Hveravellir

Dec

2020

Best Icelandic Hot springs

The ultimate guide to most beautiful Icelandic hot springs. How to find them, what kind of car do you need, our experience and many tips!

Want to know about ALL hot springs? We wrote a unique List of All Hot Springs that contains 50+ Icelandic hot pots!

Contents

9. REYKJAFJARDARLAUG
8. HVERAVELLIR
7. LYSUHOLSLAUG
6. LANDMANNALAUGAR
5. HORGSHLIDARLAUG
4. HELLULAUG
3. KROSSNESLAUG
2. GUDRUNARLAUG
1. HRUNALAUG

9. REYKJAFJARDARLAUG

Reykjafjarðarlaug hot pool

Summary

Distance from car park: 2 minutes
Time spent at: 30-45 minutes
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes
Physical condition needed: little
Interesting index: 2 – great (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Reykjafjardarlaug is a nice hot spring in the middle of nowhere, right next to the Road 63 in Westfjords.

How to get to Reykjafjardarlaug

In summer, Reykjafjardarlaug is accessible by any 2wd car. Although the road 63 leading there is zig-zag and secluded, it should be alright to reach with a bit of careful driving. Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Our experience with Reykjafjardarlaug

We made just a quick stop at the hot spring because we had already visited several of them at that time and headed elsewhere on that day. Reykjafjardarlaug is nevertheless nice and pleasant, just maybe not that exceptional compared to some other ones in Iceland. As someone had put it: “3 out of 5 Icelandic stars, i.e. 5 out of 5 anywhere else in the world”.

Tips about Reykjafjardarlaug

There are actually 2 places for bathing in here. First one is the man-made artificial pool with regulated water temperature. The second one is the actual source of the hot water itself – a wild hot spring with varying temperature (usually much hotter). This secret Reykjafjardarlaug hot spring lies nearby.

Bathing is free of charge, we didn’t notice any donation box, but there may be one.

8. HVERAVELLIR

The only Hveravellir hot spring for bathing. Image: courtesy of hiticeland.com

Summary

Distance from car park: 2 minutes (hot spring) 
Time spent at: 1 hour 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes 
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 3 – nice (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Hveravellir is a hot spring area in the middle of F35 road with one nice free hot spring available for bathing.

How to get to Hveravellir

You need a 4wd car to access the Hveravellir area. The road F35 (Kjalvegur) is not hard to drive on, though. You may rent basically any 4wd car to drive it. Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Once you leave F35 towards Hveravellir, it’s just a short, easy drive and you will soon find a parking lot in front of a small restaurant.

Our experience with Hveravellir

Almost next to the parking lot lies a nice, public, free hot spring.

Since it is so close to the car park, there’s a high chance someone will be inside most of the time. Nevertheless, the hot spring is big enough and water is pleasantly hot, with some 38°C (according to my professional assessment). On the other hand, air temperature felt really cold, something like 7-8°C even in the middle of August. So again – be prepared for that – you are in the middle of Iceland, in highlands.

I guess my expectations for Hveravellir were too big (read further to find out why). When planning our trip, I had read that there are “several hot springs in the Hveravellir area”. Moreover, seeing pictures like this had instantly made me a Hveravellir enthusiast. Well, the reality was a bit different.

Tips about Hveravellir

There were supposed to be “several hot springs” so let’s go find the other ones, we told ourselves. Hopefully with no people inside.

Sheep around Hveravellir trail

We were hiking for 1 hour around the entire area, but we haven’t found any hot springs, other than the main one near the parking lot. We don’t have anything against walking, but the entire area was pretty uneventful, with nothing interesting to observe. We said hello to several sheep along the way, but even those didn’t know where the other hot springs were.

We finally also asked the local at the restaurant who just confirmed our realization by saying: “you can bath only in this hot spring, next to the car park. There may be also some other hot springs further away, but you shouldn’t bath there”.

7. LYSUHOLSLAUG

Lýsuhólslaug hot spring

Summary

Distance from car park: 0 minutes 
Time spent at: 0,5 to 2 hours 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes 
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 2 – great (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Lysuholslaug is a nice, man-made and man-maintained hot spring, hidden in the southern part of Snaefellsnes peninsula.

How to get to Lysuholslaug

Lysuholslaug is easily accessible by any 2wd car. Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Don’t get fooled by Google that you have to walk to Lysuholslaug. You don’t have to. There’s a road leading right next to the hot spring area. It’s just not marked on the Google Maps (see below).

Lýsuhólslaug hot spring as indicated on Google Maps. The road to it does exist, though.

Our experience with Lysuholslaug

Bathing in Lysuholslaug is definitely a very pleasant activity when the weather sucks. We really enjoyed it, despite the place not being anywhere near as picturesque as Hrunalaug or some other “wilder” hot springs. So, it depends on your preference, weather (and who knows what else), whether it’s worth making a detour for you. For us it definitely was.

Other than us, there was just one other couple using the pools at the time of our visit. We guess the main reason was, once again, Covid pandemic, rather than the place being unpopular.

Tips about Lysuholslaug

There are 2 small hot tubes and 1 bigger pool. All of them are the so-called “sea-weed baths”. That means, they look to be dirty, because of the sea-weeds everywhere. The ground and walls of the pool are also slippery, because of sea-weeds.

The big pool has water with the temperature of around 32°C (according to my professional assessment, i.e. read “just guessing”). Water in the small hot tubes is much hotter, around 36-38°C in the first of them and around 39-41°C in the hottest one. It’s definitely not recommended to stay in the hottest one for too long.

The hot spring is a paid one – 1000ISK/person, i.e. some 6-7eur.

6. LANDMANNALAUGAR

Landmannalaugar hot spring. Picture taken from https://www.foodiebaker.com/day-4-iceland-travelogue/

Summary

Distance from car park: 5-7 minutes from both car parks (in camp and before camp) 
Time spent at: 20-40 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes 
Physical condition needed: little to medium 
Interesting index: 1 – amazing (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Landmannalaugar hot spring (sometimes also called Brennisteinsalda hot spring) is the only hot spring suitable for bathing in the main Landmannalaugar area.

How to get to Landmannalaugar hot spring

You need a proper 4wd car to reach Landmannalaugar and Brennisteinsalda hot spring. However, there’s a huge difference whether you come from the northern side of F208 or southern side.

