Self-Launched Laugavegur & Fimmvörðuháls Hut-to-Hut Trek
6 days · Iceland (Highlands & Þórsmörk)
Icelandic Mountain Guides charges £2,450
No-markup version: ~£480 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Icelandic Mountain Guides' 6-day guided Laugavegur & Fimmvörðuháls hut trek. You book the same chain of Ferðafélag Íslands (FÍ) mountain huts yourself through fi.is (open for booking from ~1 February each year and sells out fast), take the public Strætó/RE bus from BSÍ bus terminal to Landmannalaugar, and walk the classic route south: Landmannalaugar → Hrafntinnusker → Álftavatn → Emstrur → Þórsmörk, with a day hike up to Fimmvörðuháls pass and the 2010 Magni/Móði craters. No guide, but the trail is well marked in good visibility — carry the FÍ Laugavegur map, a GPS app, and know the river-crossing points (Álftavatn and Emstrur have glacial rivers). Note: huts have wardens and shared dorms only, and you must bring your own sleeping bag and cook your own food (huts have basic cooking facilities; some sell soup/bread). Costs assume a self-catering hiker; the FÍ huts run roughly ISK 9,000–12,000/night in dorms (~£50–70), which is the single biggest expense and cannot be avoided if you want the same experience. Estimates are approximate and exclude flights to Iceland.
Day-by-day
Reykjavík → Landmannalaugar → Hrafntinnusker
Landmannalaugar / Hrafntinnusker
Catch the public highland bus from BSÍ bus terminal (Vatnsmýrarvegur 10) — the Strætó/RE 'Landmannalaugar' summer service leaves around 06:30–07:00 (roughly ISK 6,000–8,000 / £35–45 one-way, book online in advance as seats sell out). Arrive Landmannalaugar early afternoon, buy a last-minute gas canister/snacks at the mountain shop, soak a leg in the natural hot river, then hike the 12 km to Hrafntinnusker hut (approx. 4–5 hrs, obsidian ridges, snow patches, Hekla views). Check in, cook dinner in the hut kitchen, and get an early night — altitude and weather here are the coldest on the route.
🚌Public highland bus BSÍ → Landmannalaugar ~£40 one-way; on foot 12 km
🛏FÍ Hrafntinnusker mountain hut (dorm, ~£55/night, book at fi.is)
- →Landmannalaugar hot river soak
- →Hike Landmannalaugar–Hrafntinnusker (12 km)
- →Buy gas/permits and check hut booking
Hrafntinnusker → Álftavatn
Álftavatn
The most dramatic day: descend from the obsidian highlands past the Jökulungur gullies and steam vents, with Mýrdaljökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers on the horizon. 12 km, ~4–5 hrs, one river crossing (usually bridged or shallow at the start of season — check warden advice). Arrive at Álftavatn ('Swan Lake') hut with its black-sand lakeshore, cook dinner, and watch the light on the Torfajökull rhyolite ridges.
🚌On foot 12 km
🛏FÍ Álftavatn mountain hut (dorm, ~£55/night)
- →Hike Hrafntinnusker–Álftavatn
- →Jökulungur gullies & geothermal vents
- →Lakeside evening at Álftavatn
Álftavatn → Emstrur (Botnar)
Emstrur / Botnar
16 km, ~6 hrs, crossing the wide braided Mælifellssandur desert under Stórásúla and Hattfell volcanoes, finishing near the Markarfljót canyon. This is the day with the two marked glacial river crossings just after Álftavatn — they're usually knee-deep but link up with another hiker if the flow is high. Arrive at Botnar (Emstrur) hut, refill water, and walk 15 minutes to the canyon viewpoint after dinner.
🚌On foot 16 km
🛏FÍ Emstrur/Botnar mountain hut (dorm, ~£55/night)
- →Hike Álftavatn–Emstrur
- →Glacial river crossings
- →Markarfljót canyon viewpoint
Emstrur → Þórsmörk (Básar)
Þórsmörk
A shorter, greener day — 15 km, ~5 hrs — dropping off the desert and into the birch woods of Þórsmörk with Mýrdalsjökull hanging over the valley. Arrive at Básar hut (or the nearby Þórsmörk huts, both FÍ), wash up, and eat well: tomorrow is a big day. Buy any extra food at the small shop/volcano huts café if it's open.
🚌On foot 15 km
🛏FÍ Básar hut, Þórsmörk (dorm, ~£55/night)
- →Hike Emstrur–Þórsmörk
- →Valley of Thor birch woods
- →Mýrdalsjökull glacier views
Day hike to Fimmvörðuháls & 2010 craters
Þórsmörk / Fimmvörðuháls
Leave the heavy pack at the hut and walk out-and-back to Fimmvörðuháls pass (~20–22 km, 7–8 hrs). Cross the Krossá on the footbridge, climb through Goðaland past the Kattarhryggir ridges to the pass, then explore the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull lava field and the Magni and Móði craters. Mist and snow patches are common — this is the navigation-sensitive day, so carry the map, GPS and spare layers. Return to Básar for dinner.
🚌On foot ~21 km round trip
🛏FÍ Básar hut, Þórsmörk (dorm, ~£55/night)
- →Fimmvörðuháls pass hike
- →Magni & Móði craters
- →2010 Eyjafjallajökull lava field
- →Krossá footbridge
Þórsmörk → Reykjavík
Þórsmörk / Reykjavík
Short morning walk in the valley or up to a viewpoint, then catch the afternoon public bus back to Reykjavík — the Þórsmörk–BSÍ service is the river-fording 4x4 bus and typically leaves around 15:30–16:30 (book online, ~£40, arrives BSÍ 19:30–20:00, matching the operator's own timing). Don't book a flight home for tonight; highland road washouts and delays are common.
🚌Public Þórsmörk 4x4 bus → BSÍ Reykjavík ~£40
🛏Hostel in Reykjavík if staying on (e.g. Kex or Loft, ~£40–55/night, not included)
- →Morning viewpoint walk in Þórsmörk
- →Bus back to Reykjavík
Self-launched vs. Icelandic Mountain Guides
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Icelandic Mountain Guides | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£480 | £2,450 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,970 per person (80%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Icelandic Mountain Guides-style trips? Check them out here.~£480
estimated per person
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Laugavegur & Fimmvörðuháls Hut-to-Hut Trek cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £480 per person for 6 days in Iceland (Highlands & Þórsmörk). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Icelandic Mountain Guides?+
Yes — Icelandic Mountain Guides charges around £2,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £480 — a saving of roughly £1,970 (80%) per person.
How long is the Iceland (Highlands & Þórsmörk) trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Iceland (Highlands & Þórsmörk).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, budget trip through Iceland (Highlands & Þórsmörk), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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