Trek Black Raven Reefs

Day 1: Reykjavik - Rangá River

Walk 3-4 hours - 10 km - Alt. 200 m > 350 m
Your guide will meet you in Hella when you get off the bus from Reykjavik (See our practical information for getting from Reykjavik to Hella) and take you to our nearby warehouse. There we will prepare the midday picnic, check your equipment, then load the travel bags, food and equipment into the trailer of our support jeep. 30 km later we will leave the inhabited countryside to cross on foot a vast natural meadow that extends to the foothills of the Tindfjöll massif. On the meadow, we can see the ruins of old peat farms abandoned at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, due to a long period of extreme weather which, combined with severe eruptions, ruined the countryside all around the country. Nearly a third of Icelanders will then immigrate to Canada and some to Brazil. We advance through all this green to the Rangá River. In June and July, we are accompanied by the alarm calls and trills of waders (small waders such as the golden plover, the snipe, the godwit, the curlew and other sandpipers). We ford the river to reach our refuge on the other bank.

 Day 2: Tindfjöll Massif

6–7-hour hike - approx. 12 km - Altitude 300 m > 700 m
The Tindfjöll, nicknamed "The Peaks", are a small, majestic mountain range with several distinct small peaks, the largest of which, Ymir (1462m) and Ýma (1448m), evoke giants from Scandinavian mythology. It is of course not the Himalayas, nor the Andes in Patagonia, but it looks like them, a perfectly miniaturized mixture of the two that gives this indescribable illusion of grandeur and virgin immensity that Iceland has the secret of. Tíndafjallajökull is not the largest glacier in the country, but it spills out of a giant crater about 12 to 16 km in diameter, formed by the cataclysmic explosion of a very large volcano thousands of years ago. Progression across a vast desolate expanse between the Tindfjöll and the Hekla volcanic system that dominates the horizon to the north of its visible or invisible presence.

Day 3: Krókur (The Hook)

6-8 hour hike - approx. 15 km - Altitude 600 m
A large loop through the mini territories that leads to the northern foot of the Tindfjöll massif through green valleys where streams of crystal clear water meander, marshes dotted with cotton grass, deep canyons, beautiful green hills. Krókur "the hook" is a sharp turn of the Markarfljót a turquoise river that meanders between cones covered with green moss. This territory could well be an advanced observation post of the Kingdom of the Elves just on the edge of the desolation of Mordor

Day 4: Lake Skyggnisvatn

6-8 hour hike - approx. 15 km – Altitude 600 m > 800 m
The path takes a long and thick palagonite ridge to the North-East which leads to the imposing monolith of Laufafell, an outpost of the Hrafntinnusker caldera. This regular ridge is a balcony over the region: On the right, to the north, a vast territory linked to the Hekla volcanic system with its dominant black and red, on the left towards the south, a grey landscape stained with fluorescent green, a jumble of worn and jagged palagonite mountains resulting from ancient subglacial eruptions

Day 5: Hrafntinnusker Caldera

Walk 6-8 hours – Alt. 590 m > 1100 m > 590 m
Large loop through the shimmering colors of the rhyolitic massifs on the heights of Landmannalaugar. Incredible palette of pastel colors, from blue to pink, including all possible ochres. Countless fumaroles, pools of sulphureous mud, flows of vitrified obsidian, swamps, clear lakes and immaculate ice caps follow one another as far as the eye can see. We walk along a vast flow of obsidian Hrafntinnusker, “the reefs of raven black”.
Obsidian is a black vitrified lava with sometimes blue or green reflections, which when broken is sharp as a razor blade that spreads here on the soft pastel undulations of acid rocks of the crown of the caldera of the same name. We will carefully see the countless solfataras with pools of bubbling mud, powerful and noisy jets of steam

Day 6: Hike Ljósártungur to Hvanngil

Hike 7-5 hours – ca. 21 km (13 miles) – Alt. 785 to 550 m (2575 to 1800 feet)
Going down to Fjallabak South, we can admire the alignment of the mountain ranges, all perfectly parallel and aligned in the same direction: the direction of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that crosses Iceland from North to South. In good weather, we have a spectacular view of three large ice caps: Mýrdalsjökull, Eyjafjallajökull and Tíndafjallajökull. Following the course of the Markarfljót canyon, we descend south through hills and wet meadows, crossing clear streams. At the end of the day, arriving at the Hvanngil refuge, we cross the marked Laugavegur trail where we are surprised to meet so many backpackers with large backpacks. This too famous marked Laugavegur trail joins Landmannalaugar to the Thorsmörk valley and the south coast. From a distance it can sometimes make you think of a procession of ants. It is in some way the “Tour du Mont Blanc” of Iceland.

