Laugavegur Trail Iceland Trek

Supporting local tourism, communities and understanding of Iceland’s diverse environment

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on local communities and livelihoods across the planet, we’re keen to promote adventures in countries that are actively working towards sustainable tourism and conservation projects. Given the numerous environmental, cultural and conservation projects in place in Iceland, we’re  particularly keen and passionate to help support the local tourism industry here whilst also giving you the chance to get out and explore the pristine landscapes of this incredible country in a safe and fun manner.

This trek has been designed to deliver an amazing experience and showcase the some of the most stunning landscapes across Iceland whilst also giving you the chance to step out of your comfort zone and gain a greater understanding of the mountains, local environments and communities. 

We’ve crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of the Iceland Trek, and plant or protect enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.

What’s the number?
It works out on average at 94kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, leaders, crew and office operations.

The only thing not included is travel to Iceland. Given that our beloved guests travel from all parts of the UK for this adventure we have no way of reliably knowing their travel plans therefore we’re unable to include an individual number in the figure on display here.

What does the number mean?
To give you a snapshot of the numbers:

• Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you).
• A return economy class flight London – New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
• 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air over a period of 5 – 10 years.

What are we doing about it?
Our adventures are relatively low-carbon by design, and we’re working to develop long term carbon reduction plan. Following much research into climate change organisations, we carefully selected to support the environmental charity, Cool Earth. They’re a sustainable operation and work with rainforest communities across the globe to halt deforestation and it’s impact on climate change. We invest 1% of our revenue into supporting critical conservation projects world-wild with Cool Earth.

On a local level here in the UK, we’re an ongoing business member of the Snowdonia Society, plus Jim and Sue, together with some of our local leaders, also help the Society with their local projects such as planting native trees in Snowdonia. This is to help preserve the landscape and enhance wildlife habitat here in Snowdonia.

Want to know more?
We believe that with great travel, comes even greater responsibility. Tourism is one of the most important and largest industries on the planet. It employs more people worldwide than any other, with millions of families relying on tourism for their daily needs. At Adventurous Ewe we believe that our type of small scale, positive impact tourism can bring benefits to many communities, help preserve the environments we travel to see, and provide real and positive social exchanges. Here is our plan to do our part towards helping reduce factors that we can contributing to climate change as part of Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency.

We’ve joined the movement to reshape the Future of Tourism!

We are excited to announce that Adventurous Ewe has signed the new set of Guiding Principles launched by the Future of Tourism Coalition. As a signatory, we commit to place destination needs at the centre of our recovery strategies and do our part to build a better tomorrow for travel and tourism.

These transformative principles outline a bold vision for the future of tourism – one that retains the integrity of destinations, promotes inclusivity and equality, maximizes positive impacts for communities and environments, and fosters collaborative change.

As a collective, we can build a better future for all and we’re super excited to do our part.

Learn more at Future of Tourism
#FutureofTourism

On joining us for the Laugavegur Trail Trek, you will receive all the exciting trip info via our free mobile travel app.

You’ll have access to your itinerary, trip countdown, live updates, contact info, weather forecasts, know before you go trip info, kit lists and much more at the touch of a button 24 hours a day via your mobile phone. No more unnecessary use of reams of paper to benefit the environment and the need of carrying around documents with you. A’ppy days.

Flights are not included in your Icelandic Adventure giving you the flexibility to travel from your nearest airport, use any frequent flyer points or extend your stay in Iceland if you wish. We will provide you with the recommended flights for this trip in order for you to take up the airport transfers included in Iceland. Alternately, you can book your flights through our flight agent who is ATOL & ABTA protected.

There are direct return flights from the UK (LHR, STN or LTN) to Keflavík, Reykjavik (KEF). Flights operated by British Airways, Easy Jet, SAS or IcelandAir.

All nationalities require a full passport for this trek which must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay. Airlines may not carry passengers holding passports with less than 6 months validity.

Currently there is no visa requirements for British passport holders travelling to Iceland.

For the most up to date info relating to entry requirements for Iceland, please visit the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.

Travel Insurance is an important part of any booking. It is compulsory that everyone who travels with us has taken out adequate travel insurance which includes, among other things, cover for the full value of your trip, medical (emergency, evacuation and repatriation) arrangements, activities undertaken, personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects and COVID-19 travel cover.

For UK residents we have partnered with Campbell & Irvine Direct to provide you with a travel insurance. If you would like to obtain cover for your trip please feel free to contact specialist Insurance Brokers, Campbell Irvine Direct for a quote.

Vaccinations
Currently there are no vaccinations required for Iceland however we recommend that your tetanus jabs are up to date.

Please consult with your GP or travel healthcare practitioner 6 – 8 weeks in advance of travel for the most up to date info and check the NHS government website ‘Fit for Travel’.

With regards to the recent COVID-19 pandemic we are monitoring and activating the guidelines and recommendations put in place by the respective governments and World Health Organisation accordingly. You will receive our new operational guidelines for this expedition when you join the trip and rest assured hand sanitiser and face masks will be provided for travel. Your safety and well-being is our top priority at all times.

