Hike to Mt Esja

Overview

Available languages

English

Mobile ticket

Mt. Esja is the signature mountain of the capital area and is popular amongst its inhabitants. There are quite a few routes to choose from, our route will be from Mógilsá to Þverfellshorn.

We pick you up and drive to Kollafjörður. We will park the car and start our hike to the top which will take less than 2 hrs. The view from the top is amazing and puts the capital area in a new context.

The hike is suitable both for beginners and experienced hikers

We hope you will leave with the feeling of stillness and being one with nature.

We look forward to walk with you!

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Private transportation

Bottled water

Snacks

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Welcome to Mt. Esja, the mountain that is the north backdrop of Reykjavík and the capital area. A popular mountain for outdoor activities, walking and hiking.

4 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Hike to Mt Esja

Pickup included

Reviews

4.97

40 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Hike in Iceland
Pamela T,
Jun 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Magnus was the most amazing guide. My 84 year old husband and my cousin went to mountain peaks ! They saw such beautiful things and Magnus was watching over and leading them, also an incredible help. He explained the nature ans answers so many questions on the hike too. He is the best guide! We will hike with him again! Just the most amazing experience on our whole trip. Pam, Horst and Matt
100% Recommend
Danrach H,
Feb 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Magnus was an excellent guide. It felt more like hiking with a buddy than a guide. I would 100% recommend.
Great hike with a good guide
SweeLin T,
Nov 6, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
The weather was terrible on the day of our hike on 3 Nov 2024, with heavy rain and super strong wind, but our guide Magnus and his dog Lisa were great! Lisa especially was really sensitive and would come walk next to me when I was slower. Reaching the summit was such an exhilarating experience. Great hike and highly recommended.
A rugged and also a rewarding mountain hike
Joe P,
Sep 14, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Great guide who also was extremely knowlegable about history and shared a lot with us. It is a rugged hike going up 1900 feet with about 4 miles total up and down. The views are great and you should be a good hiker in good condition.. It is a short distance out of Reykjavik so a good use of your time and worth the price for the two of us. We would be happy to do this again,
Great hike overlooking Reykjavík
Kimberly A,
Sep 13, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
It was a great hike to the Steinn of Mt Esja with Magnus! There was good communication leading up to and the pick up was from the hotel. Even though I stopped 10 times during the ascent he was patient, and his lab Lisa is so sweet and energetic. Overall took us a little bit over 2 hours to hike. You get to taste some fresh mountain water and wild berries too on the way up. Would recommend as a female solo traveller!
Esja in June with Magnus
GitteBg H,
Jun 22, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
I had the finest experience hiking on Esja with Magnus. Esja is a beautiful and friendly mountain. In this time of the year (June) the blue and white flowers are covering the landscape and make a fantastic contrast to the higher naked brown cliffs. Magnus was a super nice guide. He was relaxed and friendly, and what he knew about Island was told as short stories and easy understandable information. We had a good chat, and I enjoyed every minute. Magnus speaks rather good danish, and since we were only him and me, I felt happy to speak in my own language. I will gladly recommend this to everyone who likes walking in the nature
Awesome hike with Walk On Iceland
elliotp278,
Jun 13, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Wonderful experience! If you're into hiking and mountain climbing, you won't want to miss this experience. Mangus was an awesome guide. Bring your own crampons if you aren't comfortable walking on ice or you don't have the best hiking boots
A great trip with Magnus!!
Ellie B,
Apr 3, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Myself and my family completed the walk up mount esja with Magnus and what an amazing time we had!! He was clear about the route we would be following from the start of the walk and set a good walking pace for us. He did not make us feel rushed and we were able to take breaks as and when we needed and we did not feel any pressure to walk at a pace that did not suit us. Magnus was a great guide! He clearly knew the route very well, making us feel safe at all times. He had a lot of knowledge about the mountain and the nature, and we also enjoyed just chatting to him about life in Iceland. He also brought along his dog Lisa who we absolutely loved! She was a very sweet dog!!! Magnus was well prepared for the walk bringing a long water and coffee for us and also some icelandic chocolate (which Lisa loved too!!!!). It is a challenging walk, so be prepared with appropriate shoes (we all had walking boots so not a problem for us). Magnus also gave us Crampons to use at the top where it is was particularly snowy so we could easily walk safely along on the mountain. We had a great time doing the walk and getting to know Magnus and it was a real highlight of our trip!
Great hike!
Trishabu1271,
Feb 29, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
First, I live in a very flat area. I prepared by wearing weights on my back while I walked around my neighborhood and by doing hill rides on my Peloton. Ma'am, Sir, I was not ready! LOL This hike was straight up hill. Note, locals were walking and running past me like they were walking on flat ground. LOL I say all this to say that the guide was beyond patient with me and led me up Mt. Esja with care. It's a beautiful hike. I really enjoyed it. I would highly recommend this hike especially for a solo traveler. The guide was a gentleman, on time, and communicated effectively before and during the hike.
Great hike, beautiful scenery!
Benjamin T,
Feb 21, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Magnus was a terrific guide... punctual dropoff/pickup and a pleasure to chat with during our hike. He provided extra hiking equipment (and snacks!) and did a great job selecting the best routes up Mt. Esja. His lovely labrador, Lisa, even joined our hike! Overall a fantastic experience I would totally repeat on my next visit to Iceland!