Discovery Adventures:
Discovery Adventures are IMG tours with a mixture of hiking and driving. You travel with a vehicle to a base camp location (e.g. Kingdom of Volcanoes and Glaciers, Multi-Activity Öræfi) or between locations (Complete Highlands). Every day will use the vehicle to explore the region we are staying in, or travelling through, and each day you will enjoy a total of 3-7 of hiking. Participants will only need to carry light daypacks and sometimes food for the day.
E.g.: Kingdom of Volcanoes and Glaciers, The Treasure Trail, The Complete Highlands, Multi-Activity Öræfi, The Beautiful South, The Magnificent North.
Hiking during the tour: Expect 2 – 7 hours of active hiking carrying a light day pack. Sometimes the hikes are divided into multiple shorter hikes. Most of the hiking is paths or on relatively smooth terrain but can be rougher when travelling in the mountainous interior of Iceland. Accommodation is at a hotel (Kingdom of Volcanos and Glaciers), in a guest house (Multi-Activity Öræfi), or in mountain huts (Complete Highlands)
Difficulty level: The difficulties of Discovery Adventures from being Level 1 – 2 Easy to moderate (Kingdom of Volcanoes and Glaciers), to Level 2 – 3, Moderate to challenging (Complete Highlands).
Preparation: A general level of fitness is required. Participants should be able to do light hiking for 3 hours without much difficulties. No prior experience is required. Follow information on equipment lists.
Trekking tours are IMG tours where a support vehicle transports overnight gear, and food from one camp/hut to the next. Participants will only need to carry light daypacks and food for the day.
E.g.: Landmannalaugar-Skógar, Lava and Craters of Laki, Hiking at the End of the World, The Askja Trail, Landmannalaugar-Þórsmörk, Þórsmörk-Skógar, In the Footsteps of Eric the Red.
Hiking during the tour: Expect 5 – 7 hours of active hiking carrying a light day pack with ascents and descents ranging from 150m – 1100m each day and distances between 12 – 18km. Most of the hiking is on smooth to rough trails. Possible river crossings on foot ranging from ankle deep to knee deep water. Overnight baggage and food is transported from hut to hut/camp to camp in a vehicle.
Difficulty level: The difficulties of trekking tours ranges from being Level 2 – 3, Moderate to challenging (Þórsmörk-Skógar), to Level 3 –4, Challenging to demanding (The Askja Trail).
Preparation: A general level of fitness is required. Participants should be able to hike for up to 6 hours without much difficulties. Some experience of basic travelling in mountinous terrain and/or hiking on rough trails is useful. Follow information on equipment lists.
Backpacking tours are IMG tours where participants carry all their equipment, food and tents from one camp /hut to the next (exception: the lightweight backpacking tour In the Shadow of Vatnajökull). The terrain varies from trails to no trails at all.
E.g.: Askja-Nýidalur, Ásbyrgi-Mývatn, Coast to Coast – the Iceland Traverse, Laki-Skaftafell, Eldgjá-Vík, In the Shadow of Vatnajökull, Laki-Núpsstaðarskógur, Mývatn-Askja, Núpsstaðarskógur-Skaftafell, Nýidalur-Eldgjá, Adventures on Ammassalik Island.
Hiking during the tour: A multi day tour carrying all necessities in a backpack (all personal and communal equipment, food, tents and cooking gear), hiking between campsites or huts, depending on the tour. Expect 5 to 8 hours of active hiking daily on varied terrain, with ascents and descents of 200 – 600 metres each day. Distances range from 10 – 28 kilometres each day. No trails are to be expected on a backpacking tour although the occasional sheep´s trail will be utilized.
River crossings are to be expected, in ankle to waist deep water. Our experienced mountain guides will make sure that you cross every river at the best possible ford.
Difficulty level: Our backpacking tours range from Level 3 – Challenging (In the Shadow in Vatnajökull, where less carrying is required) to Level 5 – Strenuous (Coast to Coast).
Preparation: A good level of general fitness is required. Some experience with hiking and camping is preferable. For Coast to Coast good health and backpacking experience is required.
E.g. : Landmannalaugar in Winter, Backcountry Skiing at the End of the World, Sprengisandur – Traverse of the Icelandic Highlands, Vatnajökull Glacier Expedition, The Greenland Crossing.
Cross country skiing refers to skiing on Nordic-style skis not to be confused with Alpine Touring Skis. On all our expeditions accommodation is either in tents or huts or a combination of both.
Skiing during the tour: The skiing is on relatively flat terrain with ascents and descents ranging from 200m to 1100m a day. Expect 3 – 8 hours of active travel every day, depending on the difficulty of the tour. On all trips except Landmannalaugar in Winter, all equipment is pulled on sleds /pulks. Accommodation is in tents and/or huts.
Difficulty level: Our expeditions range from level 2 Moderate (Landmannalaugar in Winter) to level 5 Strenuous (The Greenland Crossing).
Preparation: Varies according to difficulty level. On most tours some skiing experience is advised.
Please note that Cross country ski expeditions cannot be done on Alpine Touring equipment. Cross country skiing gear can be rented through the Icelandic Mountain Guides.
E.g.: Mountain and Fjords of the North,Backcountry in Liverpoolland, Alpine Touring / Ski Mountaineering Course.
Alpine touring refers to all ski and snowboarding equipment that can be used to walk up hill and converts to downhill equipment. This can be Alpine Touring skis, Telemark Skis, split-board and a snowboard / snowshoe combination.
Skiing during the tour: Expect about 4 – 8 hours of active up and downhill skiing. More for Hvannadalshnúkur. Ascents / descents range from 800m to 2000m. Tours are always done from a central location; sleeping bag accommodations in Iceland, tents in Greenland.
Difficulty level: The ski tours can range from Level 3-4 Challenging to demanding, to level 5 Strenuous.
Preperation: Participants should be comfortable on red piste and should be reasonably comfortable on off-piste. On all our Alpine Skiing tours avalanche-transceivers, probes and shovels are mandatory.