Hellismannaleid (isl. Hellismannaleið) is a less popular but very interesting three-day hiking trail west of the famous Landmannalaugar. If you want to see vast volcanic cinder fields, beautiful mountain lakes, solidified lava fields and enjoy hiking in relative solitude, this trail is exactly for you.
The name Hellismannaleid can be translated as “the way of the cavemen,” but it obviously has nothing to do with the American cartoon from the ’60s – it refers to the shepherds who may have spent the night in caves in the area.
Where the Hellismannaleid trail lies
Hellismannaleid connects the Rjupnavellir campsites on Road 26 and the famous Landmannalaugar. It runs roughly in the same direction as the F225 road, which has a similar-sounding name – Landmannaleið.
Hellismannaleid: trail route and elevation profile
The traditional start of the route is the Rjupnavellir campsite, located on Road 26, at the foot of the Hekla volcano. Its end, on the other hand, is the famous and beautiful Landmannalaugar campsite, where the Hellismannaleid trail joins the famous Laugavegur trail. Along the way, the trail also passes the Afangagil and Landmannahellir campsites.
Elevation profile of the Hellismannaleid trail [maps.cz]
The total length of the Hellismannaleið trail is similar to that of Laugavegur – it is 54 km (34 mi). Naturally, the trail can be walked in both directions. Starting from Landmannalaugar, you go mostly downhill, but the total elevation gain is still 860 m (2,820 ft). If you start from Rjupnavellir, the total elevation gain is 1,275 m (4,180 ft). So the total is about 63 or 67 effort kilometers (one effort kilometer is 1 km / 0.6 mi on the flat or 100 m / 330 ft of climbing).
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Attractions: why you should walk the Hellismannaleid trail
The Hellismannaleid landscape offers a different beauty than the famous Laugavegur. Its beauty is modest, sometimes even minimalist, but it certainly cannot be denied that beauty. In addition, it is on this trail that you will perhaps see more of the real Iceland – empty, quiet (albeit windy) and covered in volcanic cinders. And just as often as on Laugavegur, you stop and think “what an amazing place!”
Views on the Hellismannaleid trail
For many people, the biggest attraction of the Hellismannaleid trail is the sheer emptiness of its vast open spaces. Especially for those who have previously walked the rather crowded and bustling Laugavegur or toured the sights along Route 1, the silence and solitude on this trail, amidst the extraordinary Icelandic landscapes, is wonderful. On this trail, when you stop, there is usually no one in sight (apart from your own group, naturally). Absolutely not a single person. Not in front of you, not behind you, not anywhere to the sides.
Where the trail approaches the F225 road a bit, you can sometimes see a car passing in the distance, but this is also a rare sight, because the road usually can’t be seen from the trail. Here you don’t feel like you’re on a tourist conveyor belt – instead, you can experience the pleasant mountain solitude that many people go to the mountains for in the first place…
The most distinctive feature of the landscape on this route is certainly the volcanic fields of lava, cinders and ash. While it may not sound spectacular from the description, walking through a volcanic cauldron filled with even black cinders is truly quite a sight and experience (again: especially for those who have previously walked Laugavegur and Fimmvorduhals). Even an hour’s walk across a plain as flat as a table, covered in such cinders and completely devoid of landmarks, is a very interesting experience (a map and GPS on your phone really come in handy!). As for views – in addition to the volcanic deserts – the trail is also known for its beautiful mountain lakes in stunning settings. Each of them is a wonderful place for a short stop. Most are also stocked with fish, so you may meet anglers at some of them.
One of the lakes on Hellismannaleid – Lifrarfjallavatn
Finally, especially for those starting from the Rjupnavellir side, a very interesting place is the Ytri-Rangá river valley. It lies just north of Rjupnavellir, at the very beginning of the trail for those starting from that side. The deeply cut river forms picturesque steep walls and small waterfalls. Above the valley – or rather the gorge – you see flat cinder plains and the mighty Hekla. Several times the path runs along the very edge of the river, and at least once you also have to ford it.
Among the attractions that require a detour from the trail, the colorful Rauðaskál crater is worth mentioning, located about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Lake Sauðafellsvatn. The crater is quite colorful (rust-red), and you can get very close to it in a 4×4 vehicle. From a hiker’s perspective, however, it’s quite a detour from the trail, as it’s about 12 km / 7 mi (15 effort kilometers) one way.
Hekla as seen from the trail
Of course, Hekla itself, towering over the area, is also a tempting destination. But not only is it still a dangerous volcano (see: Hekla – the queen of Icelandic volcanoes), it is also simply a high mountain (1,491 m / 4,892 ft above sea level).
A (usually) fairly clear path leads to the summit along side ridges, without any very steep sections. Still, in addition to good general mountain fitness, crampons and poles will certainly come in handy for such an outing.
How to get to the Hellismannaleid trail
Both ends of the Hellismannaleid trail can be reached by your own car. You don’t even need a 4×4 to get to Rjupnavellir – the campsite lies just off paved Road 26.
