From Reykjavik: Kerlingarfjöll Hiking Day Tour

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From Reykjavik: Kerlingarfjöll Hiking Day Tour

★ 4.8(141 reviews)

• Guide works in English
• Duration per the operator: 12 hours

from $192

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

Twelve hours from Reykjavik into the highlands

This day tour takes you from Reykjavik to the Kerlingarfjöll mountain range in the Icelandic highlands, a round trip that runs for 12 hours. You travel with a guide who speaks English, and the tour is operated by Arctic Adventures. The route passes through Vík í Mýrdal on the way, giving you a look at the south coast before the landscape opens up into the interior. The tour is designed for hikers who want to spend a full day out of the city and are comfortable with a long day on their feet. At 192 USD per person, it sits among the more affordable options in its category of highland tours, though the price reflects the length and the guiding rather than any extras. The departure point is Reykjavik itself, so you start and end in the capital without needing to arrange your own transport to a meeting point elsewhere.

Photographs from the operator Arctic Adventures. They show the listing, not your day.

What the price covers and what it does not

The listed price of 192 USD covers the guided tour itself, with an English-speaking guide accompanying you for the full day. Food is not included in that price, so you will need to bring your own lunch and snacks for the 12 hours you are out. The operator offers free cancellation, though no deadline for that cancellation is given. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, so if you have mobility restrictions, this is not the right choice. No admission fees or parking charges apply at any of the places on the itinerary, so there are no extra costs waiting for you at the stops themselves. What you pay at booking is what the tour costs, apart from the meals you bring yourself.

What the rating tells you

The tour holds a rating of 4.8 out of 5, based on 141 reviews. That is a strong score, and the number behind it matters. With 141 ratings, this is not a case of a handful of enthusiastic reviews inflating the average. It is a solid sample size that gives the score real weight. Within the highland tours category, which contains 28 listings, this tour ranks fifth by number of reviews. That puts it in the upper tier of tours that travellers have actually booked and commented on. The rating itself is consistent with what you would expect from a well-run guided hike in the highlands, and the review count suggests the score is not a fluke. It is worth noting that the ranking by reviews is not the same as a ranking by quality, but a 4.8 from 141 people is a dependable signal.

When the long day works best

Reykjavik's temperatures climb slowly through the spring. In May the average high reaches 10°C, and by June it is 13°C. July and August are the warmest months, with highs of 15°C and 14°C respectively. For a 12-hour tour that takes you into the highlands, where conditions are cooler than in the city, the summer months are the practical choice. The daylight hours are long in June and July, which suits a tour of this length. In April, with highs of only 7°C and daylight still stretching, the hike would be colder and the return to Reykjavik would come later in the evening. The tour runs through the warmer half of the year, and the months from June to August give you the best combination of tolerable temperatures and enough light to complete the full itinerary without rushing. September still offers 11°C highs, but the days are shortening, so the later part of the tour would be in cooler evening air.

What to expect on the day

You set out from Reykjavik and head south, passing through Vík í Mýrdal before turning inland toward Kerlingarfjöll. The journey itself takes up a good portion of the 12 hours, so the hiking time at the destination is concentrated in the middle of the day. The highland roads are rough, and the weather in the mountains can change quickly, so the guide makes the call on how far the group goes and when to turn back. The terrain at Kerlingarfjöll is marked by geothermal activity, with hot ground and steam vents, and the hiking paths follow the natural landscape. There are no staffed facilities at the site, so you rely on what you brought with you for the day. The return drive follows the same route, and you are back in Reykjavik in the evening.

Who should take this tour

This tour suits hikers who want to see the Icelandic highlands without committing to a multi-day expedition. It is a single long day, and the 12-hour duration means you need to be comfortable with early starts and a late return. The guide-led format makes it accessible if you are not experienced with navigating highland terrain on your own. If you want a shorter day with a soak at the end, the Landmannalaugar Highland Hike and Hot Springs tour runs between 5 and 14 hours and costs from 193 USD, giving you more flexibility on length. That tour also has a higher number of reviews at 713, so it may be worth comparing if you are weighing options. This Kerlingarfjöll tour is not for anyone who needs wheelchair access, and the length rules out those who prefer a half-day outing. If you want the highland experience but are unsure about a full day, the shorter Landmannalaugar option is the alternative to consider.

GYG

From Reykjavik: Kerlingarfjöll Hiking Day Tour

Dates, remaining places and the current version of what is included are at the operator. This page reflects the state of the catalogue, not the state of this morning.

from $192

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