Severe allergies
If you have a severe allergy please inform us at the time of booking. We will do all we can to help, but unfortunately we are unable to guarantee an allergy free environment on this trip. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as ‘adrenaline auto-injectors’ are not carried as standard by AE leaders and crew. Whilst your leader is aware of our trekkers medical history, please also inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Adventurous Ewe puts the safety and well-being of you, our leaders & crew and the communities we visit at the centre of all our operations, always. Your safety and well-being is our top priority.

The Laugavegur Trail Trek is intentionally challenging and requires individual preparation as the trip is designed to take you out of your every-day comfort zone and achieve something great. Rest assured we have a thorough Safety Management System, indepth risk assessments and risk management systems in place.

For more info, please visit our Safety and Well-being page. 

You will be accompanied by an Adventurous Ewe Leader who is fully experienced and certified and has been carefully selected to ensure you have the best experience with a bit of humour thrown in for good measure. Your Leader is also has remote first aid qualifications and skills.

Your Local Leader is a key part to this trip. They are expertly trained and experienced in every field of this expedition, bilingual and qualified in first aid and/or a Wilderness First responder. They also have a huge passion for what they do and have plenty of knowledge ready to share with you. They are responsible for ensuring the complete safety, wellbeing and enjoyment of the team whilst also retaining a flexible and fun attitude. The Leaders have radio and satellite phone contact with base, the local office and Adventurous Ewe’s HQ.

We pride ourselves in small group travel to minimise the impact on the environment, to maximise your safety and wellbeing and to make your experience more authentic.

The minimum group size for the Icelandic adventure is 10 people and the maximum group size is 24 people.

You are most welcome to join this trip as a group of friends, family or colleagues or as a solo traveller. You are also welcome to use this trip as a fundraiser for the charity of your choice.

If you have a group of over 6 people, we would be more than happy to run a private trip for your team, your charity or your company.

For any further info or to chat about running a bespoke trip, we’d love to hear from you at info@adventurousewe.co.uk or call 01492 588 069.

The Laugavegur Trail Trek is graded as ‘Tough’. This is due to there being four consecutive long days of trekking along undulating and some steep sections of  terrain. Much of the terrain in Iceland is rocky and without paths, although the walking non-technical, there will be some areas of loose ground where you must concentrate to keep your footing.

The Icelandic Highlands are renowned for their ever changing weather conditions from cold, wind, rain, fog and sunshine. This adds another layer to your challenge which you need to be primed for

Preparation is key to help you get the most enjoyment and reward from this adventure. A good level of fitness, endurance and some gritty determination will help you conquer each day. A training programme will be provided to help you reach the start line knowing that you’re set to enjoy the journey ahead.

A bespoke trek training programme will be provided when join the team for this adventure to help you with your preparations.

We also have exclusive offers with our Training Partners and Communities – Her Spirit and Peter Lant Personal Training. For more info, please visit our Training and Preparation page.

The more you are prepared, the more you will enjoy the challenge.

Our motto is: Train hard, smile harder and enjoy the journey!

We have a variety of tailored training weekends available to ensure you’re fully prepared for your trekking adventure. These training weekends are the perfect way to help you gauge your fitness and training progress under the careful guidance of our experienced leaders. Plus the leaders will chat through your specific trip and also provide guidance and tips relating to clothing and equipment, health and wellbeing, packing, camping, trekking skills (walking on different terrain/at altitude/at night/using trekking poles), teamwork and much more to ensure you are fully prepared and ready for your adventure ahead.

We predominantly host our training weekends in Snowdonia given the wide variety of terrain available to practice and where Chief Ewe’s, Jim or Sue, can meet you too. It’s a great way for you to meet fellow members of the flock and ask any questions, no matter how big or small. We’re here to make sure you’re ready. For further info, please email info@adventurousewe.co.uk or call 01492 588 069.

A full kit list will be provided when you register for this trip or you can download the Trip Notes for this trek. Good kit can make the difference between a fantastic adventure and an uncomfortable one. Well worn in waterproof hiking boots are essential together with a good quality waterproof jacket AND trousers.

An exclusive Adventurous Ewe discount code will be provided for the independent outdoor outdoor retailers on registering for this expedition.

Rest assured any equipment that we supply will be hygienically cleaned and sanitised.

To help you get the very best from your expedition we will provide you with an exclusive Adventurous Ewe discount code to use independent outdoor retailers both online and in store. They offer a large choice of kit that the staff themselves use while climbing, hiking, mountaineering, running, travelling or enjoying expeditions across the globe and they pride themselves on sharing their experience and knowledge of equipment so you can choose the right gear to suit you and your Icelandic adventure.

We hold our treks in Summer as this is the best season to visit Iceland and experience great trekking conditions with intense colours and without the worries of being cut off by snow. The seasons in Iceland vary hugely, due to how north the country sits. Iceland’s geographical position not only affects the weather, but also the hours of daylight you can expect to have. June and July are the months of the midnight sun, which gives you the chance to marvel longer at the unique landscapes though pack an eye mask to help with sleeping during the Arctic light skies. By August, the nights begin to darken.

