Experience Iceland at its most luminous on this expertly crafted 7-day summer expedition combining serious hiking with the island's most compelling geological wonders. When August's endless daylight bathes volcanic highlands in golden radiance, Iceland reveals landscapes that exist nowhere else on Earth—where you'll trek through remote mountain valleys, snorkel between tectonic plates, and witness the primal forces still shaping our planet. This journey is designed for active travelers who seek authentic wilderness immersion without sacrificing comfort.
Your adventure balances backcountry trekking with Iceland's iconic natural theater. Begin with the Sky Lagoon's geothermal sophistication and Reykjavik's vibrant Nordic culture, then venture to Thingvellir National Park for snorkeling in crystalline waters or exploring this historically sacred landscape. Enjoy the Golden Circle Geyser's explosive thermal activity and cascading waterfalls before your expedition's centerpiece: Thorsmork, the legendary mountain sanctuary accessible by glacier river crossing. Spend two and a half days immersed in this remote alpine paradise, hiking through impossibly green valleys framed by ice caps and volcanic peaks, based in a mountain cabin far from civilization. Continue south to witness Skaftafell's dramatic glacier landscapes, Vik's otherworldly black sand beaches, and countless waterfalls plunging from ancient cliffsides, where we will hike on the glacier and boat on the glacier lagoon.
Every element is seamlessly orchestrated with expert local guidance, thoughtfully selected accommodations from Reykjavik hotels to remote mountain lodges, and logistics that allow you to focus entirely on discovery.
Icelandic terrain and the hikes we have chosen can be challenging. A moderate level of fitness is necessary. We all have our own pace on holiday, including our traveling companions! Our trip is designed to ensure that you have options; whether super active or choosing less challenging terrain.
The landscape you'll move through combines wild, untamed tracks with more established walking routes. Expect your footing to be tested — loose rocks, and unpredictable gradients are all part of the experience, with some sections climbing or dropping sharply.
VIEW FULL ITINERARY HERE
Kiki Keating treats travel as an art form. Each journey is composed with precision, intuition, and a taste for the unexpected. She has a passion for taking small groups on life-changing adventures and works tirelessly to ensure that every detail of each trip is meticulously planned and executed.
Kiki curates intimate, life-shifting journeys with a sharp eye for detail and a refusal to follow the expected. Each itinerary is a collaboration with world-class guides and insiders, blending culture, music, art, and exceptional food with access that feels both rare and effortless.
Her journey as a travel leader began in 2000 while she was leading international trips for the dean in her role as Communications Director at the business school at Dartmouth. Over the last decade, KikiNetwork Travel has been dedicated to transformative travel. While her trips touch iconic landmarks, the real focus lies deeper: meaningful encounters, cultural fluency, and connections that linger long after the journey ends.
Annabel Giraud-Telme moves easily between worlds. British-born and French-raised, in 2020 she springboarded from a ten-year career in the London world of haute couture – including working as designer and CEO of her namesake brand and training under HRH Queen Elizabeth II's master tailor – into the outdoor tourism space, working for five years as a Trip Leader for luxury tour operator Backroads. Around the same time came a move back to her roots in the French Alps, where she had spent childhood summers exploring, working the terroir with family, enjoying her mami’s homemade berry tarts and helping preserve food for the winter.
This journey of reinvention and return is what’s brought Belle to the experiences she puts at the forefront as an outdoor guide. For her, travel is about discovering that we have more in common than in difference. And it’s about how many ways of interacting with nature – creativity, food, shared challenges, and the deeply internal experience of physical movement – can become meditation.
On Belle’s trips, the magic happens in the details she obsesses over: the exact morning light on the trail; the specific herbs in the evening tea; the rhythm of a day that allows both adventure and integration. Her education in somatic yoga practice and mountain safety rounds out the long list of credentials that she brings to the trail. And where her expertise ends, her incredible relationships with local masters of their craft, from guides to artisans, bridge the gap. To travel with her is to feel at home wherever you are.
The visionary behind wanderlust and global connections is my guest on Speaking of Travel!
Watch Kiki’s presentation with The Covey Club: How to Travel Alone as a Woman Today: Tips to Keep You Safe & Happy
Where should I fly in and out of?
You can fly in and out of Reykjavik’s Keflavík International Airport (KEF). We suggest arriving the day before the trip starts, especially if you are coming from North America, so you can rest, adjust, and begin the journey feeling fresh.
