Iceland: the 5 Best Snowmobile and Glacier Hiking Tours from Reykjavík

Iceland: the 5 Best Snowmobile and Glacier Hiking Guided Tours from Reykjavík

What are the best snowmobile and glacier hiking tours in Iceland? What are the most interesting and exciting snowmobile tours and glacier hikes that can be done in one day leaving from Reykjavík in the morning and coming back the same evening? Are you looking for a Winter excursion in Super Jeep or do you wish to join a group tour? The 5 best snowmobile and glacier hiking tours from Reykjavík: the comparison and detailed description of the 5 best excursions you can book in Reykjavík to discover the magical world of Iceland’s glaciers. Group tour of the Golden Circle with a snowmobile ride on Langjökull glacier. Super Jeep excursion to the Golden Circle and snowmobile on the Langjökull glacier in Winter. Day glacier hike on the Sólheimajökull glacier with the best of the southern coast of Iceland. Snowmobile tour on the Mýrdalsjökull glacier and the Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. The fabulous excursion to Landmannalaugar with a guided hike to the colorful rhyolite mountains, one of the most magical landscapes in Iceland. With full descriptions, my considerations, some suggestions, all the pros and cons of each tour and direct links to check prices and easily book online by credit card.

South Coast Tour with Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike, Iceland
South Coast Tour with Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike, Iceland

Photo Credit: Arctic Adventures

What Are the Best Snowmobile Tours and Glacier Hikes from Reykjavík?

The 5 Best Snowmobile Tours and Guided Glacier Hikes in Iceland from Reykjavík

Are you going to Iceland and want to go on a snowmobile excursion on the glaciers? Are you in Reykjavík and want to organize a day hike to the fabulous Landmannalaugar or to one of the glaciers closest to the capital? Do you have doubts whether to choose a group tour or a Super Jeep excursion?

  • Among the many snowmobile, Super Jeep or trekking tours on the glaciers of Iceland offered by the Reykjavík agencies and sold online, I have chosen 5 different tours. These are not the only ones you can book but in my opinion they are among the best and most complete snowmobile and glacier hiking tours available in Iceland.
  • The first one is the snowmobile tour on the Langjökull glacier with a visit to the Golden Circle, both very close to the capital of Iceland. The second is an exclusive Super Jeep tour from Reykjavík to the Golden Circle followed by a snowmobile ride on the Langjökull Glacier but is recommended if you go to Iceland in Winter.
  • Excursions third and fourth take you to some of the most beautiful attractions on the South Coast of Iceland, including the Black Sand Beach and the Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, combining them respectively with a guided hike on the Sólheimajökull Glacier and a snowmobile tour on the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier.
  • The last is a very special tour to visit the magnificent Landmannalaugar valley in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, no glaciers, but by far one of the most amazing and spectacular places in Iceland, going and returning to Reykjavík in one day and making a guided trek to admire the colorful rhyolite mountains up close.
  • All tours are described below, in a very detailed way, with my considerations, some suggestions and all the pros and cons of each tour. Have a look and see if there is a tour you like.
  • You can book all snowmobile and hiking tours easily by credit card through Get Your Guide and Viator. For the great majority of tours you get instant confirmation, while for some, tour confirmation is subject to availability and will be given within 48 hours of your booking.
  • If you are looking for a guided excursion by bus or minibus to visit the Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle, Vík and the southern coast, the Snaefellsnes peninsula, see the northern lights or take part in a boat excursion to observe the whales, in The 8 Best Guided Tours and Day-Trips from Reykjavík you will find the detailed description of the best day tours departing from Reykjavík to visit the great wonders of Iceland. One chapter is devoted to how tour pick-ups and drop-offs work for the hotels located in the city center of Reykjavík.
Langjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Golden Circle from Reykjavík, Iceland
Langjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Golden Circle from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Mountaineers of Iceland

Langjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Golden Circle from Reykjavík

Have you ever thought of personally driving a snowmobile on a large glacier? Well, from Reykjavík it can be done, easily and without spending prohibitive money, not only in Winter but also in the height of the Summer. 

