Top 10 Alpine Huts on Iceland's Laugavegur and Surrounding Trails
Iceland's highland interior is one of the most geologically violent landscapes accessible on foot in Europe — active volcanoes, geothermal fields, obsidian lava deserts, glaciers, and the strange coloured rhyolite hills of the Landmannalaugar area. The Laugavegur (Hot Springs Way) trekking route connects Landmannalaugar in the north with Þórsmörk in the south over 55 kilometres of extraordinary terrain. The huts along the route — operated by Ferðafélag Íslands (FÍ, the Iceland Touring Association) and private operators — are essential infrastructure in a landscape where wild camping is permitted but extreme weather is normal.
1. Landmannalaugar Huts, 600 m — Fjallabak Nature Reserve
The starting point of the Laugavegur, Landmannalaugar is accessible by 4WD bus from Reykjavík (4–5 hours) and sits in a natural geothermal area where a hot spring flows from beneath a lava field into a bathing pool. The FÍ hut complex at Landmannalaugar — Landmannalaugar — provides sleeping bag accommodation, cooking facilities, and basic meals for up to 200 people across several buildings. The iconic hot spring pool is directly beside the huts. The coloured rhyolite hills surrounding the area — red, green, yellow, ochre — provide the most photographed walking terrain in Iceland.
2. Hrafntinnusker Huts, 1100 m — Laugavegur, Day 1
At 1100 m on the Laugavegur's highest terrain, the Hrafntinnusker hut complex sits in a landscape of obsidian (hrafntinnur — raven flint) and fumaroles. The terrain here is above the snowline for much of the hiking season; the route from Landmannalaugar involves crossing several snowfields. FÍ-operated huts with sleeping bag accommodation for approximately 80 people. Meals service in peak season.
3. Álftavatn Huts, 540 m — Laugavegur, Day 2
Descending from the high volcanic terrain to the glacial lake Álftavatn (Swan Lake), the huts at this stage of the Laugavegur provide a dramatic contrast: the volcanic highlands behind, the lake and river delta ahead, and the Mýrdalsjökull glacier visible to the south. The FÍ hut at Álftavatn accommodates approximately 60 people. The river crossings in this section — bare-foot glacier-melt streams — are one of the Laugavegur's most discussed practical challenges.
4. Emstrur (Botnar) Huts, 490 m — Laugavegur, Day 3
The huts at Emstrur, also known as Botnar, sit in a lunar landscape of black sand deserts and canyons sculpted by glacial outwash. The Markarfljót canyon near here — up to 200 m deep, carved by a glacial outburst flood — is one of the most dramatic features of the route. FÍ huts for approximately 70 people. The final approach to Þórsmörk on Day 4 is the most technically demanding section of the standard Laugavegur (river crossings, steep descent).
5. Þórsmörk (Volcano Huts / Básar), 200 m — Þórsmörk
The endpoint of the Laugavegur is actually a cluster of three separate properties in the Þórsmörk valley: the FÍ hut at Langidalur, the Volcano Huts (a private operator), and Básar á Goðalandi. All sit in a birch scrub forest valley surrounded by three glaciers. Þórsmörk is accessible by super-jeep from Reykjavík (3 hours) making it possible to arrive or depart from the south end without walking the full Laugavegur.
6. Fimmvörðuskáli Hut, 1060 m — Fimmvörðuháls Route
On the dramatic ridge connecting Þórsmörk with Skógar on the south coast, the Fimmvörðuskáli (Fimmvörðuskáli hut) sits at 1060 m between the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. The Fimmvörðuháls route (24 km, 1 day or 2 with overnight) became internationally famous after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption created fresh lava fields in its upper section. FÍ-operated; sleeping bag accommodation for 80.
7. Hólaskjól Hut, 615 m — Þórsmörk area
A smaller FÍ hut in the broader Þórsmörk area, providing a quieter alternative base. The valley terrain around Hólaskjól is excellent for day walks in a more solitary setting than the busier huts.
8. Nýidalur Hut, 720 m — Sprengisandur highland route
On Iceland's Sprengisandur highland route — a four-wheel-drive track crossing the interior desert — Nýidalur provides a remote overnight stop in the barren heart of Iceland. Not on the Laugavegur but significant for those exploring the broader highland network. The Iceland interior is a proper wilderness; Nýidalur is the only settlement for 150 km in any direction.
9. Drekaskáli Hut, 630 m — Askja caldera area
Near the Askja caldera and the Víti crater lake, Drekaskáli is the base hut for one of Iceland's most dramatic geological features — the Askja volcanic system that produced a massive eruption in 1875. The 4WD track to Askja from Mývatn takes 3–4 hours; the hut accommodates approximately 50 people.
10. Laugafell Hut, 700 m — Highland interior
A remote FÍ hut with natural geothermal hot pots on the western slopes of the Kerlingarfjöll area, Laugafell is accessible by 4WD bus in summer and by ski in winter across the highland plateau. One of the more isolated huts in the FÍ network.
Icelandic highland access restrictions
Iceland's highland interior (hálendi) is designated a protected zone with restricted vehicle access. F-roads — the high-clearance tracks that connect the highland destinations — are open only when the ground has dried sufficiently after the winter snowmelt, typically from late June. Driving on closed F-roads damages the fragile highland vegetation and is a significant fine-carrying offence enforced by the Environment Agency of Iceland.
The main huts of the Laugavegur (Landmannalaugar, Hrafntinnusker, Álftavatn, Emstrur, Þórsmörk) are served by scheduled 4WD bus services from Reykjavík during the open season. These buses are the primary access method for trekkers without their own vehicle; the services run by Reykjavik Excursions (re.is) and Trex are reliable and pre-bookable online.
For those with a rental 4WD vehicle: note that Icelandic rental car insurance typically excludes damage resulting from river crossings — and several approaches to highland huts involve unbridged river crossings. Confirm your insurance coverage before attempting any river crossing in a rental vehicle.
Iceland's geological context
The Laugavegur route traverses terrain that is among the youngest and most geologically active on Earth. Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge — the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, which are separating at approximately 2.5 cm per year. The rift valley is visible in Þingvellir, north of Reykjavík; the volcanic activity that builds Iceland faster than erosion destroys it is expressed in the route's fumaroles, geothermal fields, lava flows, and caldera lakes.
The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption — which disrupted European air traffic for six days — is visible from the Fimmvörðuháls extension of the Laugavegur, where the new lava fields created by the eruption are crossed on the traverse. These fields are less than 20 years old; the rock is still geologically newborn, black and raw, with virtually no vegetation. Walking across them is a rare experience of geology in real time.
Explore on the map
Iceland's trekking huts — including Landmannalaugar, Álftavatn, Emstrur, and Fimmvörðuskáli — are plotted on the Open the map. Use it to plan the full Laugavegur hut sequence.