Read more about these different routes in our F-road guide . Read also about how we chose our car, as this is essential for your Icelandic trip. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Landmannalaugar Brennisteinsalda campsite on the summer evening

Our experience with Landmannalaugar hot spring

Landmannalaugar hot spring is the only real natural hot spring (without any human interference) we’ve seen in Iceland so it’s definitely worth trying. It’s basically a stream of some really hot water (>50°C) flowing into the small river and you may bath in this river.

The river actually isn’t so hot, maybe around some 26-30°C which doesn’t feel so fantastic when it’s like 5-10°C outside. But the more you approach the actual hot stream, the warmer it gets. The warmest place is, of course, just near the place where the stream flows into the water. This is the place you want to aim for (but so will all your fellow co-campers). You will probably have to wait some time in a queue to get to that source. There’s also another smaller stream a few meters to the right, so these 2 streams flowing into the river are the hottest spots.

Tips about Landmannalaugar hot spring

The hot spring is free to use. There’s no place to change your clothes, just a wooden structure to put leave your clothes on, which also serves as an entrance to the hot river.

The river is also really shallow, only some 40-70cm deep, so you basically have to lie in it to be covered by water. Nevertheless, it’s definitely worth the experience and it’s a really cool thing to try as Brennisteinsalda hotpot is one of the very few “wild” hot springs not artificially modified by locals.

5. HORGSHLIDARLAUG

Hörgshliðarlaug hot spring in the heart of fjord

Summary

Distance from car park: 2 minutes 
Time spent at: 10-30 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes 
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 2 – great (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Hörgshliðarlaug is a nice remote hot spring hidden in one of the fjords in the northern part of Westfjords.

How to get to Horgshlidarlaug

In summer, Hörgshliðarlaug is accessible by any 2wd car. Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Not only tough to pronounce, but also tough to find, that’s Horgshlidarlaug. At the time of our visit, the road 633 was closed, so we had to use northern part of the road 61 and make a detour south (left) right before crossing the Mjóifjörður fjord.

Once we arrived at the point indicated on Google Maps, there were just a few rural settlements with old houses next to them and we didn’t see any hot pot. At one of the settlements, we spotted an old bath-tub, with the big sign “PRIVATE PROPERTY”. Hmm, maybe this is Hörgshliðarlaug? I stepped out of the car and headed towards the bath-tub. On a halfway there a local guy stopped me with a huge smile on his face. I asked whether this is Horgshlidarlaug and he just casually replied that this is his house and the hot spring is another 2 kilometres down the road. I guess we were not the first, nor the last tourists sneaking around his courtyard.

The actual hot spring Hörgshliðarlaug is 2 kilometres south from the spot indicated by Google Maps

Nevertheless, the guy was right (of course). So, in case it will not be corrected yet on Google Maps (and you couldn’t see any hot spring), just continue 2 kilometres south down the road. You will definitely see it on your right (when coming from the north) or on the left (when coming from the south). There’s no real car park, you have to stop next to the road (but there’s a wider part of the road near hot spring).

Our experience with Horgshlidarlaug

Horgshlidarlaug is a dirty, old, full of seaweed hot spring with true Icelandic atmosphere. It lies right in the heart of the fjord, so you will be able to watch the fjord while soaking in the hot pot. If you are lucky enough, there may even be seals around (we haven’t seen any though).

Horgshlidarlaug hotpot and a changing room

At the time of our visit, there were 2 groups of tourists already bathing in the hot spring. Hence, we waited 10 minutes, and afterwards, the hot spring became empty. Hörgshliðarlaug is definitely an original and picturesque place, nevertheless, we liked some other (see below) hot springs even more.

Tips about Horgshlidarlaug

There’s an old shelter next to the hot spring, which serves as a changing room. If you are into “sauna style” bathing, you may even alternate between bathing in the hot spring and bathing in the ice-cold sea. Water in the hot spring is very pleasant though, having some 36°C (according to my professional, read as „guessed“, assessment).

Hot spring is free to use, I don’t remember a donation box next to it, but there may have been one.

4. HELLULAUG

Hellulaug hot spring

Summary

Distance from car park: 2-3 minutes 
Time spent at: 15-45 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes 
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 1 – amazing (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Hellulaug is a nice hot spring situated in one of the fjords in the southern part of Westfjords.

How to get to Hellulaug

In summer, Hellulaug is accessible by any 2wd car. Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

You can get to Hellulaug from the main road 60. Just be sure to finally turn on Hellulaugavegur and end up here, because there’s one other (wrong) spot on Google maps. You will leave your car at a small, gravel parking lot. From there you have to descent about 1 minute to reach the pool itself.

Hellulaug hotpot

Our experience with Hellulaug

At the time of our visit, it had already started to rain. We changed our clothes inside our car and virtually ran in the rain towards the pool. There were two local girls (this time without cocaine) already bathing there (didn’t seem to leave any time soon).

The entire bathing experience was very nice. The water was pleasantly hot, but not too hot (some 34-36°C). It felt really comfortable to soak in the pool, while the rain poured down. Additionally, view from the hot spring is very nice, because of its location in the fjord. So you’re basically sitting in the hot spring looking at the fjord.

Tips about Hellulaug

Hellulaug is situated right in the heart of the fjord and it’s a man-made hotpot (water is being brought there by a pump). There’s no changing room, nor any shelter, but the hot spring is free of charge.

Well, if it rains, since there’s no shelter, some of your things will probably get wet, unless you cover them with something. We didn’t mind, though, because Hellulaug was probably the last stop of our trip.

3. KROSSNESLAUG

Krossneslaug

Summary

Distance from car park: 5 minutes 
Time spent at: 30-60 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes 
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 1 – amazing (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Krossneslaug is a really unique, one-of-its-kind hot spring literally at the end of the world (or at least all Icelandic roads).

How to get to Krossneslaug

Although officially any 2wd car is allowed in here, I do recommend a 4wd car and some guts to reach Krossneslaug. Road 643 heading towards Krossneslaug could easily be classified as an Icelandic F-road. It doesn’t contain any river crossings but it contains almost everything else an F-road may contain. Potholes, gravel, narrow passages, steep parts, driving on the edge of the cliffs, …

Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Google Maps mark Krossneslaug quite precisely. They just don’t show that the “car park” (or better said the place next to the road where you may leave your car) is tens of meters above the pool. That means, you have to leave your car up, next to the road and you have to walk down the path to Krossneslaug itself. Only the owner of the pool has an access to reach the pool by car.

