Natural Hot Spring
Laugarfellslaug
East Iceland
Nestled in the remote East Icelandic Highlands, Laugarfellslaug offers two beautifully stone-built natural geothermal hot springs. Renowned for their ancient healing properties, these tranquil pools provide a picturesque setting for relaxation, with stunning views of the vast landscape and the majestic Snæfell mountain in the distance, especially captivating at sunset.
Soak in two hand-built stone pools deep in the East Iceland highlands, with Mount Snæfell filling the horizon and reindeer roaming the surrounding tundra.
Story
Deep in the East Iceland highlands, north of Mount Snæfell and on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park, two hand-built stone pools sit steaming against a backdrop of tundra and glacier-carved valleys. Laugarfellslaug's water fills a larger pool that hovers between 37°C and 39°C and a smaller, hotter pool that climbs to 42–44°C, letting bathers pick their own temperature as the highland light shifts over Snæfell in the distance. The pools sit beside the small Laugarfell mountain hut, reachable only in summer, when reindeer graze the surrounding heath and waterfalls run full with meltwater. Local folklore holds that the warm water carries healing properties — a story passed down long before the springs were ever lined in stone.
History
Documented history is thin, but locals have long told that the spring's warm water holds healing properties, and the two pools seen today were built from natural stones using traditional methods, giving them their rustic, hand-built character. No verified date for the original construction was found.
Did You Know?
Laugarfellslaug is actually two separate pools at different temperatures — a larger one around 37–39°C and a smaller, hotter pool around 42–44°C — so bathers can pick their preferred heat. (Source: gocarrental.is)
Admission
~2,700 ISK (free for overnight guests)
Practical Information
Best Time
June through September, when the mountain hut and road are open; summer light gives the best views of Snæfell.
Duration
1–2 hours, longer if combined with a stay or hike in the surrounding highlands.
Getting There
In the East Iceland highlands beside the Laugarfell mountain hut, about 74 km from Egilsstaðir via Road 910 (mountain-road conditions apply on the final stretch; closed in winter, when only super-jeep access is possible).
Transport
Private car or 4x4 recommended for Road 910; the road closes in winter and access then requires a super jeep.
Budget
Around 2,700 ISK for adults, 1,700 ISK for children under 13 as day visitors; free for guests staying overnight at Laugarfell.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to visit Laugarfellslaug?+
Day visitors pay around 2,700 ISK for adults and 1,700 ISK for children under 13; guests staying overnight at the adjacent Laugarfell mountain hut get free access. (Source: gocarrental.is)
When is Laugarfellslaug open?+
The site is open to day visitors from June through September. Outside that window it's accessible mainly to overnight guests, and winter access requires a super jeep as the road closes. (Source: laugarfell.is)
How hot is the water?+
There are two pools — a larger one at roughly 37–39°C and a smaller, hotter pool at roughly 42–44°C. (Source: gocarrental.is)
How do I get to Laugarfellslaug?+
It's in the East Iceland highlands near Mount Snæfell, about 74 km from Egilsstaðir via Road 910; the final stretch is a mountain road that closes in winter. (Source: guidetoiceland.is, gocarrental.is)
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