Reykjavik: Kerlingarfjöll Private Jeep and Hiking Day Tour

GYG

Reykjavik: Kerlingarfjöll Private Jeep and Hiking Day Tour

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

from $2083

See dates, price and what is included at the operator

A full day in the highlands, on your own schedule

This is a private tour that takes you from Reykjavik into the Kerlingarfjöll mountain range, a 12-hour round trip that runs through the central highlands. The journey covers a long stretch of Iceland’s interior, with the driving itself part of the experience. Gravel Travel runs it in English, and because it is private, the day is yours to pace. You leave from Reykjavik and head southeast into the highlands, with a stop at the village of Vík í Mýrdal on the way. The tour is built around hiking in Kerlingarfjöll, a geothermal area known for its rhyolite hills and hot springs. At roughly 2,083 USD for the group, this is not a budget day out. It is aimed at travellers who want the flexibility of a private vehicle and a guide for a full day in terrain that demands both.

Photographs from the operator Gravel Travel. They show the listing, not your day.

What the price covers and what you pay extra for

The stated price of 2,083 USD covers the private jeep, the guide, and the driving from Reykjavik to Kerlingarfjöll and back. The guide accompanies you in English throughout. What the price does not cover is admission to any of the places on the itinerary, and it does not cover food. You will need to bring your own meals and snacks for the day, since the tour runs twelve hours and there is no stop for a restaurant meal built into the schedule. Admission is sold separately, and only four other tours in this category of 27 state the same arrangement, so it is worth factoring into your budget before you book. The operator offers free cancellation, though no deadline is attached to that offer. The exchange rate used for the listed price is 121.15 ISK per US dollar, so the actual cost in Icelandic kronur will depend on the rate at the time you pay.

What the lack of ratings means

This tour has no customer ratings yet. That is not a mark against it, but it is a fact you should weigh. In a category where comparable highland tours carry scores of 4.7 and 4.8 from several hundred reviews each, this one has no track record to read. It ranks 20th out of 28 tours in its category, but that rank is based on the strength of the evidence available, not on how it performs. The absence of reviews means you are booking on the operator's description alone. That is a reasonable position for a newer or less frequently booked tour, but it is not the same as booking something with hundreds of verified experiences behind it. If you are the kind of traveller who relies on other people's reports before spending this much, you will find no help here yet.

When the season suits a twelve-hour day

The tour runs through the highlands, which means the season matters more than it would for a city excursion. Reykjavik's temperatures tell the story. From June through August, average highs sit between 13 and 15 degrees, with lows between 7 and 9 degrees. That is the window when a full day outdoors is comfortable. In May and September, highs of 10 and 11 degrees are workable but cooler, and the days are shorter. From October through April, average highs stay between 3 and 8 degrees, and a twelve-hour excursion would mean spending much of it in near-freezing conditions and limited daylight. The tour is a long one, so the practical season is roughly May to September, when you can expect daylight to cover most of the itinerary and temperatures to stay above freezing for the bulk of the day. The warmest months, July and August, are the most reliable for this kind of trip.

What happens once you leave Reykjavik

The tour starts in Reykjavik and heads out along the south coast before turning inland toward Kerlingarfjöll. The route passes through Vík í Mýrdal, which is the southernmost village on Iceland's mainland and a natural point to stretch your legs. From there, the road climbs into the highlands, where the terrain becomes rougher. The jeep is the point of this tour: the highland roads are not suitable for regular cars, and the private vehicle is what gets you to the hiking start point. The hiking itself is in the Kerlingarfjöll area, a geothermal zone where the ground is active and the weather can change quickly. Because the tour is private, the guide can adjust the plan based on conditions on the day. The trip runs twelve hours, so you should expect a long day with significant time in the vehicle as well as on foot.

Who this tour suits, and who should look elsewhere

This tour is for travellers who want the highlands without sharing the experience with a group. The private booking means the itinerary can bend to your pace, and the guide is there for the whole day. It suits hikers who are comfortable with a full day outdoors and who want to reach Kerlingarfjöll without driving the highland roads themselves. It is not wheelchair accessible, so travellers with mobility limitations will need to look elsewhere. It is also not for anyone watching their budget. At 2,083 USD, it is the most expensive tour in its category, and the price does not include food or admission. If you want a similar highland experience at a fraction of the cost, the Landmannalaugar Highland Hike and Hot Springs tour runs from 193 USD and carries a 4.7 rating from 713 reviews. It is a shared, not private, experience, but it covers similar ground for a tenth of the price.

GYG

Reykjavik: Kerlingarfjöll Private Jeep and 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 $2083

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