Laugavegur Trail Huts: A Hiker’s Guide to Trek Accommodation

If you’re planning on hiking the Laugavegur Trail, Iceland’s incredible 55-kilometer trek through the southern highlands, you’ll have the option to stay in the huts or camp in designated areas. The Laugavegur Trail was my first multi-day backpacking trip, and I chose to stay in the cozy huts, a decision I greatly appreciated during rainy and windy nights!

This detailed guide provides useful information about the Laugavegur Trail huts including what to expect for each hut and how to book the huts! Still deciding whether to brave the Icelandic elements and camp or stay in a mountain hut? This guide will help you decide!

How to Book Huts on the Laugavegur Trail

To reserve huts on the Laugavegur Trail, you’ll need to book directly with Ferðafélag Islands (Fí), the Iceland Touring Association, which operates and maintains Iceland’s mountain huts on the Laugavegur Trail and all over the country. 

Fí sells a variety of Laugavegur hut packages including multi-day hut packages and mixed hut/camping combo packages. The standard five-night Laugavegur hut package, starting in Langmannalaguar and ending in Thórsmörk, is around 90,000 ISK ($730 USD) per person. This is a great package for travelers wanting a comfortable hiking itinerary with 12-16 kilometers of walking per day. I booked this standard itinerary for my first time hiking the Laugavegur Trail and I thought it was perfect!

Some huts like Landmannalaugar, Álftavatn, and Hvanngil can be booked individually. The Emstrur hut cannot be booked individually. If you’re planning on camping, your itinerary can be much more flexible!

When to Book Huts on the Laugavegur Trail

Laugavegur hut packages for the summer season (late May through mid-September) often sell out six to eight months in advance. My recommendation for securing your Laugavegur hut package is to join the Ferðafélag Islands email list so you can receive email notifications about when packages become available. This is how I secured my Laugavegur hut package six months prior to my trek. Be flexible with your travel plans, the online queue for the Laugavegur Trail is oftentimes several hours long and specific dates sell out quickly! 

Best Time to Hike the Laugavegur Trail

Since the Laugavegur Trail hiking season is so short, operating from late May through mid-September, there’s no “perfect time” to hike the trail. Weather in the Icelandic southern highlands is unpredictable whether you’re hiking in late May or early September. With the increased popularity of the trail over the years and huts selling out very quickly, your itinerary may very well depend on package availability if you plan to stay in huts. Camping is much more flexible.

I hiked the Laugavegur trail in late August, the only time the hut package was available at the time of my booking, and I enjoyed every moment on the trail! Rain was occasional, mostly occurring with the harsh winds on Segment 1 of the trail where the elevation rises the highest, but I also experienced some beautiful days with the Arctic sun.

As long as you’re prepared with the necessary gear, whether you stay in huts or camp, you’ll enjoy the beauty of Iceland’s Laugavegur Trail at any time in the hiking season.

Huts vs Camping: Which is Best?

On the Laugavegur Trail, you can either stay in huts or camp in designated areas near the huts. So which is better, staying in the huts or camping on the Laugavegur Trail? 

Iceland’s weather can oftentimes be very unforgiving, with violent winds and the heavy, horizontal rains that accompany them. If you’re unaccustomed to camping in such weather, or you don’t have the necessary gear to keep you warm, dry, and safe, you might want to consider booking the huts for this trek. The Laugavegur Trail is one you do not want to be underprepared for, especially if you plan to camp.

If you have the right gear, rain-proof-everything, a warm sleeping bag (rated for -10°C to 0ºC), and a four-season tent, camping is an affordable, rugged alternative to sleeping in the huts. Plus, you don’t have to share bunk spaces with strangers. Camping in Iceland is a unique experience that will get you out of your comfort zone!

