Experience an Icelandic Oasis, a lush valley on the edge of two glaciers
A memorable day, focused on hiking and sightseeing
A private Jeep tour to the remote Highlands. Hike in The Valley of Thor and enjoy a jeep ride through the wilderness.
Duration: 10 to 12 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Age limit: 10 years old minimum
Season
: June – September
250 000 ISK
(The price is for the whole group)
Your Private Hiking Tour to Thórsmörk in the Highlands of Iceland
The road to Thórsmörk (Þórsmörk)
To get to Thórsmörk, we will begin our journey on the famous ring road (Hringvegur) that goes all around the country. After about 1h30 on the paved road, we will begin our way on the rugged Icelandic backroads, the F-roads, all the way to Þórsmörk.
This journey is part of your experience. We will drive alongside mountain slopes, and through dozens of rivers, some deeper than others.
This tour is all about adventure. And cruising those roads, and crossing those rivers is definitely part of this adventurous feeling.
Þórsmörk
Þórsmörk can be translated as “The Valley of Thór“, Thór being the god of thunder in old Norse mythology. This god recently gained in popularity with the Marvel movie franchise!
Þórsmörk is located right behind the glacier of Eyjafjallajökull. This is the glacier located over the volcano which blew up in 2010 and brought European air traffic to a complete stop for over a week. This mountain-glacier-volcano is acting as a shield from the bad weather coming from the South Atlantic, protecting Thórsmörk and its vegetation from the worst weather.
Thósmörk has for a long time been protected from sheep grazing and vegetation is growing and thriving there like in almost no other place in Iceland. This is what makes Thórsmörk so unique, as Iceland is not famous for its lush vegetation, diversity of flowers, and thriving bushes.
Þórsmörk is an oasis in the highlands, with multiple stunning hiking trails, all of them offering gorgeous views of the two glaciers surrounding the area, the braided rivers lying at the bottom of the mountains, and green sceneries with flora like nowhere else in the country.
Highlights of your private tour:
Nauthúsagíl
A short but intense adventure through a small canyon. At the end of it, you will a beautiful waterfall, right under a skylight. Why an adventure? Because you cannot get there without wading in the river!
Gígjökull
After crossing a few deep rivers, we will stand in front of a magnificent glacier outlet. This outlet comes down from the ice cap of Eyjafjallajökull.
Hikes in Thorsmörk and on the way:
This tour includes two hikes. One is inside a canyon on the way and the other one is in the Thórsmörk area. The first one is easy and the second one, rather uphill, is moderately challenging.
For the fastest, most performant hikers, we will add a third hike to the tour!
Stakkholtsgjá
Stakkholtsgjá is a very long and wide canyon on the way to Þórsmörk. we will hike inside of it all the way to the end. Breathtaking scenery all the way.
Valahnúkur
A rather short, steep, but extremely rewarding hike to the best viewpoint of Thórsmörk.
From up there you can see the two glaciers of Mýrdalsjökull, Eyjafjallajökull, the main braided rivers and the endless green valleys.
Included in your private tour:
- Personal driver and guide
- Comfortable superjeep
- Parking fees
- Transportation to/from Reykjavík
Not included in your private tour:
- Food, snacks, water
- Personal equipment
What to know before you go and bring with you on this tour to Thórsmörk
Weather in the Icelandic Highlands
In the Highlands of Iceland, the weather can change very suddenly and temperatures are dropping faster than in the lowlands of the coastal areas.
This tour is only operated in the summertime, and it should not be necessary to dress very warmly, but it is absolutely recommended to have some weatherproof clothes with you, in case of rainy and/or windy weather.
What should you take with you?
This is a hiking tour, so besides weatherproof clothes, as previously mentioned, you need some comfortable hiking clothes. And of course, sturdy hiking boots.
Be aware that some of our visits require us to wade through rivers for a few meters. Therefore, besides the regular hiking equipment, we highly suggest that you have spare shoes to do so. Wading shoes are definitely an option, but an old pair of sneakers, or sandals will also do just fine. Hiking poles can also be very helpful in this situation.
Those river crossings are neither complicated nor difficult and certainly not long, yet it is not recommended to do them barefoot.
Personalization of the tour
If you wish to visit some places along the way that are not mentioned in this itinerary, please send us an email at: julien@lilja-tours.com or use the form below.
Our other private Tours
Sightseeing Tours
Some of our tours are perfectly designed to simply relax and enjoy the beautiful sites of Iceland, while staying on paved roads.
Click here to discover our sightseeing tours.
Hiking Tours
We offer a variety of hiking tours in many places around Iceland.
Click here to find out about our hiking tours.
Super Jeep Tours
More places than Thórsmörk require a special vehicle to access them.
Click here to find out about Super Jeep Tours.
About Lilja Tours
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