Hidden from the rest of the world by encircling glaciers and rugged mountain wilderness, Þórsmörk is a highland valley north of Eyjafjallajökull, threaded by braided glacial rivers flowing from Mýrdalsjökull into the Markarfljót. Its green slopes are carpeted with dwarf willow, birch, and wildflowers, while icy peaks rise overhead, making it one of Iceland’s most beautiful places.
A highlight of any South Coast Iceland trip, Þórsmörk draws everyone from dedicated hikers tackling its many trails to summer visitors seeking fresh air and a scenic setting to relax.
Þórsmörk stretches west to east along the 7 km Krossá river valley, with the river dividing the reserve into two distinct areas: Þórsmörk proper to the north and Goðaland to the south. Beyond the local day hikes, this Iceland trip highlight also marks the southern endpoint of the multi day Laugavegur Trail from Landmannalaugar and the northern end of the nine hour Fimmvörðuháls hike to Skógar on the Ring Road, crossing terrain shaped by lava from Eyjafjallajökull’s 2010 eruption.
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view trip ⤍The main walk from Skagfjörðsskáli starts at the next bay east from the hut at Slyppugil, a gradually widening, wooded gully which you follow uphill to the jagged east–west ridge of Tindfjöll. The trail then weaves along Tindfjöll’s gravel, landslip-prone north face to the solitary spire of Tröllakirkja, before emerging onto open heath at Tindfjöll’s eastern end: the double-tipped cone 2km northeast is Rjúpnafell, which can be climbed up a steep, zigzag path to its 824m summit – give yourself at least five hours for the return hike from the hut. Alternatively, cross the heath to descend back into the valley down Tindfjöll’s southern slopes via Stóriendi; the path is intermittently pegged and often seems to be leading off the edge, but always reappears, with some fantastic views of Þórsmörk’s eastern end along the way. You end up down at river level approximately 2km from your starting point; this circuit takes around four hours.
The most obvious local excursion from Básar is straight up Réttarfell, the peak above, via a low saddle – the path is easy to follow though tiring, and it makes a rewarding hiking option on 10-day Iceland trips. The next peak east of Réttarfell, and connected by a walkable 5km ridge, is 805m Útigönguhöfði. Views from the top are stupendous, but be warned: the final section is incredibly steep, with chains to help you. Give yourself four hours from Básar for the round trip.
One final option is to hike from Þórsmörk to Skógar in around ten hours, via the site of the 2010 eruption at Fimmvörðuháls.
Tip from Rough Guides: also learn about the best ways to get to Iceland.
Top image: Landscape of canyon and river in Thorsmork, Iceland © Vaclav P3k/Shutterstock
Rough Guides combines destination expertise with tailor-made travel planned by vetted Iceland local experts. You can use our city and regional guides as a starting point, then receive up to 3 personalized trip plans created from scratch around your preferred pace, experiences, and route through the country. The final itinerary is refined directly with the local travel agent instead of being selected from a fixed package.
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Rough Guides Editors