The Laugavegur huts are cozy and warm, and don’t require you to bring a sturdy tent or a hefty sleeping bag, but they are considerably more expensive than camping. Some travelers may prefer the “privacy” of a tent to the bustle of the huts. Surrounded by a bunch of snoring hikers in the Emstrur hut, I definitely considered sleeping in a tent despite the cold temperatures outside. 

Camping and staying in the huts on the Laugavegur Trail both have their pros and cons. What you decide is entirely up to your comfort level!

Laugavegur Hut Rules

Check-In with Wardens Before Entering Hut

Before claiming a space in the hut, you’ll need to check-in with the warden. The warden will then confirm your reservation and give you your room/hut number (some segments have multiple huts with multiple rooms). Laugavegur hut wardens are incredibly knowledgeable about the trail and can provide advice or recommendations for anything. They also sell the coveted collectible postcards!

Respect Check-In and Check-Out Times

Laugavegur hut check-in time is at 12:00pm and check-out time is at 10:00am. Upon check-out make sure you’re all packed up and you’ve cleaned your space for the next travelers!

Leave Your Shoes at the Door

When you enter the Laugavegur huts, you’ll need to take off your shoes and leave them in the “mud rooms” of the huts. These small entryways have racks to store shoes and wet gear. Beyond the mud rooms, you cannot wear your hiking shoes in the huts. This is to maintain clean spaces for all travelers!

Clean Up After Yourself

Leave no trace also applies to the Laugavegur huts! If you use the kitchen utensils and dishes, wash them before you check-out. Additionally, make sure to clean the area you sleep at, don’t leave trash behind. Most huts, except for Hrafntinnsuker where you’ll need to pack out your trash, have trash bins. 

Add Water to the Communal Boiling Post

In the hut kitchens, there’s usually a large pot of boiling water you can use to hydrate your freeze-dried backpacking meals. After you’ve ladled your fill, add water to the pot so other travelers have hot water when they arrive.

Respect Quiet Times

Around nine or ten pm, most travelers start hunkering down for bed. It seems early to go to bed, but after a long day of hiking you’ll feel exhausted and ready to sleep for another day on the trail. In communal spaces like the huts, respect quiet times so you and other hikers can get some rest for another day of hiking!

Book Huts in Advance

The Laugavegur Trail is Iceland’s most popular hiking trail, therefore the huts book months in advance. You can rarely hike the Laugavegur Trail without a hut reservation, expecting an open space in the huts the day you arrive. If you’d prefer to be more flexible with your itinerary, you’ll need to camp! Join the Iceland Touring Association’s (Fí) official email list to get notifications about when huts go on sale!

Laugavegur Trail Huts: What to Expect for Each

Landmannalaugar Hut

Size: 78 people
Cost: 18,000 ISK
Hut Elevation: 550m
Amenities: 

• Two-story hut with sleeping accommodations for up to 78 hikers
• Kitchen (for hut guests) with gas stove and hot/cold water, utensils provided
• Showers (for all travelers, extra fee) in washroom facility
• Flushing toilets (for all travelers) in washroom facility
• Basic shop (at warden’s hut)
• Mountain Mall (“grocery store” of sorts, near parking lot)
• Free natural hot springs (Landmannalaugar hot springs)
• Drop-off/Pick-up location for highland bus

Distance to Next Hut: 12 km (to Hrafntinnusker)

The Landmannalaugar hut marks the official start of the Laugavegur Trail unless you plan to start in Thórsmörk, then this hut will mark the end of the Laugavegur Trail. 

There are two ways to get to Landmannalaugar from Reykjavík: you can either take a highland bus (Icelandia or Trex) or rent a 4×4 vehicle capable of driving on rugged F-roads. Since the Laugavegur Trail is a point-to-point hike and you won’t end the trek where you start, in Landmannalaugar, the only option for hikers planning to complete the Laugavegur Trail is to take the highland bus to/from the start/end of the trail. 