Both ends of Hellismannaleid are also on the route of the buses from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar via Selfoss and Hella (Hella is a bit out of the way, but it’s a popular stop and transfer point). So it is quite convenient to get to the trail directly from Reykjavik. The buses start at the Laugardalur campground (Dalur hostel) and stop in the city center (Trex line) or at BSI station (RE line).
Scheduled departures from Reykjavik are set for 6:30 a.m., 7:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Buses reach Rjupnavellir about 2.5–3 hours later, and Landmannalaugar itself after a total of 4–5 hours. Return buses leave Landmannalaugar at 2:30 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., and Rjupnavellir (the same buses) at 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively. These are, of course, scheduled times, and in reality they often shift slightly.
Rjupnavellir is a good base for Hellismannaleid and Landmannalaugar, for those who drive around Iceland by car without 4-wheel drive. Here you can spend the night, leave the car and hike to Landmannalaugar, then return by bus after 3–4 days. And if you are not interested in the Hellismannaleid trail itself, you can take a bus from here and spend a day or two in the beautiful rainbow mountains (more: Landmannalaugar – Fairytale Rainbow Mountains).
Campsites and accommodation on the Hellismannaleid trail
In addition to the beginning and end – Rjupnavellir and Landmannalaugar – there are two more campsites along the Hellismannaleid trail: Afangagil and Landmannahellir. All four offer a similar (though of course not identical) level and range of facilities. You’ll find details in the linked articles about each of these places; here we’ll just mention their most important features.
At each campsite you can pitch your own tent without a reservation. In 2023 it cost 2,000 ISK per person per night (about $17); for 2024 we expected a price of about 2,300 ISK, or about $19. You can also book a place in a hut at each of them, but it costs much more – from 7,000 ISK to 11,000 ISK, or about $58 to as much as about $91 (in 2024 probably up to 13,000 ISK, or about $105). The huts do not provide bedding – you must bring your own sleeping bag. Showers cost extra (2023: 400–500 ISK, or about $4; 2024: up to 900 ISK, or $7.50), but in Afangagil and Landmannahellir they are not time-limited. The owners ask you not to waste water, but in practice you can use as much as you like – which often means you actually use less. In Rjupnavellir and Landmannalaugar you will find small shops with basics – hiking food, snacks, gas canisters. Landmannalaugar has two shops, and they are much bigger, so there you can also buy all sorts of camping gear, maps or alcohol. Prices – naturally – are quite high.
- Rjupnavellir stands out for free charging of electronic devices and an open Wi-Fi network;
- Afangagil stands out negatively – there is no tent or room where campers could, for example, cook and eat a meal sheltered from the wind and rain;
- Landmannahellir offers perhaps the nicest views and is also popular with fishermen and those interested in horseback riding;
- Landmannalaugar stands out positively for, among other things, its hot spring, and negatively for the terribly hard ground at the campsite – it is difficult to drive a tent peg into it.
Once again: you can find detailed information about these campsites in the linked articles.
How to plan your Hellismannaleid hike
Between the two ends of the Hellismannaleid trail there are two campsites. So it is natural to spread the route over 3 days. This certainly has a number of advantages, but if you like to walk more, the weather is good, and one night without a shower doesn’t scare you, you can walk Hellismannaleid faster – in 2 days – in one of two ways.
Standard Hellismannaleid trail plan: 3 days
Since there are two campsites along the way, the Hellismannaleid route is usually spread over 3 days, whichever direction you walk. You start and finish in Rjupnavellir or Landmannalaugar, and spend the two nights in between in Afangagil and Landmannahellir. With this plan, each day is a comfortable twenty-odd effort kilometers, so only about 6 hours of walking.
Hellismannaleid: dividing the trail into 3 days
If you divide the Hellismannaleid trail into three days, your daily sections, depending on the direction of walking, look as follows:
| Daily sections on the Hellismannaleid trail (3-day version) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East direction | West direction | |||
| Rjupnavellir -> Afangagil | 17 km (11 mi), 20 effort km | Landmannalaugar -> Landmannahellir | 16 km (10 mi), 21 effort km | |
| Afangagil -> Landmannahellir | 21 km (13 mi), 27 effort km | Landmannahellir -> Afangagil | 21 km (13 mi), 24 effort km | |
| Landmannahellir -> Landmannalaugar | 16 km (10 mi), 21 effort km | Afangagil -> Rjupnavellir | 17 km (11 mi), 19 effort km | |
On the other hand, short daily sections mean that you finish early and have a lot of free time that you are not quite sure what to do with. Meanwhile, cutting the route by one day shortens the entire trip and saves money, if only on accommodation or the food you carry. If longer daily sections are not a problem for you, consider one of the following alternative plans for hiking Hellismannaleid in 2 days.
Hellismannaleid in 2 days: sleeping at campsites
The first way to hike Hellismannaleid in two days is to skip one of the “intermediate” campsites. It’s better to skip Afangagil, because it has no shelter for cooking and eating, skipping it saves a bit of walking (the route is more direct), and the views are nicer at Landmannahellir.
