Hiking the Laugavegur Trail: A Solo Adventure in Iceland

The Laugavegur trail is the most popular multi-day hike in Iceland. It starts in the Landmannalaugar region and ends in Þórsmörk, covering a distance of around 55 kilometers (34 miles) through stunning landscapes of mountains, hot springs, and glaciers. I did it solo from the 18th to 21st of June 2025.

Length

55km (34 miles)

Day 1 – 12km (7.5 miles) – Landmannalaugar to Hrafntinnusker
Day 2 – 12km (7.5 miles) – Hrafntinnusker to Álftavatn
Day 3 – 16km (9.9 miles) – Álftavatn to Emstrur
Day 4 – 15km (9.3 miles) – Emstrur to Þórsmörk

Logistics

Book a bus from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar. I used Reykjavik Excursions and they were very well organised.

Safety

Iceland feels safe in general. Weather wise, make sure to pack for cold conditions. June in Iceland is almost 24h of daylight.

Season

Mid-June to mid-September (dates vary depending on snow conditions). Exact dates change each year it seems.

Food and Water

I brought enough food for four days. You can fill up water at the huts each day, or there are sometimes suitable streams along the way. There are very basic shops at some of the huts, but I wouldn’t depend on them for food.

Day 1 – Landmannalaugar to Hrafntinnusker

I woke up in Landmannalaugar on June 18th and set off on the trail to Hrafntinnusker. Rain drizzled down most of the day, and I encountered way more snow than I’d ever expected – long, sprawling fields of it that felt a little dangerous at times. Thankfully, I had the right shoes with me. Apart from one unfortunate step into slushy snow, they performed brilliantly through the challenging conditions. I did get a fright this day when my one leg went into a hole in the snow, but it wasn’t deeper than my thigh so I lifted myself out and continued.

The elevation gain was manageable as I climbed up hills covered in snow toward Hrafntinnusker, the highest hut on the entire trail sitting at 1,140 meters (3,743 feet). When I finally arrived, the scene before me was utterly unforgiving – thick fog, heavy snow, and biting cold. I’d planned to camp, but I completely chickened out (as my sleeping pad was deflating and I could not find the hole) and asked if they had any room in the hut. Lucky for me, they did! Being at the very beginning of the hiking season definitely worked in my favour.

Inside, I found myself sharing the hut with a Chinese couple living in Copenhagen and a French man, while the rest of the space was occupied by a catered tour group. Everyone seemed to have the same problem: soaking wet shoes. We all competed for position around the two gas heaters, desperately trying to dry our gear. Shoes had to come off in the dry room at the entrance, and from there on, it was socks-only territory throughout the hut.

The kitchen was impressively well-equipped with loads of crockery and cutlery. The only downside? The toilet was outside – a long-drop composting affair that meant braving the elements every time nature called. The hut also had a tiny shop with some essentials, though I’d still recommend bringing everything you need with you.

That evening, I cooked up some instant noodles and snacks while we all swapped hiking stories. The French man was particularly generous with his advice, showing us incredible places to explore in the French Alps. Despite the chorus of snoring around me, I slept remarkably well. The only challenge was Iceland’s endless June daylight – we had to pull down all the blinds, and I wore my sleep mask to block out the light. Still, it was a comfortable night and a triumphant end to day one.

Day 2 – Hrafntinnusker to Álftavatn

I woke up in the hut on the morning of June 19th with no rush to leave – the clouds were thick, and mist swirled outside. I waited for conditions to clear, incredibly grateful I’d chosen the hut over camping the night before.

When I finally set off, it turned into a stunning hike. The day began with three kilometers of snow fields and some squishy mud that tested my footing, then climbed up to a gorgeous viewpoint that made every step worthwhile. I stopped for a short break and devoured a wrap or two with vegan cream cheese while taking in the incredible scenery. Here I met a Dutch father and son hiking duo who offered to take a picture of me and I took some of them in return.

My sleeping mat was still slowly deflating and I could not for the life of me find the hole (I later found out it was leaking from the seams – oof). At least the rain held off during the hike and by the time I reached camp and crawled into my tent, a light drizzle had started. I hoped it wouldn’t get worse overnight.

As I settled into my tent for the evening, I cooked up mushroom couscous for dinner and felt snuggly in my sleeping bag. With my mat out of commission, I had to improvise – I unpacked my hiking bag and used it under my torso to keep my core warm, placed my foam sitting pad under my hips to keep them comfortable, and stuffed my Patagonia jacket around my feet to make sure my toes stayed toasty.

Day 3 – Álftavatn to Emstrur

I woke up on the morning of June 20th having been warm through the night, though maybe not the most comfortable on my improvised sleeping setup. Loud Nordic ladies jolted me awake last night, part of a large hiking group that arrived and set up their tents.

I had 16 kilometers ahead of me today – should be a chilled hike, though there were two river crossings to navigate. My power bank continued to prove its worth; heavy as it was, it was absolutely amazing and completely justified the extra weight.

As I hiked, I passed another campsite (Hvanngil Hut) that looked like it might have been the better option, with actual places to sit and an old store or barn to shelter in. The landscape drastically changed this day with fields of black volcanic ash and not as much vegetation.

When I finally reached my campsite at Emstrur for the night, it was absolutely gorgeous – nestled right near a river. To my surprise, the hut was selling beer, so I bought one and headed to my tent to sit in the warm sun. I cracked open a beer and dozed off feeling content, only to wake up shivering as the temperature had dropped again and I had a headache. I then realised I hadn’t had enough water that day and went to fill my water bottle in the stream and drank about 1L. I then cooked up noodles for dinner and took a painkiller. Silly me. Note to self: I really needed to drink more water.

The ground here felt softer with no rocks digging into me, so I was hopeful for a good night’s sleep. The sound of the stream outside my tent was wonderfully comforting. And with a buff over my eyes, I made it night time and went to sleep.

Day 4 – Emstrur to Þórsmörk

I woke up on June 21st to face a solid day of relentless wind that blew me around even with my heavy pack weighing me down. The landscape changed from volcanic ash fields to small canyons and then gorgeous rivers and plants. The river crossing near the end was an adventure – the water rose up to my knees as I carefully made my way across. I had arrived at the same time as the two Dutch hikers and copied where they had crossed. After that, the trail suddenly filled with loads of trail runners, and before I knew it, I’d reached the end of the trail.

From there, I had to make my way to the Volcano Huts as that’s where I’d booked my bus from. When I arrived, there was a lovely big restaurant bustling with energy. I grabbed coffee with the Chinese couple from day one, surrounded by trail runners refueling after their event. I treated myself to another round – a coffee and a hot cocoa – then spotted a stand outside selling hot chips. They must have been part of the trail running event, and I wasn’t about to pass that up.

Just as I finished, the sky opened up and rain started pouring down. Perfect timing – the bus pulled up to drive us back to Reykjavík. As we drove, the landscape transformed dramatically before my eyes, shifting from stark black desert to vibrant, luminous green plants. It was the perfect end to an incredible journey.