Through the Hrafntinnusker Caldera East to the Eldgjá Fault

6 days hut-to-hut trek through the Hrafntinnusker caldera East to the Eldgjá fault starting and finishing in Reykjavik, with 4x4 support vehicle.

Difficulty Level: easy to moderate - 6 to 8 hours daily hiking - Non-technical
Accommodation: Huts
Group size: Maximum 12 participants (multi-national participants)
English speaking guide

The name 'Hrafntinnusker', which means 'Black Raven Reefs' is a perfect example of the natural poetry of the Old Icelandic language. It refers to a chaos of obsidian, an intensely black vitrified lava, sharp as razor, which spreads among soft colored hills in the centre of a vast caldera, the 'Black Raven Reef'.

This packed itinerary is part of our collection of trips that aims at purist hikers with a spirit of adventure. This year, we are offering several departures for a maximum number of twelve participants.

Our guides, all experienced mountaineers, will lead you safely through this incredible landscape. Starting at the foot of the imposing Hrafntinnusker caldera through the Landmannalaugar Valley and ending at the fault of Eldgjá, this short trek will lead you through a world of volcanic features - huge lava fields, mountains of rhyolite, basalt, obsidian and pumice, through a geothermal area of hot springs and fumaroles, blast craters and fissures. You will discover surreal, moss-covered valleys and drink from the freshest, clearest streams. And always towering above are the majestic, shimmering icecaps, covering huge, dormant volcanoes which are surrounded by vast black sand flats, criss-crossed by a myriad of melt water streams.

Presenting no difficulty for good walkers, on most days each hiker carries only a light daypack as a 4x4 truck carries all personal belongings, heavy equipment and supplies. Every day involves an average of 6-8 hours hiking. Accommodation, during the trek is a combination of some nights in comfortable expedition tents and some nights in the well equipped mountain huts, all in beautiful locations.

The isolation and severity of the landscape demands that each participant must be in good physical condition and that they actively participate in the trip tasks, i.e. the group must work together to set up camp, prepare food etc. This trek is designed for those who wish to fully experience unspoiled nature at its best, and see what they may never even have dreamed of.

(B: breakfast - L: lunch - D: dinner)

Day 1: Landmannalaugar - Landmannahellir

Your guide will meet you early in the morning at your hotel in Reykjavik. Have your hiking clothes and daypack ready for trekking. (A bag with clean clothes can be stored in your Reykjavik accommodation). We drive for about 4 hours crossing moors and black desert near Mount Hekla until we reach Landmannahellir. Since time immemorial this cave has been used by shepherds as a shelter while catching thousands of sheep in fall, after they roamed free all summer. A legendary place with thousands of stories to tell. It is situated at the foot of the imposing monolithic crown of Mount Lodmundur, surrounded by marsh and rich pasture, which is mirrored in the beautiful lake Lodmundarvatn. We start our trek in the coloured landscape of the Landmannalaugar mountains. The area consists of more geological elements than can be counted, but the rhyolite mountains with all their different colors are no doubt the most striking.
Driving Distance: 200km/3 hours
Elevation: +500m
Walking: 4-6 hours
Accommodation: Hut
Meals: L, D

Day 2: Hike through Hrafntinnusker Caldera

Slow climb to the colorful caldera of Hrafntinnusker. From here we walk among countless bubbling, steaming hot springs, as we cross this pearl of the interior, famous for its awesome natural beauty. The amazing rhyolite mountains, displaying incredible bands of pinks, browns, greens, yellows, blues, purples, blacks, whites, oranges and reds and glittering with innumerable black, glass-like obsidian lava offer a completely otherworldly scenery.
Elevation: -500m
Walking: 6-8 hours
Accommodation: Hut
Meals: B, L, D

Day 3: Torfajökull - Mölifellssandur

We head down to South Fjallabak to cross the sands of Mölifellssandur. In the middle of this strange black flatness stands the solitary cone of Mölifell, covered in fluorescent-colored moss. We will explore the extraordinary landscapes between the southern flank of the Torfajökull caldera and the mighty dome of the Myrdalsjökull 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.
Elevation: +/-200m
Walking: 5-7 hours
Accommodation: Hut
Meals: B, L, D

