Hiking in Iceland 2026 – trekking in the mountains

"Iceland is born of the ancient magic song of ice and fire"

Near the Arctic Circle, there is a small island washed by the Atlantic Ocean. It is there that the fairy tale country of Iceland is located. Its landscapes remind of extraterrestrial landscapes invented by science fiction writers.

Hiking in Iceland, mainly attracts tourists by the pristine beauty and distinctive nature of the northern island. It is almost untouched by traces of human activity. In this country there are no harmful industrial plants and, accordingly, the various industrial wastes. The air and water are crystal clear. By the way, you can drink the water directly from the tap without fear.

Words are not enough to describe Iceland. Watch a short video by me (Taras Pozdnii) on Kuluar's hike through Iceland in 2015. It only takes two minutes, but you will see what the journey has in store for us. By the way, a few shots were inserted from Norway. If the video below doesn't play, follow this link.

Why go hiking in Iceland?

According to many experts, hiking is the best way to explore the beauty of the icy land (because that's what Iceland translates to). Moreover, it is often the only way to see the most beautiful sights of the country, because many places can only be reached on your own two feet! Even the Icelandic four-wheel-drive buses won't take you there. Let's take a backpack, a tent, a torch, some good clothes and go – to the mysteries of one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

What awaits us during a trekking tour of Iceland? First, the incredible diversity of nature. Everything around is so beautiful and unusual, changing at such a speed that your head will be full of impressions. Today we are swimming in hot springs among the colorful mountains of Landmanaulager, and tomorrow we go through lava fields and snowfields. On another day, the colored mountains are replaced by lettuce mountains overgrown with incredible colors of moss. By the way, you will hardly see such rich lettuce colors anywhere else. And here we are standing on the shore of a huge lake, with a pyramidal mountain at its far end. Then canyons and rivers with a lot of beautiful waterfalls, swimming in the Atlantic Ocean on the black beaches of the Vic. And, of course, the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, it deserves a separate article. You'll see so much in one trek through Iceland that you won't see in a dozen others. But be careful, after trekking across the vastness of Iceland, the other mountains will seem faded and dull to you.

The comfort of trekking in Iceland is also worth mentioning – because almost all overnight stays are in campsites – places specially equipped for tents. This means that almost every day we will have hot showers, toilets, and sinks.

When is the best time to go to Iceland? Seasonality of trekking

Summer in Iceland is very short, and it's not possible to hike here all year round. We plan the schedule of our programs, trying to get in the most stable weather conditions. As much as possible. Now we will tell you briefly about the peculiarities of hiking in each of the months.

Hiking in Iceland in Summer – June

That's our way: June comes – so it's summer. In Iceland, it is more complicated. In June, it is still cold and rainy, in the mountains there is a lot of snow. Sometimes very much. If you decide to go to Iceland in June, you should choose the end of the month. We don't plan our trekking in June – it can be too snowy, and some passes are still impassable, too high risk of not making the trek. We do not need it, and I guess you do too:)

Hiking in Iceland in July

July is considered the best month for hiking in Iceland. To be exact, the second half of it. During this time there is the most stable weather and the highest temperatures. On average, it is about +13 during the day, but sometimes in the sun it is above +20. This is very hot for Iceland. But there is still a lot of snow in the mountains – in some places it lies here all year round. The white nights will be a huge bonus. We start our hikes in Iceland in mid-July, which is the most favorable period.

Hiking in Iceland in August

August is also a great month for trekking in Iceland. There will be even less snow on the trails than in July, and the weather is steady. The nights are already darker than they were. There are a few hours of true darkness, and this period grows each day. Toward the end of August, the weather becomes less stable, and it gets colder. Many campgrounds and mountain trails close in September. August is when we end our hiking season in Iceland.

The rest of the year we don't do Iceland programs, although we do have a winter trip planned that will aim to hunt for the Northern Lights.

How much does it cost to hike in Iceland?

Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in Europe (a little cheaper than Norway). Are you willing to buy bread for $5? We'll take care of the bread and other groceries, but you'll have to pay for the beer yourself.) That's because a trip to Iceland will cost pretty much anyway. We buy most of our groceries at home, which allows us to reduce the price of our trips to reasonable limits. Another way to save money is to hitchhike wherever you can. Hitchhiking is entirely optional, from our experience, usually half of the group goes by shuttle bus, the other half hitchhikes. So the choice is up to you.

For example, the cost of the Mars Landing tour is 630 euros, you should have about 150-500 euros with you, depending on what you want to see. Details on what is included in the cost of the hike in Iceland and the price of all additional excursions can be read here.  And don't forget about the flight, the earlier you buy the tickets, the cheaper it will be. The average cost of air tickets is 400-700 euros.

Visa to Iceland

To Iceland, you need a Schengen visa, get a tourist visa to Iceland is not difficult, and we can help you with the list of documents. So far, our members have not received refusals.

About Iceland, we can talk a lot and for a long time, but no words can give even a little of its beauty, it must be seen with your own eyes! So give up your doubts and let's go to Iceland!