What to bring?

The difference in hiking and trekking in Iceland as compared to other parts of the world, boils down to the weather and the wind. The Icelandic weather is utterly unpredictable and changes all the time. The only predictable thing about the Icelandic weather is the wind, as it is almost always windy. Thus it is not uncommon to experience snow storm in July or thick fog when the weather forecast predicted sun!

Because of this, hikers should always bring the same basic items along in their backpack, no matter the season, the weather, or the length of the hike. These basic items include some kind of navigation equipment (GPS, map and compass) and wind- and waterproof clothing. Other equipment depend on your personal needs, length of the trip, weather forecast and the time of year.

Please note that when staying in huts in Iceland, you will need to bring with you both a sleeping bag and your own food as you can not buy hot ready-made meal at the huts. Read all about Icelandic huts.

In the equipment lists below, you will find information about the equipment we recommend you bring with you for different types of hiking tours in Iceland.