The hike by foot does not take days, it takes about 4-5 hours each way, in absolutely beautiful surroundings. If you really want to hummer your way past that, check with Iceland Search-And-Rescue or Icelandic Touring Association or Útivist, they ought to be able to tell you whether it’s permitted, and give you some advice. You will need to know how to drive in rough terrain, cross rivers, etc. I suggest the hike.

I was wondering if you thought this was a possible option for late April: drive to Skógar in the morning, see the skogarfoss waterfall and then begin to hike to the volcano, reach the volcano in the late evening and stay to see it after sundown, then hike back and drive into reykjavik.

I’m assuming this would be pretty strenuous as we wont return until very late and it will be a full day of hiking but is there anything else I should consider (e.g. hiking the trail at night).

Thanks again,
Ben

Hiking Fimmvörðuháls from the south side (from Skógar) is permitted now, but they urge people to be careful and well-prepared, and they stress that you are there on your own, the responsibility is all yours.

The glacier itself (Eyjafjallajökull) and Þórsmörk are still no-access zones, and the road up Fimmvörðuháls is closed to cars because it’s too wet.

You would drive to Skógar, which is perfectly reachable in a normal car, and hike up from there. You should register at Skógar so that they know you’re there in case you get into trouble. Expect to take about five hours to reach the top in good conditions — but whether you get good conditions is a total crapshoot. I’ve been lost there in a blizzard, half my group needed to be rescued back off the mountain, one of us got hypothermia … and this was in July. Weather up there changes real fast, so dress and pack accordingly.

Landsbjörg has this advice for you, which I’ll translate here:

• Follow the weather report and take it into account.
• Make a travel plan and leave it with friends/family.
• Familiarize yourself with the area.
• Good clothing is of course utterly crucial. Ideally wear several layers of breathable clothing and the outermost layer needs to be waterproof.
• Pack at least a minimal first-aid kit and energy-rich food.
• Good telecommunications equipment is important for safety, and you have to know how to use it. A VHF radio or an NMT phone can make all the difference if something goes wrong, and to be able to notify others of a changed plan.
• A GPS locator and a compass should be standard equipment. And you have to know how to use them.
• A sleeping bag, an insulating mattress and a waterproof outer bag or a small tent can make the difference between life and death if a traveller needs to lie outdoors for some reason.
• It is better to back out in time than to get yourself into real trouble.

Also, since you will probably be carrying expensive and heavy photo gear, make sure you pack it nice and waterproof — and make sure you are ready to carry it all along with your food and other necessities for ten hours.

Can’t blame you, I really want to go there myself! Just make sure you take the place seriously; people have died up there in more favorable seasons than this. Enjoy!

I was wondering if the Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail is still open to the public as I would like to get fairly close to the volcano to photograph it. I see there are tours that take you to the base of it but they are very expensive and I am trying to find an alternate way of getting to it or any good vantage points that can be reached in a normal car.

Any information you have would be really helpfull.
Thanks in advance
Paul