If you’ve spent a night at Volcano Huts in Þórsmörk, you may have met Kári, the Arctic fox who calls this valley home. Whether he’s trotting along the trails, napping by the cabins, or watching the campsite from a safe distance, Kári has become part of the Þórsmörk story.
A rare and beautiful sight
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is Iceland’s only native land mammal and one of the country’s most iconic wild species. Perfectly adapted to the cold, it thrives where few others can. Its thick fur, small ears, and bushy tail help it survive even the harshest winters.
In Iceland, there are two main colour types:
Life in Þórsmörk is not easy, but Kári knows how to make the most of it. He mainly hunts ptarmigan, small birds, and the occasional mouse or insect. In summer, when food is more abundant, he’s often seen darting through the birch woods or sniffing around the campsite, following invisible trails left by birds or crumbs dropped by hikers.
But Kári is no scavenger, he’s a skilled and patient hunter, perfectly tuned to the rhythm of the seasons in the Þórsmörk valley.
Spotting an Arctic fox in Iceland is a rare and unforgettable experience. Þórsmörk offers one of the best chances to see a wild fox in Iceland. The valley’s birch forests, glacier-fed rivers, and sheltering mountains provide ideal conditions for foxes to live and hunt.
At the Volcano Huts in Þórsmörk, Kári has become something of a local legend. Guests share stories of seeing him in the early morning mist, curled up beside a trail, or prowling quietly at dusk. Even when he seems to be resting, he keeps one eye open, alert, aware, and always ready.
Though Kári has grown used to people, he remains completely wild. We ask all visitors to respect him by keeping a distance and never offering food. Feeding wildlife can make them dependent and alter their natural behaviour. The best encounters happen when humans watch quietly and respectfully, allowing Kári to remain the wild fox he was born to be.
Every sighting of Kári reminds us why Þórsmörk is such a special place for wildlife in Iceland, a rare pocket of wilderness where nature still moves at its own pace.
So when you visit Volcano Huts Þórsmörk, keep your eyes open. That flicker of movement among the birch trees or a flash of fur on the trail might be Kári, the Arctic fox who guards this valley and its stories.
Plan your stay at Volcano Huts Þórsmörk to explore the wild side of Iceland, where every trail and every flickering tail tells a story worth sharing by the campfire.
Share your photos of Kári on Instagram using #karithefox
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