If you’re wanting to visit Landmannalaugar but not complete the Laugavegur Trail, you can either take the highland bus or rent a 4×4 vehicle. Unforgiving Icelandic F-Roads are often difficult to navigate and require skilled knowledge of how to safely cross rivers, so I recommend taking the highland bus, even if you’re just visiting Landmannalaugar.

When you reach Landmannalaugar, the first thing you need to do is check in with the warden, confirm your hut booking and get your room/bunk number. Check-in time for all Laugavegur huts is at 12:00pm and check-out time is at 10:00am. The wardens at Landmannalaugar greet many hikers with their sights set on completing the Laugavegur Trail. This is a great place to ask questions and get a trail map!

The Landmannalaugar hut is one of the huts with “open bunk” accommodation. The warden will give you your room number, then you’ll be able to choose which bunk to sleep on in that specific room. Some “bunks” at this hut are less bunk-bed-style and more gym-mat-on-a-raised-surface…it depends on the room you’re placed in. Needless to say, you’ll be very cozy with your bunkmates! With my sleeping bag rated for -6°C (20°F), a little too warm for the geothermally-heated huts, I chose a spot near the window. 

The Landmannalaugar hut is one of the largest huts on the Laugavegur Trail, with two floors sleeping up to 78 people. This hut has a large kitchen with utensils for hut guests (standard silverware, plates and bowls). Washrooms at Landmannalaugar consist of flushing toilets, plumbed sinks, and showers (small fee). All travelers, including day-trippers and campers, can use the washroom facility. 

This hut on the Laugavegur Trail has the largest collection of snacks and freeze-dried foods so if you didn’t bring your snacks, lunches and meals with you, you’ll want to stock up at the Landmannalaugar hut. You can buy food and some equipment at the warden’s station or at the Mountain Mall, a “grocery store” in an old school bus near the hut.

Hrafntinnusker Hut

Size: 52 people
Cost: 18,000 ISK
Hut Elevation: 1100m
Amenities:

• Two-story hut with sleeping accommodations for up to 52 hikers
• Kitchen (for hut guests) with gas stove and cold water, utensils provided
• Outhouse restrooms with cold water sinks
• Basic shop (at warden’s hut)

Distance to Next Hut: 12 km (to Álftavatn)

Sitting at 1100 meters, the highest elevation of the Laugavegur Trail, the Hrafntinnusker hut often experiences treacherous, windy conditions that make it a challenging place to stop at unless you’re staying in the cozy hut. Some hikers, usually campers, choose not to camp at the Hrafntinnusker hut altogether and continue on to Segment 2 of the Laugavegur Trail in a single day because of the conditions.

Despite the frigid temperatures and swirling snow when I hiked the Laugavegur Trial in late August, the Hrafntinnusker hut was an incredibly warm and cozy place to stop after completing Segment 1. Like the other huts on the Laugavegur Trail, the Hrafntinnusker hut is heated geothermally, but this hut was the warmest on the trail. 

Once you check in with the warden and get your room number, you’ll enter the hut, passing through a warm “mud room” where you can leave any wet clothes. This is where you’ll keep your shoes as well. 

The Hrantinnusker hut has two stories and multiple rooms. The first floor has two rooms with bunk beds, with a double-sized pad on the bottom and a twin-sized pad on the top. The second floor of the hut, which consists of a large room and a smaller room, is a collection of plastic mats scattered on the floor of the rooms.

The kitchen is small, but there are places to sit and enjoy your backpacker’s meal in every area of this hut. The toilet situation at the Hrafntinnusker hut is less than ideal. It’s a stinky outhouse outside the hut with a sink with running, cold water (not a great place to deal with your period, I must admit). Since this hut is only accessible by foot, hikers are required to pack out all trash.

The Hrafntinnusker hut was quite the unique experience, especially hearing the formidable howls of the wind while watching the frigid rain pummel the fog-covered landscapes! If you can book a Laugavegur package with this hut, I highly recommend doing so!