Langjökull glacier is the second largest glacier in Iceland, in a straight line it is located just 50 km from Reykjavík. But, above all, it is very close, less than an hour’s journey aboard special vehicles from the Gullfoss waterfall and the other stellar attractions of the Golden Circle. And it is on Langjökull Glacier that Reykjavík’s specialist operators organize most of the snowmobile excursions you find advertised in Iceland. 

If you travel in the Summer and want to experience a snowmobile ride, I suggest you combine it with a tour of the Golden Circle: in one long day you can admire some of the most beautiful attractions of Iceland and personally ride a snowmobile on the glacier for about an hour. 

Usually the tour is organized like this: departure from Reykjavík, 1 hour stop to visit Thingvellir National Park, another 1 and a half hour stop at the geysers with time for lunch, half hour drive to Gullfoss, here get off the bus and board special off-road vehicles to reach the base camp on the glacier in an hour, instructions on how to drive the snowmobile, snowmobile tour on the Langjökull glacier of about 50 minutes, return by special vehicles to Gullfoss, half an hour to see the waterfall, and at the end return to Reykjavík.

Langjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Golden Circle from Reykjavík, Iceland
Langjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Golden Circle from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Mountaineers of Iceland

  • Pick-up and drop-off: you have the option to reach on your own the starting point of the excursion (at the time of the update of this article Skógarhlíð 10, 105 Reykjavík, exactly in correspondence with the Bus Hostel, check the email sent to you after booking), or with a small supplement add pickup / drop-off at your hotel or – for all hotels located in the most central area of Reykjavík – at one of the bus stops closest to your hotel.
  • Duration of the tour: approximately 11 and a half hours plus pick-up / drop-off times.
  • Guide: English speaking driver and guide, on board the main bus audio guide available in several languages, bring your earphones.
  • Features: guided group tour with large bus equipped with Wi-Fi and USB sockets; pick-ups and drop-offs in Reykjavík are usually organized by smaller vans known as Smartbuses; from Gullfoss to the glacier and back, you travel in special off-road vehicles called monster trucks. The trip to and from Reykjavík is managed by Reykjavík Sightseeing, in Gullfoss you are picked up by the specialized operator Mountaineers of Iceland, the latter who manages the monster trucks and the snowmobile tour.
  • Price: includes all transport, guided tours of the Golden Circle and the glacier tour by snowmobile including thermal suit and helmet, 2 people per snowmobile who take turns driving. Lunch is not included, you can buy sandwiches or anything else during your stop at the Geysir Center or sometimes at the Gullfoss Café but my strong recommendation is to have your full picnic lunch ready before starting the hike, feed yourself on the bus during the trip and not during stops.
  • Pros: combining a visit to the attractions of the Golden Circle with a snowmobile tour on the Langjökull glacier has two advantages, at least in the Summer; the first due to the great proximity between the two sites, you avoid wasting precious time in transfers; the second because in case of cancellation of the snowmobile tour you will still have the whole part of the Golden Circle, without having to waste and lose an entire day if the cancellation is communicated to you – as usually happens due to meteorological causes – last moment.
  • Cons: the price, certainly not prohibitive for the type of excursion, but at the same time not affordable for everyone.
Strokkur Geyser, Geysir Geothermal Area, Langjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Golden Circle from Reykjavík, Iceland
Strokkur Geyser, Geysir Geothermal Area, Langjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Golden Circle from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Reykjavik Sightseeing

