The 3 Peaks Challenge in Iceland
- Iceland
- 5 nights
An otherworldly summit-bagging expedition amidst epic scenery in the land of fire and ice
What's Included?
- Activities & Certified GuidesAll itinerary activities with local, expert mountaineering guides
- Hotel5 nights in cosy 3-star hotels
- MealsAll breakfasts are included
- TransfersPick up and drop off at your accommodation in Reykjavik, and everything in between
- EquipmentAll your climbing equipment
- Maximum group size: 12Join small n’ sociable groups of like-minded, active and outdoorsy people – designed to be solo-friendly
From…excluding flights
Highlights
Learn how to use ice axes, ropes and crampons as you clamber to Vörðuskeggi Peak (805m) and climb the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano (1651m)
Tackle a lung-busting ascent in the Vatnajökull National Park to the snow-encrusted summit of Iceland's highest peak, Hvannadalshnúkur (2110m)
Wonder at Iceland's classic sights between summits - spectacular geysers, thundering waterfalls and the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon
Deemed 'a perfect introduction to mountaineering' (opens in new tab) by The Independent
Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to Reykjavik
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Head to Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. After checking into your guesthouse, set off and explore the city’s huge array of quaint bars, cafes, art museums and churches.
Day 2
Vörðuskeggi Peak and classic Iceland sights
Hiking7-8hrs · 13.5km · 735m up · 740m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast includedShow Day 2 detailHide detail
Your guides will pick you up at your accommodation in Reykjavik at 08:00 and drive you east, to the Hengill volcano massif. Get stuck into the challenge straight away with a climb up Vörðuskeggi Peak (805m). From the top you can see Lake Þingvellir and Langjökull to the north, as well as Eyjafjallajökull and the distant Westman Islands. Later in the day, you'll catch some of Iceland's famous sights - the geothermal area at Geysir and the waterfall of Gullfoss - before driving to your hotel in the area of Flúðir.
Day 3
Summit Eyjafjallajökull
Hiking9-11hrs · 17km · 1600m up · 1600m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast includedShow Day 3 detailHide detail
Fuel up on breakfast at the hotel before setting off to climb the infamous Eyjafjallajökull – best known for erupting in 2010 and causing enormous disruption to air travel across western and northern Europe for several days. It is a 1651m high stratovolcano with a magnificent view from the top. The ascent is a doozy – expect around 1600m of elevation and 9-12 hours of pure Icelandic wilderness hiking and climbing.
Day 4
Explore Iceland's south coast
HotelTwin shareBreakfast includedShow Day 4 detailHide detail
Take a day away from the peaks and rest the legs a little, as you explore the beautiful south coast. Head to the black beach of Reynisfjara, the picturesque village of Vík and into Skaftafell National Park to see the stunning glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón. Enjoy dinner and an early night at your hotel – the trip's biggest challenge awaits you tomorrow...
Day 5
Iceland's highest peak
Hiking12-14hrs · 22km · 2040m up · 2040m downHotelTwin shareBreakfast includedShow Day 5 detailHide detail
Today is the big one as you make the ascent of Hvannadalshnúkur (2110m) – Iceland’s highest peak. Make no mistake, this is a seriously tough summit: with 2000m of ascent, it can take 12-14 hours (though there are plenty of daylight hours this far north in summer). Your guides will assist with the technical sections and show you how to safely use ice axes and ropes when needed – you will have had ample tuition and preparation on the previous days. The peak of Hvannadalshnúkur is on the north-western rim of the Öræfajökull volcano and promises an unforgettable ascent, with breathtaking panoramic views. Celebrate your achievement back at the hotel with a well-earned beer and dinner, before you collapse into bed.
Day 6
Back to Reykjavik
Breakfast includedShow Day 6 detailHide detail
With three successful ascents under your belt, make your way back westward along the scenic south coast of Iceland, passing beneath Eyjafjallajökull and stopping to visit the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, as well as the waterfalls at Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. You'll arrive back in Reykjavík in the late afternoon, where you'll bid your guides farewell.
Practical Stuff
Getting There
- Nearest airport
- Reykjavik Airport (RKV)
- Pick up
- Reykjavik accommodation
Flexible - arrive any time on Day 1 - Drop off
- Reykjavik (your accommodation or the bus station)
17:00 on Day 6
This Trip is Graded Level 7
What is and isn't Included?
