Icelandic hinterland

Iceland’s Highlands are an unpredictable part of Iceland that is difficult to describe. And it is absolutely impossible to create any kind of sample itinerary, as it is a completely unpredictable area.

Instead of an itinerary, I offer you a list with short descriptions of places in the Highlands that are worth seeing. Afterwards, I’ll add a brief general comment about the Highlands.

So, voilà!

Most beautiful and interesting places in the Highlands

Gjáin

An oasis in the Þjórsárdalur valley with waterfalls, streams, lichens, and greenery – a fairytale-like place reminiscent of an elf world, famous for scenes from Game of Thrones.

Landmannalaugar

An area of rainbow-colored mountains and geothermal springs in the middle of the Laugahraun lava field – the northern starting point of the famous Laugavegur trek.

Viewpoint no. 8

One of the numbered viewpoints along the route through Iceland’s Highlands in the Landmannalaugar area, offering exceptional views of the surrounding landscape.

Grænihryggur

An iconic green ridge in the Landmannalaugar area – one of the most photographed views in all of Iceland’s Highlands, earned through a demanding hike.

Mælifell

A lonely green volcano with a perfect cone shape, surrounded by black volcanic sand – one of the most surreal views in Iceland.

Hveradalir (Kerlingarfjöll)

The geothermal heart of the “Witch Mountains” – colorful fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pools in a dramatic mountain landscape.

Askja

An active volcanic complex with a lunar landscape in the Dyngjufjöll mountains, where NASA trained astronauts. Swimming in the geothermal crater Víti is an unforgettable experience.

Herðubreiðarlindir

A green oasis with springs, streams, and birdlife right under the “Queen of Icelandic mountains” Herðubreið – a historic refuge for outlaws in the heart of the Highlands.

Sigöldugljúfur

A canyon nicknamed the “Valley of Tears,” one wall of which is formed by dozens of waterfalls (Lekafossar) – a highly photogenic stop on the way to Landmannalaugar.

Þórsmörk

Thor’s wooded valley enclosed by glaciers and wild rivers – an iconic Highland destination and the southern starting point of both the Laugavegur and Fimmvörðuháls treks.

Rauðibotn

A volcanic crater deep in the Highlands with red mineral deposits and dramatic views of the surrounding volcanic landscape.

Laugarvallalaug

One of the most beautiful and remote geothermal pools in Iceland, at the end of road F910 – for those willing to go to the edge of the world.

Eldgjá

The largest volcanic fissure in the world (50 km), formed in 934, hiding the Ófærufoss waterfall – a mystical area with many hiking routes of varying difficulty.

Rauðauga

A mysterious “red eye” – a crystal-clear spring of the Rauðufossakvísl river, one of the most magical places in all of Iceland.

Löðmundur (Fjallabak)

One of the most beautiful views of the Icelandic Highlands comes from here. Fact.

Markarfljótsgljúfur

A lesser-known canyon, whose most beautiful parts lie along the Laugavegur trek.

Places worth visiting

Þakgil

A beautiful and well-hidden canyon in southern Iceland, accessible even with a 2WD car – one of the few places where you can experience true Highlands scenery without a 4×4.

Hverahlíð (Vonarskarð)

A geothermal area in the Vonarskarð pass (“Pass of Hope”) between the Tungnafellsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers – a destination for long treks from the Nýidalur campsite.

Hveradalir

A geothermal area in the Kerlingarfjöll “Witch Mountains” – golden slopes, fumaroles, and hot pools in the very heart of Iceland’s Highlands.

Sveinstindur

An iconic viewpoint overlooking Lake Langisjór – one of the most beautiful views in the Highlands, reachable in about an hour of hiking.

Laki

A volcanic ridge with the Lakagígar craters, site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history (1783–1784), which changed the climate of Europe.

Aldeyjarfoss

A waterfall surrounded by perfectly shaped basalt columns on the Skjálfandafljót river – a geological highlight on the northern edge of the Highlands.

Háifoss

One of Iceland’s highest waterfalls (122 m) in the Þjórsárdalur valley, known from Stranger Things – next to it falls the slightly smaller Granni waterfall.

Rauðaskál

A red crater with dramatic views of a Mars-like landscape – a rarely visited spot in the southern Highlands.

Dynkur

An impressive waterfall on Iceland’s longest river Þjórsá, far from any tourist routes – you will most likely have it entirely to yourself.

Háhyrna

Views from the slopes of Háhyrna over the vast Sprengisandur plains with a panorama of the Fremri-Hagajökull glacier tongue.

Nýifoss

A waterfall in the Highlands near Hagavatn on road F335 – a little-visited place in the heart of the southern Highlands.

This is not a real itinerary, because planning anything in Iceland’s Highlands more than a few hours in advance is impossible, and in some cases the situation can change even within those few hours.

The Highlands come with many hazards that are good to know about, and many more that cannot really be described in advance, because they are part of the daily behavior of Iceland’s raw nature. You must be able to assess all of them on site. If you get it wrong, your trip can end badly – several-hour delays with the need to sleep in the wilderness without any way to call for help (there is usually no GSM signal in the Highlands) are only a minor issue. Tragic consequences in every sense of the word are the worst possible outcome. And they are real.

The range of things that can go wrong in the Highlands is incredibly wide.

Flat tire on two wheels at once? That will definitely stop you. Think it can’t happen? Hold my beer!

Somewhat predictable are river levels – in the morning, rivers are usually lower than in the evening. This is caused by glacier melt during the day due to sunlight.

The difference in water level can be so significant that a river you crossed easily in the morning may force you to stop and wait on the way back.

How long this takes depends on both sunlight and rain, so do not assume that river levels will definitely drop in the morning.

Tides also affect some fords, such as in the F649 area in Strandir.

The good thing is that most Highland attractions can be reached via multiple routes, and there is usually always a safer option.

Landmannalaugar is most easily accessed from the northwest via F208. This route does not require river crossings, so if you are unsure, leave your car at the parking area before the river just before Landmannalaugar. Think it’s an easy ford and you can handle it? I spent over two weeks in that area and saw at least ten submerged cars. That’s a lot for such an “easy” crossing. On the way there, don’t miss the Sigöldugljúfur canyon.

Want to go to the Rauðibotn crater? Then take F210 and you will avoid crossing the Hólmsá river.

Want to go to Mælifell? Then take F232.

Want to go to Rauðibotn and then continue to Mælifell? Just return to roads 208/209 and avoid risking the Hólmsá crossing.

Want to go to the queen of Icelandic mountains Herðubreið and Herðubreiðarlindir? The easier route is via F905, F910, and then F88 from the south. The Lindaá river crossing is simply not suitable for all cars.

Going to Þórsmörk and not experienced with difficult terrain driving? Then this is a really bad idea – F249 is not for beginners. And since there is no other road, you may want to leave this for another time.

Arrived safely but out of fuel for the return trip? Only Odin can help you with that.

No license plate? Then try to remember which river you crossed so fast that water went over the hood, go back there, and you will likely find it at the bottom. You will very likely also find other plates – take them and leave them with park rangers (at campsites).

Finding metal pieces that aren’t license plates? Those are most likely parts of undercarriages – don’t worry about it.

Once you arrive somewhere, you usually still have to walk some distance to reach your actual destination. Do not walk on glaciers unless you know what you are doing and are not planning to die. Do not cross snow bridges unless you want to fall through and break your arms and legs. Bring more food and water than you think you need.

If you are going further off the beaten path than usual, a satellite communicator is highly recommended.

Going alone? Good luck!