A deep glacial valley framed by snowy mountain peaks and set between the Eyjafjallajökull, Mýrdalsjökull, and Tindfjallajökull glaciers, Þórsmörk (Valley of Thor) is one of Iceland’s most dramatic and popular hiking and off-roading destinations. Millennia of glacial and volcanic activity has created a lush and scenic valley where mineral-rich rivers meet black desert plains under the glare of jagged mountain ridges. This full-day tour with a local guide can be tailored to your interests and takes you deep into the valley to see its most impressive sights and vistas as you hike, drive or explore as you wish.
You’ll be picked up at your hotel in Reykjavík or on the south coast by your private guide on the morning of the tour. Your transport for the day will be a ‘Superjeep’, a specially modified vehicle able to navigate Iceland’s more rugged trails.
On arrival at Þórsmörk, you’ll turn off the paved road and onto a path formed of volcanic rock and ash, winding through a barren valley dotted by waterfalls and braided with rivers. The waters shift depending on conditions, but your vehicle is equipped to pass over them, though it may get bumpy at times.
Your itinerary in the valley is flexible and can be tailored to focus on hiking (trails vary in difficulty), photography or geology as you observe the harsh landscape with its sheer cliffs and towering river canyons.
The valley's climate is warmer and wetter than surrounding areas, giving it a lush quality in places, with patches of birchwood, moss and fern among the black sands. On certain days, warm air from the valley ascends to meet the cold wind off the glaciers, causing an ethereal mist to hang over its length.
As you travel through the glacial rivers that weave through the volcanic ash and rock, you can also expect to see massive boulders worn smooth by the Gigjökull glacier and deposited on the valley floor. The glacier dramatically reduced in size following Eyjafjallajökull's eruption in 2010, and in its wake, has left a landscape strewn with glacial deposits.
Whatever you decide to do in the valley, you’ll take a break in the middle of the day to enjoy a barbecue lunch cooked by your guide in Þórsmörk’s sweeping valley. This includes Icelandic lamb chops (and/or a vegetarian option), salad, grilled potatoes and soft drinks. Beer, wine and champagne can also be included, just speak to your specialist.
When you’ve had enough time to enjoy the valley and see the sights, you’ll leave Þórsmörk behind and be driven back toward the coast, stopping off at Seljalandsfoss, a 60-m (200-ft) waterfall. A wide path runs directly behind the falls so you can walk behind the cascading water (weather dependent), but bring a raincoat as it’s still pretty wet.
At the end of the day, your driver will take you back to your hotel, roughly eight to ten hours after the tour started.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our Iceland specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Small group glacier hiking on Sólheimajökull glacier
This three-hour hike takes you up onto Sólheimajökull to learn about its formation and see the dramatic ice sculptures, ridges and crevasses on its surface. En route, you’ll learn about its structure and get sweeping views of the surrounding wilderness.
Snowmobiling on Mýrdalsjökull glacier
Explore Mýrdalsjökull, one of Iceland’s most renowned glaciers, by snowmobile as part of a small-group tour. From the mountain top, you can enjoy sweeping views of the surrounding countryside and coast and a close-up view of the glacier’s structure.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
