This summer, pack your hiking boots and head off on a small group quest in the company of other adventurous women. With departures available from July through August, this four-day trip offered by Arctic Adventures takes in Laugavegur Trail, a 34.2-mile-long route through the central Highlands from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk.

The focus of this journey has less to do with how much ground is covered on a given day, and more with the shared experience of discovering remote interior areas of the country only accessible for a brief period during summer months. Along the Laugavegur Trail, participants will be surrounded by extraordinary, powerful landscapes fashioned by centuries of volcanic activity.

© Arctic Adventures

Mossy slopes, black-sand beaches, lush valleys, rivers formed and fed by glaciers, and steam rising from natural geothermal features are part of the scenery. As part of this expedition, hikers will walk on the obsidian desert at Hrafntinnusker, visit the black-sand deserts in Emstrur and view the peaceful Álftavatn lake.

“There’s a comfort that comes from exploring in a group of women,” said Rebecca McCall, product manager, Arctic Adventures. “This trek is about enjoying the landscape, supporting one another in small ways, and letting those connections grow naturally along the trail.”

© Arctic Adventures

This trek is available to hikers aged 15 and older. Led by an English-speaking female guide, it’s intended for those who are at ease with hikes of four–nine hours a day through varied terrain and weather conditions, carrying their own day packs. Transportation to and from the trail is included, along with all meals, luggage transport between campsites, and pick-up and drop-off in Reykjavik. Nights are spent in comfortable, private expedition tents.