Description

Þórsmörk, the Valley of Thor, is one of Iceland's most spectacular and hard to reach places – a sheltered green valley of birch woods and braided rivers, hidden deep in the southern highlands between three glaciers. It is guarded by unbridged glacial rivers, which is exactly why so few people see it. On this private day tour you reach it the only way you can, in an Arctic Trucks Land Rover Defender Super Jeep built and equipped for this terrain, with the valley to yourselves.

The day starts on the South Coast. At Seljalandsfoss you can walk behind the curtain of falling water, and a short stroll away you step into Gljúfrabúi, a waterfall half hidden inside a mossy canyon. From there the road turns to gravel and the adventure begins – your Super Jeep leaves the ring road and fords glacial rivers on the F249 track, the drive that gives Þórsmörk its sense of true wilderness. Along the way you stop at Gjgjökull, a glacier tongue spilling from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, its landscape reshaped by the 2010 eruption.

Inside the reserve you hike into Stakkholtsgja, a canyon so narrow the sky becomes a thin strip above you, and one that Game of Thrones fans may recognise from the series. A small stream runs along the floor, and the trail follows it inward between mossy walls a hundred metres high.

At Básar you have the valley itself – birch woods, glacier views on three sides, and time to eat your packed lunch and walk at whatever pace suits you. 

Because this is the highlands, nature sets the rules. The river crossings, the order of stops and how far into the canyon you get all depend on water levels and weather on the day, and the route is always chosen with your safety first. That is the deal with the interior, and it is part of what makes Þórsmörk worth the journey.

Your guide meets you at your accommodation in the Reykjavik area, and helps you load any gear. Bottled water is available on request throughout the day.