Reykjavík Grapevine - 25.08.2017, Page 50

Outdoor activities are not really my
thing. I’m a city rat, I love strolling
downtown, enjoying the nightlife.
Hiking has always been last on my
list of leisure activates. I loathe
everything about it; It’s long, you
usually have to wake up super ear-
ly and it’s terrifying. Seriously, it
brings you one step closer to death.
I have always hated it, until I ar-
rived in Iceland.
So ‘what changed my mind?’
- Iceland has the most beautiful
scenery there is and I’ve made
peace with the idea of putting my
life at risk to experience its nature
first hand. As a native Toronto-
nian, I’ve adopted the aphorism
‘YOLO’. So I bundled up, laced up
my boots and got on the bus to
Landmannalaugar. Shout-out to
Drake for helping me live to the
fullest.
Upon meeting our mountain
guide, Maksim Kachanzhi, I found
myself asking him the most im-
portant questions – the life threat-
ening ones. Such as “do you get a
lot of injuries on these hikes?” or
“what’s the wildlife like around
here?” Maksim informed me that
under his supervision, no one has
been injured and that I don’t have
to worry about being attacked by
a wildebeest. I sought comfort
knowing that I won’t encounter
anything wild–it’s just me against
the elements. A new fear I have yet
to develop.
Screensaver or real life?
Landmannalaugar is a gem in the
southern Icelandic Highlands and
the trip there can be incredibly
bumpy so beware. I heard groans of
discomfort from my fellow travel-
lers, but I for one enjoyed the ride–
it was like a free massage! However,
once the three-hour drive was over,
the real fun began. The famous
hiking trek, Laugavegurinn falls
between Landmannalaugar and
Þórsmörk – another vivid land-
scape worth checking out. The
route is 55km and wraps around
stunningly colorful mountains,
glacial rivers, and fumaroles.All
the landscapes Iceland has to of-
fer can be covered in this one trip.
The journey starts off at Mt.
Bláhnjúkur, also known as Blue
Peak on account of its blue-black
shades from sulfur and oxidized
copper. Afterwards, the hike
through the Laugahraun lava field
brings you to Mt. Brennisteinsalda,
meaning sulfur wave. From the
base of the mountain emits strong
sulfur fumes, the smell can be
uncomfortable, but it makes for a
great instagram photo! When you
get to the top, the view is remark-
able. The contrasts of colors are
produced by various elements such
as lava, iron, sulfur, and moss. It's
like seeing your desktop wallpaper
come to life.
More than just a view
Beyond the photo-shopped looking
mountains of Landmannalaugar,
there is more to enjoy. There’s a
family owned mountain mall con-
sist of 3 vintage school buses that
sell all your hiking and camping
essentials. Store manager, Katla
Sif Þorleifsdóttir, and her cousin
Íris Þóra Sverrisdóttir both run
the shop, hoping to bring a full
functioning kitchen into the mix
one day.
After a long hike and a quick
snack, there is a geothermal hot
spring. Scalding water arises from
under the lava and mixes with a
cold flow creating the hot spring.
It’s just a matter of finding the spot
with the right temperature. When
in doubt, just follow the herd of
humans.
Despite falling three times, the
view and experience was totally
worth it. Staying in my comfort
zone is nice and all – but once you
experience Landmannalaugar in
its purest form, you’re left wanting
to see more..
SHARE & PHOTO GALLERY:
gpv.is/travel
Landmannalaugar
Hiking Tour
A walk through a live screensaver
How to get there
Route One East then Route 26 (only 4x4 cars)
Hike provided by:
adventures.is
Book a trip:
Contact Hákon via info@thh.is
Words: Jenna Mohammed
Photos: Art Bicnick
50 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 15 — 2017
The lighthouse at Kalsoy
No shops on this Laugavegur.
Despite falling three times, the view and experience was totally worth it.