Álftavatn Hut

Size: 72 people
Cost: 18,000 ISK
Hut Elevation: 550m
Amenities:

• Two huts: a small one-story hut with double-sized bunk beds (sleeps up to 32 people), and a large house with two floors sleeping up to 40 people (72 people total)
• Kitchen in both huts (for hut guests only) with gas stove and cold running water, utensils provided
• Showers (for all travelers, extra fee) in restroom facility
• Flushing toilets (for all travelers) in restroom facility
• Basic shop (at warden’s hut)
• Volcano Huts restaurant and bar
• Walking distance to Álftavatn Lake

Distance to Next Hut: ~4 kilometers to Hvanngil, 16 total kilometers to Emstrur

On a serene, wind-free day, Álftavatn becomes a beautiful paradise surrounded by tan Rhyolite mountains and monumental moss-covered peaks. The Álftavatn hut shares the same name as the lake nearby. This is a busy spot on the Laugavegur Trail because many campers will stop here after a long day of hiking Segments 1 and 2 of the trail to avoid the treacherous conditions at the Hrafntinnusker hut. 

Camping on the Laugavegur Trail is more flexible, but the huts need to be reserved well in advance. 

After leaving Hrafntinnusker and hiking through geothermal landscapes, you’ll approach a viewpoint on Jökultungur peak which showcases the vibrant green valley, glaciers in the distance, and Álftavatn lake with the hut nearby. The landscapes change dramatically from Segments one to two. The Álftavatn hut sits peacefully in a grassy valley welcoming travelers after two beautiful hiking segments. 

Like the Landmannalaugar and Hrafntinnusker huts, you’ll need to check in with the warden at Álftavatn hut. If you’re lucky, you’ll find fresh treats made by the kind Icelandic grandmother who looks after the hut during the hiking season. I LOVED the apple cake made by the kind warden.

Álftavatn has two huts for hikers. The small hut sleeps up to 32 people and offers double-sized bunk beds with a full kitchen. The large hut is a two-story building, also with its own kitchen, that sleeps up to 40 people. There is a separate restroom facility with flushing toilets, running cold water, and showers (for a fee). 

Álftavatn is one of the only places with a full-service restaurant and bar. The Volcano Huts Restaurant, a small and welcoming facility usually run by a kind Spanish couple who spend their summers in Iceland is a great place to enjoy a home-cooked meal or sip a local brew. Álftavatn was my favorite stop on the Laugavegur Trail!

Hvanngil Hut

Size: 60 people
Cost: 18,000 ISK
Hut Elevation: 550m
Amenities:

• A hut with two floors, the first floor has double-sized bunk beds and the second floor (loft) has small pads strewn on the floor of the loft
• Kitchen in both huts (for hut guests only) with gas stove and cold running water, utensils provided
• Showers (for all travelers, extra fee) in restroom facility
• Flushing toilets (for all travelers) in restroom facility
• Basic shop (at warden’s hut)

Distance to Next Hut: 12 kilometers to Emstrur

While most Laugavegur Trail hut packages offer an itinerary with the Álftavatn hut, you can also purchase an itinerary with reservations at the Hvanngil hut instead. Hvanngil is about 4 kilometers further than Álftavatn on the Laugavegur Trail. If your itinerary includes Hvanngil rather than Álftavatn, your Segment 2 (starting from Hrafntinnusker) will be a bit longer, ~16 kilometers, while your Segment 3 (to Emstrur) will be shorter, ~12 kilometers. 

Both Álftavatn and Hvanngil are located in scenic spots, so it doesn’t really matter which hut you choose. The Laugavegur Trail hut package you purchase might be based entirely on availability. I stayed at Álftavatn and I loved the awe-inspiring scenery surrounding the lake. Hvanngil is situated in a green, moss-covered volcanic valley just outside a desolate lava field, equally as incredible as Álftavatn, but unique like every landscape on the Laugavegur Trail.