This beautiful stage is the longest of this trek. Luckily our assistance jeep will be able to join us that day if necessary and allow some of our companions who would like to spare themselves to get on board and not do the entire walk of this long day.

Day 7: Mælifellssand Desert

Hike 5 hours – ca. 15 km (9 miles) – Alt. 550 to 563 m (1800 to 1850 feet)
We cross the sand of Mælifellssandur. In the middle of this strange black flatness stands the solitary cone of Mælifell, covered in fluorescent green-coloured moss. We are able to explore the extraordinary landscapes between the southern flank of the Torfajökull caldera and the mighty dome of the Mýrdalsjökull icecap. Beneath this huge sheet of ice lies Katla, another of Iceland’s angriest volcanoes. She last erupted in 1918 and is long overdue for another eruption.

Day 8: Strútslaug - Lake Hólmsárlón

Hike 6-7 hours – ca. 19 km (12 miles) – Alt. 563 to 563 m (1850 to 1850 feet)
After an unforgettable bath at the end of the world in a hot spring, progress on the banks of the long and narrow turquoise lake Hólmsárlón. At the other end of the lake its spillway falls abruptly in a series of beautiful waterfalls to the superb red crater of Rauðibotnar (Red Bottoms). This crater is an integral part of the great fault of Eldgjá. It is the explosive result of the meeting of a river with the fire of an eruptive fault. Once again this beautiful landscape of red rocks, thick green-bronze mosses and fresh torrents would almost make us forget the cataclysmic creation of Iceland as well as our planet in general.
The fault of Eldgjá is the longest eruptive fissure on earth, today covered by moss and crossed by a clear stream. As large as the Laki eruption was, it was exceeded by Iceland's A.D. 934-940 Eldgjá eruption, which occurred in the same mountainous region. During the six years that this eruption was active, lava erupted from several vents along a discontinuous 75-km-long (47-mile-long) fissure system and buried more than 781 square km (302 square miles) of southern Iceland. Fortunately, huge eruptions like those at Eldgjá and Laki are very unusual; otherwise, life as we know it would probably not be. Though the hazards posed by lava flows and volcanic gas here on the “Big” Island are understandably important to us, they are still tiny in comparison to what our big blue planet is capable of.
En fin de randonnée, on rejoint en jeep l’orée des terres habitées du district de Skaftafellssýsla, en bordure de l’énorme fleuve de lave pétrifiée du Laki ou se rue et divague la Skaftá une puissante rivière glaciaire limoneuse issue du Vatnajökull.

Day 9: South Coast – Reykjavik

Route 280 km
We return by vehicle to the coastal plain. Return to Reykjavik with our jeep or with a regular bus from Vík-í-Mýrdal. Arrival in the late afternoon (The schedule of this day will be specified later)

How to get from Reykjavik to Hella?

The village of Hella is located on the ring road No.1, at 100 km southeast of Reykjavik

This is where the Fjallabak base and warehouse are located during the summer period. We are located 150 m from the bus stop where we will pick up your luggage.

There are several daily bus connections (Stræto in Icelandic) between Mjódd, which is the bus station in Reykjavik located east of the city, and Landeyjarhöfn, which is the pier for the Herjolfur ferry to the Westman Islands.

This line 52 serves from Mjódd > Hveragerði > Selfoss > Hella > Hvollsvölur > Landeyjarhöfn

How to get to Mjódd from your hotel:

1. By taxi booked the day before for 7:30 at the latest, expect to pay around 4,500-5,500 ISK per trip (approx. €30-35)
2. By municipal bus at the latest at 7:20 from a bus stop near your hotel and of course on a line that ends in Mjodd : 650 ISK (approx. €5) for an adult aged 18 to 66  / 50% discount for seniors aged 67 and over and for young people aged 12 to 17 (approx. €2.5) / Free for children up to 11 years old

To get to Hella:

On day 1 of the trek, bus 52 leaves Mjodd at 8:00 and arrives at 9:22 in Hella. We recommend arriving at the bus station no later than 10 minutes before departure. The ticket is purchased from the driver on board the bus or at the ticket office at the central station, paid in cash or with your credit card.

