天然温泉
Reykjadalur
South Iceland
Reykjadalur, or 'Steam Valley,' is a remarkable geothermal attraction in South Iceland, where the earth's raw volcanic forces are vividly displayed. Hike through a dramatic landscape of steam vents and boiling pools, culminating in a unique opportunity to bathe in a naturally heated river. The cascading waters seen in the image flow through mineral-rich terrain, offering a truly immersive wilderness experience.
ストーリー
Reykjadalur — "Steam Valley" — is the geothermal area above Hveragerði where a genuinely warm river runs through a landscape of hissing fumaroles, bubbling mud and mineral-stained hillsides fed by the Hengill volcanic system. Unlike most of Iceland's hot springs, this one asks something of you first: reaching the bathing stretch of the Reykjadalsá river means an uphill walk of roughly 3.5 km, commonly taking 45 minutes to an hour each way, from the car park above Hveragerði. The reward is a wooden boardwalk along a bend in the river where the water settles into a comfortable soaking temperature — cooler as side streams join further downstream, hotter the further upstream you wade — so bathers spread out along the bank until they find their own spot. There are no lockers, cafés or toilets at the river itself, only simple wooden screens for changing, which is part of the valley's appeal: after the climb, this remains one of the only places in Iceland to bathe for free in a genuinely wild hot river.
ご存知ですか？
The river gets hotter the further upstream you wade and cooler downstream as side streams join in, so bathers walk along the bank until they find their own comfortable spot rather than relying on one fixed pool.
入場料
Free (small parking fee at the trailhead)
実用情報
ベストシーズン
June to October for the easiest, driest hiking conditions; winter visits are possible but the trail can be icy and dangerous, so bring crampons/microspikes and extra caution.
所要時間
Half a day — allow 2.5–3.5 hours round trip including time in the water.
アクセス
The trailhead car park sits above Hveragerði, about 45 minutes from Reykjavík by car along Route 1; from the car park, follow the marked trail roughly 3.5 km uphill to the bathing area.
交通手段
Self-drive to the Reykjadalur car park, or join a guided hiking tour from Reykjavík or Hveragerði; no public bus runs directly to the trailhead.
予算
Free to hike and bathe; parking at the trailhead costs a small fee (commonly cited around 300–1,000 ISK depending on duration).
ギャラリー
