Midgard Base Camp

Built into a former cement factory on the edge of Hvolsvöllur, Midgard Base Camp sits a minute's drive from the Ring Road in South Iceland. The building went up more than fifty years ago and stood empty for years before the family behind it bought the ruin to house their tour vehicles. That workshop grew into a place to stay. Rooms range from private doubles and family rooms with views toward the Eyjafjallajökull icecap to bunk dorms fitted with curtains, reading lights, lockable drawers and blackout blinds against the midnight sun. Bathrooms are private or shared, depending on room type. All guests get access to a rooftop hot tub and sauna, useful after a day on the South Coast or up in the highlands. Downstairs, the restaurant runs a breakfast buffet and dinner menu built from local produce, including potatoes from the neighbouring town of Þykkvibær and lamb from nearby farms. A bar with a fussball table and board games fills out the evenings, and the same building houses Midgard Adventure, the in-house tour operator running day trips and multi-day journeys into the highlands. It is a working base as much as a place to sleep. Most of the furniture inside was built by hand during construction, and the same family that founded the tour company still runs the camp today.