I recently returned from Iceland where I completed the hike from Landmannlaugar to Porsmork and figured would let you all in on my experiences in case anyone is trying to tackle it next year. I ran into some conflicting info when I was trying to plan so I thought I would give you the wisdom of my experiences. The main hike is 53 km and usually done in 4 days. You can start in either the North (Landmannlaugar) or the South (Porsmork) although I understand that it is more common to hike south as there is a general decline in elevation.
The hike is set up in a number of stages with huts and campgrounds set up at various points along the route. Huts usually run about 6500 kr a night and camping is 1200 kr per person. The huts are run by Iceland Touring Association (http://fi.is/en/home) and should be booked ahead of time. I had to call them and then email several times but it wasn’t too difficult. If you’re camping you can simply show up and pay the warden when you arrive at each spot. There are showers and kitchens available to campers at most huts for a fee. Wild camping is prohibited in the area although this was not strictly enforced and I saw several groups doing just this especially on the last leg. The segments are broken up as follows:
Landmannlagaugar to Hrafntinnusker (11 km)
Hrafntinnusker to Álftavatn (11 km)
Álftavatn to Emstrur (15 km)
Emstrur to Porsmork (15 km)
There is another hut (Hvanngil) located a couple of kilometers past Álftavatn but I believe few people stay at this and didn’t see a large camp ground.
I don’t believe there are public buses to either starting point but two companies Trex and Reykjavik Excursions (I think that’s their name) do have buses that leave from Reykjavik and travel to both sites. Usually they leave fairly early in the morning, get there around 11:00 stay for a few hours and leave early afternoon. I believe a round trip ticket was approximately 12,000 kr. I used Trex and they give you a card that gives you a ride to either Landmannlaugar, Porsmork, or Skogar and a trip back from any. There probably isn’t much difference between the two other than the times they leave. Check the times when they leave because if you’re hiking the last day you might have to move quickly to catch the bus. You can buy tickets from drivers at both buses if needed. Do not drive unless you have a 4x4 and feel comfortable with off road driving. The roads are terrible and there are multiple stream crossings.
I arrived at Landmannlaugar on the bus and had checked into the hut there for the first night. The hut was pretty nice and has fully stocked kitchens for use. There are toilets and showers in a separate building that can be accessed by campers as well as an old bus that serves as a store and sells basics like instant noodles, canned food, cokes, beer and some freshly made sandwiches. Don’t count on it for anything but if you forget something they might have it. There are several great day hikes available as well as a hot spring that is pretty fantastic. They have built a boardwalk and small platform that leads right to it. It’s a really great set up. I hung around for the day, took a small hike, swam and then took off the next morning.
The first stage is pretty dramatic with lots of volcanic scenery. You have to cross the highest part of the trek but it’s actually not that tough. It only took me about 3.5 hrs to reach the hut Hrafntinnusker. This seems like a pretty miserable place. It was cold and not very scenic. They had a terrible bathroom and I heard people who stayed here said it was far and away the worst of the huts. It says it is a 4 day hike but I stopped here for lunch and then pushed on to Álftavatn. Its only 22 km total and would recommend doing those two stages in one day. Álftavatn is set in a pretty green valley right at the foot of a lake. After coming down a hill it makes a great view. The campsite looked great and the hut was by all measures very nice.
The second day you continue for a couple kilometers through a green stretch before reaching the hut at Hvanngil and then start a long monotonous hike along an F road through a brown dry valley. It wasn’t difficult but not very inspiring. There are two major stream crossings in this section; one right at the beginning and a second that you will reach afterHvanngil. You eventually leave the valley, cross another and when heading down a hill arrive at Emstrur tucked by a hill and a small creek. The campsites down by the creek are excellent as it is protected from the wind although there is a long staircase to the hut and bathrooms. You can take a walk to the river canyon when you get settled. It’s not far and offers some excellent views.
The third day was nicer than the second as you have to cross a river on a bridge and then you generally parallel the major river for the rest of the hike with pretty nice scenery along the way. The warden gave people the impression that the bridge was high/scary but it wasn’t bad at all. This leg seemed much longer than the second and I was hurrying to catch the 2:30 bus back to Reykjavik. Towards the end there is another major stream crossing and then you are into the “forest” for the last 45 minutes or so. This part is a little confusing. Porsmork is a region and not a specific place. There are two huts but they don’t really indicate which one is the end. There is a sign for one campground “Basar” but skip that and keep following the trail. It will break off a time or two but keep to the left and you’ll eventually find the right way to go. The area around Porsmork looks amazing. If I could do it again I would have stayed an extra day here to do some walks in the area or even better continue on the trail towards Skogar. I believe it is another 25 km segment but from everything I heard it is actually the most scenic section.
Generally speaking the trail is fairly easy to follow. They do a pretty decent job of marking it but at all the huts the wardens sell a good topo map for 1500 kr. I didn’t buy it but probably should have. GPS isn’t really necessary but the coordinates are available online if you want them.
All in all it was a good hike. I wouldn’t compare it to the Milford track or the Grand Canyon but it had some interesting scenery although there are sections where you are simply walking on old gravel roads. There weren’t major elevation changes but simply the normal ups and downs of hiking. I had great weather, no rain and it almost got up to 70 deg F on the last day but it can still get cold in the evenings and some of the higher sections when the wind starts blowing and I was there in late Aug. Be prepared for bad weather and with a little backpacking experience, this trail shouldn’t be a problem for most people. I hope this helps.
Ants
