Iceland Highlands: A Guide to the Untamed Interior
The Icelandic Highlands are the vast, uninhabited interior of the country, a moonscape of volcanic deserts, colourful rhyolite mountains, glacial rivers, black sand plains and geothermal areas that feels more like another planet than another region. No one lives here. There are no towns, no shops, no fuel stations and very few permanent structures. It is one of the last true wilderness areas in Europe.
Visiting the highlands is a fundamentally different experience from driving the Ring Road. The roads are unpaved, the rivers may need to be forded, mobile phone signal disappears and the weather can turn hostile without warning. But for those who make the effort, the highlands offer landscapes that exist nowhere else on Earth. This is Iceland at its most raw and most beautiful.
When You Can Visit
The highlands are only accessible in summer, typically from late June to early September (sometimes mid-September in a good year). The exact opening dates depend on weather and road conditions, and they can vary by several weeks from year to year.
All highland roads are designated F-roads (fjallvegir, or mountain roads). F-roads are legally restricted to 4WD vehicles, and your rental car insurance will not cover any damage on an F-road if you are driving a 2WD. Most rental agreements for small cars explicitly prohibit F-road driving.
Road opening dates are published at road.is. Never assume an F-road is open without checking.
Getting There: Your Options
Self-drive (4WD required): The most flexible option. You need a proper 4WD vehicle (not just an AWD crossover) with good ground clearance. Some routes require river fording, which voids the insurance on many rental cars. Check your rental agreement very carefully. Consider hiring from a company that specifically allows river crossings, such as those specialising in highland vehicles.
Highland buses: Scheduled bus services run to the most popular highland destinations, including Landmannalaugar and Askja, from roughly mid-June to mid-September. These are a good option if you do not want the stress of F-road driving. Operators include Trex and Reykjavík Excursions.
Super jeep tours: Guided tours in modified 4WD vehicles are the most comfortable and safest way to experience the highlands. Guides handle the driving, river crossings and navigation. Prices are higher but the experience is stress-free and you benefit from local knowledge.
The Major Highland Destinations
Landmannalaugar
The most accessible and most visited highland destination. Landmannalaugar is famous for its rhyolite mountains, which display surreal colours: candy pinks, vivid yellows, moss greens and volcanic blacks, all on the same hillside. Nowhere else on Earth looks quite like this.
What to do:
- Soak in the natural hot spring. A warm river runs along the edge of a lava field, creating a natural geothermal pool. Free, magical and the perfect reward after a hike
- Hike the Brennisteinsalda loop. A 2 to 3 hour hike around the most colourful mountain in the area. Moderate difficulty, jaw-dropping colours
- Start the Laugavegur trail. Iceland's most famous multi-day hike runs 55 km from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk over 2 to 4 days. Huts are available along the route but must be booked months in advance
Access: Via F-road 208 from the south (easiest approach) or F-road 26 from the north. The southern route involves one river ford that can be impassable in high water. Highland buses from Reykjavík operate daily in summer.
Askja and Víti Crater
Askja is a massive volcanic caldera deep in the central highlands. Within the caldera sits Víti, a vivid blue crater lake with warm geothermal water that you can (carefully) bathe in. The scale of Askja is enormous and almost impossible to capture in photographs.
The drive to Askja crosses the Ódáðahraun lava desert, one of the most barren landscapes in Iceland. It feels like driving across the surface of Mars, and it is no coincidence that NASA trained Apollo astronauts in this area in the 1960s.
Access: Via F-road 88 from the Mývatn area. A long, rough drive (about 3 hours each way from the F88 junction). Super jeep day tours from Mývatn are the most popular option and typically include a guide, lunch and bathing at Víti.
Þórsmörk (Thorsmork)
A lush, sheltered valley surrounded by glaciers and mountains, Þórsmörk feels like a hidden paradise. The contrast between the green valley floor and the ice-capped peaks above is striking. It is the end (or start) point of the famous Laugavegur trail.
Access: Via Route 249, which involves multiple river crossings that require a modified super jeep or highland bus. Regular 4WDs cannot safely cross these rivers. Bus services run from Reykjavík in summer.
Kerlingarfjöll
A geothermal mountain area with steaming vents, hot springs and colourful mineral deposits set against snow-streaked peaks. Less visited than Landmannalaugar but equally beautiful. A highland hut and campsite provide overnight options.
Access: Via F-road 35 (Kjölur route). This is one of the easier highland routes with no river crossings on the main road, though a 4WD is still legally required.
The Kjölur Route (F35)
The easier of the two main highland crossing routes, running between Gullfoss (Golden Circle) in the south and Blönduós in the north. The road passes Kerlingarfjöll and the Hveravellir geothermal area, where you can soak in a natural hot spring surrounded by nothing but highland desert. No river fords on the main route.
The Sprengisandur Route (F26)
The harder highland crossing, running through the empty interior between Vatnajökull glacier and Hofsjökull glacier. This route includes river crossings and is recommended only for experienced highland drivers or guided tours. The landscape is the most desolate in Iceland: vast black sand deserts with barely a feature for kilometres.
Safety in the Highlands
The highlands demand respect. There is no mobile phone signal in most areas, no rescue services nearby, and weather can change from sunshine to blizzard in an hour.
Essential preparations:
- Tell someone your plans. Register your route at safetravel.is before entering the highlands. This is not bureaucracy. If you do not return, this information tells rescue teams where to look
- Carry extra food, water and warm clothing. Enough for at least one extra day
- Bring a paper map. GPS and phone maps are unreliable when there is no signal
- Never cross a river you are not confident about. River levels change throughout the day (highest in warm afternoons when glacial melt increases). Wait until morning when levels are lowest. If in doubt, wait or turn back
- Carry a first aid kit and know how to use it
- Stay on marked tracks. Driving off-road is illegal and the highland vegetation is extremely fragile
Practical Tips
Budget: Highland tours are expensive. A day tour to Landmannalaugar costs roughly 15,000 to 20,000 ISK per person. Askja super jeep tours are 30,000 to 45,000 ISK. Self-driving is cheaper per person but the 4WD rental cost is higher.
What to bring: Warm layers (temperatures can drop below freezing even in July), waterproof outer layer, sturdy hiking boots, swimsuit (for hot springs), sunscreen (the UV is strong at altitude), sunglasses, and a fully charged power bank.
Camping: Highland campsites are basic but functional. Most have toilets and cold water. Some have huts (Landmannalaugar, Kerlingarfjöll, Þórsmörk). Book huts well in advance for July and August.