If you stay at Álftavatn rather than Hvanngil, I recommend stopping here for a hot chocolate before the major river crossings on the Laugavegur Trail! 

Emstrur Hut

Size: 60 people
Cost: 18,000 ISK
Hut Elevation: 465m
Amenities:

• Three small huts, sleeping up to 20 people on large bunks with thin sleeping pads in rows
• Kitchens in all three huts (for hut guests only) with gas stove and cold running water, utensils provided
• Showers (for all travelers, extra fee) in restroom facility
• Flushing toilets (for all travelers) in restroom facility
• Basic shop (at warden’s hut)
• Hiking trails with access to Markarfljótsgljúfur Canyon

Distance to Next Hut: 15 kilometers

The Emstrur-Botnar huts on the Laugavegur Trail are a small collection of three huts, each with similar layouts. You’ll walk into a “mud room” where you’ll store your shoes, hang your jackets and leave any wet clothes. The room then opens to a cluster of bunks, with thin mattresses in rows on both the top and bottom of the bunks. The sleeping areas in the Emstrur huts were narrower than the other huts so prepare to get cozy with your bunkmate! The kitchen area is small, but offers plenty of seating for hut guests. 

The Emstrur hut on the Laugavegur Trail can only be booked as part of a hut package. This hut accommodation fills up fast, so it’s very important to book your Laugavegur Trail hut package in advance! If you can’t secure hut accommodations for the Emstrur-Botnar hut, you can always rent a tent from the warden and camp for a night. 

If you’re hiking the Laugavegur Trail self-guided, you might find yourself joined with a hiking group in any of the huts on the trail. At the Emstrur hut, my bunkmates were all part of a guided hiking excursion. Many of them just so happened to be REALLY LOUD SNORERS. My worst night of sleep on the Laugavegur Trail was at the Emstrur hut. Thankfully I had earplugs as part of my Laugavegur packing list (though they didn’t help much).

A short day hike from the Emstrur hut is the scenic Markarfljótsgljúfur canyon. If you feel energized enough for this ~5 km hike, it’s incredibly worth it!

Thórsmörk Hut (Langidalur)

Size: 73 people
Cost: 18,000 ISK
Hut Elevation: 200 m
Amenities:

• Two-story hut with sleeping accommodations for up to 73 hikers
• Kitchen (for hut guests) with gas stove and hot/cold water, utensils provided
• Showers (for all travelers, extra fee) in washroom facility
• Flushing toilets (for all travelers) in washroom facility
• Basic shop (at warden’s hut)
• Pick-up/drop-off location for highland bus

Distance to Next Hut: 15km to Emstrur (if starting the Laugavegur Trail from Thórsmörk rather than Landmannalaugar)

After four full days of hiking Iceland’s incredible Laugavgur Trail, seeing the Langidalur hut in Thórsmörk peeking through the birch trees was a joyous moment of victory! If you start in Landmannalaugar, the official trek starting location, you’ll end the 55 kilometer trek in Thórsmörk, the monumental Valley of Thor surrounded by formidable glacier-carved landscapes and ancient ice formations. 

The Langidalur hut is the second-largest hut on the Laugavegur Trail, sleeping up to 73 people. This hut has two floors. The first floor opens up to a large entryway where you’ll leave your shoes and wet gear. There’s a bunk room along with a large kitchen and a scenic dining room overlooking the mountains and the glaciers towering above. Most of the sleeping quarters are located on the second floor, split between several rooms. The sleeping areas of the Thórsmörk hut (Langidalur) felt considerably larger than some of the other bunks on the trail. 

If your package includes a night in Thórsmörk, you have an incredible opportunity to spend some time hiking around the incredible landscapes. I recommend hiking the orange loop clockwise for awe-inspiring views of the river-carved landscapes and monumental glaciers. 

Marking the end of the trail (or start, if you hike from south to north), Thórsmörk is the location where the highland bus stops to pick up travelers who complete the Laugavegur Trail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Answers to Common Questions