Laugavegur Photography Jeep Tour

Landmannalaugar’s striped rhyolite mountains, black lava, and steaming ground are the heart of this photography-focused Super Jeep trip. You are not simply driven past the sights. The day is built around getting out, finding strong viewpoints, and giving you time to work with your camera.

I like the small group of up to 10, which should make stops less rushed, and I like the broad route, from Hekla and Dómadalur to Laugavegur, glaciers, and Þórsmörk. The main drawback is the price, $590 per person, and lunch is not included, so this makes most sense for serious photographers or anyone who values access to remote highland scenery.

Key points

• Landmannalaugar is the visual centerpiece: Rhyolite mountains, black lava fields, and a geothermal pool create a striking mix of color and texture.
• The route reaches remote highland sights: You visit Hekla, Frostastaðavatn, Ljótipollur, Emstrur, and viewpoints toward Þórsmörk.
• A Super Jeep makes the route possible: The tour uses a large off-road vehicle for the rough highland roads.
• Glacier views change through the day: Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull appear from several parts of the route.
• The guide is part of the experience: Expect local stories, explanations, and help understanding the places you photograph.
• Pack for a full outdoor day: Bring warm waterproof clothing, gloves, headwear, sturdy shoes, and snacks.

Why this route works for photographers

Many sightseeing trips in Iceland move at a quick clip. You stop, take a few pictures, and climb back into the vehicle before the light changes. This outing takes a different approach. Its purpose is to give you time with the scenery, not just a collection of drive-by views.

That matters in the Highlands. A mountain can look red, gold, gray, or purple depending on the weather and the angle of the light. Steam may soften one view, while black lava makes another look stark and graphic. You need a little time to notice those changes and choose a position.

The route also gives you variety. You are not spending 12 hours photographing one valley. You move through volcanic country, geothermal areas, open valleys, colored mountains, lakes, black lava, ice caps, and a dramatic river gorge. If you bring more than one lens, you may find use for both a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens.

The trip is led in English or Icelandic, and the local guide adds context to the places along the way. Two short comments from the available feedback point to the same useful quality: the guide was friendly, explained things clearly, and shared strong local insight. That is especially valuable here, since the scenery can be hard to read without someone explaining what you are seeing.

From Hella to Hekla, the Gateway to Hell

The meeting point is the bus stop in Hella, in the parking lot in front of the glass building. The tour returns there at the end of the day, so you do not need to arrange a separate pickup or figure out a new place to finish.

The first major goal is the Hekla volcano. Hekla is sometimes called the Gateway to Hell, a name that tells you something about its place in Icelandic folklore and its imposing appearance. The tour does not treat Hekla as a quick roadside photo. It forms the opening chapter of the route into the Highlands.

You should be ready for a long day from the start. The tour lasts 12 hours, and the highland route includes time in the vehicle as well as outdoor stops. That rhythm suits photographers who are happy to wait for a view, walk a short distance to a better angle, and keep an eye on changing weather.

The route then enters Dómadalur valley. Valleys like this help you see how quickly Iceland’s scenery can shift. The open ground, volcanic forms, and changing colors give you a chance to make wider photographs that show the scale of the area.

Frostastaðavatn and Ljótipollur add water and color

From Dómadalur, the Super Jeep continues toward Frostastaðavatn and Ljótipollur. These lakes bring a welcome change from volcanic ridges and open valley floors. Water reflects the sky, breaks up dark ground, and can give your photographs a clear foreground and middle distance.

Ljótipollur is a particularly useful stop for anyone who likes strong contrasts. The name translates roughly as Ugly Puddle, but the setting is far more dramatic than the nickname suggests. It is a crater lake surrounded by volcanic forms, and the combination of colored earth and blue water can produce some of the day’s most memorable images.

The exact look will depend on weather and light. That is part of the reason to avoid thinking of this as a simple checklist tour. Cloud can flatten distant ridges, but it can also give the scene mood. Clear weather may reveal more detail, while low cloud can make the volcanic colors feel stronger.

The guide’s role matters here. You will have someone to point out the best angles and explain the area, rather than relying only on a map pin and a hurried stop. The tour promises several photo locations, but it does not give fixed stop lengths, so be prepared for the guide to balance conditions, driving time, and the group’s needs.