Bus ticket price to Hella (1st November 2024)

• 4200 ISK (approx. €30) per person for an adult aged 18 to 66
• 50% discount for seniors aged 67 and over (approx. €15)
• 50% discount for young people aged 12 to 17 (approx. €15)
• 100% discount for children up to 11 years old (free)

Arriving a day earlier

Of course you can prefer to arrive (Sunday) in Hella, the day before the trek starts which is Monday, provided you have booked accommodation in this village. (Departure from Mjódd at 15:15 arrival in Hella at 16:37.
Accommodations in Hella: Hotel Stracta, Arhus Cottages, Riverside guesthouse...
We can take care of booking a room in Hella for you depending on hotel availability.

Return by bus to Reykjavik:

• The schedule of this day will be confirmed later)
• Bus 51 leaves at 16:00 from Vik-i-Myrdal and arrives at 18:45 at Mjódd, the Reykjavik bus station (approx. 9000 kr - approx 60 €)

By bus to the Vestmann Islands:

• Bus 51 from Vik arrives at 17:17 in Hella  (4200 kr approx. 28 €)
• Bus 52 from Hella leaves at 19:07 and arrives at 20:03 at the pier of Landeyjarhöfn. (1800 kr - approx. 12 €)The departure of the Herjolfur Ferry is of course synchronized with that of the bus

Information about this trek

Difficulty level:

• 2-3 Moderate to demanding
• Average walking per day: ca. 15-16 km (9-10 miles)
• Total walking distance:  ca.62 km (39 miles) / 36 hours walk (6-day version)
• Altitude between: 500 m and 600 m (1500-2000 feet)
• Positive gradients: ca.1200 m (ca.3900 feet)
• Downhill gradients: ca.1000 m (ca.3280 feet)

Itinerary and security:

The day by day program can be modified or even reversed. However, these changes are rather rare for reasons of safety due to natural phenomena: volcanism, early or late snowfall, bad weather, flooding rivers, exceptionally unfavorable weather ... The guide knows the terrain well and is sole master in interpreting the whims of all-powerful nature on this volcanic earth under these high latitudes, and to make the necessary decisions. 

Composition of the group:

In general, the participants of our trips come from several countries: French speaking from Switzerland, France, Belgium and Quebec but also English speaking people from Great Britain, Ireland, United States (Democratic trending), Australians, New Zealanders or other nations who know how to express themselves in English like Scandinavians, Germans, sometimes Japanese or Russians, and even sometimes Icelanders.
Your Icelandic guide is perfectly or sufficiently fluent in English and masters very well at least one or two other European language. Traveling with Fjallabak can represent a unique opportunity to meet, exchange ideas and socialize with companions from other countries than yours that you might otherwise never have approached. A unique opportunity to make friends from all around the world and twist the neck to certain prejudices and misconceptions inked

Languages ​​spoken:

The departure dates are all marked as:

¬ International, (multinational is more accurate) this means that the guide can express himself in English and possibly in French or German or Italian, or Spanish, etc. Participants can be from all around the world if they speak English and/or French

¬ English means that the guide and the group speaks only English. That said, this guide probably speaks also other languages, which may be French (please consult). The group is made up of participants from English-speaking countries or participants from non-English speaking countries with good English skills.

¬ French, it means that the guide is French-speaking as the group that is composed solely of participants from French-speaking countries (Swiss, French, Belgian, Belgian, etc.) or non-French speakers wanting to improve their French. If you want to test your French, do not hesitate

Group size:

Group of 4 to 10 (+/- 1) participants (Note: for groups of 4-5 people, a small group supplement applies) Fjallabak staff or representatives of Fjallabak accompanying professionals (photographers , Journalists, etc.) and other discounted travelers such as children are excluded from the number of participants (minimum and maximum).

Early Birds Discount:

This discount does not apply to children who are entitled to the family discount

• 10% "Early Bird" Discount up to 150 days before departure
•    5% up to 90 days before departure

Family Discount:

Children accompanying their parents or grandparents are entitled to the following discount

• -10% for young people aged 12 to 17
• -20% for children up to 11 years old

Small group surcharge and modified organization:

• ISK 60.000/pp (ca. + € 400) for 5 participants
• ISK 75.000/pp  (ca.+ € 500) for 4 participants

In the exceptional case of poor registrations on a departure and you are only 4 or 5 participants registered, in order not to cancel everything you will leave with only one member of our team as guide-driver. You will sleep in the shelters that are planned in the itinerary, but each day there will be a trip by jeep to then make large loops on foot in the most beautiful places

Accommodation:

Sleeping bag (your own) in mountain refuges and huts: Bunks with comfortable mattresses. Running water and kitchen in the shelter, but the toilets and sinks are usually outside, a few yards in a small building apart. Warm hot showers with charge are available in some huts. If you want more privacy during the night while we sleep, we offer you the possibility of sleeping in tents that we provide, please notify us in advance. On the treks where camping nights are planned, the camps are made up of double tents (or single on request) with a comfortable and insulated mattress and a large equipped mess tent.Electricity: take enough batteries for your camera because you will not often be able to recharge batteries in the huts. Also take a normal charger (220v for European standard outlets) as there are some shelter that have electricity.

