from€545£470
Slovakia
High Tatras Hut to Hut
Alpine drama at Slovak prices: four days across Europe's smallest high mountains.
- 6 days
- Max 10
- Difficulty 4/5
- Mountain chalets + guesthouse
- Duration
- 6 days
- Group size
- Max 14
- Difficulty
- Sleeps
- Hostels & farm guesthouses
- Season
- October to March
- Start / end
- Reykjavík → Reykjavík
- Per day
- €149£129
Overview
What this trip is
Winter is when Iceland is cheapest, emptiest and — if the sky plays along — lit up green. This is a minibus-and-boots trip along the south coast as far as the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, staying at rural hostels and farm guesthouses well away from city lights.
Days are short, so we use them well: a couple of proper walks, a guided glacier hike on crampons, and the classic waterfalls without the summer queues. Nights are for cooking together and watching the forecast.
We can't promise the aurora. We can promise we'll be in dark places, watching the cloud maps, and we'll wake you up.
Highlights
- Guided glacier walk on a Vatnajökull outlet glacier, crampons and ice axe provided
- Jökulsárlón lagoon and the ice-strewn Diamond Beach
- Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and the black sand at Reynisfjara
- Four rural nights under properly dark skies
Day by day
Itinerary
Day 1Arrive Reykjavík
Evening meet-up and briefing at the hostel.
Day 2Golden Circle5 km
Þingvellir rift valley walk, Geysir and Gullfoss, then on to a rural hostel near Hella. First aurora watch.
Day 3Waterfalls and black sand6 km · ↑ 200 m · ↓ 200 m
Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss (climb the 500-odd steps and walk upriver), Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara. Night near Vík.
Day 4Glacier day4 km
East across the Eldhraun lava to Skaftafell for a 3-hour guided glacier walk. Farm guesthouse under Vatnajökull — the darkest skies of the week.
Day 5Jökulsárlón and the road west
Sunrise at the glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach, then the long scenic drive back to Reykjavík with stops. Final night in the city.
Day 6Depart
Trip ends after breakfast.
The deal
What’s included, and what isn’t
Included
- Driver-guide and winter-equipped minibus throughout
- 5 nights in hostels and farm guesthouses (shared rooms)
- Breakfasts, plus ingredients for 3 group-cooked dinners
- Guided glacier walk with certified glacier guide and all equipment
Not included
- Flights and airport transfers
- Lunches, 2 dinners, drinks
- Optional extras such as lagoon spas
- Travel insurance (required)
The honest box
What’s basic about this trip
- No aurora guarantee. Nobody honest offers one.
- Four to six hours of daylight in midwinter, and the weather can close roads. The route flexes.
- We self-cater most dinners as a group. Everyone chops something.
Nothing hidden
Where your money goes
- Guides 27%
- Beds 27%
- Food 9%
- Transport 24%
- Us 13%
Indicative split for this trip. "Us" covers planning, insurance, this website and keeping the lights on.
When
Dates and availability
Pack
Kit list highlights
- Insulated waterproof boots
- Full waterproofs
- Thermal base layers
- Down or synthetic jacket
- Microspikes (we can lend)
- Head torch
- Swimsuit for hot pools
Good to know
Trip FAQs
What are the chances of seeing the northern lights?
Over five nights in dark locations between October and March the odds are decent, but cloud is the enemy and no operator controls it. We check the forecasts every evening and will drive to clear sky when it's feasible.
Is the glacier walk difficult?
No. It's an easy-paced three hours on crampons with a specialist guide. If you can walk uphill for an hour you'll be fine.
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Questions about this trip?
Ask about fitness, kit, the huts, the dogs, the weather. We’d rather you asked than guessed.