ICELAND
FIRE & ICE TREK
5 Days
ITINERARY
3 Days
TREKKING
55 KM
DISTANCE
£2,195
PRICE FROM
Trek The Land of Fire and Ice
- 55km
- Flight Packages
- Accommodation Inc
- All Permits Inc
- Food & Drink Inc
- UK Trek Leader
- Group Challenge
- Solo Friendly
- Medal & T-shirt
Iceland is a land of contrast- our Fire and Ice challenge showcases the best of this incredible wilderness with glaciers, volcanoes, sweeping valleys, raging rivers, lava fields and the new 2021 eruption site (up close!) You’ll complete 3 days of challenging wild trekking with nights spent under canvass, before a last night hotel and celebration in the Icelandic capital, Reykjavik.
Iceland Fire & Ice trek
Explore the Icelandic Wilderness
The Icelandic wilderness provides a stunning backdrop for our 3-day trekking challenge. We fly from London to Keflavík, then transfer across the landscape to our first camp. The challenge includes 3 nights camping and three tough days trekking.
We’ll cover 53km over rugged terrain (24km, 14km and 15km each day), experiencing some of Iceland’s best landscapes and natural highlights. After each day in the elements, we relax at our private campsites with a hearty meal and near-constant Arctic daylight.
- 5 day Icelandic adventure
- Stunning wilderness camping
- 3 days of iconic trekking
- See Geldingardalur eruption site
- Lava fields & volcanic lakes
- Exciting river crossings
- Explore Iceland's capital
- Reykjavik celebration dinner
The Action Challenge Experience
Life on the trek
On an Action Challenge trip you’ll be part of a team taking on an adventure together – which is what makes the experience special! Sharing the journey & supporting each other, you’ll build friendships & create memories that last for years. Led by a UK Mountain Leader and supported by a Medic, you’re in safe hands, with expert local teams ensuring everything runs smoothly. Fully inclusive, so you can focus on your challenge and enjoy it.
An Action Challenge trip is much more than a holiday! It brings like-minded people together in fantastic landscapes, provides the best support & great hospitality, and enables the group to take on a tough & unforgettable challenge which forges new friendships, broaden horizons, and leaves you wanting more of life’s adventures!
The blueprint for Action Challenge trip is based on delivering a high quality enjoyable experience – and doing it all safely. An experienced UK Leader ensures that all aspects of the challenge run to plan – and one of our UK Medics with an expedition med kit is on-hand to look after the group’s wellbeing – enabling everyone to have the best chance of successfully competing their challenge.
We go to great lengths to ensure that we only use the best local organisations to supply the all-important ground logistics and the on-challenge support, catering, and hospitality teams – with experienced guides leading the way on the trails with their deep local knowledge and authentic style.
Like minded people with a similar sense of adventure – but often from very different backgrounds, and with a wide range of experience, ages, levels of fitness, and personal ambitions. Our trips are perfect for individuals, couples, and small groups of friends to join – and then to take on a unique challenge as part of a larger group which shapes & bonds as the adventure unfolds! Group sizes can range from 12 to 30+, and you can always check on current team sizes before signing up.
Whether its’s the hotels, restaurants & transfers before & after the main challenge – or the challenge accommodation & meals whilst out on the trails – our all inclusive packages mean that you will get a top quality experience at a great value price! Flights are generally included, but there’s a ‘land only’ option if you’d prefer to book your own – and single supplement accommodation upgrades are available. Participants will need to obtain their own visa for this challenge.
The group comes together – takes on a tough challenge together – and then celebrates its achievements in style on the final night of the trip in a local restaurant or hotel, with medals, awards, and a maybe a bit of a party! Many of our participants make new special friends on our trips – and quite a few come back together for another challenge in the following years!
A successful challenge starts with good preparation. The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll be, and the more you’ll enjoy it! Our ‘Challenge App’ will have all the info & details of what to expect on your challenge – and how to prepare for it. We also offer unlimited free UK training walks. These one-day walks run Spring through Autumn in some of the UK’s most scenic locations, including the South Downs, Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia, the Peak District, and the Lake District. They’re a great way to meet fellow trekkers before your big adventure, get to know some of our challenge leaders, and most importantly to build confidence and fitness on varied terrain.
THE ITINERARY
SWIPE TO EXPLORE
Day 1 Arrive in Iceland
- Camp
- L & D
We meet the group and Action Challenge staff at the airport, check in together and fly to Iceland. At Keflavík, our guides meet us before a three-hour drive to the Southern Highlands, with a lunch stop if timings allow. En route, we take in views of Hekla, glaciers, geysers and waterfalls. We reach our Landmannalaugar campsite by evening and share a welcome meal together there.
Day 2 Álftavatn
- Camp
- B L D
- 24km
Day 3 Emstrur
- Camp
- B L D
- 14km
We begin the day leaving the rhyolite landscape, entering a glacial area of fast-flowing streams and deep gorges. After a lunch break, we continue through scenic terrain with chances for photos. Expect river crossings through icy water before descending to Hvanngil and crossing desert-like passes to Emstrur. We set up camp, enjoy a group dinner, and get an early night.