Our experience with Krossneslaug

Bathing in Krossneslaug is again a once in a lifetime experience. It definitely belongs to Top 3 of our Icelandic hot springs. When we arrived, there was no one else in the pool, only the owner performing maintenance of the place.

Views from Krossneslaug

Once in the pool, you will again feel like being in some kind of fairy tale. Just you, hot pool and view of the endless sea. The smaller, hotter bathtub even has a windshield (I guess for cases of severe weather?).

Before our departure, I asked the owner whether it does make economical sense to maintain such a pool at the end of the world. He just smiled and replied that from June till 1st half of August usually hundreds of people come per day. Even during Covid times, just their structure changed to more locals. OK, that surprised me, I guess it makes sense then.

Tips about Krossneslaug

Krossneslaug is a paid (1000ISK, i.e. 6-7Eur/person), man-made, hot water pool, utilising nearby hot spring water. It has a long history (1954) and 2 pools available for bathing. The bigger, rectangular pool with a water temperature of around 34°C and a smaller, more modern hot tub with a temperature of around 38°C. It is well maintained by the owner of the place, who also resides there usually from June until August each year. The entrance fee includes a changing room, toilets and showers, of course.

2. GUDRUNARLAUG

Shelter for changing clothes and Gudrunarlaug hot spring

Summary

Distance from car park: 5 minutes 
Time spent at: 30-60 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes 
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 1 – amazing (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Guðrúnarlaug is one of the most picturesque hot springs in Iceland. It’s very well accessible.

How to get to Gudrunarlaug

In summer, Guðrúnarlaug is easily accessible by any 2wd car. Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Our experience with Gudrunarlaug

When we arrived at the parking lot, we saw just one couple bathing in the hot spring. We were already spoiled by travelling during Covid pandemic, in the sense that we had been alone at every other place we had visited. So, we decided to wait a bit once the couple finishes its bathing, which took about 5 minutes.

Yep, once again, we were alone in Icelandic hot spring, in August at 4 pm. The rain had already been pouring when we got out of our car. We really enjoyed Gudrunarlaug bathing, even despite (or thanks to?) rain getting heavier. The place with its surroundings is pretty cool and the water is pleasantly hot (some 36-38°C). Definitely worth visiting. It was one of the best hot springs we’ve bathed in.

Neighborhood of the Guðrúnarlaug hot spring

Tips about Gudrunarlaug

Guðrúnarlaug is definitely a bit more touristy compared to, for example, Lýsuhólslaug. The reason for that is its proximity to ring road and to Westfjords, i.e., it’s quite easily accessible. The same is true when it comes to access to the actual hot tube – it’s a 2-minute walk from the car park, which sits right next to it. Google Maps are also quite precise about the location of Gudrunarlaug, so feel free to orientate according to them.

Guðrúnarlaug is located next to the small rural campsite (we didn’t see anyone camping at the time of our visit, during Covid-19 times) and something which looked like a school. There’s an authentic wooden shelter (similar to the one next to Hrunalaug) serving as a changing room, right next to the pool. Hot spring is free to use, I don’t remember a donation box next to it, but there may have been one.

1. HRUNALAUG

Tranquil scenery of Hruni hot spring

Summary

Distance from car park: 5 minutes 
Time spent at: 20-60 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes, definitely 
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 1 – amazing (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

How to get to Hrunalaug

Hrunalaug (or Hruni) is easily accessible by any 2wd car. Read about how we chose our car. Or just get free discounts for your Icelandic car rental.

Use Google maps. They were quite precise about the location. There’s actually a car park (see attached picture) near the hot spring. From the “car park” it’s about 3 minutes of walk. You shouldn’t get lost, as far as I can remember there’s even a sign pointing towards hot spring.

Hrunalaug “car park”

Our experience with Hrunalaug

I can confidently nominate Hruni hot spring for winning the award of most authentic Icelandic hot spring. It is, without doubt, the best hot spring we’ve ever been to. Thanks to many aspects. Firstly, it’s a place secluded from anything else with no buildings or roads around. Secondly, the landscape surrounding it is truly peaceful and picturesque. Thirdly, the hot pot itself looks like to be from some kind of fairy-tale. And, importantly, the water (in the main one) is pleasantly hot with some 38°C according to my professional (read amateur) assessment.

Once we got in, we really got carried away by the surrounding atmosphere. Just a slowly pouring rain, few sheep, endless grass and besides that just silence. Everything was tranquil, only until the new guest arrived at the hot spring. If you are into stories, feel free to read ours about meeting a naked Icelandic teenager possibly under drugs.

The main and the hottest hot spring in Hrunalaug

Tips about Hrunalaug

Once you arrive at the hot pot itself, you will realize there’s also a covered shelter for changing clothes! A very authentic one 🙂 The entire place is maintained by locals and as of 2024 has changed into a paid hot spring with opening hours. More info on Hrunalaug entrances here.

There are actually several pools, some of them smaller, some of them bigger. All pools do contain a heated water, but each one has different temperature. The hottest one is also the smallest and is the one right next to the shelter. It’s ideal for 2 people, and if you are OK with some squeezing even for 4.

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Oct

2020

Kerlingarfjöll Guide in 2024 – Hiking Trails + Top Places

The orange mountains of Kerlingarfjöll are one of the most beautiful places in the highlands of Iceland. Its main geothermal area – the Hveradalir Hot Springs – offers otherworldly colors like no other place in the world!

You can best enjoy the spectacularness of this place on one of the fantastic Kerlingarfjöll hiking trails or by soaking in the Kerlingarfjöll hot spring!

We have been to Kerlingarfjöll three times and are happy to share all our experiences about the area, trails, places, and conditions.

When visiting Kerlingarfjöll, be sure to also visit a nearby Hveravellir Geothermal area (different from Hveradalir) next to Kjölur Road 35, as we did!

First, a little trivia:

Hveradalir = geothermal area with bubbling mud holes, where you CAN NOT bathe
Kerlingarfjöll Hot Spring = hotpot where you CAN bathe, four miles away from Hveradalir
Hveravellir = another geothermal area with bubbling fumaroles, 30 miles away from Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll Map

How to get to Kerlingarfjöll

You can easily get to Kerlingarfjöll in summer by highland roads (F)35 and F347 from the south or the north.

The optimal route depends on what your other plans are. Technically, it’s a shorter route from the south, but the difference is negligible.

