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South Coast Highlands and Islands
Offered by Fjallabak Trekking

easy to moderate day hikes

The Trip

The South Coast Highlands and Islands trip explores the active volcanic belt and crosses some dramatic scenery. Especially dedicated to nature lovers, we explore hidden parts of the southern Highlands and the magnificent South Coast.

With the dramatic landscape of Mt. Hekla, the most active volcano of Iceland, as our backdrop, we travel through vast meadows complete with grazing sheep and horses. We cross through moss covered lava fields created by the hundred craters of the Laki. It was here that the world’s largest eruption of historical times took place in 1783. We visit the enormous Vatnajokull icecap with its colorful seracs and crevasses and enjoy bird watching and hiking along the black sand beaches of Vik I Myrdal.

On day seven we fly to the Vestman Islands and then travel by boat around the island of Heimaey, home to the world’s largest colony of puffins, at last count 8 million! As well as puffins we may see gannets, fin whales, dolphins and killer whales. We return to the mainland by ferry and then by van to Reykjavik arriving in the late afternoon.

We hike in Landmannalaugar, where the hills are covered with volcanic rocks, countless hot springs with steam rising from the ground. On our way back to Reykjavik we drive past the foot of Mt. Hekla, Iceland’s most active volcano. We arrive Reykjavik in the afternoon.

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Itinerary

Day 1: Departure from Reykjavik around 10pm to the Herjolfur ferry. We sail to the Vestmann Islands archipelago the island of Heimaey. Heimaey is the main island of the Archipelago and the only inhabited island. It is dominated by Eldfell “the mountain of fire” a new volcano whose eruption in 1973 destroyed half of the nearby fishing harbor.

The Vestmann Islands are home to the largest established colony of Puffins in the world, about 8 millions birds (observation until August 15th). It is often possible to admire the great Gannet diving for fish and if we are lucky we will catch a glimpse of Killer whales or the huge Fin whale. Weather depending we offer a short cruise around the island of Heimaey.

Day 2: We return to the south coast by plane or by boat. Then we drive through vast meadows and where dozens of horses and sheep are grazing until we reach the dramatic landscape of Mount Hekla, the most active volcano of Iceland.

Day 3: A drive through the amazing landscape of the Fjallabak trail to the colorful mountains of Hrafntinnusker volcanic plateau and Torfajökull (well-known as Landmannalaugar mountains). We then have a long walk in the area and soak in natural hot spring.

Day 4: We continue on the trail of Fjallabak “the trail behind the mountains” through incredible landscapes until we reach the Eldgjá fault, the largest and longest eruptive fissure on Earth.

Day 5: A day driving on the South Coast between the huge Vatnajökull icecap and the ocean all the way to the Jökulsárlón glacier Laguna where thousands of colorful icebergs remain. We cross “another planet”, through endless moss covered lava fields and by the hundred craters of the Laki (the world biggest eruption in recent history in 1783).

Day 6: Beautiful walk along the black sand beaches and on huge basaltic cliffs at Vík i Myrdal and Dyrholaey. Thousand of puffins can be admired (from early June until mid-August).

Day 7: Today we travel through green pastures beneath the icecaps of Myrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull, stopping by the impressive Skógafoss waterfall and visiting the small but famous Skógar folk museum. We arrive back in Reykjavik in the afternoon.