  • Info for the snowmobile section of the tour: to drive your snowmobile don’t forget your valid driving license; no previous experience is required, before the tour you are given instructions, driving a snowmobile is relatively easy; the guide aboard his snowmobile precedes the group, 1 guide for every 6 customer snowmobiles; on the glacier you follow a predetermined and traced path, it is possible that in Summer the path will be shorter, depending on the amount of snow present on the live ice; two people per snowmobile who take turns driving, if you book alone you will be assigned a companion, if you want a single snowmobile there is a supplement, about 6000 ISK; if the weather conditions do not allow the snowmobile tour, the operator may cancel the excursion by offering you a full refund, alternatively sometimes the option of replacing the snowmobile with a ATV or buggy tour is offered, you can accept or ask for refund.
  • Good to know: dress in layers, and bring very warm clothing and a waterproof and windproof jacket, the wind being your true Icelandic enemy. At 1000 meters above sea level, it could be 10 degrees lower than in the center of Reykjavík and the temperature could be below freezing, even in the middle of July. It is true that at the base camp they provide you with thermal suit, gloves and helmet, but before and after you will have to be equipped on your own, including winter hiking shoes, your gloves, scarf and hat with ear covers, it would be nice to have waterproof pants too, in Iceland they will also be useful on other occasions … Minimum age to participate in the excursion as a passenger on a snowmobile is 6 years.
  • Recommended: if you want to experience the thrill of driving a snowmobile in a wild place, on a glacier in the heart of the Icelandic plateau.
  • Another option: a very similar tour to the Golden Circle with a snowmobile ride on the Langjökull glacier is organized by a different local supplier; it is GetYourGuide | From Reykjavik: Golden Circle and Glacier Snowmobiling by Reykjavik Excursions, the same agency that manages the famous Flybus to Keflavik airport; so you can compare costs and have more choices before deciding.
Super Jeep Golden Circle and Snowmobile Ride on the Langjökull Glacier Winter Tour from Reykjavík, Iceland
Super Jeep Golden Circle and Snowmobile Ride on the Langjökull Glacier Winter Tour from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Mountaineers of Iceland

Super Jeep Golden Circle and Snowmobile Ride on the Langjökull Glacier Winter Tour from Reykjavík

In Winter, the few hours of light useful for excursions require drastic choices. And the weather conditions and the presence of snow on the ground require special vehicles. Which arrive where buses stop instead. Of all the excursions that from Reykjavík include snowmobile tours on the Langjökull Glacier, this one entirely managed by Mountaineers of Iceland, a company that has been operating for over 20 years, is probably the best and the better organized. And if you travel in Winter and want to combine a visit to the Golden Circle with a snowmobile, this is what I recommend.

The tour is operated in this way: from Reykjavík you leave a little later than the other tours, in Winter it is an advantage, useless to arrive at the Þingvellir National Park that is still dark; here you can visit the place where the world’s first parliament met in 930 and walk along the pedestrian walkway exactly in the middle of the narrow fault that separates the North American from the Euro-Asian tectonic plate. Continue to the Geysir Geothermal Area with a quick stop to watch the Strokkur Geyser erupting every 5 minutes, then continue straight away to Gullfoss and from there immediately to the Mountaineers of Iceland base camp on the Langjökull glacier. 1-hour snowmobile ride on the glacier and return to Gullfoss, where if all went according to plan you are in time to enjoy the view of the iconic waterfall still with the light, before resuming the journey aboard the Super Jeep to return to Reykjavík. 

The tour is particularly recommended in Winter but it takes place all year round and in – almost – any weather condition.

Gullfoss Waterfall, Super Jeep Golden Circle and Snowmobile Ride on the Langjökull Glacier Winter Tour from Reykjavík, Iceland
Gullfoss Waterfall, Super Jeep Golden Circle and Snowmobile Ride on the Langjökull Glacier Winter Tour from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Reykjavík Sightseeing

  • Pick-up and drop-off: always included in front of the hotel or at the nearest bus stop.
  • Duration of the tour: between 9 and 10 hours.
  • Guide: driver / guide aboard the Super Jeep and guide aboard his snowmobile in front of the customers’ snowmobiles for the glacier section of the excursion.
  • Features: exclusive Super Jeep tour with a few other participants.
  • Price: includes transport, special clothing for the snowmobile tour including overshoes, visits to the Golden Circle and the 1-hour snowmobile tour.
  • Pros: there are 3 valid reasons to book this specific tour. The first: the excursion is carried out by Super Jeep from start to finish, no problem if the roads are covered with snow. The second: the tour is actually conducted in small groups, usually 6/8 participants for Super Jeeps, which avoids wasting time at departure and return and allows for a streamlined and speedy visit to the Golden Circle, unthinkable for larger groups. This is a key factor in Winter when you have very few hours of useful light. The third and last one: it is Mountaineers of Iceland that manages the entire excursion, from pick-up, to transport, to the management of snowmobiles, without relying on third party operators, which reduces the possibility of inconveniences and delays.
  • Cons: only one, it is a very expensive tour.
Mountaineers of Iceland Snowmobile Tour Equipment
Mountaineers of Iceland Snowmobile Tour Equipment