F35, aka Kjalvegur, near Hveravellir towards Kerlingarfjöll

By Car

Kjölur, Kjalvegur, or just (F)35 is a long gravel road connecting north and south Iceland. Somewhere around halfway through it lies the detour towards the Hveravellir hot springs area, and a bit further towards the south lies a detour towards Kerlingarfjöll.

There are better parts of Road 35 and worse parts of Road 35. Better parts mean you may drive quite fast. Worse parts mean a lot of potholes and turns, i.e., you have to drive slowly. Importantly, there are no river crossings on F35, only very small ponds doable even by a 2wd car.

A final detour to Kerlingarfjöll, F-road F347, also has no river crossings and is pretty similar to F35. The closer you approach the Highland Base, the more the road becomes mountainous and interesting.

By Bus

There used to be a bus service from Reykjavik to Kerlingarfjöll, operated by Gray Line, but it has been discontinued recently. Most likely due to being uneconomical for the bus provider.

The only way to reach Kerlingarfjöll other than driving there yourself is by taking the guided tour.

By Tour

A picture from the Kerlingarfjöll guided tour on a clear day

Only a handful of providers in Iceland offer guided tours to Kerlingarfjöll. We picked two of them – one from Reykjavik and one from Akureyri, which we believe are the best. We also partnered with them to exclusively offer you discounts on these tours.

10% discount code for the Kerlingarfjöll guided bus tour from Reykjavik: EPICICELAND24

The cheapest option is to take the Kerlingarfjöll bus tour from Reykjavik.

The most exciting option is to take the Kerlingarfjöll super jeep tour from Akureyri.

10% discount code for the Kerlingarfjöll super jeep tour from Akureyri: EPICICELAND

We can also take you to Kerlingarfjöll on our fully tailored Epic Private tour. Just e-mail us at [email protected]!

Best places in Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll Hveradalir Geothermal area iceland

You can easily see the top places in Kerlingarfjöll in one day. And they mostly involve breathtaking hikes.

The most popular place to visit is undoubtedly the Hveradalir Geothermal Area, the main attraction of Kerlingarfjöll. But there are also many other spots, not many travelers know about!

Kerlingarfjöll Hikes

The number one activity is hiking. Kerlingarfjöll treks offer unique, stunning, and mystical views that will make you feel like you’re on another planet.

How to Prepare for the Highlands road trip in Iceland.

The most famous hike is the shortest Hveradalir Hot Springs hike among scenic orange hills and bubbling hot pots. Our favorite is the much lesser known Snækollur hike instead, with even better views!

Horseshoe Bend

The Horseshoe Bend in Kerlingarfjöll. Photo by amazing www.adventures.is

The Horseshoe Bend is a place that got famous thanks to Instagram, yet almost nobody knows its location. Well, this picturesque twisted river is situated next to Road F347 to Kerlingarfjöll.

Gýgjarfoss Waterfall

Gýgjarfoss

Another beautiful stop along your way to the Hveradalir Geothermal area should be Gýgjarfoss waterfall. It typically stays almost unnoticed along Road F347.

Kerlingarfjöll hot spring

Bathing alone at Kerlingarfjöll hot spring

There is one and the only hot spring in Kerlingarfjöll where you can bathe. It’s totally worth a separate 1-hour hike!

The Highland Base

The Highland Base hotel, formerly The Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort

The only accommodation in the area used to be called the Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort. However, it has recently gone through a major reconstruction and will soon turn into the luxurious Highland Base.

Exclusive Discounts for the best car rentals and guided tours in Iceland.

Best hikes in Kerlingarfjöll

Once in Kerlingarfjöll, you have numerous hiking options. The two most popular Kerlingarfjöll hiking trails we really enjoyed are the hike to Hveradalir and the Kerlingarfjöll Hot Spring hike.

Although these two hikes are a must-see, we recommend checking out also the other hikes in Kerlingarfjöll! Some of them are even more scenic than these two! Our secret tip is a hike to Fannborg and Snækollur.

Map of Kerlingarfjöll hiking trails

Map of all Kerlingarfjöll hiking trails

Above is the Kerlingarfjöll hiking trails map depicting the most favorite trekking options.

You can also check out an even more detailed map of Kerlingarfjöll hikes by the Icelandic Environmental Agency.

If you are unsure about the Kerlingarfjöll trail conditions, you can consult by email with EIA, or with SafeTravel.

1. Hveradalir geothermal area hike

One of the summits of the several smaller hills around the Hveradalir in Kerlingarfjöll

Hiking time: 1 to 3 hours
Difficulty: easy to moderate, due to a lot of stairs
Trail Map: Hveradalir hiking trail

Hveradalir lets you see one of the most stunning views of Kerlingarfjöll in the shortest amount of time possible.

Hveradalir geothermal area is one of the most captivating places I’ve ever been to in my life – together with Askja, Landmannalaugar, and the F-roads south of Landmannalaugar.

This time it’s not rainbow mountains, no black sand, no green moss. This time, it’s orange mountains mixed with wild sulphuric hot springs and snow. A lot of snow. And cold. And the wind. Welcome to Hveradalir.

2. Kerlingarfjöll Hot spring hike

Hike to Kerlingarfjöll Hot Spring

Hiking time: 1 hour, one-way
Difficulty: easy
Trail Map: Kerlingarfjöll hot spring trail

The easiest picturesque trek in the area is the hike to Kerlingarfjöll Hot Spring. With a very rewarding end!

You will be traversing a cute green canyon with a river until you get to the only bathe-able hot pool in Kerlingarfjöll.

3. Snækollur hike

Snækollur hike

Hiking time: 2 hours, one-way
Difficulty: moderate to difficult, some parts are steep and slippery
Trail Map: Snækollur hiking trail

If you asked us for one hidden gem in Kerlingarfjöll, we would immediately reply: Snækollur hike.

Very few visitors aim to hike the Snækollur peak, yet it offers the best views of Kerlingarfjöll. Snækollur is also the highest summit in the area.

Right before reaching Snækollur, you will also pass the peak of Fannborg, a great short stop with dazzling views as well.

4. Highland Base to Hveradalir hike

Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort and Campsite – newly renamed to The Highland Base is the second starting point of the Hveradalir hike

Hiking time: 4 to 6 hours, round-trip
Difficulty: moderate, due to a lot of stairs
Trail Map: Highland Base to Hveradalir hiking trail

Want to hike to Hveradalir? You don’t have to drive all the way there, you can also start at the Highland Base. This area is called Ásgarður in Icelandic.

