Iceland Steams & colorful rhyolite mountains at Laugavegur Trail

The first stage of the Laugavegur is a spectacular introduction to Iceland’s Highlands. The trail starts by crossing the black Laugahraun lava field before climbing steadily towards the colorful rhyolite mountains around Brennisteinsalda. As you gain altitude, the landscape becomes increasingly wild, with geothermal steam, obsidian fields, deep ravines and, depending on the season, patches of snow. The final section towards Hrafntinnusker is more exposed and can feel much more remote, with rapidly changing weather and limited visibility at times.

For a longer hike like the Laugavegur, I focused on carrying just two lenses: a wide-angle and a telezoom. The wide-angle is ideal for the big landscapes of this first stage, capturing the colorful mountains, lava fields and dramatic skies while keeping the trail and surrounding terrain in the frame.

The telezoom is just as valuable here, especially when you want to simplify the landscape. From the trail you can isolate distant ridges, geothermal details and layers of colorful mountains, turning the landscape into almost abstract compositions. It also allows you to compress different layers of the terrain and pick out small hikers in the distance, showing just how vast the Icelandic Highlands really are.

For a multi-day trek, this combination gives you a lot of flexibility without carrying a whole collection of lenses: wide for the scale, tele for the details and minimalist compositions.

For the Laugavegur hike, taking a Highland bus to Landmannalaugar is usually the most practical option. The trail is a one-way route of around 55 km, starting in Landmannalaugar and ending in Þórsmörk, so you don't have to worry about getting your car back to the starting point. Several seasonal bus services connect Reykjavík with Landmannalaugar, and buses can also take you back from Þórsmörk after finishing the hike.

For Laugavegur specifically, I’d recommend the bus: because the trail is not a loop, driving there means you would need to arrange transport back to your car in Landmannalaugar. The bus makes the logistics much easier. Get dropped off at the trailhead, hike all the way to Þórsmörk, and take a bus back from the other end.

Please check the booking page https://www.fi.is/en/mountain-huts/camping and reserve your hat or camp-spot with your own tent in advance.

Conditions can be very challenging and different each day. Please be well prepared and check our equipment before.