Photo Credit: Mountaineers of Iceland

  • Good to know: the same clothing considerations described in the previous tour apply, as well as the advice to leave for the excursion already equipped with a picnic lunch; even if Super Jeeps go almost everywhere, in Iceland in Winter the roads can be closed to traffic, usually more due to wind or ice than snow, so it can still happen that the tour could be canceled; valid driving license to drive the snowmobile, minimum age to participate in 6 years.
  • Recommended: if you are looking for the best company specialized in snowmobile tours in Iceland.
  • The option with the ice cave and the Secret Lagoon: a different tour always organized by Mountaineers of Iceland and always conducted in small groups; the difference with the main tour presented above is that the visit to the Golden Circle is limited to the geysers only, the tour includes instead a visit to a ice cave about halfway through the snowmobile tour on the glacier and final relaxation at the Secret Lagoon once the snowmobile excursion is over and you have descended back to the valley. This is the link to book GetYourGuide | From Reykjavik: Hot Spring and Snowmobile Tour, including transport from Reykjavík by Super Jeep, snowmobile tour, ice cave visit and entry to the Secret Lagoon. This tour operates all year round but gives its best in Winter. Finally, keep in mind that the possibility of actually being able to visit an ice cave is strongly conditioned by the weather conditions, not only those of the day of the excursion but also of the previous days, consequently the ice cave visit may not be possible and be skipped, without having right to a refund.
Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike and the Best of the South Coast of Iceland Tour from Reykjavík
Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike and the Best of the South Coast of Iceland Tour from Reykjavík

Photo Credit: Icelandic Mountain Guides

Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike and the Best of the South Coast of Iceland from Reykjavík

One of the most engaging active excursions in Iceland. An exciting but easy hike on the Sólheimajökull glacier, with the guide, the ice ax and the crampons, combined with the visit of 3 of the most beautiful attractions of the southern coast of the island.

The Seljalandsfoss waterfall has a path that allows you to access inside the waterfall, the mighty 60-meter-high Skógafoss waterfall and the scenic Reynisfjara black beach. That is three of the most famous Instagram spots in the country. All in one, long but super profitable day excursion from Reykjavík. 

The tour operates all year round, it is also carried out in rain or snow, only if the weather conditions are really adverse or if the roads are closed by the authorities, it is canceled, in this case you will have a full refund. No previous experience is required, the guided hike on the glacier lasts between 2 and 3 hours, it is not difficult but requires a good level of physical fitness. All technical equipment, namely crampons, harness, helmet and ice ax, is provided on site by the organizer of the tour.

Sólheimajökull Glacier, Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike and the Best of the South Coast of Iceland Tour from Reykjavík
Sólheimajökull Glacier, Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike and the Best of the South Coast of Iceland Tour from Reykjavík