Who is this trip for? Do I need outdoor experience?
Proud urbanites are welcome, but this trip features a high level of activity. Two days include hikes of 4–5 hours with up to 500 meters of elevation gain, and the rest of the trip is still action-packed. You do not need technical climbing experience, but you should be comfortable walking on uneven terrain, being outdoors for several hours, and embracing Iceland’s famously changeable weather.
We also have one glacier adventure walk using crampons. No prior ice climbing experience is needed.
Are meals included?
All meals are included except for meals in Reykjavik before the official trip begins, any independent meals during free time, optional alcoholic drinks, and snacks or personal extras outside the planned group meals.
Between luxurious and simple, where do the accommodations fall?
It depends. Some hotels have more creature comforts, while others are simpler — though in Iceland, simple never means roughing it. Luxury here is often minimalist and understated, while rustic stays are still supported by excellent infrastructure.
Our most notable stay is at the Volcano Huts in Thorsmork, a remote mountain lodge in one of Iceland’s most spectacular wilderness areas. It is comfortable but intentionally simple: the magic is the setting, surrounded by glaciers, volcanic peaks, green valleys, and river-crossed backcountry far from ordinary civilization.
Besides hiking and the ice fissure adventure, what kind of activities will we do?
There will be opportunities to soak in thermal hot water, experience Reykjavik’s Nordic culture, snorkel between tectonic plates at Thingvellir National Park, visit the Golden Circle’s geysers and waterfalls, explore black sand beaches near Vik, take a boat ride on a glacier lagoon, and travel by rugged backcountry routes through Iceland’s remote interior.
Several days will feel like safari-style drives from highlight to highlight, with brief stops and short walks at multiple locations. You may log fewer steps, but these are still adventurous days.
Who will my fellow travelers be?
Kiki and Annabel welcome travelers of all ages. However, this mix of activity, rustic adventure, cultural exploration, and social mingling often attracts singles and couples from their 30s through 70s and beyond. What they tend to share is curiosity, flexibility, warmth, and a willingness to be both easygoing and engaged.
What else do I need to know about traveling to Iceland?
The currency is the Icelandic króna. Recent 2026 exchange-rate data has hovered around 123 ISK to 1 USD.
Iceland is on Greenwich Mean Time and does not observe daylight saving time.
See the itinerary below for day-by-day details of this trip.
Skaftafell National Park is definitely my favorite place in Iceland! I was a volunteer for two and a half months and I walked the park through all the hiking paths!
In my opinion, Skaftafell is a site you can't miss if you come to Iceland. The landscapes, the proximity of the glacier, all the different kind of activities that you can practice there are reasons why you must stop in Skaftafell, not to mention that the park is accessible all year and by the ring road!
Skaftafell (pronounced Skaff-ta-feTL) is a wild area in the Vatnajökull National Park in the south-east of the island. Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Europe and has many glacial ramifications, such as Skaftafellsjökull and Svínafellsjökull but also Morsárjökull and Skeiðarárjökull.
So when you get to Skaftafell, you're just basically surrounded by glaciers (and unpronounceable names). Not far from Skaftafell, just a few kilometers away, is Öræfajökull, a volcano under the glacier that has just started to wake up recently (but nothing to worry about).
Here is the park where you can find all the "most": the highest peak in Iceland, Hvannadalshnjúkur, 2119 meters above sea level and also the largest volcano in Iceland, the oldest and largest forest in the country in the valleys of Morsárdalur and Bæjarstaðarskógur, the highest waterfall of Iceland, Morsárfoss, more than 227 meters and the largest "sandur" (outwash plain) of the world, Skeiðarársandur, which covers 1300 km².
With such a resumé, it's hard to ignore Skaftafell. Beyond the records, it is just an incredible place to hike, for example to the top of Mount Kristinartindar, icehike or iceclimb the Fallsjökull, get lost in the forest, get amazed by the black sand desert, "the incredible moon", hear the roar of Morsárfoss (the ice blocks that fall from 200 meters make quite a noise!)... I have so many examples!
