Thorsmork and Solheimajokull Glacier - Two Days

Difficult cossing of glacial rivers near Thorsmork valley in the Highlands of Iceland at southern end of the famous Laugavegur hiking trail.

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Þórsmörk Thórsmörk Mountain Ridge Iceland

Top Attractions:

Thorsmork Valley

Hveragerdi

Skogafoss Waterfall

Solheimajokull Glacier in South Iceland

Overview

Immerse yourself in Iceland's natural wonders with a two-day adventure through its wild heart and glacial frontiers. Begin your adventure by exploring the lush valleys of Thorsmork—fondly called the Valley of Thor—and the mountains engulfing it before resting overnight in a rustic mountain hut. After waking up in the beautiful wilderness, use the day to explore South Coast wonders like Skogafoss before putting on crampons and going on a glacier hike through Solheimajokull, a glacier tongue of Myrdalsjokull.

It's a short and sweet adventure that you'll experience by yourself, with an expert by your side guiding the way. We'll take care of the logistics, accommodations, and transportation so you can focus on the thrill, the sights, and the memories.

Tour Snapshot

Duration

2 days

Level

Easy

Availability

All year

Starting point

Reykjavik

End point

Reykjavik

Languages

English

Minimum age

All ages

What to Expect

On Tour

English guidance
Glacier hike at Solheimajokull Glacier

Transportation

Meet on location
Pick-up & drop-off in Reykjavik
Transport in a Super Jeep

Accommodation & Meals

Meals
Dinner in Thorsmork
Accommodation
Sleeping bag accommodation at Basar

Itinerary

2 days

Tour Itinerary Overview

Thorsmork is a mountain ridge in Iceland which was named after the Norse Thunder God Thor. It is situated in the south of Iceland between the glaciers Tindfjallajokull and Eyjafjallajokull. In the valley, the river Krossa winds between the mountains. Thorsmork is popular amongst hikers as a lot of different trails are possible both short hikes as well as longer treks.

Day 1

We will start our drive east from Reykjavík over Hellisheidi heath. We will drive pass the town Hveragerdi and go towards the town Hvolsvollur where we will stop for lunch and coffee break. We will stop at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall which cascades from ancient sea cliffs over 60 meters down to a shallow pool. It is possible to take a walk behind the cascade of the waterfall to enjoy the beautiful scenery from there.

On our way to Thorsmork, we stop by Lonid, which used to be a beautiful little glacial lake where the outlet glacier Gigjokull descended from Eyjafjallajokull. It disappeared in the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in 2010 as glacial water gushed down. Instead of a nice little glacial lake, we can now only see the remains of it after this enormous flooding.

When we arrive in Thorsmork you will have free time to spend how you wish. There are plenty of options for short hikes, such as the narrow and spectacular river bed of Stakkholtsgja Canyon as well as the summits of surrounding peaks, with rewarding views. We will spend the night here in cozy sleeping bag accommodation in the Básar Chalet. In winter we will look out for the northern lights after dark. In the evening your guide will prepare dinner for you.

Day 2

After breakfast, you can choose whether you wish to use the time until lunch to do some more hiking in this wonderful valley or to just relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. After lunch, we will start our drive back. We will stop at Nautholagil, a narrow canyon with a healthy stream of water flowing down it. If you scramble up along the edge here you will have to wade the rest of the way to the end of the canyon where you will find a beautiful waterfall.

Then we will drive to Skogar, where we will see the magnificent Skogafoss Waterfall which cascades around 65 meters down from the ancient sea cliffs. At Skogar we will find two museums, a communal museum established in 1949 and a transportation museum, both are interesting museums to visit.

From Skogar we drive through Myrdalur where we can enjoy a view of the glacier of Myrdalsjokull, the fourth largest glacier in Iceland. Under it lies the central volcanic system of Katla, within which the last eruption occurred on October 12th, 1918. Southwest of the Myrdalsjokull lies the creeping glacier of Solheimajokull where we will put on the crampons and go for a hike on the glacier. This is a safe and easy glacier walk up onto the ice field with an experienced mountain guide, where a wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges, and deep crevasses await your discovery.

