ICELAND 2002

LANDMANNALAUGAR - SKOGAR TREK

TRIP INFORMATION

This is the information that I used to do the trek. It is my hope that visitors to this site would have all the information they need to do the same journey by looking at this page. However, if you find something is missing, or can suggest other useful information please contact me and I will add it to the site. DISCLAIMER: This info is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing, but is based on 2002 timetables, prices etc. I cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage or inconvenience suffered by persons using this information. It is up to the individual traveller to double check all times, prices and bookings.

GETTING THERE:

My trek in Iceland was independent and self supported, but the travel arrangements were made by Mr. Dick Phillips. Dick Phillips has been organising commercial tours of Iceland for many years. He was able to book me return flights from London (Heathrow) to Reykjavik (Keflavik) with Icelandair, travel insurance, return airport bus tickets, accommodation in Reykjavik (outward and return legs) at the Guesthouse Snorri and bus tickets from Reykjavik - Landmannalaugar + Skogar - Reykjavik for £375. Previously, when I had enquired with Icelandair, the return air fare alone was £375!

Dick Phillips can be contacted at:

Dick Phillips
Specialist Icelandic Travel Service
Whitehall House
Nenthead
Alston
Cumbria
CA9 3PS
UNITED KINGDOM                Tel: +44 1434 381 440 (International)

Icelandair's global website can be found at:    http://www.icelandair.net/

Bus Services:

Airport Bus:

The airport bus into Reykjavik departs from outside the Keflavik arrivals hall (approximately 45 mins after the arrival of a flight), and terminates at the Hotel Loftleithir. You can get a taxi / minibus from here to your accommodation (the price of this is included if you book with Dick Phillips). For the return journey, the airport bus leaves Hotel Loftleithir exactly two hours prior to the departure of an international flight.

Long Distance Buses:     

The Austerleith SBS company operates long distance buses from the BSI Bus terminal in Reykjavik. The following buses are used to get to Landmannalaugar and back to Reykjavik from Skogar. Important - the following information is based on the 2002 timetable and may have changed! It is my understanding that tickets for these services can be purchased at the BSI terminal, if not arranged before you arrive in Iceland.

Reykjavik - Landmannalaugar, take Bus 11 (daily service, but only between 14th June and 15th September) from the BSI bus terminal:

Skogar - Reykjavik, take Bus 10a (daily service, but only between 1st June and 15th September)

Up to date bus info can be found at:  http://www.bsi.is/

 WHEN TO TREK AND FOR HOW LONG:

The trail is usually open between mid July and mid September. The walk does not require any special mountaineering skills, although personally, I found that a head for heights is useful for the Thorsmork - Fimmvorthuhals leg. The trek can be done comfortably in five days, i.e. Day one: Landmannalaugar - Hvangil (or Alftavatn), Day two: Hvangil to Botnar, Day three: Botnar - Thorsmork, Day four: Thorsmork - Fimmvorthuhals (2nd hut), Day five: Fimmvorthuhals - Skogar.

EQUIPMENT:

Please see my equipment list page for this trip. I was easily able to bring in that amount of food with no problems (I think theoretically there is a customs limit of 3kg). It is really important to bring very warm clothing and a robust tent. The weather in Iceland is very changeable and even in the summer you could be hit by a blizzard or white-out.

ACCOMMODATION:

The huts can be booked and paid for either at the Ferthafelag Islands office in Reykjavik or through the wardens at Landmannalaugar and Thorsmork. Camping is only permitted in the immediate vicinity of the huts. If you use the hut facilities (i.e. the wash blocks) while camping, then you should pay a fee. There is also a fee for camping at Landmannalaugar, payable to the wardens. They put a sticker on your tent afterwards so they know who has paid!

CAMPING STOVE FUEL:

I used kerosene (paraffin) with my MSR stove for the trek. If you have time in Reykjavik before setting off (which I didn't) then this should be readily available at petrol stations (ask for steinoliu). If you are short on time, I managed to buy some at an all night petrol station near the Hotel Loftleithir and some more at the general store in Hella (where the bus stops for a few minutes on it's way to Landmannalaugar). If I couldn't have got any kerosene, then I would have filled my fuel bottle with unleaded petrol. Methylated spirits (for Trangia Stoves) is only sold at chemists and state run liquor stores. Coleman fuel can be purchased at an outdoor equipment shop (Nanoq) in the Kringlan Shopping Centre (Reykjavik).

MAPS AND BOOKS:

The entire route of the trek is covered at a scale of 1:100,000 by the Landmaelingar Islands Thorsmork - Landmannalaugar map (available from Stanfords map and bookshop, see my 'Links' page). However, for more detail (and to use in conjunction with my GPS co-ordinates) I would also recommend purchasing the following maps which cover the parts of the route indicated in square brackets:

SATA Island - Iceland 1812 I C761 Edition 1-DMA (1:50,000) Map        [Landmannalaugar - Botnar]

MYRDALSJOKULL Island - Iceland 1812 II C761 Edition 1-DMA (1:50,000) Map        [Botnar - 4WD drive track just north of Skogar]

These 1:50,000 maps can be purchased from Dick Phillips at the address / telephone number given above.

As for books, I would recommend the Lonely Planet Guide to Iceland, Greenland & The Faroe Islands. This guide has very good information on the trek, including a useful route description. My website is in association with amazon.co.uk so you can purchase this book by clicking on the icon below:

 ICELAND LINKS:

I found the following travelogue web page on the trek useful:

http://www.wolfgang-reinelt.de/Outdoor/Iceland2000/laugavegur.html

I hope that you have found this information useful - happy trekking!!

Copyright(c) 2002 Rowan Castle. All rights reserved.