Skaftafell is reachable by the ring road (route n°1). From Reykjavik, it takes about 4 hours driving without stops (hum). The road is open all year long, but is often subjected to mild weather conditions. Beware, the south of Iceland is the place where the weather can change really quickly and sometimes be dangerous, most of the time due to strong winds and gusts. Always check the Icelandic weather website before going for a drive in Iceland. Before your road trip, always check also these websites : road conditions / safety during your trip
A piece of advice or rather a warning: respect the instructions given on the roads or by the authorities when you drive. And yes, the closed roads are not there to annoy you but for your safety. When I was in Skaftafell in the middle of summer, several vehicles were blown away from the road and one of the driver did not survive. Same if you are planning a hike, take a good look at the weather conditions and especially the wind.
Nevertheless, the car rental is the best option if you want more freedom and if you travel in group. Note that if you choose this solution, you will have parking fees (about 5€, regardless of the time you stay).
Another option: the bus! You only need to check the bus schedules. For more information, you can have a look at the website of the bus company Strætó:
- Straeto: choose the line 51 - be careful it is necessary to consult the schedules
After spending two and a half months as a volunteer in Skaftafell, I'm pretty sure that anyone going to this park will be satisfied. Skaftafell is a paradise for hikers of any level. And of course, the park is just next to a glacier so the glacier hike is also a must do. Below, I present you some suggestions...
If you want to go for birdwatching, check my article about Ingólfshöfði it's only 30 minutes away from Skaftafell on the road to Jökulsárlón.
A simple hike to get closer to the glacier (without going on the glacier). Accessible to everyone, there are some signs during your hike that will allow you to discover informations on Skaftafellsjökull (pronounced Skaf-ta-feTLs-yeu-cuTL). Ask for the brochure that accompanies this self-guided tour at the visitor center, it is available in Icelandic and in English! Put on at least sneakers or hiking shoes.
Hiking on the Fallsjökull glacier (2h30 to 4h - distance and differences in altitude can vary, usually short distance on little difference in altitude)
If you want to go on the glacier, you will need to book with a company! Near the visitor center, you will find several companies and several types of hikes. If it's your first time, go for the easy-level discovery trek that lasts around 2,5 hours. Note that glacier tours are all year round! However, I strongly advise you to book in advance to make sure you have a place for the tour.
Hiking from the visitor center, to Svartifoss then Sjónarsker, Vesturheiði and return by Morsárdalur to the visitor center (4 hours without photo stops - distance about 10km - difference in altitude about 150m)
If you have time in Skaftafell and don't want only to stay for 1 hour, I suggest this hike. This loop is a hiking proposal that will take you more or less 4 hours depending on your level of hiking but also your stops. This is my favorite hike that I did very often as a volunteer. If you want to feel more confident, you can buy the hiking map at the visitor center.
Once you arrive in Svartifoss, the rest of hike will be on "flat". This hike is great to discover the park: the black sand desert and the oldest forest in Iceland. You will also have some spectacular views and you will not cross a lot of people. This loop allows you to first discover the local attraction: Svartifoss (literally "the black waterfall"), a waterfall framed by splendid dark basalt columns.
After enjoying the waterfall, you will take the direction of Sjónarsker (M1/2/3). From here, you will have on a clear day, a magnificent panoramic view on Skeiðarársandur, the largest sandur in the world (!!!) with its 1,300 km². From here, there are several hikes including a hike to Morsárdalur (literal translation: the Morsá Valley (the name of the river)) - the direction can also be noted "Vesturheiði" or M1/2/3.
You will arrive on the other side of the mountain after an hour of walking (still without stop) from Sjónarsker, you discover the viewpoint on Morsárdalur, Skeiðarársandur and Skeiðarárjökull.
Finally, after descending into the valley through the forest, take the path back to the visitor center. The return path may seem long and monotonous but if you are attentive, you will certainly see some birds (skua, ptarmigan...).
You will find the hiking map of the whole park here. For other proposals, feel free to send me a message!
You can also for simplicity (or desire), book tours from Reykjavik, which will allow you to combine the visit of several tourist sites nearby (including Jökulsárlón - see my article about it), will save you the rental car and the drive (you can watch through the windows of the minibus / bus to admire the scenery), and potentially booking a hotel.
Booking a tour is especially good since the road in winter as in summer is not always very practicable, depending on the weather conditions. There are tours for everyone and every budget. In addition, just remember that even when you book a "first price" vehicle in Iceland, you will have to spend some money... and sometimes the option "tour" remains an economically interesting solution.
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