Landmannalaugar delivers the strongest color

Landmannalaugar is the central attraction. This area is known for its colorful rhyolite mountains, a geothermal bathing pool, and steep black lava fields. Rhyolite is a volcanic rock that can appear in shades of red, orange, yellow, green, and gray. In Iceland’s famously changeable light, those colors can look subtle one moment and striking the next.

For photography, the appeal is not just the mountain color. Landmannalaugar offers layers. You can frame a broad mountain wall, isolate a ridge with a longer lens, or use the black lava as a bold foreground. Steam and geothermal activity add another visual element without needing a busy scene.

The geothermal pool is bordered by the lava fields, giving you a setting that feels unmistakably Icelandic. This tour is not presented as a bathing excursion, however, so you should think of the pool mainly as part of the scenery unless the guide says otherwise. Bring your camera, not the assumption that you will have time for a soak.

You will have a substantial stop here before returning to the Super Jeep. That is important. Landmannalaugar deserves more than a few minutes, and the tour’s photography focus gives you a better chance to work with the place. Wear shoes that can handle uneven ground and clothing that protects you from wind and rain.

The Laugavegur trail brings a new scale

After Landmannalaugar, the route continues toward the famous Laugavegur trail. Laugavegur is one of Iceland’s best-known hiking routes, valued for the way it links several types of highland scenery. On this outing, you experience part of that route by vehicle rather than completing it on foot.

That distinction is important when deciding if this trip suits you. You get access to areas associated with the trail without signing up for a multi-day hike. At the same time, you should not expect a long trekking day. This is a photography tour by Super Jeep, with walks and stops built around pictures rather than a full hiking itinerary.

The drive through Reykjadalir valley adds geothermal detail to the day. The valley has interesting hot ground, and the guide can help you understand what makes the area different from the volcanic scenery you have already seen. For photography, this portion gives you smaller details to work with, such as steam, rough ground, and unusual textures.

The route also opens views toward Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull. These ice caps help you read the scale of the Highlands. After photographing colored mountains and geothermal ground, you get a colder, more distant subject. Use a wider view to show the valley and ice, or compress the distance with a longer lens if you have one.

Emstrur and the ice caps change the mood

As the route gets closer to Road 1, the scenery shifts again. Ice caps become more prominent, and the tour reaches Emstrur hut. The setting offers a wide panorama with the highland ground in the foreground and the ice sheets beyond.

This is one of the strongest reasons to choose the full route rather than a shorter Landmannalaugar outing. You are not limited to the best-known colorful mountains. You also see how the Highlands connect volcanic valleys with broad areas of ice and open ground.

Emstrur may appeal most to photographers who like scale and clean composition. The scene can work as a simple image with a strong horizon, or as a layered frame with rough volcanic ground leading toward the glaciers. If the day is cloudy, the ice can blend into the sky. That is not a failure, but it may mean the view feels more atmospheric than colorful.

A 12-hour day gives the group time to reach these farther points, but it also requires patience. You will spend part of the day seated in the vehicle. If you want constant walking or a packed schedule of short hikes, this is probably not the right choice. If you enjoy moving between major viewpoints and using the vehicle to cover difficult ground, the long route is a benefit.

The final views toward Eyjafjallajökull and Þórsmörk

Near the end, the tour aims for views of Eyjafjallajökull and Þórsmörk valley from the west side of Markarfljótsgljúfur. This gives you a final change in angle and scenery. You are no longer looking only at a mountain or lake. You are photographing a large valley system, glacier, and gorge from a broad viewpoint.

Þórsmörk is closely associated with dramatic Icelandic scenery, but this tour gives you a view from the west side of Markarfljótsgljúfur rather than a full visit through the valley. That matters because the experience is about seeing and photographing the area, not spending hours exploring every part of it.

The final stop can be a good test of how you use your remaining time and memory-card space. The tour description itself makes a playful point of hoping you still have room for more pictures. Bring spare memory cards if you have them, and keep your battery charged. That is practical advice for any 12-hour photography day, even though extra equipment is not listed as an inclusion.