It will take you around an hour and a half to reach the Hveradalir area, and you may enjoy some additional nice views on top of that.

The main advantage of this trail is that the Highland Base is both your start point and endpoint. The disadvantage is the time aspect, as you will be spending additional 3 hours just getting to and from Hveradalir.

5. Hverabotn hike

Hike to Hverabotn

Hiking time: 2 hours, one-way
Difficulty: moderate
Trail Map: Hverabotn hiking trail

Hverabotn is another geothermal area in Kerlingarfjöll, different from Hveradalir. It’s located further away from the main area, which is a reason why it’s not so popular.

You can hike to Hverabotn either from the Highland Base or from Hveradalir. Either route you choose, it will take you less than 2 hours one-way.

6. Skeljafell hike

Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland

Hiking time: 2 hours, one-way
Difficulty: moderate
Trail Map: Skeljafell hiking trail

Now we are coming to the more off-the-beaten-path hikes in Kerlingarfjöll chosen only scarcely by foreign visitors. One such hike is Skeljafell.

Skeljafell hike is located entirely away from Ásgarður or any main Kerlingarfjöll area. You need to drive a dirt track to get to the starting point.

Once on this hike, don’t miss Kerling Mountain, after which the entire Kerlingarfjöll is named!

7. Ásgarðsfjall hike

asgardsfjall hike kerlingarfjoll iceland

Ásgarðsfjall hike, photo by: Kleppur

Hiking time: 30-60 minutes, one-way
Difficulty: moderate
Trail Map: Ásgarðsfjall hiking trail

Another overlooked hike of Kerlingarfjöll is a trek to Ásgarðsfjall.

Ásgarðsfjall Hill sits right next to the Highland Base and offers fantastic views of the campsite and all the surroundings.

For awesome views you don’t even need to hike to the peak, you can just take walks around the Ásgarður valley.

8. Mænir hike

View from the Mænir hike, photo by: Kleppur

Hiking time: 3 to 5 hours, one-way
Difficulty: difficult
Trail Map: Mænir hiking trail

Mænir is one of the tallest peaks of Kerlingarfjöll. It’s also part of the legendary multi-day ring hike called the Hringbrautin Circuit.

Hiking Mænir is more difficult due to poorly marked trails and challenging terrain. On the other hand, you will definitely be alone on this expedition and enjoy one-of-its-kind views.

9. Ögmundur, Röðull and Höttur hike

Ögmundur, Röðull and Höttur peaks in winter, photo by: https://highlandbase.is/

Hiking time: 3 to 5 hours, one-way
Difficulty: very difficult, glacier crossing
Trail Map: Hiking trail

If you are up for a challenge and a very experienced hiker, you may attempt at hiking the three peaks of Ögmundur, Röðull, and Höttur. The panoramas will be stunning.

These three summits too are among the tallest in Kerlingarfjöll and are often covered by snow, even in summer.

10. Hringbrautin Circuit

Kerlingarfjöll Circuit hiking trail, photo by: Krator, under CC3

Hiking time: 2 to 3 days
Difficulty: difficult
Trail Map: Hringbrautin Circle hiking trail

The Hringbrautin Circuit, also known as the Ring Route or the Kerlingarfjöll Peaks Hike, encompasses all the biggest summits of Kerlingarfjöll.

This hike is sometimes wrongly being called as Austurfjoll Peaks by other bloggers who haven’t even hiked any of these peaks.

This is a very challenging multi-day hike, where you will be going to need very good gear (e.g. crampons) and be in a very good physical condition. It will take you about three days and involve sleeping in mountain huts, bivouacking, and crossing rivers.

Our Kerlingarfjöll Tips and Experience

kerlingarfjoll hveradalir hot springs iceland

Kerlingarfjöll – Hveradalir hot springs geothermal area

When to go

You can easily visit and hike Kerlingarfjöll only in summer, typically from June to September. This is when the roads to Kerlingarfjöll are officially open to foreign visitors.

Our tip: Always check the current road conditions in Iceland before driving on any Highland road.

The orange mountains are fully covered by snow, and not orange anymore, from around November until April.

In winter, you can still visit Kerlingarfjöll by taking a local private super jeep tour, but it’s a bit pointless and expensive in our opinion.

How to Choose the Best Car for Iceland.

Where to stay

The accommodation options in Kerlingarfjöll are very scarce. Only one place, the Highland Base, is designated for overnight stays. Alternatively, you may also stay in Hveravellir.

The Highland Base Hotel

Visualization of the new Highland Base hotel

The Highland Base Hotel is the newly refurbished lodge and the only hotel in Kerlingarfjöll. It used to be called the Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort.

It now offers multiple different accommodation options in various budget categories. You can stay in the mountain hut, in the luxury lodge, or even in the dormitory room.

Kerlingarfjöll Campsite

Visualization of a new Kerlingarfjöll campsite

You can camp in Kerlingarfjöll in summer. The campsite is located just next to the new luxurious Highland Base Hotel. Just bear in mind the weather conditions.

Kerlingarfjöll camping is one of the coldest places in Iceland available for camping.

On the 8th August, 3 pm in the afternoon (i.e. probably one of the warmest times possible) the temperature climbed to tropical 5°C (41°F). And the strong wind didn’t help it at all, making everything feel even some 5°C colder. Now doing the math that nights are additional 5°C-7°C colder compared to daytime temperatures, you’re going to be freezing for sure.

Our Tips

Come on a day with clear skies. Or at least try to do it. It will be a very hard task, but more than just worth it!
Don’t go when it’s too foggy. Or when it rains too much. You will see very little of otherwise breathtaking Hveradalir.
Bring hiking poles. If you plan any longer hikes than just the main Hveradalir Geothermal Area.
Dress well. Layers are a must. Kerlingarfjöll is one of the coldest places in Iceland. Daily summer temperatures often hover just around 5°C (41°F).
Hike to Snækollur. If you are fit enough. This is the most rewarding hidden hike of Kerlingarfjöll.
Take a dip in the hot spring. There’s just one where you can bathe, but totally worth the detour.
Leave the pretty shoes at home. The orange soil in Hveradalir will partially destroy your shoes. At best, they will just be very dirty.
Check the conditions before going. The road conditions, the weather forecast, and any safety warnings.

Our Experience

One of the numerous trails in Hveradalir area of Kerlingarfjoll

We have been to Kerlingarfjöll several times and wrote an even more detailed article about our first full-day visit to Kerlingarfjöll and Hveravellir geothermal areas than this one.

