Two Rivers Trail
Duration: 2 days / 1 night
Operated: See calendar
Departing from: The Wilderness Center
Difficulty: Easy Hard
Group size: 2–12
Minimum age: 14 years
Language:
Price: 63,900 ISK
For guaranteed departure we need a minimum of 2 persons
This two-day wilderness adventure combines the action of hiking past canyons, impressive waterfalls and being pulled in a cable ferry across a glacial river. On the other hand enjoy the tranquility of these great highlands. Accompanied by Icelandic pack horses that carry some of the luggage and a passionate local guide with great knowledge of the area. See historic sites, experience the authenticity and breathe the wild. You are more likely to meet reindeer than humans on this trek.
Suggested gear
Clothing for the hike:
- T-shirt or vest, wool or fleece
- Woolen socks
- Warm sweater (e.g. Icelandic wool sweater) or fleece jacket
- Light, quick-dry hiking pants
- Hiking shoes
For the rucksack:
- Woolen undergarments (top and long-johns)
- Extra outer top (such as a thick jumper or a light down jacket)
- An extra pair of woolen socks (we recommend wool with terry). Never wear cotton liners!
- Proper Icelandic woolen mittens
- A woolen cap, balaclava, earband or similar
- Light rainwear (jacket and pants), e.g. Goretex
- Shinguards
- Sandals or sneakers, for wading rivers
For the night:
- Rucksack. Recommended sizes for longer trips are 55–65 liters for ladies and 60–75 liters for men.
- A light sleeping bag, with a down or fiber filling. Reccommended temperature tolerance is 0°C for comfort and at least -10°C for extreme conditions.
- Mattress for insulation
And the little extras:
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Toilet tissue
- A very small towel
We provide
- Fully guided tour
- All food and utensils for cooking and meals
- Safety equipment
- Tents and travel from Sturluflöt farm to the Wilderness Center
Optional
- Extra night before or after the tour at the Wilderness Center.
- A pleasant dinner together the night before departure. Your guide will talk about highlights from local history as well as explaining some aspects of nature which are characteristic for the area and/or the wilderness.
- Get in touch to book an extra night and dinner through [email protected] or call us on tel. +354 440 8822
DAY 1: GET OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AND EXPLORE ICELAND’S HIDDEN TREASURES!
Departure from the Wilderness Center. Provisions will be carried by a pack horse. Break at the abandoned farm of Kleif, where you‘ll be able to have a look around and be told tales from the past. On leaving Kleif the group crosses the Jökulsá river by a cableway which has recently been restored. Hiking along the beautiful Jökulsá canyon, we‘ll soon be walking past one of the river‘s waterfalls after the other. Looking across the river gives a view of a pretty, natural birchwood Kleifarskógur. Further on we‘ll be passing a number of other waterfalls, either in the Jökulsá itself or some of its tributaries – small or large. The two highest, Faxi and Kirkjufoss, are amongst Iceland‘s most magnificent waterfalls. We‘ll have our dinner at Hrakströnd where we will stay for the night in the newly restored shepherd‘s hut. The picturesque surroundings at Hrakströnd are quite unique. Amidst the rocks you‘ll find a small pond, fine for bathing in on a sunny day. The sound of water will lure you to the Hrakstrandarfoss falls, just behind the rocks. Standing below the waterfall gives an unusual view of Mt. Snæfell.
On departing Hrakströnd we head northeast across the untouched terrain of Mt. Múlinn. Here, tranquility reigns. Should you come across another human being right here, you‘ll have a drink on us in the evening! Most of this land is covered with vegetation but occasionally we‘ll cross spots where the glacier has scraped away any soil, leaving patches of naked rocks or gravel. After walking for around two hours across Múlinn, we‘ll see down the Þorgerðarstaðadalur valley and later down Suðurdalur valley. We head for Lake Dimmavatn and then hike along the river Tunguá, until we reach its junction with the Kelduá river. The contrast between the two rivers, yesterday’s glacial Jökulsá and today’s spring-fed Kelduá, is quite remarkable. Even if not quite as voluminous as Jökulsá’s falls, those in the clear Kelduá are just as beautiful. We hike through a wood of birch, Þorgerðarstaðir Woods. Walking on the sunny side of this grassy valley we pass the ruins of some sheds and pens from the past, when farmers would bring their livestock here for summer grazing. We find ourselves a place to ford the Kelduá and carry on along the slopes of Mt. Kiðafell. Back to civilization – and we will walk no further than Sturluflöt farm. From there the group will be taken by car to the Wilderness Center. *Bear in mind: The trip departure and arrival point is the Wilderness Center. We recommend staying in or near the Center the night before, as departure is scheduled for early morning. Participants staying overnight before or after the trip enjoy a special price at the Center.