After the glacier hike, we will drive back to Reykjavik where we will drop you off at your hotel in time for dinner.

Meet your operator

At Adventures.com we love transparency, there are operators involved in your booking, we just stay with those we trust. This tour is operated by:

Arctic Adventures

Arctic Adventures is a top Icelandic tour operator known for its small-group experiences. Since 1983, they’ve specialized in guiding travelers through Iceland’s wild terrains, from glaciers to volcanoes. Their tours are all about adventure and sustainability, led by expert guides who make sure every trip is safe, fun, and memorable. Arctic Adventures combines deep local knowledge with a strong commitment to nature, making them a trusted choice for anyone looking to explore Iceland up close and responsibly.

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Packing List

Get ready for your trip, here are some items, you should not forget

What to bring (Required)

Warm clothes
Waterproof jacket
Rent with us, +29 USD per person
Waterproof pants
Sturdy shoes

We're here to answer your questions

Iceland is known for unforeseeable weather. It is likely that you can see all 4 seasons in one day.

Dressing for that kind of weather can always be demanding, so we suggest dressing in layers. 3 or 4 upper layers are highly recommended, for example, a light t-shirt (preferably wool) next to the skin, then a fleece or heavy wool garment topped off with a waterproof windbreaker.

Jeans are not recommended for our trips as they are not suitable for the weather conditions, they become very heavy, cold and uncomfortable to wear when they get wet.

Lightweight hiking pants, track pants or long cotton pants are convenient and wear wind/waterproof pants over them. There is high UV and sunlight reflecting off on the glacier so we highly recommend using sunglasses and sunscreen even if it is cloudy.

You will need sturdy hiking boots that fit crampons for the glacier hiking tours. If you do not own a pair then we rent out suitable hiking boots as well as a waterproof raincoat and trousers.

It is good to bring your own backpack on our full day or half day tours. It’s the best carry-on for a small lunch, extra clothes and other necessary items.

The scenery on the tour is full of stunning, scenic views that are photographable so you should definitely bring your camera along.

This is surely a personal choice, we do not deny pregnant women on our glacier trips but we highly recommend you to take a closer look at our trip description and difficulty ratings, they will hopefully give you a better idea. We also recommend you to contact your physician, as pregnant women’s health can be quite different. If you have any further questions or concerns then feel free to contact us.

Lunch is not provided on any of our trips, therefore we recommend you to bring your own lunch especially for the longer trips, snacks and a bottle of water (you can refill it on the trip).

Crampons make you enable to walk on the glacier ice without slipping. They are metal spikes that we attach to the soles of your hiking shoes.

Yes, we have specially trained and certified glacier guide on every glacier tour that we offer. And for our 3rd party tours we only partner with operators that meet our quality and safety standards.

Yes, we provide you with all the necessary glacier gear for our glacier hiking tours. Ice axe, crampons, harness, and helmets are provided. This will help you to complete the tour safely. The minimum shoe size to attach crampons is EU 35.

Iceland is known to have a lot of snow and when the snow stays long enough in one place than it turns to ice. Over long periods of time, the ice layers up becoming huge blocks called glaciers. It forms to create ginormous glaciers that sweep across huge masses of land. Iceland is home of the largest glacier in Europe that is called Vatnajökull. The Glacier Guides can tell you more about and everything you need to know about the Glaciers.

Rain is common in Iceland but we never let the rain be in our way to go forward with our tours.
That’s why we highly recommend appropriate clothing so you can be warm and dry on the tours.
Nature is out of our control and therefore we need to adapt to the weather. Your safety is our first priority so if your safety is compromised by going on the tour then we will cancel it and you will get full reimbursement.

Still not convinced?

Customer Care

For Iceland, Scandinavia & Baltic tour

Open daily from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM GMT

Address

Köllunarklettsvegur 2

104 Reykjavík

+354 562 7000

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