Best time of year to walk the Laugavegur

The Laugavegur trail, also known as Laugavegurinn, is one of Iceland's most iconic hiking routes, offering breathtaking landscapes of geothermal areas, glaciers, rivers, and volcanic deserts. Choosing when to embark on this adventure can significantly enhance your overall experience.

We believe the best time to hike the Laugavegur trail is from late June to early September.

During this period, the weather conditions are generally most favorable for hikers. Here’s why these months stand out:

  1. Pleasant Temperatures: This timeframe typically offers the warmest temperatures of the year in Iceland, making the trail more accessible and enjoyable. The days are perfect for hiking, and the nights are comfortably cool.
  2. Clearer Trails: Snow is less likely to cover the higher parts of the trail during these months, reducing the risk of difficult or impassable sections. The paths are generally clearer, making navigation easier and safer.
  3. Extended Daylight: Iceland's long summer days provide extended daylight hours, allowing for more flexibility in your hiking schedule. This abundance of light means you can take your time, enjoy the scenery, and complete your daily stages without the pressure of diminishing daylight.
  4. Accessibility: Mountain huts and other accommodations along the Laugavegur trail are typically open from June 25th to September 15th. Outside of these months, facilities may be closed, and transportation options to trailheads are more limited.
  5. More Stable Weather: Although Icelandic weather can be unpredictable, summer months tend to have more stable and milder conditions. There are fewer storms, and the chances of encountering severe weather are reduced, contributing to a safer hiking experience.

By choosing to start your hike in late June, July, August, or early September, you align your adventure with the period when the Laugavegur trail is at its most welcoming. The combination of warmer temperatures, longer days, and more reliable trail conditions makes this window, in our opinion, the best time of year to fully appreciate the stunning beauty of Iceland's highlands.

Of course, while these recommendations provide a solid starting point, everyone's preferences and circumstances are unique. Our search tool allows you to customize your journey to align with your specific needs and preferences, ensuring the best possible experience on the trail.

Furthermore, if your plan differs from walking the standard stages from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk, then you can edit the Search Settings below accordingly.

How to find the best time of year to walk the Laugavegur

  1. Limit the Average Daily High to below 25°C/77°F.

    This ensures you won’t be walking in overly hot weather.

  2. Limit the Average Daily High to above 15°C/59°F.

    Similarly, this ensures you won’t be walking in cold weather.

  3. Limit the Historical Record Daily High to below 35°C/95°F. (Advanced filters)

    This might sound similar to the first step – but instead of looking at averages, it filters out extreme temperatures that don’t happen every year. In other words, you’re excluding those parts of the year when there might be a heat wave.

  4. Limit the Historical Record Daily High to above 5°C/41°F. (Advanced filters)

    Like the previous step, this applies to extremes instead of averages – but this time you’re excluding cold snaps.

  5. Limit the Historical Record Daily Precipitation to below 10mm/0.39in. (Advanced filters)

    This step excludes those times of year which might have storms or intense showers.

  6. Limit the Average Daily Precipitation as much as possible.

    If the previous steps haven’t narrowed down the search to 20%, you can further limit the dates by finding the overall driest periods.

Feel free to use this guide as a starting point to find the time of year that best suits your personal needs and preferences. By tailoring the filters to your specific situation, you can discover the perfect time of year for your hike.

Below is our weather search tool, with the filters already set up according to this process.

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