The return to Hella completes a long loop through the Highlands. Because the activity ends at the same meeting point, it is easy to understand the day’s structure: meet in Hella, spend the day on the highland route, and return to Hella.

What the $590 price really buys

At $590 per person, this is a major day-trip purchase. The price is easier to justify if you place value on the route, the Super Jeep, the small group, and the guide’s local explanations. You are paying for access to a remote part of Iceland over 12 hours, not for a short transfer to one viewpoint.

The group limit of 10 is also meaningful. A smaller group should make it easier to stop at photo locations without the feel of a large coach excursion. It does not guarantee unlimited time at every viewpoint, but it gives the guide a more workable group to manage.

Lunch is not included. Bring a packed lunch or substantial food along with snacks, as a day of driving, walking, wind, and outdoor photography can leave you hungry. The supplied information specifically recommends snacks, and that is advice worth following.

For a casual sightseer, the cost may be hard to defend. You can see spectacular Icelandic scenery on less expensive excursions. For a photographer, however, the value is in the combination of remote access, varied locations, and time designed around images. If you would otherwise need to rent a capable vehicle, plan the route, and deal with highland driving yourself, the guided format may make the price more reasonable.

Clothing and practical preparation

The weather can change quickly in Iceland’s Highlands, so dress for a full outdoor day rather than a comfortable bus ride. You should bring:

• Warm outdoor clothing
• A waterproof jacket and waterproof pants
• A hat or other headwear
• Gloves
• Suitable hiking shoes or sturdy outdoor footwear
• Snacks and your own lunch
• A camera with charged batteries and enough storage

The clothing advice is not a formality. You may be outside at several stops, and wind or rain can make an otherwise pleasant viewpoint uncomfortable. Waterproof trousers are especially useful if you plan to spend time setting up a tripod or waiting for the right light.

The tour is not suitable for children under six. The supplied details do not specify accessibility arrangements, walking distances, or tripod rules, so ask the provider directly if any of those points affect your plans.

The local guide speaks English or Icelandic. Two short pieces of feedback praise the guide’s friendly manner and clear explanations, while another describes the day as a once-in-a-lifetime experience with strong local passion. That does not remove the need to prepare for weather, but it does tell you what the human side of the day is meant to provide.

Who should book this highland photography day?

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a broad sample of Iceland’s southern Highlands and prefer to photograph rather than rush through a sightseeing list. It is especially suitable for photographers who want colorful mountains, lakes, geothermal ground, glaciers, and valley views in one long outing.

It also suits you if you do not want to drive a rough highland route yourself. The Super Jeep lets you cover ground that would be difficult to reach in an ordinary rental car, while the local guide handles the route and adds explanation along the way.

I would hesitate if you dislike long vehicle days, need a low-cost excursion, or want a strenuous walking tour. This is not a full Laugavegur trek, and it is not a family outing for very young children. It is a long, weather-exposed day built around remote scenery and cameras.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Iceland schedule is still changing, but they do not change the need to check the starting time and plan your day around the 12-hour duration.

Should you book the Laugavegur Photography Jeep Tour?

Book it if Landmannalaugar, the Highlands, and glacier views are high on your Iceland list, and you want a guide to connect them in one photography-minded route. The combination of Hekla, Ljótipollur, Landmannalaugar, Reykjadalir, Emstrur, Eyjafjallajökull, and Þórsmörk views gives you an unusually broad day of scenery.

Skip it if $590 feels too steep for a single excursion, or if you would rather spend the day hiking one area in depth. For everyone else, this is a strong choice for remote access, varied subjects, and clear local guidance. Pack lunch, dress for rough weather, and arrive with enough battery and memory for a very full camera roll.

FAQ

Where does the Laugavegur Photography Jeep Tour start?

It starts at the bus stop in Hella, in the parking lot in front of the glass building.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point in Hella.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts 12 hours. Starting times depend on availability.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $590 per person.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live guide speaks English and Icelandic.

How many people can join the tour?

The group is limited to 10 participants.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included, so you should bring food and snacks for the full day.

What should I wear and bring?

Bring warm outdoor clothing, a waterproof jacket and pants, headwear, gloves, suitable hiking boots or shoes, and snacks.

Can children under six join?

No. The activity is not suitable for children under six.