Running Holiday: Unleash Your Adventure Amidst Fire and Ice in Iceland

Jul 31 to Aug 7, 2025

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Running Holiday: Unleash Your Adventure Amidst Fire and Ice in Iceland
  • About
  • Gallery
  • Itinerary
  • Things to keep in mind
  • FAQ

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A run through the valley of Landmannalaugar, where vibrant rainbow colored mountains meet ancient lava flows. Post-run afternoons spent at Icelandic community swimming pools with locals. The crisp, invigorating air of snowmobiling across Langjökull, one of Iceland’s largest glaciers. Sail from the mainland to legendary Westman Islands, with stunning cliff-top paths, passing playful puffins, shaggy sheep, and coastal views. Adventure to Thorsmörk, aptly named the Valley of Thor, which runs through glaciers, lush birch forest, meandering rivers and more jaw-dropping views than you’ll know what to do with.

Where volcanic peaks pierce the Arctic sky and thermal rivers steam through rainbow-colored valleys, Iceland’s otherworldly terrain transforms every run into an encounter with raw planetary forces. After tracing paths across ancient lava flows and between spouting geysers, your tired muscles find relief in the island’s legendary hot springs and thermal pools, a daily ritual that connects you to both the earth’s power and the heart of Icelandic culture.

About

Expert trip leaders and local Icelandic guides and logistics team

All ground transportation within Iceland in comfortable air-conditioned bus with licensed professional driver

7 nights hand-selected accommodation in cozy lakeside guesthouses and boutique lodges

7 carefully-scouted runs ranging from 5 to 12 miles (8 to 19 km) through diverse Icelandic terrain

All meals from our favorite local chefs and restaurants starting from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day

Snacks and water during runs

Entry fees and tickets for pools, hot springs, ferries, and museums

A guided glacial snowmobiling experience

Entry into multiple soaks in world-famous Icelandic thermal baths

Visit to the original Geysir hot spring

Coffee, tea, and juice at breakfasts

Merchandise

Flights to/from Reykjavik, Iceland

Airport transfers - Flybus shuttle is recommended - guidance provided

Alcoholic beverages and drinks other than water

Travel protection (strongly recommended)

Personal purchases and souvenirs

Gratuities for guides and local staff (at your discretion)

Personal running gear and equipment (including required trail shoes, hydration pack, and waterproof rain gear)

Food

Enjoy hearty breakfasts at the lodges, featuring both cooked and continental options. Lunches and dinners showcase the best of Icelandic cuisine, including fresh local seafood and hearty lamb dishes. Picnic lunches are provided for remote runs. Vegetarian and vegan options are always available.


Accommodation

Over 7 nights, you’ll stay at four different boutique lodges and guesthouses, all offering warm, modern rooms, cozy gathering spaces, hearty breakfasts, and welcoming staff.

US citizens will need a passport with at least 6 months validity; no visas are required. Citizens of other countries should check with their consulate for details.

Your flight should arrive in Reykjavik no later than 9am on the first day. This allows time for immigration, baggage claim and the one hour bus journey to downtown Reykjavik, where you’ll meet your guides and transfer to our hotel. If you arrive later than specified you will be responsible for getting yourself to our first hotel. If you arrive earlier, we recommend staying downtown - that will make it very easy to meet up with the group!

Departure flights should be no earlier than 9:30am.

    Amazing Experience! The team was first class in terms of their organization and delivering a once in a lifetime experience. The trails and landscape of Iceland need to be seen to be believed. The trails were challenging but still great options for less and more experienced trail runners. If you are at all unsure (like I was) all I can say is “go for it!”. You will be very happy you did once you are out there sharing the experience.

    Great running, great food, great guides, and a great group of other runners = an amazing experience! Very much looking forward to my next trip...

    — - Greg N.

    Gallery
    About The Host

    Each person on our small, multinational team brings a unique set of running abilities, travel experience and guiding expertise to the table, but something that we all have in common is an addiction to exploration, a borderline obsession with running and a love of helping others experience the world in this very unique way. Our guides are certified Wilderness First Responders, practice Leave No Trace principles and have guided well over 200 running trips combined. When you join a trip you’ll be traveling, running and exploring with at least one (if not 2 or 3) of us - click below for our bios!


    Itinerary

    Day 1 - Arrival to our Lakeside Retreat

    Welcome to Iceland! For the first two nights we will be based at a cozy lakeside guesthouse on the outskirts of Reykjavik, giving you a chance to settle in, recover from the flight and begin to appreciate the unique aspects that make Iceland so special. From volcanoes and lava flows, to natural hot springs and rivers, to stark and stunning landscapes – it is all in the week ahead! Once everyone has arrived we will take care of introductions, head out for an optional evening shakeout run and enjoy the first of many wonderful dinners together before turning in for a good night of sleep.

    Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

    Running: Optional 3-8 mile evening shakeout

    Day 2 - The First Volcano & The Blue Lagoon

    We will shake off the travel and get straight into volcanic action at the Búrfell crater, situated in the Heiðmörk Natural Park! This local run is the perfect introduction to the Icelandic landscape, rewarding runners with sweeping views and the satisfying crunch of crushed volcanic rock under your shoes.

    We will have a picnic lunch at the finish line before indulging in a recovery session in the famous Blue Lagoon for the afternoon. Between the steaming water, silica face masks, and cold beer, all of your post-run needs will be taken care of! After a lengthy soak, we will head back to the guesthouse for a hearty, home-cooked dinner.

    Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

    Running: 6-10 miles (600-1500 ft gain) single track gravel, dirt road, lava (really!)

    Day 3 - Hot Rivers, Hot Tubs, & Geysirs, Too!

