THERMAL BASE LAYER

You’ll need a thin, snug fitting top and bottom set that you can wear underneath everything. These will regulate your body temperature by wicking sweat away from your skin. We recommend a sport synthetic fabric like polyester or merino wool. Plus Snow makes high quality thermal tops and bottoms that GAL Andrea loves! She’s even on the website. They are an Australian company so make sure you use their Shop Your Shape function to ensure you get the right fit.

3 PAIRS HIKING SOCKS

Bring durable wool socks in a few different weights - lighter for warmer days, and heavier ones for the nights and colder days. A couple pairs of liner socks are great to help prevent blisters too! We love Darn Tough’s Hiker Boot Sock in Full Cushion.

SPORTS BRAS

Bring bras that provide support, feel comfortable against your skin, dry quickly and don't bind, smoosh or chafe. We love Superfit Hero.

UNDERWEAR

Bring as many pairs as you know you’ll want! TomBoyX and Go Buck Naked make quality performance underwear.

DAYPACK

You’ll need a lightweight hiking backpack to wear on the hikes and to carry your water, extra layers, snacks, etc. Something around 30 L should work perfectly. We recommend getting one that is compatible with a water bladder and hose, and has a built-in rain cover. We love Gregory because they have an exclusive line of packs for plus-size hikers!

WATER BLADDER

Staying hydrated is so important when you’re hiking! We highly recommend getting a 3 L water bladder with an insulated tube and cap. It’s the easiest way to carry and drink water while trekking.

WATER BOTTLE

Bring a 1L wide mouth, BPA-free plastic Nalgene water bottle to fill with fresh Icelandic glacial natural spring water!

TREKKING POLES

These are MANDATORY, and a life (and knee) saver on varied terrain! Make sure they are collapsible, for easy stashing, and simple to adjust for up and downhill. Check out our favs at Leki and Black Diamond.

BONUS: You get 15% off Leki poles for being a part of the WHOA family! Just use this special link to see our fav poles and save!

RAIN PONCHO

A poncho is perfect to throw on to protect you and your daypack from water when it’s too hot or uncomfortable to wear a waterproof jacket. Please only bring a durable, reusable poncho, and if you don’t bring a poncho, be sure you have a light weight waterproof jacket. 

FOUR SEASON SLEEPING BAG

We recommend a zero degree Fahrenheit bag like this Big Agnes. However, if you tend to sleep warm a 20 degree sleeping bag like this one from Marmot or this double sleeping bag from Big Agnes might be a better option.

SLEEPING BAG LINER

This will add an extra layer of warmth at night. We recommend SeaToSummit!

DUFFLE BAG OR SMALL OVERNIGHT BAG

For 2 nights we will be staying at a hut in Þórsmörk, everything you need for the three hiking days (sleeping bag, extra gear, toiletries, etc.) should be packed in a small duffle or something similar to be transported by jeep to the huts. We love the NorthFace Base Camp small duffel for this. (All of your non-hiking gear will be stored at Midgard Base Camp in your luggage.)

BUFF OR BANDANA

An all around great item to always have with you! You can use it as a neck gaiter, head band, sweat rag, etc. Plus, there are so many different fun designs to choose from!

HEADLAMP

Important for when the sun sets at camp. Start the trek with fresh batteries, and bring a spare set just in case. We love Black Diamond.

POLARIZED SUNGLASSES

You have to protect your eyes from the sun! Make sure they are UV-blocking and polarized. Goodr makes ones that are good (and cute) for hiking.

SWIMSUIT

You always have to be ready for a spontaneous hot spring!

CAMERA + EXTRA BATTERIES

There are so many amazing photo ops! We highly recommend bringing a camera that is compact and durable. These days most smartphones have great cameras, and we’ve found DSLRs can be cumbersome while trekking, so think twice before bringing anything too fancy. Remember to always pack your electronics in waterproof bags or cases.

portable battery charger

Whatever electronics you choose to bring, make sure you have a way to recharge your batteries. We always have a portable battery charger on hand so our camera is charged and ready to catch any spontaneous dance parties that may break out!

MEDS

Common medications you might want to bring along include, pain relievers, anti-histamines, antidiarrheals, etc.

Icelandic króna

It’s good to have some on hand, but almost everywhere in Iceland will take credit card too.

PASSPORT

Bring a waterproof bag to keep it safe and dry. Also, it’s always a good idea to travel with an extra photocopy of it.

Travel Insurance

Travel doesn't always go as planned! That's part of the adventure, and it's also the reason we require all of our adventurers to have a travel insurance plan that includes medical coverage and emergency medical evacuation. We HIGHLY recommend purchasing a travel insurance plan ASAP to cover you financially with any costs that can come up like trip interruption or cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances. The IMG LX plan is one option that offers excellent medical and evacuation coverage, has no altitude restrictions, and offers cancel for any reason but do your research before purchasing a plan to make sure it works for you and your situation! 

reusable shopping bag

While you’re traveling, you’ll have quite a few chances to go shopping for souvenirs and snacks, so bring a small reusable shopping bag to eliminate the need to use a single use plastic bag. They’re also handy to have in case you need another bag to take on the plane. Just another way to make Mother Earth proud!

FIRST AID

We’ll have all this stuff on hand, but make sure you have a compact kit with Neosporin, bug spray, band-aids, moleskin, duct tape, anti-septic, etc. We like this one because it’s lightweight, waterproof, and has everything you might need.

SUNSCREEN + LIPSCREEN

This is a must have for being in the sun all day, even on overcast days! We love Raw Elements Natural Sunscreen because it works great, is reef friendly, and plastic free!

TOILETRIES

Don’t forget the essentials like deodorant, sun screen, lotion, lip balm, hair ties, hair brush, face wipes, tampons, contact solution, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, masks, and ear plugs etc. Remember our pledge to keep single use plastics out of the places we love and aim to use reusable bottles, bar soaps and biodegradable products!

QUICK DRY TOWEL + WET WIPES

Don't forget about the environment and make sure your wet wipes are biodegradable. We recommend this camp towel from REI.

LUGGAGE LOCK

Always lock your things! Have one to lock your suitcase that will stay at Base Camp while you’re trekking.

REUSABLE + Biodegradable BAGS

Let’s do our part to reduce plastic pollution around the world! When packing, please only utilize reusable bags like dry bags, silicone bags (we love Stasher), and dry pouches for waterproofing your phone/passport/money. We recommend bringing along lots of different shapes and sizes to help organize and separate all your gear, dirty clothing, and toiletries. Also, having a stash of brown paper lunch bags, sanitary bags, or biodegradable poop bags is a must have for collecting and carrying out trash on the trails.

SNACKS

There’s plenty of hearty food provided at meals but bring a few extra snacks. The days can be long and you need to keep your energy up! Make sure to grab some comfort foods! Your favorite snacks will give you that extra morale boost to finish each day strong. Some of our favorites are Cheez-Its and gummy worms.