Hut Categories and Facilities
Icelandic mountain huts fall into several categories. The most developed huts, operated by organizations like Ferðafélag Íslands (Iceland Touring Association), provide bunk beds, cooking facilities, running water, and sometimes shower facilities. These huts accommodate 20-50 people in dormitory-style rooms. Bedding is typically not provided—hikers bring sleeping bags.
Mid-range huts offer basic shelter with sleeping platforms, minimal cooking facilities, and sometimes no running water. These require carrying more supplies and accepting more primitive conditions. Emergency huts scattered throughout the highlands provide only basic shelter with no amenities, intended for use in genuine emergencies rather than planned stays.
Cooking facilities vary considerably. Well-equipped huts have gas stoves, cooking pots, and eating utensils available for use. Simpler huts may have only a surface for setting up camping stoves, requiring hikers to carry all cooking equipment. Understanding what specific huts provide prevents arriving unprepared for cooking meals.
Booking and Availability
Popular routes like the Laugavegur Trail require advance booking, often months ahead for peak summer dates. Huts fill quickly, and without confirmed reservations, you may find no space available. Some huts enforce strict capacity limits for safety and environmental reasons, meaning showing up without reservation isn’t an option.
The booking process typically occurs online through the managing organization’s website. Payment is required at booking, and cancellation policies vary. Some huts allow cancellations with partial refunds if done well in advance, while others have strict no-refund policies. Travel insurance that covers accommodation costs makes sense given unpredictable weather that might force route changes.
Less popular routes may have space available without advance booking, but this gamble isn’t advisable. Even if space exists, the hut warden needs accurate counts for safety tracking and food planning if meals are provided. Booking ensures your place and allows proper planning.
Warden Services and Meal Options
Some huts, particularly on popular routes, have resident wardens during summer months who provide meals, maintain facilities, and offer route advice based on current conditions. These wardens are invaluable resources for weather forecasts, trail conditions, and river crossing information. Their local knowledge often exceeds what guidebooks or forecast services provide.
Meals at warden-staffed huts vary from basic soups and sandwiches to complete dinners. Meal service must be arranged when booking—you can’t typically decide upon arrival whether to purchase dinner. Prices reflect the reality of helicopter-supplied mountain locations but provide convenience and reduce pack weight.
Self-catering remains common in many huts. Hikers carry food supplies and prepare their own meals using hut facilities. This requires planning food quantities carefully, as resupply options in Iceland’s interior are non-existent. Running out of food means either cutting the trek short or potentially dangerous rationing.
Water and Sanitation
Most huts have access to water, either from streams, springs, or collected rainwater. In volcanic areas, water may have high mineral content or slight sulfur taste but is generally safe. Some huts have limited water availability during dry spells, and conservation is expected.
Toilet facilities range from flush toilets in well-developed huts to composting toilets or simple outhouses. Some remote huts have no facilities, requiring use of designated areas away from water sources. All toilet paper and hygiene products must be packed out in areas without proper waste management. The cold climate and fragile environment mean decomposition occurs extremely slowly.
Hot showers exist in some huts, often for an additional fee. Water heating is energy-intensive in these locations, so shower availability and duration may be limited. Many huts have no shower facilities at all, making wet wipes or accepting several days without washing the reality.
Sleeping Arrangements and Personal Space
Dormitory-style sleeping is standard in Icelandic huts. Bunk rooms accommodate 6-12 or more people, with little privacy beyond the sleeping bag you’ve brought. Noise from snoring, early risers, or late arrivals affects everyone. Earplugs are valuable for sleeping in these environments.
Some huts offer smaller rooms for couples or families, bookable at premium rates. These provide more privacy but are limited in number and book up earliest. Most hikers should expect shared dormitory accommodation and plan accordingly with appropriate sleep gear and tolerance for communal living.
Bedding is not provided—hikers bring sleeping bags rated for expected temperatures. Huts can be cold, particularly early and late in the season. A sleeping bag rated for 0 degrees Celsius or lower makes sense, as huts are not heated or heating is minimal. Sleeping bag liners add warmth and hygiene benefits.
Environmental Considerations and Rules
Huts in Iceland enforce strict environmental rules. All trash must be packed out—there are no waste disposal services in the interior. This includes all food waste, packaging, and personal hygiene products. Some huts provide bags for collecting waste, but ultimately hikers carry it out.
Smoking is prohibited inside huts and often in surrounding areas due to fire risk and environmental impact. Alcohol policies vary by hut and organization—some allow it in moderation, others prohibit it entirely. These rules exist for good reasons in isolated, environmentally sensitive locations.
Designated camping areas near some huts allow tent camping, often at reduced cost compared to hut stays. This provides flexibility if huts are full or if you prefer camping. However, the same environmental rules apply, and wild camping outside designated areas is prohibited or strongly discouraged in many regions.
Communication and Emergency Protocols
Most interior huts lack phone service or internet connectivity. Some have emergency satellite phones or radios for warden use, but hikers should not expect communication capabilities. This isolation is part of the highland experience but means planning must account for inability to check weather updates, communicate changes in plans, or call for non-emergency assistance.
Huts maintain emergency protocols for serious situations. Wardens have training in first aid and evacuation procedures. In true emergencies, helicopter evacuation is possible but weather-dependent and expensive. Travel insurance that covers helicopter rescue in Iceland is strongly recommended.
Organized Trek Logistics
For those organizing multi-day highland treks, hiking tours Iceland handles the complexity of hut bookings, meal arrangements, and coordination with wardens. This is particularly valuable given that popular huts book up months in advance and the consequences of arriving at a full hut in Iceland’s interior are serious. Having these logistics pre-arranged allows focus on hiking rather than coordination.
Hut Etiquette and Community
Icelandic huts operate on cooperative principles. Everyone contributes to maintaining cleanliness, helping with tasks, and respecting shared space. Taking boots off inside, keeping noise down during sleeping hours, and cleaning up after cooking are expected behaviors.
The communal environment creates opportunities for meeting other hikers and sharing experiences. Evening conversation in hut common areas is part of the mountain culture. However, respecting those who want quiet or early sleep is equally important. Headphones for personal entertainment and quiet voices after designated quiet hours maintain good community relations.
Seasonal Operational Changes
Hut operations vary by season. Peak summer months (July-August) see full services, staffed wardens, and maximum availability. Early June and late August/September may have reduced services or unstaffed operation. Outside the official season, most huts are locked or accessible only in emergency situations.
Weather can force early hut closures if conditions deteriorate beyond forecasts. Flexibility in trek timing and willingness to cut routes short if necessary are important. The highland environment is unforgiving, and huts may close access to protect both visitors and staff when conditions become dangerous.
