ICELAND FIRE & ICE TREK
itinerary
5 Days
ITINERARY
3 Days
TREKKING
30 Miles
DISTANCE
Dates
2025 & 2026
Trek The Land of Fire and Ice
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.
Day 1 Arrive Iceland
- LANDMANNALAUGAR
- Camping
- Lunch & Dinner
We will meet our group and Action Challenge staff at the airport and check in together before boarding our flight to Iceland. Upon arrival in Keflavik Airport, we will be greeted by our guides who will be with us for our trek. From the airport we will begin the drive towards the beautiful Southern Highlands, approximately three hours away. On the journey, we will have the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque views of Hekla, Iceland ‘s most famous volcano, glistening with glaciers, geysers, hot springs and waterfalls. As the sun sets, we will arrive at our campsite for the night in Landmannalauga. The evening will then conclude with a welcome meal together, the perfect opportunity for us to get to know each other.
Day 2 Trekking Day 1
- LANDMANNALAUGAR - ÁLFTAVATN
- Camping
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 24km
After a delicious breakfast at our campsite, we will begin our first day trekking. Over the course of today, we will climb through the rhyolite and cross lava and snow fields! Near the highest point, we will pass the Stórihver, a large hot spring, before walking through fields of glistening black obsidian rock with spectacular views back across Hrafntinnusker. It is breath-taking, and incredibly serene! In the afternoon, we will stop at a suitable point of the trek for lunch and a rest stop, whilst admiring the breath-taking scenery. Finally, we will have a long downhill descent over scree before a river crossing to Álftavatn, a huge volcanic lake. This is where we will be setting up camp for the night. If we‘re still feeling energetic, we can have a swim and take in the jaw dropping views! As evening approaches, we will enjoy a group dinner and get an early night before another challenging, yet extremely rewarding day tomorrow.
Day 3 Trekking Day 2
- ÁLFTAVATN - EMSTRUR
- Camping
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 14km
Trek day 2 will commence with another wholesome breakfast. We will then begin our day of hiking by leaving the rhyolite, and will enter a glacial area with fast running glacial streams and deep gorges. A stunning view! We will then stop at a suitable time of the day for a rest and lunch break, before we continue with our trek into the afternoon. As we continue into the afternoon, we will be able to admire the stunningly breath-taking views and seize the perfect opportunity to take some photos. We will then experience river crossings first hand as we wade through the ice-cold streams and get a true feel for Iceland! We will subsequently climb down to Hvanngil and trek across desert-like passes and hills to the Emstrur. This is where we will set up our camp for the night. The evening will conclude with a group dinner and early night for some much needed rest.
Day 4 Trekking Day 3
- EMSTRUR – THORSMÖRK - REYKJAVIK
- Guesthouse
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 15km
Following another fuelling breakfast in preparation for our final challenging day trekking, we will begin the day by crossing a river using ropes on a footbridge to climb down. It may be tricky, so watch your step! We will once again stop at a suitable time of the day for a rest and lunch break before we continue with our trek into the afternoon. We will then climb out of the valley across a shallow river, before descending a long steep path into the main valley of Thorsmörk. Here, we will trek through stunning scenery surrounded by giant glaciers and raging rivers. This will be a view your will want to capture in a photo! After this fabulous trip highlight, we will transfer back to Reykjavik, through dramatic and picturesque landscape, to our comfortable Guesthouse Aurora in Reykjavik. The evening will conclude with a celebratory dinner and party, Icelandic-style! We will then get some well-earnt rest for our final night of the trip.
Day 5 Return To UK
- Home
- Breakfast
The day will commence with another nutritious group breakfast before we set out for our final day in stunning Reykjavik, surrounded by breath-taking mountains. We will have the opportunity to stroll around the beautiful vibrant city of Reykjavik. We will also get the opportunity to experience Icelandic cuisine and taste Iceland’s well renowned seafood. Unfortunately, this will mark the end of our incredible trip. Following our emotional goodbyes and thanking our incredible team leader for the trip, we will head to the airport. Your flight departure details will be confirmed
4-3 months prior to your challenge. They will likely be flying to either London Heathrow or London Gatwick arriving in on the same day as departure. You then get to head home, rest and relax, and share the stories of your incredible trip with your family and friends!
