Iceland's best hikes are wonderful and unforgiving in equal measure. The weather can turn from sunshine to sideways rain in twenty minutes. Trailheads can be hours from the nearest store. And cold, wind and wet clothes burn through calories much faster than a summer hike back home.
What you pack to eat can be the difference between a great day and a miserable one. Here's what to bring.
What makes a good Iceland trail snack
Look for food that is:
- Dense: lots of calories and protein for its weight
- Weatherproof: won't freeze solid, melt or get soggy in the rain
- Packable: won't crush, and leaves little trash behind
- Easy to eat with cold hands: no peeling, no utensils
The best snacks to pack
Icelandic dried fish
Iceland's original trail food. Dried fish weighs almost nothing, never freezes, doesn't melt and is roughly 80–85% protein. A bag in your jacket pocket keeps you going between viewpoints. Eat it plain on the trail, or bring a few pats of butter the way Icelanders do. Look for bags labeled harðfiskur (HARTH-fis-kur) in any grocery store.
Rye flatbread with smoked lamb or cheese
Icelandic grocery stores sell thin, charred rye flatbreads that hold up much better in a pack than a sandwich on soft bread. Fold them around sliced smoked lamb or cheese from the deli section.
Rye bread sandwiches
Dense Icelandic rye bread is sturdy enough to survive a day in a backpack. Butter and smoked trout or salmon on rye is a proper Icelandic lunch.
Chocolate
Cold weather is when chocolate earns its keep. Icelandic chocolate, especially the licorice-filled kind, is a morale booster on a long climb.
Nuts, seeds and dried fruit
Unglamorous but effective. Buy a big bag at the grocery store before you leave town.
Skyr (day one only)
Icelandic yogurt is high in protein and filling, but it needs to stay cold. Eat it for breakfast or the first stop of the day. It won't last into day two.
A thermos
Not a snack, but just as important. A hot drink at a windy lookout is a lifesaver. Most gas stations will fill it with coffee or hot water.
What about water?
Iceland's tap water is some of the cleanest in the world. Fill your bottles before you leave. On the trail, many hikers drink from clear mountain streams, but use your judgment. Glacial meltwater is often cloudy with fine silt, and streams near grazing sheep or popular campsites are best treated. A lightweight filter is worth carrying on multi-day treks.
How much to pack
Bring more than you think you need. A hike planned for four hours can easily become six with a weather delay, a wrong turn or a spot too beautiful to leave. A good rule: pack one more meal than your plan calls for.
Snack plans for popular hikes
Reykjadalur hot river valley (near Hveragerði): A short hike with a soak in a warm river at the end. Pack a light lunch and something salty for after the hot water.
Glymur waterfall: A half-day loop with river crossings and steep sections. Bring proper snacks, since you'll be climbing for a while.
Fimmvörðuháls pass (Skógar to Þórsmörk): A long day over a mountain pass between two glaciers. Pack a full day of food plus extra in case weather forces you to wait.
Laugavegur trail: Iceland's famous multi-day trek, about 34 miles (55 km), usually done in three to four days with nights in mountain huts. Plan meals carefully, keep weight down and lean heavily on calorie-dense, dried food.
Where to stock up
Do your shopping in a town with a full-size supermarket before you drive to the trailhead. Bónus, Krónan and Nettó are the main chains and much cheaper than gas stations or tourist shops. Many trailheads, especially in the highlands, have no shop at all.
Leave it as you found it
Pack out everything you bring in, including food scraps. Iceland's moss and soil are slow to recover, and there are rarely trash cans on the trail.
Bring the trail snack home
Plenty of hikers come back from Iceland converted to dried fish. It makes so much sense as hiking food that it's strange it isn't everywhere already.
That's why we're making HardFish: Icelandic cod with nothing added but salt, about 84% protein and a resealable pouch built for a backpack. Join the founding list and we'll let you know when it launches in the U.S.