What's included
- Guided ascent to the summit of Vörðuskeggi (805m)
- Visits to the geothermal area at Geysir and the waterfall of Gullfoss
- Guided ascent to the summit of Eyjafjallajökull (1651m)
- Visits to Reynisfjara black beach, the village of Vík and the glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón
- Guided hike to the summit of Hvannadalshnúkur (2110m), Iceland's highest mountain
- Visits to the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon and the waterfalls at Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss
- Expert, local, English-speaking mountaineering guides
- 5 nights in cosy 3-star hotels
- 4 buffet-style breakfasts
- All transfers during the trip, from your accommodation in Reykjavik to the end point in Reykjavik city centre
- All climbing equipment
What's not included
Our trips do not include flights, trains or other travel to the start point and back from the end point.
This trip begins and end in central Reykjavik, so you'll need to make your own way to and from the airport – see the 'Getting There' section for more information.
Tips are not included in the trip cost; these are entirely at your discretion. If you would like to tip, the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality.
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness. Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine (opens in new tab), as their insurance offers all of the above.
Visa requirements often change, and you are responsible for obtaining any required visas for this trip. Please check with your nearest embassy or consulate for up-to-date advice.
Where You'll Stay
Looking for a private room? See Optional Extras for details and pricing.
What You'll Eat
You'll fuel up each morning with breakfast buffets at the hotels, where cereals, fruit, pastries, bread, cheese, meats, jams, tea and coffee are on offer. You'll need to buy a packed lunch each day to take out on the summits with you - your host will…
Optional Extras
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation
- Double/Twin Room in Reykjavik: Prices starting from...
- …/per night
- Single Room in Reykjavik: Prices starting from...
- …/per night
Upgrades
- Optional Private Room Upgrade
- …/per person
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
If you'd like to extend your stay in Iceland your host can also help to arrange extra nights' accommodation in Reykjavik before or after the tour (subject to availability). Prices are available on request from your host.
To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
Ratings & Reviews
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Before You Travel
What to Pack

Know before you go! Some stuff we'll provide, other things you'll need to bring.
FAQs
What do I do about drinking water?
Tap water is perfectly safe to drink in Iceland. Bring along a bladder and/or water bottles to carry water with you on the summit days.
Why doesn't the volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula affect this trip?
As the Icelandic Tourist Board explains in this video, it's confined to the Reykjanes Peninsula and not affecting travel at all. Iceland is open for business and perfectly safe.
Can I leave my excess luggage somewhere?
There are four centrally located places in Reykjavik where you can store luggage. Speak to your host about the options, or you can pre-book here.
Will the other people in my group all be Much Better Adventurers?
Whilst most of our trips are exclusive to Much Better Adventures, due to the nature of this destination and the design of the trip, this particular host also sells this adventure via other channels. This means that it’s possible that your group may consist of people who haven't booked through the Much Better Adventures website. But rest assured, anyone booking this trip is in search of an active, outdoors adventure, just as you are!
Cold climate: what factors should I consider?
This trip includes locations or elevations where conditions can be extremely cold. Daytime temperatures may drop below freezing (0°C/32°F), and nights are often significantly colder. These conditions can affect physical performance and increase the risk of exposure-related issues, such as frostbite or hypothermia.
Your guide is trained to manage these risks, adapting activity intensity and monitoring group wellbeing. However, it's important to take personal responsibility – bringing the right cold-weather gear (see Kit List), staying hydrated and well-nourished, and recognising early signs of cold stress.
We recommend assessing your personal comfort and resilience in cold environments, and consulting a medical professional if you have health conditions that may be affected. Arriving early can also help you acclimatise to the colder conditions, especially if you're coming from a much warmer climate.
Can I book on my own?
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Who is running the trip?
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
What is the official travel advice?
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
What vaccinations do I need?
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
How are the trips priced?
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
Why are your adventures only for adults?
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
Who else will be on my trip?
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
What's the weather like?
As the old Icelandic saying goes, “If you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes.” Icelandic weather is famously fickle so you’ll need to prepare for anything - from balmy all-day sunshine in the mid-twenties, to wind, rain - and everything in between! This is all part of the adventure, but be sure to pack good waterproofs in case the rain gods come calling. At the higher altitudes you'll be reaching on this trip, the temperatures drop down to near freezing at times and the snow cover increases.
What's the carbon footprint for this trip?
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 127kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
- A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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