If the Blue Lagoon and taking a dip in the hot springs dotted along your trekking route is big on your list, then summer also avoids the colder temperatures and strong winds making your dip a little more pleasant and memorable for the right reasons.

Bear in mind the weather in Iceland is notoriously unpredictable. In summer there’s a fair chance of bright and sunny days, and temperatures can reach 17°C, but good weather in Iceland is often interspersed with wet & misty spells and strong winds when the temperature can plummet to a chilly 10°C. Please ensure you are well prepared for all weather conditions.

If you are interested in extending your trip for some whale watching, then our trekking departures are timed perfectly. The peak season for whale spotting is June to August, when you get calmer winds, fewer storms and a higher chance of the whales breaking the surface of the water.

As part of your adventure there is 4 nights camping in a two person tent and 1 night in a local hostel included in your trip.

If you would prefer a single room and/or tent, please let us know asap and we will make the arrangements for you dependent on availability. There will be an additional cost for this, therefore please get in touch with us for more details at info@adventurousewe.co.uk.

You will need to provide your own sleeping bag, sleeping mat and pillow for the camp nights. Please see the kit list for more info.

Meals are provided as outlined in your itinerary:
Breakfast x 5
Lunch x 4
Dinner x 5

During the trek, meals will prepared by the local crew following strict health and hygiene guidelines. 
Breakfast: fruit, yoghurt, porridge, muesli, bread, crispbread, jam, swiss miss & tea/coffee.
Packed lunch: you’ll make your own packed lunch of sandwiches from various ingredients, including Icelandic flatbread, pâté, salami, cheese, peanut butter, smoked salmon, etc.
Dinner: soups, pasta, couscous, stews, sausages and freeze-dried meals

Dietary requirements and food allergies – if you have any specific requirements, please let us know prior to departure so we can make the necessary arrangements for you.

Snacks – we recommend you bring your own high calorie snacks, both sweet and savoury. 

Drinking water – is provided. Please bring your own water bottles / camelbaks to refill. Your Adventurous Ewe Water-to-Go bottle is ideal for this trek.

The impact of single use plastic is having on our landscape, wildlife and oceans, it is now more important than ever that we all make changes in order to help our planet. We may not be a huge global company but we’re passionate about playing our part and trying to make a huge difference collectively. Together we can dramatically reduce our consumption of single use plastics and support our responsible travel ethos of ‘Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but boot-prints, keep nothing but memories.’

You can make a difference too with taking part in this Icelandic Adventure. As part of our commitment to helping the planet, members of the flock who join us for this trek will receive a free Adventurous Ewe Water-to-Go bottle. This is our way of saying thank-ewe and also making a difference to the consumption of single use plastics in developing countries. For more info please click here or email us at info@adventurousewe.co.uk to find out more.

Deposit: £175 per person is required on booking.
Remaining balance: £1310 per person is due for payment no later than 4 weeks prior to the trip start date.

Monthly payment plan
A monthly payment plan can be arranged for this trip. Please contact us for more information or to set up your plan. Simply email info@adventurousewe.co.uk or call 01492 588 069.

Fundraising
You are welcome to fundraise for a charity of your choice if you wish to do so. All sponsorship monies are to be sent directly to your chosen charity.

As well as carefully crafting amazing and meaningful adventures across the planet, we’ve made booking them as flexible, safe and as simple as possible. With the ongoing impact of COVID-19, we’ve made a number of updates to our safety guidelines, flexible booking conditions and trip departures. For more info, please our Book and Travel with Confidence page. 

All your trip info will be sent to you through our free mobile travel app. You will receive an email from Adventurous Ewe with your personalised log in code for this app.

For the latest and greatest from the land of adventures, simply follow us at:

Facebook: @adventurousewe
Youtube: Adventurous Ewe 
Instagram: @adventurousewe
Twitter: @adventurousewe
LinkedIn: Adventurous-Ewe-Ltd

You’re most welcome to use the hashtags
#ewecandoit #thisflockrock #adventurousewe

Your Adventurous Ewe Leader/s and Crew will have a mobile phones and radios communications in case of emergencies. The team are trained to deal with these situations. Please ensure you listen to your Leader during these times and refrain from putting any posts on social media. Should you find yourself unable to continue with the trek, your Leader and crew will make the necessary arrangements. Depending on the situation, you will be met by the support vehicle (depending on access) and you will be transferred back to your accommodation or nearby medical facility as required. Your Emergency Contact at Adventurous Ewe HQ is Jim Young on +44(0)7747 346 588.

Cool Earth
We are very excited to have teamed up with leading climate change charity Cool Earth, who share our mission to protect the planet’s precious environment in a sustainable manner. The future of rainforest protection is where everyone makes a difference to climate change! We invest a % of our revenue into supporting critical conservation projects around the world through Cool Earth. You are most welcome to help make a difference too by sparing a few pennies. Please give what you can and help save the world’s rainforests today by clicking here. Just £2.50 will save 10 trees and lock up 10 tonnes of CO2. Together, we can all make a difference in helping preserve this precious and wonderful planet. Thank-ewe