Day 4: Strútslaug - Lake Holmsárlón

We proceed to the shores of the long, narrow Holmsárlón lake. We reach the place nicknamed 'the red baptismal fountain'. The waterfalls at the end of the turquoise colored lake plunging into the red crater, is a sight to behold. Of course, we cannot resist taking a bath in Strútslaug, a nearby, natural hot spring pool. Elevation: +/- 300m Walking: 7-8 hours Accommodation: Hut Meals: B, L, D

Day 5: Alftavötn - Fault of Eldgjá

We follow the falt of Eldgja, the longest eruptive fissure on earth. Today it is covered by moss and crossed by a clear stream. As large as the Laki eruption was in 1783, the Eldgjá eruption which occurred in the same mountainous region in A.D. 934-940 was bigger. During the six years that this eruption was active, lava spewed from several vents along a discontinuous 75-km-long (47-mile-long) fissure system and buried more than 781 km² (302m²) of southern Iceland. Fortunately, huge eruptions like those at Eldgjá and Laki are very unusual; otherwise, life would not be as we know it. Though the hazards posed by lava flows and volcanic gas here are obviously very important to us, they are still tiny in comparison to what our big blue planet is capable of.
Elevation: - 300m
Walking: 6-7 hours
Accommodation: Hut
Meals: B, L, D

Day 6: North Fjallabak or South Coast - Reykjavik

We leave the soft landscape of Alftavötn, the 'lakes of the swans', and after a short walk we join the trail of Fjallabak North, near the inhabited area of the Skaftá district, which is bordered by the enormous lava fields of Laki. Then, we travel by bus along the Fjallabak North route or along the sea shore of the South coast, to reach Reykjavik where we will arrive in the late afternoon.
Driving Distance: 240km
Elevation: -300m
Walking: 2-3 hours
Meals: B, L

Departures in 2012

Departure	Dates	Season's Special Attraction
TFS 715 (East):	July 15 - 20
TFS 729 (West):	July 29 - Aug 03
TFS 812 (East):	Aug 12 - 17
TFS 826 (West):	Aug 26 - 31
TFS 909:	Sep 09 - Sep 14

- Berries and Mushrooms
- Clear Nights
- Autumn Colours
- Northern Lights
- First Snow on the Mountaintops

Price upon request

Start and finish in Reykjavik (accommodation and transfer from/to airport is not included in the package rate, but can be arranged on request).

Included:

• English speaking guide,
• Bus transfer to and from the mountains,
• Luggage transportation from hut to hut by 4x4 support vehicle,
• Accommodation at mountain hut or camp,
• All meals from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 6,

Not Included:

• International flights
• Transfer from/to airport in Reykjavik,
• Accommodations in Reykjavik,
• Entrance fees for museums, swimming pools and optional excursions,
• Drinks and other personal expenses,
• Personal travel insurance

Accommodation during the trip: Sleeping bag accommodation in mountain huts (usually one, comfortable, mixed bunkhouse) and depending on route and conditions, at the peak of the season 1 or 2 nights may be spent in spacious double tents equipped with comfortable mattress. Showers are available in most of the huts.

Trip preparation and notes: Walking level - Moderate. 6-day assisted trek, carrying a light daypack. This should present no serious difficulty for persons with at least some mountain walking experience, plus a good level of personal fitness. An experienced Icelandic guide assisted by a driver leads the trek. The group is expected to assist with all aspects of making and breaking camp, including meal preparation. Once in the mountains, each group becomes an independent entity. The camaraderie, teamwork and friendships forged, add much to the richness of each person's experience. This trek passes through some areas of complete wilderness. Most of the trekking is off-track, with underfoot conditions constantly changing. Therefore, sturdy, well worn-in hiking boots are a must. Most days involve river crossings, so it is essential that all trekkers carry suitable footwear to change into. See our kit list for more information. We trek for 6-7 hours per day, on average, but this may be longer, dependant on weather conditions and group speed. Maximum altitude no more than 1300m. Elevation change for most days should be no more than 600m, rising to 1000m if ascent Mount Hekla.

Predeparture Notes and Kit List

Important: Iceland is an extremely geoactive island. Earthquakes and volcanic activity can occur at any time, which may impact your travel plans. We can not take responsibility for the way in which the forces of nature interfere with travel plans. It is therefore of utmost importance that you purchase adequate travel insurance and trip cancellation insurance. It is important to make sure your travel insurance covers 'adventurous activities'.

For further information and booking inquiries please send us and e-mail.