Food:

We pride ourselves for providing the best cuisine in the highlands! Breakfast is Scandinavian style, with muesli, breads, jams, smoked fish, charcuterie and cheese. The picnics can be a bit repetitive after a week (we are in Iceland), with a variety of sandwiches, smoked meats and fish, excellent local cheeses, green salad, tomatoes and cucumbers. Dinners, varied and often excellent, include fish and lamb dishes, served with pasta, rice or potatoes, vegetables and a green salad.
However, vegans will have to supplement their luggage even though we can accommodate their needs.
For conviviality, but without obligation, you can bring with you a specialty of your country as well as a good bottle of alcohol.
Accommodation during the trek: Sleeping bag accommodation in mountain huts and huts (usually a comfortable and mixed lodging) and according to the itinerary and the conditions, at the peak of the season a few nights might be spent in spacious double tents equipped with comfortable mattresses. Showers are available in some huts, not all.

Food, special diets:

It is essential that vegetarians specify what is banned from their menu, such as those suffering from food allergies (lactose, gluten, etc.). It is important that you advise us of your special food requirements at the time of booking. If the list is long or there is danger with certain allergies, please send us the details by mail to these two addresses <matta@fjallabak.is>  so that the team in charge of our warehouse/storage can take this into account in the preparation of food. Your guide will be aware of your plan, but it does not necessarily mean that he is a specialist in that matter, so it's up to you to tell him about it at the beginning of the journey when preparing the first meal! It is also up to you to control at each meal what suits you.

Each day a 4x4 vehicle carries the luggage and the food from hut to hut. We do not see this vehicle during the day, because it takes tracks that we rarely encounter. Someone feeling tired one day can make the trip with the driver (often a friendly guide of our team) which will make him discover another aspect of the highlands.  Our carbon impact is lower because the kilometric average of the vehicle does not exceed 30km / day.

Preparation of the trip and notes:

This is an assisted hut to hut trekking. At the peak of the season, we might camp for a night or two. The level of walking is moderate to sustained. You only carry a light bag containing what you need for the day. This trek does not present any serious difficulty for people in good physical shape having at least some experience of long walks in the mountains. An experienced guide leads the trek. This trek passes through totally desert areas. Most of the walking is off-trail, with ever-changing terrain conditions. Therefore, sturdy hiking shoes that fit well your feet are a must. Most days involve river crossing, so it is essential not to forget your sandals. See our kits list for more information. You hike 6-7 hours per day, on average, but it can be longer, depending on the weather, the average level of the group. The maximum altitude does not rise more than 1000m. The change of altitude for most days does not exceed 300 m.

Participation:

An experienced Icelandic guide leads the trek. As we are not in Nepal but in Iceland, it is expected that the members of the group lend a helping hand to their guide in the preparation of meals, washing the dishes, cleaning the floors before leaving the huts, setting up and taking down the tents when camping. Once in the mountains, the group becomes an independent entity. Fellowship, teamwork and forged friendships add much to the richness of each person's experience.

Recommended Travel Gear for Trekking

You’ll need to bring comfortable and adequate clothing to protect you from cold and wet weather, such as polypropylene, capilene, or pile. Wool and wool/synthetic blends are also suitable - though wool, if wet, dries slowly compared to synthetic fabrics. We discourage the use of cotton in wet conditions it dries very slowly. When camping, tents are provided. You will be responsible for bringing your mattress and sleeping bag.

When layering, the innermost layer should be long underwear. The middle layer can be a synthetic turtleneck or wool shirt, and pants. The outermost layer must be a breathable waterproof jacket such as a good quality Gore-Tex wind/rain parka and over-pants.
For quantities for each item listed, use your own judgement, based on the expected weather conditions and overall packing/weight restrictions for your luggage.

Given the marked climatic instability of the northern regions, we recommend that you reasonably comply with this list of equipment for your comfort and safety.

