Þórsmörk in winter 2026-27

Can you visit Þórsmörk in winter 2026-27?

Yes, on a guided super jeep tour. There is no bus, and no rental car may cross the rivers on the F249.

Safetravel says the F-roads are usually closed from mid September until June or July, and in that period they are "closed/impassable for anyone not in a modified vehicle (superjeep)". The same page is blunt about rivers: "no insurance covers any damage of a vehicle while crossing a river". Rental contracts forbid the Krossá anyway.

Public transport into the valley is over for the year. The Highland Bus ran its last return on 24 September, and the Southcoast Adventure shuttle from Hvolsvöllur runs its last day on 1 November 2026. Both operators will publish summer 2027 dates later; our bus season recap has the 2026 times.

Which Þórsmörk tours run this winter?

The Midgard super jeep day and the Southcoast Adventure super jeep day both run all year, and private Arctic Trucks trips run from Reykjavík. The Midgard hike day stops after October.

Midgard Adventure lists its Þórsmörk super jeep day as "All Year" and writes that "thanks to our super jeeps, Þórsmörk is accessible year-round". You can add a lunch box from the Midgard restaurant when booking. Southcoast Adventure's Þórsmörk super jeep tour runs "Daily, All year round" at 10:00 from Brú base camp, with a light lunch included.

From Reykjavík, the private Arctic Trucks day includes hotel pickup in a 38-inch jeep. The one to cross off is Midgard's hike day: it is graded May to October, so it is gone until spring. Winter walks are shorter and depend on snow, but they happen. A Southcoast Adventure guest wrote in October 2023: "We went on a snowy day, bit still had an opportunity to hike and see some amazing sites."

How much daylight is there in Þórsmörk in winter?

About four and a half hours around the solstice, rising to around seven by early February and ten by March.

The times below are calculated for Hvolsvöllur and rounded; they match the University of Iceland almanac tables for Reykjavík within a few minutes. Þórsmörk sits deep between mountains, so the sun clears the ridges later and drops behind them earlier than these numbers suggest.

In December, a 7-hour tour starting at 10:00 begins in twilight and ends in the dark. You lose nothing on the drive in, since twilight gives usable light for an hour on either side of sunrise and sunset. If photos matter, go in February or March. The light is low and gold all day, and you get twice the hours.

What are the roads and rivers like in winter?

The Ring Road to Hvolsvöllur stays open but can close in storms. Inside Þórsmörk the guides choose the route on the day, and some stops may change or drop.

Check umferdin.is (the Road Administration's live map, or phone 1777) the evening before and the morning of your tour. Hellisheiði, the pass between Reykjavík and Selfoss, is the stretch most likely to slow you down. Check vedur.is for wind and precipitation warnings too.

Past Seljalandsfoss, the F249 is the super jeep's job. Rain, a thaw or a cold snap change the fords from week to week, so the guide decides which crossings are sensible and which stops happen. The Midgard listing says the tour "operates in all weather conditions". It also needs at least four guests; with fewer, Midgard offers an alternative trip or a full refund.

Dress for wet cold, not deep cold. Our what to wear guide has the list.

How do you book a winter Þórsmörk tour?

Book once your flights are fixed, pick a start point you can actually reach, and leave a spare day for weather. Every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours before.

The two best-reviewed shared tours start in the south: Midgard Base Camp in Hvolsvöllur and Southcoast Adventure's Brú base camp on road 249, about 1.5 hours from Reykjavík. Neither includes Reykjavík pickup. In winter that drive is the riskiest part of the day, so sleep in Hvolsvöllur or Hella the night before if you can. No car? Strætó still runs to Hvolsvöllur every day; see our bus post.

Put the tour early in your trip. If a storm cancels it, you still have days to rebook. Want snow under you, not just around you? Southcoast Adventure's Eyjafjallajökull snowmobiling runs daily from 1 November to 15 June from the same base camp. For the full picture of winter trips, read our winter guide.

A super jeep through the fords with short hikes and lunch included, daily all year from Brú base camp.

★ 4.9 · Full day · from $396

Explore the super jeep day with lunch → Tour details

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