Day 4 Thorsmork
- Guesthouse
- B L D
- 15km
Day 5 Return to UK
- Departure
- B
Dates & Prices
2028 EARLY BIRD!
- £100 OFF ALL 2028 DATES
- FREE DUFFEL WORTH £125
- UNLIMITED TRAINING WALKS
- USE CODE YOUR2028
To book a place, complete our online form, & pay your deposit. You will receive a confirmation email, which also has details of what to expect next.
Sign up for a Self Funded package to do it for yourself – or choose a Charity Fundraising option to support a good cause.
Click FULL DETAILS next to a date to view the full price breakdown, including any optional fundraising targets.
03 Sep - 07 Sep
08 Jul - 12 Jul
02 Sep - 06 Sep
29 Jun - 03 Jul
06 Jul - 09 Jul
13 Jul - 17 Jul
30 Aug - 03 Sep (High Season)
How It Works
Our packages are typically all-inclusive, covering accommodation, meals, transport, local support, and flights if selected. Single supplements are available, and you can extend your stay by amending your return flight or choosing a pre-arranged extension. Places are limited on many trips, so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
Our ‘with flights’ option is based on an economy class group booking departing from London (you can request a quote for an ‘upgrade’). The ‘land only’ option means that you book your own flights, and arrange to join the group at the 1st night’s hotel / or airport meet point.
If you’re traveling across the globe – extending your trip may be the perfect opportunity to explore, relax, or do more activities! If you choose the ‘with flights’ option you can request a return flight date change – and either arrange your own extension programme & reservations – or book one of our pre-arranged packages if available.
If your traveling with someone else – or as a small group – do let us know so we can ensure that the accommodation and flight arrangements worked out properly from the outset.
All our quoted prices are based on a ‘twin share basis’ (ie with a friend / partner – or on a same sex allocated basis if travelling alone). You can request a ‘single supplement’ to cover hotel rooms / tent / lodge accommodation.
Oil prices change often, so airlines sometimes add fuel surcharges. We pass these on to customers because they are unknown at the time of booking, which can be up to 18 months before travel. Airlines confirm the final surcharge about 12 weeks before departure. We apply a cap, so you never pay more than the stated maximum and we cover anything above it.
Airport and air travel taxes can also change, for example as a result of CO2 regulations. These adjustments are covered in our Terms and Conditions.
As with any adventure holiday, prices may be higher at certain times – generally reflecting the higher flight prices during those peak periods.
Trip Brochure
The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, and more – download for a full run down of the challenge details.
FREE UK TRAINING WALKS
With any overseas challenge booking
• Average 20km distance
• Led by our UK leaders
• Do as many as you like
Frequently Asked Questions
Trip Details
Full details & information about what you can expect in the lead up & during the challenge.
Costs & Fundraising
The balance for your trip cost, will be due to us 10 weeks before your departure. You will be sent a reminder & an invoice 12 weeks before, giving you 2 weeks to make the payment.
80% of your fundraising target is due to be with your charity 12 weeks before the challenge, meaning that it either needs to be banked with them, or sat against a Just Giving page. We will then invoice your charity for the remaining cost of your place on the challenge, it is important you make that 80% target otherwise your charity will not pay for your place, and your trip could be cancelled.
The remaining 20% of your balance will be due to be with your charity 4 weeks after your trip ends.
Our base cost is on a twin share room basis, if you are signing up as a couple of two friends – you can tell us when you register onto the challenge, so we ensure that you will be sharing a room.
If you are signing up to the challenge as an individual, we will match you with someone of the same gender and roughly the same age.
You can choose to pay an additional supplement to have your own room (and/or tent) on the challenge.
All of our groups are an average size of approximately 20 participants, but can range between 12 and 30+ people. We welcome individuals, couples and groups of friends on to our challenges, and many who join us literally have a mountain to climb in terms of the scale of the challenge they are taking on. We advocate camaraderie and team bonding, and really believe that this enhances your experience. You are always welcome to check in with us on the current size of any departure you are interested in!
Yes as long as we know in advance of the trip, we can cater for all dietary requirements & requests.
Signing Up to the Challenge
Once you pay your deposit & have signed up to the challenge, you will receive a confirmation email welcoming you into the challenge.
You will also receive instructions on how to download our challenge app which has in it all the information you need to start preparing for your challenge – from kit lists to training guides.
We will keep you updated with regular emails & newsletters in the lead-up to the challenge, as well as information on training days & weekends.
If you need to cancel your challenge, your deposit is non-refundable – therefore we recommend you speak to our team to see what alternative options you may have.
Yes, if for whatever reason you need to push your departure back to a later one or change your trip altogether you can do so for a date change fee of £175, subject to availability.