Photo Credit: Tröll Expeditions

  • Pick-up and drop-off: always included, directly from your hotel or if you are staying in the most central area of Reykjavík from the nearest bus stop.
  • Duration of the tour: about 12 hours.
  • Guide: driver plus guide on board the minibus, specialized and certified guide on the glacier, all guides speak English.
  • Features: small group tour with a maximum of 18 participants, with free Wi-Fi and Icelandic music on board the minibus; on the glacier 1 guide for every 12 participants; the local operator is Tröll Expeditions, specialized in excursions on the glaciers of Iceland. Minimum 8 years of age to participate.
  • Price: includes transport, visits to the South Coast, guided glacier hike on Sólheimajökull Glacier with all the necessary technical equipment.
  • Pros: the price, very interesting; combining some of the most beautiful attractions of the southern coast of Iceland with an unusual and active hike on a glacier, instead of just staring at the ice you really step on.
  • Cons: no one, in my opinion, when do you ever go on a hike with crampons and ice axes on a glacier for a price that is anything but prohibitive?
  • Good to know: absolutely necessary a waterproof jacket and boots high above the ankles to be able to mount the crampons, jacket and boots preferably in goretex; waterproof trousers are recommended but not essential, more than jeans (which if they start to get wet become heavy and uncomfortable to wear, as well as cool the legs) better a tights with light trousers in water-repellent synthetic fabric on top. Dress in layers, with technical underwear that allows sweat to evaporate quickly and a fleece. The ideal would be to add a down jacket to keep in your backpack, if it’s really cold or the wind picks up you wear it on top of the fleece and under the waterproof shell. Carefully avoid any cotton garment, it quickly absorbs both external moisture and the sweat produced by the body. When you are sweaty and the wind rises, the body is trapped in a damp and cold shell. If you do not have a waterproof jacket or boots, you can rent them on the spot, of course it has a cost, but it is always cheaper than buying new ones.
  • Recommended: if for once in your life and without too much effort you want to walk with crampons and ice axes on a real glacier.
Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls from Reykjavík, Iceland
Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Arcanum Glacier Tours

Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls from Reykjavík

Snowmobile tours are also possible on the glaciers of the southern coast of Iceland. And this tour that takes you to the top of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier ice cap is one of the most exciting. Not only because the view from the top of the glacier is truly spectacular, at least if you are lucky to find a day with clear skies, ranging as far as the ocean and the beaches of the South Coast. The plus is to combine the snowmobile tour with a visit to two of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls: Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss.

The tour generally works in this way. Starting from Reykjavík you reach the base of the Katla volcano, at the base camp you change the vehicle and aboard a super truck you climb at the edge of Mýrdalsjökull glacier where the snowmobiles are based. Instructions for the use of the snowmobile and off you go, two people per snowmobile who take turns driving, personally driving your own snowmobile in the middle of the glacier up to a panoramic point high on the mountain ice cap. 

Returning to the valley, on the way back to Reykjavík there are two stops, of at least half an hour each. The first in Skógafoss, after admiring the waterfall from below, take the comfortable staircase that reaches its top, the view over the entire coastal plain is very beautiful. The second stop is in Seljalandsfoss, fed by the melting of the waters of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, here a path, slippery and a bit muddy, penetrates a natural cavity behind the waterfall, being able to observe it from an unusual perspective. It should be noted that the Seljalandsfoss waterfall is illuminated in the evening, so that you can also admire it during the Winter months from November to February, when the sun in Iceland sets very, very early.

Seljalandsfoss, Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls from Reykjavík, Iceland
Seljalandsfoss, Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour with Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Arctic Adventures

  • Pick-up and drop-off: you can choose to reach the starting point of the excursion on your own, or for a small supplement include pick-up and drop-off directly at your hotel or at the nearest bus stop.
  • Duration of the tour: the tour lasts between 11 and 12 and a half hours; the ascent from base camp to the glacier aboard the glacier truck takes half an hour one-way, the snowmobile tour takes about 1 hour.
  • Guide: English speaking guides both during the bus excursion along the southern coast and for the snowmobile tour on the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Audio guides in several languages are available on the coach, bring your headphones or buy them on board the bus.
  • Features: the tour is usually carried out with one of the Reykjavik Sightseeing’s large buses, the glacier snowmobile portion is managed by Arcanum Glacier Tours.
  • Price: includes coach travel from Reykjavík, transport by special off-road vehicles to the glacier, snowmobile tour and guided tour of Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls.
  • Pros: the exceptional views from the top of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap and the visit of the two waterfalls.
  • Cons: the tour misses the visit of Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, located very close to the base camp from where you go up to the glacier, would have been the cherry on the cake of the excursion.
  • Good to know: you spend a lot of time on the bus, in total you travel about 400 kilometers, and almost all on the state road; no previous snowmobile driving experience is required; the same considerations on clothing apply as for the other snowmobile tours presented here; to drive the snowmobile you need a valid driving license; children accepted from 6 years; like all the other tours presented here that take place outdoors in the midst of nature, your perception of the success or failure of the tour is strongly influenced by the weather conditions.
  • Recommended: if you have never done a snowmobile excursion and already know the Golden Circle, otherwise the first tour presented here with a visit to the Golden Circle and a snowmobile excursion to the Langjökull glacier involves shorter distances and is to be preferred.
  • Video: the ascent by glacier truck and the experience of the snowmobile tour on Mýrdalsjökull ice cap in this video by Arcanum Glacier Tours:

