Day 2: Sveinstindur - Skælingar
Along the tumultuous Skaftá trail, the color contrasts between the red and black of the volcanic rock and the green of the moss is striking. Before going around Uxatindar, “the bull’s horns”, through Tröllagjá, “the walk of trolls”, we reach a picturesque little nestled at the foot of rocky cliffs. The landscape is mystical and seems inhabited by legendary Nordic spirits. Descent to the bed of the Skaftá River, in the middle of grassy pastures and surprising lava formations where sheep graze freely. Overnight in a mountain hut.
Distance walked: 15-16 km
Length of walk: 6-7h
Altitude at starting point: 600m
Altitude at ending point: 460m
Minimum altitude: 460m
Maximum altitude: 750

Day 3: Skælingar - Álftavötn
We now explore the western part of Elgjá, the Earth’s longest explosive fault that was formed in the tenth century. This is where it is at its widest (up to 600m) but also its deepest (about 200m). On the path, we’ll discover Gjátindur’s summit from the top of which we overlook all of the Fjallabak natural reserve as well as the icecaps of the Mýrdalsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers. Further along, the magnificent Ófærufoss waterfall streams down the fault. We end our day in an idyllic setting, on the edge of the Alftavötn, “swan lake”. Overnight in a mountain hut.
Distance walked: 17-18 km
Length of walk: 7- 8h
Altitude at starting point: 460m
Altitude at ending point: 460m
Minimum altitude: 460m
Maximum altitude: 900m

Day 4: Alftavötn - Strútur
Between the caldera of Torfajökull and the mountain pass of Svartahnúksfjöll an isolated valley unfolds, spotted with jagged rocks and carpeted with fluorescent moss. On our way we will follow the western part of Eldgjá. A beautiful river of clear water flows from under waterfalls. Further along, in Strútslaug, a delicious hot water bath will provide an opportunity for rest. Night in a mountain hut at the foot of mount Strútur.
Distance walked: 20-21 km
Length of walk: 5-6h
Altitude at starting point: 460m
Altitude at ending point: 600m
Minimum altitude: 460m
Maximum altitude: 700m

Day 5 : Strútur - Hvanngil
We pace Mælifelssandur vast barren deserts, between the multicoloured mountainpasses of Torfajökull on one side, and Mýrdalsjökull’s icecap on the other. Under our feet, black volcanic sand extends as far as the eye can see. We end our day in the charming Hvanngil valley, a vegetated oasis at the desert’s edge.
Distance walked: 14 -15 km
Length of walk: 5 - 6h
Altitude at starting point: 600m
Altitude at ending point: 580m
Minimum altitude: 580m
Maximum altitude: 750m

Day 6 : Hvanngil - Emstrur
Crossing of vast expanses of rocks and sand in the middle of which isolated peaks jut out as if beached on the floor of a dried up sea. We are approaching the Mýrdalsjökull glacier under which sleeps the volcano of Katla. Via impressive moraines, we descend into the valley that the glacier left behind it after its drift these last dozens of years, revealing twisting waterfalls that have not even been named yet. We climb back up to our mountain hut in Emstrur, close to Markarfljótsgljúfur’s spectacular gorges.
Distance walked: 18-19 km
Length of walk: 7- 8h
Altitude at starting point: 580m
Altitude at ending point: 480m
Minimum altitude: 360m
Maximum altitude: 600m

Day 7 : Emstrur - Básar (Thórsmörk)
We progressively head out of the high plateaus walking along the gorges carved out by the Markarfljót River. We finish our journey in Thórsmörk, "the forest of Thor", amidst a verdant oasis shielded by the snowpeaked mountains. Overnight near the glacier volcano of Eyjafjallajökull.
Distance walked: 19-20 km
Length of walk: 7- 8h
Altitude at starting point: 480m
Altitude at ending point: 240m
Minimum altitude: 360m
Maximum altitude: 600m

Day 8 : Fimmvördurháls - Reykjavík
Last hike before we reach the peak of Fimmvörðurháls, site of Eyjafjallajökull’s March 2010 eruption. Scoria craters, new lava fields, spectacular vistas over the valley of Thórsmörk and its surrounding glaciers. Transfer back to Reykjavík in the afternoon, arrival in the capital around dusk.
Transfer: 160km - 3h
Distance walked: 14 km
Length of walk: 7- 8h
Altitude at starting point: 240m
Altitude at ending point: 240m
Minimum altitude: 240m
Maximum altitude: 1050m