Possible shortcuts on Hellismannaleid
Incidentally, slightly east of Afangagil the Hellismannaleid trail makes a strange “bend” to the north, which you can cut off, again slightly shortening the entire route (by about 1.5 km / 1 mi). This area is neither a national park nor a nature reserve, so if you are not afraid to go off the trail, you are allowed to go your own way. Unfortunately, whichever campsite you skip, you have as many as 45–50 effort kilometers to cover on this “double day”, which is really a lot. It will take most hikers at least 12 hours (plus a long lunch break). In summer the sun hardly sets in Iceland, but still, 13, 14 or 15 hours on the trail is really a lot, unless you’re doing it as a punishment 😉 On the other hand, if 50 effort kilometers a day is acceptable for you, you can tackle this hike in yet another way.
Variant of the route via Raudaskal (and Hekla)
In this “sub-variant”, on one day you skip the overnight stay in Landmannahellir and go directly from Landmannalaugar to Afangagil (or the other way, of course). And on the second day, between Afangagil and Rjupnavellir you go through Raudaskal or even Hekla. Between Rjupnavellir (or more precisely: the nearby bridge over the Ytri-Rangá) and Raudaskal and the foot of Hekla, unfortunately, there are no trails or paths, but the terrain is easy to walk on, and navigation (especially if you’re heading toward the mountain) is trivially easy.
Between these mountains and the place where Hellismannaleid crosses the F225 road (which is where it’s worth rejoining the trail), however, you will find quite a few roads and paths.
If time and weather allow, you can also walk down to the shore of beautiful Lake Sauðafellsvatn for a stop (lunch, perhaps?), or combine this option with the next one and, north of Raudaskal, head northeast toward the camping spot in Lambafitjarhraun… If you allow yourself to go off the trail, the possibilities are indeed plentiful. Going via Raudaskal adds about 15 effort kilometers (12 km / 7 mi) to the day. So the total will be about 35 effort kilometers, but part of it is cross-country by compass, so potentially a bit slower than on the trail. Raudaskal also offers some of the best views of Hekla itself, and climbing to the top of Hekla adds about 27 more effort kilometers, so in total you have a 50-effort-kilometer route that day (with Raudaskal on the way, as part of the “package”, so to speak). If the weather is beautiful, you can count on views from the summit and, of course, you like to walk fast and far, this is an excellent idea. Just remember that near the summit of Hekla you are almost guaranteed snow, ice and brutal wind. Don’t underestimate this mountain and prepare very well if you want to climb it (or hire a guide).
Hellismannaleid in 2 days: sleeping in the wild
Alternatively – and probably best if you have your own tent – you can walk Hellismannaleid in 2 days by wild camping for the night in the middle.
Hellismannaleid – 2-day variant
In practice, if you want to hike the Hellismannaleid in two days, you need to find a place to spend the night west of the Hrafnabjorg summit and Lake Saudleysuvatn, because that’s (roughly) where the western boundary of the Fridland ad Fjallabaki Nature Reserve runs – and inside the reserve, wild camping is prohibited.
A convenient spot is the old Lambafitjarhraun lava field, which lies just beyond the reserve’s western boundary. Between the rocks, mosses and volcanic sand you’re sure to find a convenient spot for a tent, and a small stream flowing here provides water for drinking, cooking and a quick wash. So the camping conditions are really quite good.
What’s more, from here – in both directions, to Rjupnavellir and to Landmannalaugar – you have about 30–35 effort kilometers to cover. That means, in principle, anyone should be able to do it in about 10 hours. With a lunch stop and allowing for fatigue or bad weather – up to 12 hours at most. So it is a long day, but a manageable one. And if you walk fast, you may even do it in 8 hours.
Safety on the Hellismannaleid trail
There are really no dangerous places on the Hellismannaleid trail.
Where does the trail go next?
(Answer: to the mound in the middle of the ridge)
The biggest danger, or rather inconvenience, is the (sometimes) poorly visible and poorly marked path.
Unfortunately, the path “disappears” precisely where it crosses flat areas, which have no good landmarks. In addition, printed maps are only available at a scale of 1:100,000, which is not detailed enough for accurate navigation in such tricky terrain.
So by far the best solution is an app like Mapy.cz or AllTrails with an offline map of the area downloaded to your phone. The phone does a great job of showing the trail and your location even in airplane mode, which saves battery (and as a rule there is no cell coverage on the trail anyway). When I hiked Hellismannaleid myself, I didn’t take the paper map out of my backpack even once…
Stream on Hellismannaleid
When water levels are low, you only have to take off your shoes twice to ford a stream on Hellismannaleid. If the rivers are high, you may have to do so in two or three more places. Each time, however, these are shallow and fairly narrow streams. Crossing them adds variety, but is certainly not dangerous. Although the trail passes several lakes, we never encountered troublesome swarms of midges on it. You will of course meet some midges, but not in numbers that would make life difficult or require special protection.
How to pack for Hellismannaleid
Hellismannaleid does not require any special preparation or gear beyond what you should take on any Icelandic – or any mountain – trail. You absolutely need to prepare for cold weather and strong winds (for more on the weather in the Icelandic highlands, see here: Weather in different regions of Iceland), but not much more. We describe the gear you should take on hiking trips in Iceland in more detail in a separate article: How to prepare for a hiking trip in Iceland.