The Tindfjöll Circle Hiking Trail
The Tindfjöll ("Tindar" means "peaks" in Icelandic) are the volcanic mountains located under the ice cap of the Tindfjallajökull glacier in the Thórsmörk valley. While these are volcanic mountains, it's worth noting that the last eruption took place long ago, 52,000 years ago, and was characterized by pyroclastic flows.
The Tindfjöll Circle hike is one of the most beautiful hikes in the Thórsmörk region and offers an incredible panorama of the Tindfjöll and other magnificent viewpoints of Thórsmörk.
How to Get to Tindfjöll?
To do the Tindfjöll Circle hike, you first need to get to the Thórsmörk valley. The best period to go is during the summer season, ideally between July and August.
There are 3 ways to get to Thórsmörk:
- By 4x4
- By bus
- On an organized excursion
By 4x4
By car, starting from Seljalandsfoss, you need to take the F249. Although smooth at the beginning, it becomes very complicated later when approaching the meanders of the Markarfljót. Indeed, numerous and deep fords stand in the way on the F249.
For visitors who wish to go by 4x4, it should be noted that access is very complicated. It's not possible to go there with a rental SUV, as you need to cross several fords, including that of the Krossa, considered one of the most difficult in Iceland. Without an elevated and prepared 4x4, it seems ambitious to take the risk of crossing it.
By Bus
The bus is probably the simplest and safest solution. Between June 10 and September 15, the bus from Reykjavik to Þórsmörk runs daily. It makes several stops at Hveragerði, Hella, Selfoss, Hvolsvöllur, and finally the parking lot of the Seljalandsfoss waterfall.
Several companies offer bus tickets such as Volcan Huts or Reykjavik Excursions. Most tourists stay for a day, but it's possible to sleep on site in a tent or in huts.
There are several bus stops on site in Thórsmörk:
- Husadalur
- Langidalur
- Básar
On an Organized Excursion
Finally, it's also possible to reach the valley via organized excursions:
- Full day tour of Thorsmork by Super Jeep from Hvollsvöllur
- Full day tour of Thorsmork by Super Jeep from Reykjavík
The Tindfjoll Circle Hiking Trail
The Tindfjöll Circle Hiking Trail is the orange path
To do the Tindfjöll hike, you have two possibilities:
- Start the hike from Husadalur (13.5 km)
- Start the hike from Langidalur (9.5 km)
In fact, when looking at the hike plan, it seems more sensible to stop at Langidalur, as it's the "official" starting point of the loop.
However, many hikers prefer to stop at Husadalur (Volcano Huts), as the bus journey between the two camps is 45 minutes, while the journey only requires a 2 km hike on foot... It's a bit of a shame, especially since the 2 km hike between the two camps is superb.
We therefore advise starting the hike at Husadalur if the 2 km walk doesn't scare you!
The Tindfjöll Circle hike is probably the one that offers the most beautiful views of Thórsmörk.
For the brave who left from Husadalur, you will have to walk 2 km to Langidalur through the small paths surrounded by birch trees following the blue path south towards Langidalur.
The start is behind the Langidalur hut, a little further down, towards the meanders of the Krossa. From here, you have to walk a few hundred meters on the stones before the path splits into two (photo).
The meaning of the Tindfjöll Circle loop
The small orange sign offers two alternatives: start by following the meanders of the Krossa or go up into the woods. We recommend starting with the most interesting part: going up into the woods towards Tindfjallahringur.
The climb is very pleasant and on a moderate slope. Everything is very well indicated and it seems really impossible to get lost on this hike, just follow the orange stakes.
We arrive after about a kilometer on the mountainside. The scenery then changes a lot: there is less vegetation and the view of the north of Thórsmörk is absolutely magnificent.
We then have to advance on a small path on the mountainside that is sometimes a little slippery and narrow. This is ultimately the only complicated passage of this hike, but you have to be careful.
After walking along the Tindfjallagil mountain, you arrive at the small Tröllakirkja cave in a surprising rock formation. The name "Tröllakirkja" means "troll church" and it doesn't take much imagination to understand why!
A few hundred meters further, you arrive at a plateau and halfway through the Tindfjöll hike. The view here is incredible with Mount Rjúpnafell in front overlooking the meanders of the Krossa and in the background, the majestic Myrdalsjökull.
It is quite possible as an option to climb Mount Rjúpnafell at this point by branching off to the east, but you should know that this will add 2 x 3 km to the hike.
The splendid Rjúpnafell for the bravest who wish to climb it
From the plateau, you have to climb a fairly steep slope for about 300 meters before reaching the main viewpoint and the highest point of the hike which offers a spectacular 360° view of Krossá, Myrdalsjökull, Mount Rjúpnafell and on the other side Katla and Eyjafjallajökull. Unique!
The 360° panorama halfway
From here, there is only downhill towards Langidalur. This second part is about 4.5 km to the camp and is divided into two.
First, you have to go down in the middle of the lush vegetation of the region for 2 km before arriving at the Krossá river.
From here, the last part is less interesting since it consists of following the meanders in a stony path for 2 km before arriving at Langidalur.
In the end, the official Tindfjöll Circle hike that starts from Langidalur is 9.5 km and can be done in 2h30. For those who want to leave from Husadalur, it will take 13.5 km in total and about 3h30.
Finally, for the brave who want to add to this the turnoff to Rjúpnafell, you will have to add to that an additional 6 km and about 2 hours more!
In any case, this is a must in Þórsmörk, to be done absolutely at least in its shortest version. The panoramas here are unique and among the most beautiful that can be seen in Iceland.
Accommodation: sleep in Þórsmörk
Langidalur
For those who wish to do several days of hiking, it is advisable to sleep on site.
There is a campsite there, Volcano Huts, which has an excellent reputation and offers a variety of accommodation types: from tents to glamping and huts.
Volcano Huts also has a small restaurant - bar where you can eat and enjoy a drink.