In short, we drove F35 from north to south. We first stopped at Hveravellir hot spring area, then hiked at Kerlingarfjöll as a highlight, and we finished our day in the south by seeing Gullfoss and Strokkur. We had camped at Varmahlíð campsite the night before.

Our drive to Kerlingarfjöll

Having already experienced awe-inspiring roads like the F208 south of Landmannalaugar, the stellar F235 leading to Langisjór, or the lunar landscapes of F905 and F910 near Askja, the F35 appeared to be a standard gravel highway with no exceptional features to take note of.

But remember, we are still talking about Iceland, so the environment will always be lovely, just not extraordinarily so (as was the case with formerly mentioned roads).

F347 road next to Hveradalir hot spring area in Kerlingarfjoll

The F35 also seemed to attract a pretty high volume of cars. This can be a slight nuisance as many of them either crawl along at a snail’s pace or race down the track. And, as you can imagine, Icelandic F-roads are not exactly designed for maneuvering past other vehicles.

Our Hveradalir hike experience

Once we reached Hveradalir geothermal area via a quite steep final part of the road F347, we felt like entering a whole new world. The orange-white universe.

Our tip: If you put “Hveradalir” in the Google maps, the place with no road appears, quite far from the car park. The main hiking area starts right next to the parking lot.

We spent roughly an hour and a half wandering around the place, savoring each second, except for the chilly gusts.

Our latest visit to Hveradalir

As for visibility, the foggy mist would dissipate to reveal slightly clearer skies, and then roll back in again, all in a span of 5 minutes. Therefore, a little patience could reward you with better photographic opportunities. Alternatively, you could just get lucky and arrive during a clear weather spell.

Our tip: There are several smaller hills with wooden stairs-like steps almost on each of them to help you with the ascent. Your shoes will be full of orange clay anyway, though.

We hiked about 4-5 hills, retracing from each back when deep snow began to blanket the path or when we ascended to heights entirely shrouded in fog.

Our Kerlingarfjöll hot spring experience

Our Kerlingarfjöll hot spring trip

On our second visit to Kerlingarfjöll, we finally managed to hike to the Kerlingarfjöll hot spring where you can bathe. And I highly recommend you take this hike!

Our tip: The trail is marked well and this walk can easily be done also with small children.

We did this easy trek in a moody weather accompanied by a light drizzle and it was pleasant anyway. The most rewarding is naturally the end with the hot spring hidden in the middle of nowhere.

Our Snækollur hike experience

Views from the peak of Snækollur

On our most recent trip to the central highlands, we hiked the tallest peak of Kerlingarfjöll – Snækollur. And this was our ultimate adventure in the area.

Snækollur hike is more difficult, but it was worth every (steep) step for us. Especially on a clear day. We encountered one of the best views in Iceland at Snækollur.

Kerlingarfjöll vs Landmannalaugar

Should you rather visit Landmannalaugar or Kerlingarfjöll? If you have the opportunity, don’t hesitate and go see both! Experiencing Landmannalaugar is very different from Kerlingarfjöll.

Both are located in the Highlands and are predominantly hiking areas, but the commonalities end here. The comparison doesn’t make much sense to us, but if you insist, here is the one:

LANDMANNALAUGAR:

Rainbow mountains, more colorful, green and blue are present
Bigger campsite, more visitors
More difficult and also more beautiful access roads
Various hikes of various difficulties
Typically a pretty crowded free hot spring

Views over Landmannalaugar

KERLINGARFJÖLL:

Orange mountains with hot springs and fumaroles
Less packed campsite and fewer visitors
Easy access roads
Various hikes of various difficulties
Typically an empty remote hot spring

So what if you can visit only one of these places? It’s best if you decide based on where’s better weather. If the weather is the same, I would then go for Landmannalaugar because it’s slightly more impressive and diverse for a first-time visitor and also closer to the ring road.

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Oct

2020

Day 8 – Across central Highlands: Hveravellir and Kerlingarfjöll

Visiting the orange mountains of Kerlingarfjöll was one of our most otherwordly experiences in Iceland. We totally recommend this trip to any enthusiast of remote Icelandic highlands!

If you plan to visit this amazing place be sure to read our detailed guide to the top places in Kerlingarfjöll and best hiking trails.

Contents

Kerlingarfjoll – from the south or the north?
- What we chose and why
F35 towards Hveravellir
Hveravellir
F347 towards Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort
F347 towards Kerlingarfjoll main area – Hveradalir
Kerlingarfjöll
- Kerlingarfjoll hiking options
Hveradalir hike
- Hot springs
Gullfoss
Strokkur
Flúðir camping
Skipped places
Videos

Kerlingarfjoll – from the south or the north?

Well, it all depends on what your other plans are. Technically, from the south of F35, it’s a shorter route. But again, it doesn’t matter much which way you choose to start from – north or south. What matters more is, what you plan to do before and after your Kerlingarfjöll trip.

What we chose and why

For us, Kerlingarfjöll trip was day 8 of our Icelandic journey. We were doing the trip around entire Iceland with many detours. On day 7 we explored the area around Krafla and Hverir. That means, we already came from the north.

Our plan for the day was to drive the long F35 from north to south with several stops. The first highlight should have been Hveravellir hot spring area. The biggest highlight was, naturally, supposed to be Kerlingarfjöll. Finally, we wanted to finish our day on the south end of F35 in any campsite nearby. And if we had enough time, to see Gullfoss and Strokkur as well.

Just to add, the night before this trip we camped at Varmahlíð campsite. So, this was our starting point.

Ring road no. 1 between Varmahlíð and Svínavatn

F35 towards Hveravellir

9:00-11:00

Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes (not pleasant but should be ok to drive)
Interesting index: 3 – nice  (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

North end of the F35 road, also called Kjalvegur

F35 is a long gravel road connecting north and south Iceland. Somewhere around the halfway through it lies the detour towards Hveravellir area and a bit further towards south lies a detour towards Kerlingarfjöll. There are better parts of F35 and there are worse parts of F35. Better parts mean you may drive quite fast (me around 100km/h). Worse parts mean a lot of potholes and turns, i.e. you have to drive slowly. Importantly, there are no river crossings on F35, only very small ponds doable even by 2wd car.

Having already seen roads like breath-taking F208 south of Landmannalaugar, out of this world F235 towards Langisjór or moon-like F905 and F910 near Askja, F35 was just an ordinary gravel road with nothing special to observe around. Bear in mind – it’s still Iceland folks – so surroundings will be nice anyway, just not that amazing compared to the best ones.