    Today we will hit the road to Reykjadalur, an amazing valley cut down the middle by a hot, steamy river. There are several excellent run options available, and all of them finish with a dip in one of Iceland’s famous public swimming pools complete with hot tubs and steam baths. After lunch at a local restaurant we will drive to see the incredible Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir hot water spout – the original one after which all other geysers are named! This is the heart of the ‘Lord of the Rings meets Game of Thrones’ landscape that you’ve been imagining! To round off the day we will head to a cozy, nearby guesthouse for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

    Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

    Running:5-11 miles, 1200-1800 ft elevation gain, single track & dirt road

    Day 4 - Onto The Ice!

    We kick off today not with running, but with snowmobiling! The off-road adventure opportunities in Iceland are incredible, so we will swap the bus for huge 4×4 superjeeps to the Langjokull glacier, transfer onto snowmobiles and enjoy an incredible experience up on the ice. Afterward we’ll change out gear and stretch our legs with a cruise-y dirt road run through a remote Icelandic landscape, finishing with lunch at a unique restaurant supplied by a geothermally heated greenhouse. And after that? You guessed it – we’ll dip into yet another hot spring before heading back to the lodge for the evening.

    Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

    Running: 5-10 miles, 200 ft-500 ft elevation gain, mostly dirt road

    Day 5 - Into The Highlands

    We will cover a lot of ground today as we head into the highlands to reach the astounding valley of Landmannalaugar, where rainbow colored mountains meet ancient lava flows and billowing geothermal steam vents make the whole place look almost alien. We’ll take our time running this otherworldly landscape, followed by a now-routine dip in the hot spring and a picnic lunch – expect this day to be a big favorite! Afterwards we descend out of the highlands and towards our next lodge set amongst the pristine Icelandic countryside.

    Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

    Running: 5-10 miles, 1200 ft-1800 ft elevation gain, single track

    Day 6 - Setting Sail - The Westmann Islands

    After breakfast we’ll catch a ferry headed for the emerald green slopes of the windswept Westmann Islands. This run will take us along stunning cliff top trails amongst puffins, shaggy sheep and sweeping coastal views – don’t forget your camera! After lunch you can rejuvenate the legs in the local public swimming pool (this is an extra special one!) and then check out the town; there is both a small museum and a local brewery which tend to be popular choices! We will catch the afternoon ferry back to the mainland and then head back to the lodge for another farm-to-table dinner experience.

    Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

    Running: 6-12 miles, 1200 ft-3000 ft elevation gain, single track, dirt road & some lava

    Day 7 - Valley of Thor

    Just reaching the start of this run is an adventure, and it only gets better once our feet hit the ground! Thorsmörk, also known as the Valley of Thor, is a magnificent protected area surrounded by glaciers and full of birch forest, meandering rivers and more jaw-dropping views than you’ll know what to do with! It is a grand finale of a run in every sense, one that finishes with a scenic lunch before the reluctant return to Reykjavik. We’ll stretch out our final day as long as possible with a celebratory dinner and our infamous awards ceremony.

    Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

    Running: 5-9 miles, 600-1500 ft. elevation gain; mix of double/single track trails

    Day 8 - Departure Day

    That’s it! Breakfast will be served at the hotel and we’ll arrange airport taxis for flights departing after 9:30 AM.

    Meals included: Breakfast

    Running: No scheduled run

    Things to keep in mind

    If you cancel:

    Within 30 days of signup (but more than 90 days from departure): Full refund

    90+ days from the trip start date (but after the 30 day grace period): Deposits are non-refundable

    61-90 days from the trip start date: 50% of total payment refunded**

    60 days or less from the trip start date: No refunds

    *If you register using a transfer credit, you may transfer again without penalty within 30 days of signup but will not be eligible for a refund

    **This only applies to participants who have paid their balances on time. If you do not pay the balance by the due date and cancel after the fact, your deposit is non-refundable.

    Can I switch to another trip?
    If you wish to transfer your deposit from one trip to another you must notify us at least 120 days prior to your original departure date. A fee of $150 per person will apply and will be deducted from your original deposit. If you notify us less than 120 days prior to the proposed departure date the refund policy applicable to cancellations will apply. Deposit transfers may only be made once, and must be made to another trip departing within 12 months of your original departure date.

    What if we cancel the trip?
    Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had never cancelled a trip and we hope that going forward we never have to again. But, it is a possibility and here is what happens if it happens:

    If we cancel a trip due to low participant numbers, you will be notified no later than 60 days prior to departure and will receive the option of a full refund or transfer to an alternate trip.

    If a trip is cancelled at the last minute due to external events outside our reasonable control (natural disasters, terrorism, etc) we will issue full refunds less any unrecoverable costs. This type of scenario is unlikely but always a possibility - get that travel insurance!

    DEPOSIT
    You are required to pay a deposit of $600USD per person per trip for your booking to be confirmed. This deposit is fully refundable for 30 days after which point it is non-refundable. If your booking is made within 90 days of departure then the full amount is due at the time of booking and the 30 day full refund offer does not apply; you will be refunded 50% of your total payment if you cancel between 61-90 days from departure. Please note that trip transfer credit is not redeemable for cash; if you use a credit to pay your deposit then you may transfer to another trip without penalty for the first 30 days, but you cannot receive a refund.

    FINAL PAYMENTS
    Payment of the balance of the trip price is due 90 days before the departure date. Though we will make every attempt to remind you of the due date, if this balance is not paid on or before the due date we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled.

    PASSPORT AND VISAS
    You must carry a valid passport and obtain all of the appropriate visas, permits and certificates for the countries which you will visit during your trip. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the duration of the trip, or for the length of time specified by your country. We are not responsible if you are refused entry to a country because you lack the correct passport, visa or other travel documentation.

    There will be a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 14 runners.


    FAQ