Midgard Adventure · Hvolsvöllur
Midgard's guides drive a small group from their base camp in Hvolsvöllur up road F249, through the glacial rivers and into Þórsmörk, with short walks at Gígjökull, a canyon and a viewpoint. Pick it if you want the valley without a long hike: it is the most reviewed Þórsmörk trip on Viator, and the guides get named in almost every review.
Midgard Adventure runs this day from its base camp and restaurant in Hvolsvöllur, a village on Route 1 about 106 km and 1.5 hours east of Reykjavík. That is the first thing to know. The listing excludes pickup and drop-off in Reykjavík, so you drive yourself to Hvolsvöllur, stay the night nearby, or take Strætó's route 53. From the base camp the jeep heads east, turns up F249 at Seljalandsfoss and starts fording the unbridged rivers that stop rental cars. Resellers list the start at 9:00 or 10:00, and the whole day takes about 7 hours.
Inside the valley the program bends to the weather. Guests describe Gígjökull, the glacier tongue whose lagoon the 2010 eruption filled with flood debris, a walk into Stakkholtsgjá canyon, lunch somewhere in Þórsmörk, and on good days a climb to a lookout over the Krossá plain. One reviewer counted five stops. The walks are short, and Midgard rates the day 2 out of 5 for effort. If you came to hike for hours, book the Þórsmörk hike day instead: a 2025 guest gave this trip three stars for exactly that reason.
Two practical caveats. Food is not included, so order a Midgard lunch box with your booking or pack your own. And the tour needs four people: with fewer bookings Midgard offers another trip or a full refund. Midgard's own website also sells a longer version from Reykjavík with pickup at bus stop 1 by City Hall, 10 to 12 hours door to door, if driving is the problem.
Park at Dufþaksbraut 14 in Hvolsvöllur and collect your lunch box if you ordered one. Arrive 15 minutes early.
Past Seljalandsfoss the tarmac ends. The jeep fords the glacial rivers on the way in, the part most guests remember first.
A stop at the Gígjökull glacier tongue, then a short walk into a canyon such as Stakkholtsgjá, where a waterfall hides at the far end.
Your own food or a Midgard lunch box, eaten in Þórsmörk with the group.
Weather and group allowing, a climb to a lookout over the valley. Guests say the guides let slower walkers turn back or wait.
The jeep drops you at the base camp, where the restaurant serves dinner.
★★★★★This tour far exceeded our expectations! We visited 5 beautiful locations and each one was better than the last. [...] Lunch boxes (ordered separately from Midgard) were delicious and we highly recommend. We also had a great dinner at the base camp after the tour!
★★★★★Torri was also excellent about ensuring everyone was comfortable and went at a pace that was good for them. If we wanted to press on to a particular area, we were encouraged to take our time and not rush. If anyone hit a point where they wanted to turn back or stay put, he was also very accommodating.
★★★★★First of all, these jeeps are way bigger than they look in the pictures, which is absolutely necessary to explore these parts of Iceland, so don’t be fooled into thinking you can do it in your rental car. [...] At one point there was a mechanical issue with our jeep, and the company sent a new jeep while we were on our hike, so no time was lost.
★★★★★Our hikes up a slot canyon and up a glacial valley were beautiful and memorable. The high point was hiking up a mountain overlooking Porsmork Valley and viewing the river below and the glaciers all around us.
Read next:
No. This listing starts and ends at Midgard Base Camp in Hvolsvöllur, and Reykjavík pickup is listed as excluded. Midgard sells a separate, longer version from Reykjavík on its own site. On Viator, Gravel Travel's 4x4 day is the shared option with city pickup.
Short walks: a canyon, the glacier tongue, and on good days a viewpoint climb of an hour or so. Midgard rates the effort 2 out of 5. If you want 3 to 5 hours on foot, take the hike day tour.
No. Food and drinks are excluded. Order a Midgard lunch box when you book or bring your own; guests who ordered one liked it.
Not in a rental car. F249 has unbridged rivers, rental contracts forbid crossing the Krossá and insurance excludes river damage. Our guide to getting to Þórsmörk covers the summer Highland Bus, the only cheap way in.
Ready to book
River crossings, Gígjökull, a canyon and a valley viewpoint with Midgard's guides, from their base camp in Hvolsvöllur. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Þórsmörk 4x4 Day Trip from ReykjavíkThe shared Þórsmörk day with Reykjavík pickup: 10 hours, Wi-Fi on board, no car needed. New, with two reviews so far.★ 5.0 · 10 hours · from $339
Þórsmörk Super Jeep with Hikes & LunchLunch at the Volcano Huts in Húsadalur, up to four short hikes, from Brú base camp just past Seljalandsfoss.★ 4.9 · Full day · from $396
Þórsmörk Hike Day Tour by Super JeepSuper jeep in, then 3 to 5 hours on foot on Valahnúkur or the Tindfjöll loop. May to October, from Hvolsvöllur.★ 4.9 · 7 hours · from $320