Landmannalaugar Day Trekking from Reykjavík

This is a real scream place. And one of the two or three most profitable and spectacular day-trips you can take in all of Iceland. No four-dollar thrills, no viewpoints five meters from where you park your car. Here we are in the Olympus of beauty, together with Kerlingarfjöll and the Askja caldera, the Landmannalaugar valley is probably one of the top 3 attractions in the entire country. At least if you love walking in wild places. 

And this tour takes you to Landmannalaugar in a day from Reykjavík, without having to think about anything other than enjoying the extraordinary landscape that presents itself to your eyes as the off-road vehicle rises on the plateau. It is a four hour one-way journey from Reykjavík to reach Landmannalaugar in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve. But it’s worth it.

A surprising and unexpected panorama appears in front of your eyes: glacial rivers, blue lakes, volcanic peaks, green hills, fumaroles, hot springs and black lava flows. And above all, an entire collection of steep mountains of rhyolite in surreal colors: gray, yellow, pink, orange and deep red. And it is on those hills and mountains that the hike is carried out, accompanied by the guide. 

Usually the path followed is the ring path number 1 which leads in front of the phantasmagoric Mount Brennisteinsalda going up via the Laugahraun lava field and the Vondugil Canyon and descending by the Graenagil Gorge, about 4.3 km and 2 hours of walking. A more strenuous alternative is path number 2 which leads to the top of the bleak but very panoramic Bláhnúkur, about 3 hours round trip. 

At the end of the hike, you usually dive into the natural geothermal pool at 45 degrees, and then take the off-road bus back to Reykjavík. The tour operates from mid-June to mid-September only.

Landmannalaugar Day Trekking from Reykjavík, Iceland
Landmannalaugar Day Trekking from Reykjavík, Iceland

Photo Credit: Arctic Adventures

  • Pick-up and drop-off: at the time of the update of this post, by booking the trip from Reykjavík, you have the choice between 3 different pick-up points, one of which is next to the famous Hallgrímskirkja church; you must select your preferred pick-up point during the booking process.
  • Duration of the tour: usually about 13 to 14 hours.
  • Guide: driver and guide who accompanies the participants during the hike, both speaking English. 
  • Features: shared group tour with off-road bus, operating only in the Summer months; if things have not changed during the booking process you can choose the option to book the guided hike only or include the return trip from Reykjavík. Children accepted from 10 years.
  • Price: if you book with origin from Reykjavík it includes pick-up and drop-off at one of the designated points, the journey to Landmannalaugar and the guided hike. You have to buy your picnic lunch in advance by purchasing sandwiches and drinks in Reykjavík the day before.
  • Pros: the high quality / price ratio, in fact the cost of the tour is absolutely reasonable and does not require you to rent an off-road vehicle; 4 hours at disposal in Landmannalaugar are certainly not many, but still enough to be able to make the hike in a properly way, and enjoy one of the most particular and exciting natural landscapes in all of Iceland.
  • Cons: going to Landmannalaugar from Reykjavík in one day returning to the capital in the evening obviously involves limitations, this tour is one of those that gives you the most time on site. If you want to take longer and more demanding hikes then this tour is not the good one, in case the best alternative is to go to Landmannalaugar on your own by renting a 4WD or use the Trex Bus or the Reykjavik Excursions Highland Bus
  • Good to know: dress in layers, wear waterproof shoes or boots, absolutely do not forget a fleece and a windproof / rain jacket, to bathe in the thermal lagoon you will need a swimsuit and a towel to dry yourself; the hikes in Landmannalaugar area requires a good physical shape, the path is not level. Usually the guide sizes the hike according to how the participants look, sometimes they opt for the steep Bláhnúkur, others choose an easier and shorter path, dedicating more time to relaxation in the lagoon. Keep in mind that at the beginning of the season, often until mid-July, there is likely to be snow on the ground at least in some points of the trail. The tour takes place in all weather conditions, you are at an altitude of 600 meters and do not be surprised if in Summer it rains or if it even starts to snow.
  • Recommended: if you don’t want to miss that authentic wonder of Landmannalaugar but don’t trust driving the off-road vehicle on the plateau tracks with the perils of the fords; or you think the cost – often high – required to rent a real off-road vehicle in Iceland is excessive.
 Super Jeep Tour, Winter in Landmannalaugar, Iceland
Super Jeep Tour, Winter in Landmannalaugar, Iceland