The list below is very complete (certainly too complete) and you can interpret it reasonably according to what you already have as clothing and equipment at home

Luggage:

• Large waterproof and solid travel bag (60 - 75 liters) - 1 bag per person and not 1 huge bag for two people (the weight of this bag should, if possible, not exceed 18 kg)
• Hiking day-pack (minimum 40 litres) Light, streamlined, and allows convenient access to the essentials. Rain cover preferably brightly colored
• An extra empty light bag if you want to keep some of your belongings at your hotel in Reykjavik or at the Fjallabak office and warehouse

For your feet:

• Hiking boots, medium-weight, with padded ankle, good arch support, and a lug sole traction. Your hiking boots should be waterproof, well broken in, and suitable for all terrain or possibly snow, having a size that can accommodate thick hiking socks
• Hiking and water sandals for river crossing (Teva-Keen) which can also be used as a spare for walking or as shoes for the refuge. Cheap plastic beach sandals that strap to the foot may be sufficient for crossing streams.
• Slippers, flip-flops or your sandals to wear in the huts

For your nights

• Sleeping bag (+10°C to -10°C / 50°F to 14°F) sarcophagus or rectangular which can be opened lengthwise to be used as a duvet. Natural down is of course the most pleasant
• Bed coton sheet with or without elastic (200 X 120 cm) allowing you not to sleep directly on the mattress of the refuge.
• Inflatable travel pillow (optional)
• Eye shades. Highly recommended in june - july!

(Possibility to rent a sleeping bag in Iceland by paying on site to your guide provided you let us know several days in advance. (8000 kr, approx. €50 or $50, whatever the duration of the trek)

Clothing

• Rain/wind parka (Gore-Tex)
• Rain/wind pants (Gore-Tex)
• Medium-weight synthetic fleece sweater or jacket
• Full-length pants, quick-drying synthetic fabric
• Regular underwear. Synthetics are easier to wash and dry
• Long-sleeved, synthetic or wool shirt
• Short-sleeved synthetic or cotton/synthetic T-shirts and underwear
• Natural wool sweater for the huts
• Down jacket from mid-August to September (optional)
• Hiking shorts, quick-drying synthetic fabric
• Sun & rain hat
• Wool hat
• Gloves (wool or pile)
• Waterproofed shell gloves
• Several pairs of hiking socks in synthetic and/or natural wool

Travel Accessories

• Sturdy telescopic walking poles
• Unbreakable thermos – 0,5 liter capacity (We can provide it to you on site)
• Hiking water bottle – 0,5 liter
• Hermetic sandwich box -  for 2 flat sandwiches (We can provide it to you on site)
• Hiking mug (We can provide it to you on site)
• Pocket knife (Must be kept in duffle bag, not in hand luggage, before flying !)
• Gaiters
• Swimsuit and quick dry camping towel
• Small hermetic bag with zipper for your wallet and passport
• Small hermetic bag with zipper for your mobile phone
• Headlamp or small flashlight with spare batteries (from August only)
• Toiletry kit—soap, toothbrush, and so on.
• Sunscreen and lip protection (The sun in Iceland is much more intense than you probably imagine)
• Personal first aid kit
• Moisturizing lotion. (The air in Iceland is very dry)
• Sunglasses
• Eye shades. Highly recommended in June and July!
• Spare pair of prescription glasses, prescription sunglasses, or contact lenses (but not only lenses, as wind-blown dust can make them very uncomfortable)
• Netting hood

Camera, tablet, mobile phone:

• Tripod and cable release for camera for long northern lights breaks from mid-August
• Spare batteries and/or accumulators for cameras or electrical devices
• Additional memory cards
• 220 V charger for standard European standard socket
• Cable with USB termination adaptable to a 220V European standard male electrical outlet
• USA UK adapter to European standard outlet

Optional Travel Accessories

• Binoculars
• Repair kit with needle, thread, and safety pins
• Reading and writing material
• Your favorite snack food such as raisins or chocolate
• Protein supplements for vegetarian

Pour la convivialité

This is a suggestion, not an obligation.

• 1 or 2 good bottles of good wine or a flask of booze to offer to your companions in the evening for our aperitifs and fraternal dinners far from everything.
• If you don't want to carry a bottle in your luggage from home, you should know that the duty-free area at Keflavik Airport is open to arriving travelers.
• You may also have the opportunity to ask the driver of the assistance jeep to do some shopping for you if he has to make a quick return trip to the coast. He can bring back for you a bottle of wine, a pack of beer, basic pharmaceutical products, gloves or a woolen hat, a birthday cake...

This is an interactive map. Click on the icons and the trail to get more information and photos.