F35, aka Kjalvegur, near Hveravellir

We’ve also met probably the biggest number of cars on this F-road (read as “tourists”). This may be a bit annoying because some of them are too slow, some of them are too fast and, you know, Icelandic F-roads are not ideal for overtaking cars.

Hveravellir

11:00-12:30

Distance from car park: 2 minutes (hot spring)
Time spent at: 1 hour 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 3 – nice  (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

I guess my expectations for Hveravellir were too big. When planning our trip, I had read that there are “several hot springs in the Hveravellir area”. Moreover, seeing pictures like this had instantly made me a Hveravellir enthusiast. Well, the reality was a bit different.

Hveravellir hiking trail. Pretty dull landscapes compared to other ones in Iceland

Once you leave F35 towards Hveravellir, it’s just a short, easy drive and you will soon find a parking lot in front of a small restaurant. Almost next to the parking lot lies a nice, public, free hot spring.

Since it is so close to the car park, there’s a high chance someone will be inside most of the time. Nevertheless, the hot spring is big enough and water is pleasantly hot, with some 38°C (according to my professional assessment). On the other hand, air temperature felt really cold, something like 7-8°C even in the middle of august. So again – be prepared for that – you are in the middle of Iceland, in highlands.

As there were already several people bathing in the hot spring even during Covid-19 times, we decided to be more adventurous. There were supposed to be “several hot springs” so let’s go find the other ones, we told ourselves. Hopefully with no people inside. We took one of the two hiking trails, which were fairly easy ones because they were just straight paths leading through grass fields. We were able to see quite far in the distance because there were no hills, but we were not able to observe any steam or hot spring. Thus, we continued to walk for 5 minutes, for 10 minutes, for 20 minutes and… still nothing!

Sheep around Hveravellir trail

We don’t have anything against walking, but the entire area was pretty uneventful, with nothing interesting to observe. We said hello to several sheep along the way, but even those didn’t know where the other hot springs were. Finally, we reached a small hill, where I was able to climb up and observe the surroundings. As far as my eye could see there was no hot spring.

So, we turned back and chose a slightly different way back on one of the crossroads along the trail. We arrived back via the 2nd hiking trail and still no hot spring anywhere. Well, the hot spring picture I had seen on the internet looked incredibly beautiful, so I still felt determined at least to find out where it is. Hence, I tried my last option – went into the restaurant and asked the personnel. The guy at the desk replied “You can bath only in this hot spring, next to the car park. There may be also some other hot springs further away, but you shouldn’t bath there.” Ok, my enthusiasm ended at this point and we bathed at least in this first and only one.

Again, don’t get me wrong, it’s Iceland, so everything is beautiful (Hveravellir as well). We just had different expectations and were not that impressed at the end of the day.

F347 towards Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort

12:30-14:00

Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes (not pleasant but should be ok to drive)
Interesting index: 2 – great  (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

The beginning of F347 between F35 and Kerlingarfjoll

Weather was so-so, cloudy with occasional little rain, and the visibility seemed to be so-so as well. We just hoped for good visibility in Kerlingarfjöll, please not like the one on Sveinstindur. F347 also doesn’t have any river crossings and is pretty similar to F35. The closer you approach Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort, the more the road starts getting more mountainous and more interesting.

F347 near Kerlingarfjöll mountain resort

Once you reach the mountain resort, the entire scenery gets really picturesque. There’s a map of the area next to the resort (this map). Also, if you plan to sleep in one of the mountain huts or just in the only campsite in here, mountain resort reception is the place to go and ask for details, like key codes of the huts.

f347 near kerlingarfjoll mountain resort

F347 near Kerlingarfjöll mountain resort

Oh, and one little note. In the first version of our Icelandic itinerary, we had planned to camp here, in Kerlingarfjoll. You can definitely do that. Just bear in mind, that on the 8th August, 3 pm in the afternoon (i.e. probably one of the warmest times possible) the temperature climbed to tropical 5°C. And the strong wind didn’t help it at all, making everything feel even some 5°C colder. Now doing the math that nights are additional 5°C-7°C colder compared to daytime temperatures, you’re going to be freezing for sure.

This is one of the coldest places in Iceland available for camping, so be prepared for that mentally, physically and with all your equipment. Given that my girlfriend had already been freezing during the past (much warmer) nights I decided to change our plans and not to camp here (and I’m satisfied with this decision).

Kerlingarfjöll mountain resort campsite

Now coming back to the crux of the trip. As always, we wanted to see the best of Kerlingarfjöll and do it in a reasonable amount of time. I.e. we were not looking for a day-long hike, but rather for something like a few hours long trip. That’s why we decided to continue as close as possible to the epicentre of the area by car. That meant, to continue driving the steepest part of F347 to the end of the road, or, Hveradalir area.

F347 towards Kerlingarfjoll main area – Hveradalir

14:20-14:40

Worth visiting even with bad weather: no (the ascent may be really dangerous)
Interesting index: 2 – great  (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

F347 road next to Hveradalir hot spring area in Kerlingarfjoll

This part of the road is the most challenging one and probably the steepest we drove on in Iceland. Again, there are no river crossings, just the road is really bumpy and towards the end quite steep. However, in good weather (read – no snow, no heavy rain) it’s definitely doable by any medium-sized SUV and better, like our Dacia Duster. If you feel unsafe, go slowly, turn 4×4 on or watch someone else go first in front of you.

Once you reach the end of the road, you will find yourself at the car park. This is the closest point to the central Hveradalir area reachable by car.

Kerlingarfjöll

14:40-16:20

Distance from car park: 2 minutes 
Time spent at: 1-3 hours (or more according to your hiking passion) 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: no, probably
Physical condition needed: medium to advanced 
Interesting index: 1 – amazing  (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Clay staircase in Hveradalir area of Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjoll hiking options

Once in Kerlingarfjöll, you have numerous hiking options. You may for example hike to Snækollur, the highest peak of Kerlingarfjöll. This is a challenging hike, where you need to be in a very good physical shape. Snaekollur offers the best views over Kerlingarfjöll and it will take you about 5 to 7 hours. Nevertheless, the two most popular options to explore the area are shorter and easier hikes around Hveradalir hot springs.

