One-day itinerary – a taste of the hinterland

Gjáin, Hjálparfoss, Sigöldugljúfur and the best of Þjórsárdalur

Attractions

Gjáin (4×4 + Háifoss) · Hjálparfoss · Sigöldufoss · Sigöldugljúfur (4×4 + 15 min or 45 min walk) · Fossabrekkur · Þjófafoss · Stöng í Þjórsárdal · Gaukshöfði · Urriðafoss on Route 1

This one-day itinerary takes you to places where you can already experience the beauty and rawness of Iceland’s interior. All locations can be visited with a two-wheel drive car, but in two cases a 4×4 will save you a lot of walking. These are the canyon Sigöldugljúfur, where without a 4×4 you need about a 45-minute walk each way, and the waterfall Háifoss, which is accessible on foot from the Gjáin area via a hike of about 3 hours each way – far too much for a single-day trip.

Our route follows roads 26 and 32. A large part of road 26 is still unpaved, so consider whether the drive is worth it for you. A short detour leads to the viewpoint Gaukshöfði, which offers beautiful views over the Þjórsá river valley and the famous volcano Hekla. Next comes the waterfall Hjálparfoss, a great place to take a break.

From there, return to the main road, and nearby is the turnoff to Stöng í Þjórsárdal – reachable even with a two-wheel drive car. With a 4×4, you can continue to the stunning valley Gjáin, a small oasis in an otherwise barren landscape, and then to the waterfall Háifoss. With a regular car, you must walk from here to Gjáin – but it is only about a 15-minute walk.

In both cases, you return to road 32, which smoothly becomes road 26. You will pass the last fuel station on the way at the Hrauneyjar center. From there it is only a few kilometers to the waterfall Sigöldufoss. With a 4×4 you can easily cross the hill and after about 3 km reach a small parking area for the “Valley of Tears.” Even with a two-wheel drive car you should be able to reach this area, but it depends on your rental agreement and insurance conditions – officially it is not yet a so-called F-road.

Sigöldugljúfur will likely be the highlight of your day. You can return the same way, or continue along road 26 and make a short stop at the beautiful rapids Fossabrekkur, followed by the waterfall Þjófafoss. The best resting spots are at Stöng í Þjórsárdal and at Hjálparfoss.