Photo Credit: Mountain Taxi Iceland

  • Landmannalaugar in Super Jeep: there is not only Landmannalaugar in this special Super Jeep tour organized by Gravel Travel, and the emphasis is not only on the hiking aspect, despite the 3 hours available to hike in front of the rhyolite mountains. During the journey from Reykjavík, both outward and return, the tour stops in magnificent places ignored by all the other operators. An example of this is the double waterfall of Hjálparfoss, in a lava field north of the Hekla volcano. Or again the Þjófafoss waterfall in the Dómadalur Valley, the crater lake of Ljótipollur and the Frostaðavatn Lake. The tour, of a high standard and operated with luxurious Super Jeeps, usually with no more than 5 or 6 participants, can be booked through Viator | Geothermal Jeep Tour in Landmannalaugar with Hiking and you can register even if you are traveling alone. Being conducted in a Super Jeep, the excursion can be carried out as early as the end of May or at the end of September / early October, before and after the operation time ensured by other operators.
  • Landmannalaugar in Winter with a private Super Jeep tour: it is very expensive, but if you want to experience traveling in the highlands of Iceland in the heart of the Winter season this is one of the few options you have ad disposal. In truth the tour operates all year round, but it is only from mid-September to mid-June, when the F Roads that lead to the heart of the Icelandic plateau are inaccessible to almost all vehicles, that the Super Jeeps really come in handy. The local supplier is Mountain Taxi Iceland, the tour is strictly private with driver and Super Jeep exclusively for you and your party, you will travel for hours in an enchanted landscape, with no one else around you for tens of miles. To investigate see Viator | Landmannalaugar and Hekla Volcano – Guided Private Tour, you have different price options depending on how many people make up your group. Just keep in mind one thing: it is not in Winter but in the Summer that Landmannalaugar gives its best, the rhyolite mountains when covered with snow do not have the same charm.
  • Video: the fairytale landscapes of the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in these aerial images by Amazing Planet; Landmannalaugar and the exact destination point of the excursion appear at minute 1’56”, with the incredible colors of Mount Brennisteinsalda and, on the left, the gray and sinister Bláhnúkur; if you pay attention starting from minute 2’50” you can clearly see the paths and walking hikers, this is where you will find yourself walking:

Important!

  • Before booking read the full description of the tour you like in the official page of Viator and GetYourGuide carefully, please check what is included and what is not, meeting points, times of departure and cancellation policies. 
  • After booking, if you have any queries or doubts, immediately contact Viator or GetYourGuide Customer Service in order to receive assistance.
  • And the day before the tour, please reconfirm the pick-up time with the local supplier. You receive phone and email from the local supplier of the tour immediately after your booking. Maybe your hotel can help.  
  • Read the reviews. If the majority of the reviews are positive that’s a good thing. And always check all the info you read here in the official page of each tour, things change and the official site provides the latest updates.

Last Update: January 24th 2023

Front cover photo credit: Reykjavik Excursions. All Photos are taken from official Tour Company Websites. Copyright © All Rights Reserved.