Currently, we do not have the accounting facility to take instalments, we can only take your payment in full at least 12 weeks before your departure.
Preparation
Yes – in our challenge app, which you can download once you are fully registered for the challenge we have a host of training materials, guides & advice for you to use.
You also have access to unlimited free UK training walks. These walks are designed to help you get and around the UK, meet fellow trekkers, and all supported by one of our experienced UK Leaders.
Our free UK training walks offer the chance to meet up with fellow trekkers and our UK crew.
Closer to the challenge we will set up a WhatsApp group so that you can meet others online who are going to be on your trip. We also have a lively & dynamic Facebook group you can join at any time to meet other fellow challengers – past & present to share and swap training tips, advice & stories.
You will need specific travel insurance, which covers the duration of your trip, along with full cover for any activities you will be doing (i.e. trekking, cycling) and to cover you up to any altitude you may be trekking to. Once you are signed up for the challenge, we will send you full details of our recommended providers of appropriate cover.
Life on the Challenge
- International flights
- Action Challenge trek leader & Medic
- Full support team, including local guides
- All accommodation
- All Meals, except in free time
- Airport / Air travel taxes
- All transfers in local vehicles
- Celebration dinner
- Fitness and training guide
- Discounts from UK retailers
- Reduced rates at Nomad Travel Clinics and Masta Health
- Insurance
- Tips for local staff
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal kit / equipment
- Airline fuel surcharge
Yes, this becomes our land only package and reduces your final balance or minimum sponsorship balance – please contact us for more information if you are looking to book your own flights.
You will be required to arrange all flights and transfers in order to meet the group at the airport on Day 1 of your challenge and Action Challenge will require details of your travel arrangements before departure.
Please note you are unable to change your package once final balance invoicing has been completed and tickets have been issued by the airline.
The Iceland Fire and Ice challenge is classed as a moderate to tough challenge, with the longest day being approx. 25km over varied and wild terrain, with both ascents and descents. Good fitness and a good level of motivation will allow you to enjoy the challenge more. Your training should incorporate aerobic (endurance building), anaerobic (strength building) exercises and some good long walks!
Yes – why not stay on and explore more of what Iceland has to offer! We can request with to change your return date with the airline. Places are limited and all arrangements are subject to availability.
Each day will start with breakfast at our camp, and on some days, we will pack up a lunch to carry with us for the day and eat on the trail. We will then board the transfer to the starting point of the day’s hike. While trekking, there will be regular breaks to take on water and rest in the shade at watchtowers, with a longer break for lunch. On arrival at our camp, there will be time to relax before dinner – with more downtime in the evening for conversation and socialising.
Iceland has a huge range of terrain types, and we trek some of the best paths that traverse them. Because of the mountainous terrain there are obviously plenty of ascents and descents, some of which are steep and include rough terrain. As such we highly recommend training that includes longs walks in the hiller parts of the UK.
We are real foodies at Action Challenge and whilst we cannot promise a gastronomic feast in the Icelandic wilderness, we do ensure there is plenty of food which is varied and wholesome. Breakfast is usually a hot drink with bread/ toast and spreads, porridge and muesli. Lunches are sizeable and balanced packed lunches, self prepared, that we’ll eat en-route during our day’s trek.
On arrival into camp hot drinks and snacks are usually served before we tuck into the main event, which again is usually a hot soup starter, followed by a substantial main, perhaps a warm winter stew, or meat and fish with lots of veggies, pasta or rice followed by cake or dessert. We also recommend that participants pack some of their favourite snacks to enjoy throughout the day.
Your main luggage will be transferred by vehicle between camps and the hotel on the last night. That’ll leave you with only your light weight day bag to carry during the trekking days.
The pace is always manageable and steady, and there’ll be plenty of opportunities to take a break for photos, a quick drink or snack, or just to take in the incredible views.
Yes, and plenty of it! Your challenge will be led by an experienced Action Challenge leader. Our leaders are selected for their experience, knowledge, enthusiasm, sensitivity and sense of humour, and will ensure that your trip runs smoothly. You will also be accompanied by an Action Challenge doctor, who will be carrying a fully stocked medical kit in case of any emergency. They will carry out daily health checks, and the re-assurance of their presence should allow you to focus on, and enjoy your challenge! We have a full support team in country. If for any reason you need to leave the group early local staff will assist you and will arrange transfers, accommodation and medical care if necessary.
We can expect a little of everything weather wise during our Icelandic challenge. Daylight hours are extremely long but typically remain moderate (5 to 20c) and conditions can range from crystal clear blue skies to rain or hail showers. It’s all part of the adventure of wild Iceland. Make sure to bring along full waterproofs and mid layers for warmth as detailed in the challenge kit list.
Get in Touch
Reach out if you’ve a question – or if your company or charity might like to work with us – and a member of our team will get back to you.
Tel: 0203 4796584
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 17:00
Sat – Sun Closed
OUR TREKS