The most popular hiking option

An option we chose – to arrive at Hveradalir geothermal area by car (steepest part of F347, past mountain resort) and to explore it from there. You may hike around the area as long as you want and as far as you want and turn back at any moment. I.e., you’re going to be returning the same way you came there. This is the most time-efficient option and allows you to see one of the most beautiful views of Kerlingarfjoll in quite a short amount of time.

One of the numerous trails in Hveradalir area of Kerlingarfjoll

Another popular option is to start at Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort and hike to Hveradalir yourself. It will take you around an hour to reach Hveradalir area and you may enjoy some additional nice views on top of that of Hveradalir. You have to come back the same way you arrived in here (unless you are doing a big 3-day loop with sleepovers). The big advantage of this trail is a hot spring somewhere around the first third of the trail, where you may bath. The disadvantage is the time aspect, as you will be spending additional 2 hours just getting to and from Hveradalir.

Hveradalir hike

14:40-16:20

Hveradalir area is one of the most beautiful and breath-taking places I’ve ever been to in my life – together with Askja, Landmannalaugar and the F-roads south of Landmannalaugar. You literally feel like you’re on a different planet. This time it’s not rainbow mountains, no black sand, no green moss. This time, it’s orange mountains mixed with wild sulphuric hot springs and snow. A lot of snow. And cold. And the wind. Welcome to Hveradalir.

The ground is covered with clay (or something like clay) and with every step of yours it sticks to your shoes like glue. That means either take some shoes you don’t like that much or be prepared for some thorough cleaning. Hikes in here are not dangerous. At least not under normal wind conditions. And if you don’t go as far as snow-covered trails are. Then, they may be dangerous.

One of the summits of the several smaller hills around the Hveradalir in Kerlingarfjöll

There are several smaller hills and there are also smaller wooden stairs-like steps almost on each of them to help you with the ascent. And I do understand why. If it weren’t for them, every 10th visitor would have slipped on the clay and injured or killed himself. The views and the atmosphere of the place is truly amazing. Hot springs with hot sulphuric steam are everywhere and they help create an occasional feeling of warmth. There are, however, no hot springs to bath in Hveradalir area. This is contrary to Google maps calling the location “hot springs” or “geothermal area”.

We hiked around the area for around 90 minutes and enjoyed every moment of it. Except for the cold windy weather. With regards to visibility, clouds of fog were being replaced by the somewhat clearer sky, and vice versa, every 5 minutes. So be patient, and you may get better scenery for pictures. Or be lucky and come when the weather is clear. We hiked about 4-5 smaller hills and turned back from each one either at the end of the trail or if the trail started to be covered by deep snow, or reached high enough to be completely covered by fog.

Hot springs

Well, if you put “Hveradalir” in the Google maps, the place with no road pops up, quite far from the car park. However, Hveradalir area starts right next to the parking lot so this data point is slightly mistaken. The second confusing thing is if you are looking for hot springs to bath in. You will not find them in Hveradalir. Although Google is saying this is a hot spring area, yes, it is, but you can’t bath in any.

And it’s not easy to find it where the hot spring available for bathing actually is. We’ve accomplished that by asking a receptionist at Kerlingarfjoll mountain resort. She told us that the only hot spring with the bathing option is roughly in the one-third of the trail from mountain resort towards Hveradalir. I.e. after some 20 minutes of walking. Well, we already had enough and the weather started to get foggy and rainy, so we decided to go on with our journey. But firstly, we had to clean our shoes for at least 15 minutes to get off the Kerlingarfjoll clay.

Gullfoss

18:55-19:15

Distance from car park: 5 minutes 
Time spent at: 10-20 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 2 – great  (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Gullfoss at the time of our visit, i.e. 7 pm

The rest of the F35 towards the south, starting in Kerlingarfjoll is about the same as the northern part of F35. That means no river crossings, a lot of potholes and countless acres of deserted highlands. The logical option when arriving at the south end of F35 is the famous Gullfoss waterfall. And we followed this logical option.

Despite being tired already, we decided to go for 2 last sights. First of them was Gullfoss, or typically one of the most touristy places. You’re going to notice it once you arrive at the gigantic car park next to the restaurant and souvenir shop. However, we arrived in the evening during Covid-19 times. This meant an empty car park and a closed restaurant with a souvenir shop. And also – almost no tourists.

The waterfall is very easily accessible, which probably explains why it’s usually so touristy. It’s also very picturesque. It wasn’t one of our favourites, though. We were already spoiled enough with all of the places we had seen already at that time. As someone on the Google maps had put it “3/5 Icelandic stars, that is 5/5 stars anywhere else”.

Strokkur

19:30-20:00

Distance from car park: 5 minutes 
Time spent at: 10-40 minutes 
Worth visiting even with bad weather: yes
Physical condition needed: little 
Interesting index: 2 – great  (1-amazing, 2-great, 3-nice)

Being encouraged by the low number of tourists at the time of our visit, we decided to continue to our last point of interest on that day. Again, a logical choice, just a few minutes of drive from Gullfoss – legendary Strokkur. This time, we aimed for the undeniable number one in the ranking of touristy places. We arrived at this parking place and there were only 2 other cars. Maybe we are wrong? Too far away from the actual geyser? No, we were right.

Yes, at the time of our visit there were 6 other people than us near Strokkur. Now comes a little trivia window again. There are two geysers at this place. The old one – “Geysir” and the new one – “Strokkur”. The trick is, Geysir only erupts very rarely (if ever), whereas Strokkur erupts every 2 to 10 minutes. So better don’t wait for the Geysir to erupt.

What’s there to add? Watch the eruptions as many times as you’d like to and you’re good to go.

Flúðir camping

21:30-

I was planning to bath in the Hruni hot spring, the next day in the morning so I picked a Flúðir campsite for us, right next to Hruni. Well, the campsite was very simple and belongs to the worse ones from all of those we’ve been to in Iceland. Nevertheless, at least it had showers. I don’t remember any kitchen area though. Luckily, this day we had our only restaurant dinner, so no need for the kitchen.

Skipped places

• Fosslaug hot spring
• Secret Lagoon Hot Spring

Although Fosslaug hot spring seemed like a very cool place to soak in, we decided to skip it. Fosslaug is located near Varmahlid and would be a detour on our way to Kerlingarfjoll. And Kerlingarfjoll was our priority for that day, so we decided to go for more hot springs in the following days.

The same holds for the Secret Lagoon Hot Spring, with little addition of being touristy as well. We definitely preferred an experience of wild hot springs, rather than organized and touristy ones.