Þórsmörk Glacial Valley Adventure 2025

Iceland is a Nordic island sitting in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean, just outside of the Arctic Circle. It is the most sparsely populated country in Europe and with its constantly active geologic border is littered with volcanoes, glaciers, mountains, geysers and lava fields.

Its capital Reykjavík, the world’s most northerly capital, is the heart of Iceland’s cultural, economic and governmental activity. Established as the first Icelandic settlement in 870 AD, Reykjavík has gone through many changes in its long and storied existence. It’s home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history. The striking concrete Hallgrímskirkja church with its rotating Perlan glass dome, and the modern glass honeycomb structure of the Harpa concert hall and conference centre are architectural marvels, offering sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills.

The minimum age is 18. It may be possible to participate if you are 16 or 17 years old but you must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. There is no upper age limit. The ideal candidate would be fit, healthy and determined, open to adventure and adaptable to unexpected changes.

You will be accompanied by local guides who have an excellent knowledge of culture and hiking in the region. The guides are first aid trained and will support you throughout your journey. You will also be accompanied by a Different Travel Company UK tour manager.

Temperatures can typically peak to around 13°C during the day and drop to around 7°C at night however you must be prepared for variations to this which are out of our control. Weather during the adventure should be dry with light winds but rain is possible.

Please note: the temperatures and conditions above are historically accurate but climate change can impact the seasons so you may experience uncharacteristic conditions during the trip which are out of our control. The guides will assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the best enjoyment and safety of the group.

You will stay in a in a mountain hut with dormitory style rooms for the duration of the trek. You will need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow.

You will be provided with plenty of hearty Icelandic meals which typically include fish and lamb and will keep your energy levels high for each day of discovery. Please inform us in advance if you have any dietary requirements.

If you do not already regularly exercise you should aim to start training (including plenty of hills) as early as possible. The best training is hill walking, which will prepare you for the type of terrain you will experience. Other activities which can complement hill walking include running, cycling, gym workouts, boot camps etc.

Building up your core and leg muscle strength is important so exercises such as squats, lunges, push-ups, planks and crunches will really enhance your training. These exercises can be done at home – no gym needed. You can download a number of free apps, which will help you train and track your progress, e.g. MapMyWalk, C25K (couch to 5k run), MyFitnessPal (for a variety of sports).

You must take your training seriously and arrive as fit as you can be, so you get the most out of this challenge.

Your suggested kit list can be found here