Did you know? For centuries Europeans believed Hekla volcano was one of the entrances to Hell. During eruptions, people thought they could hear souls escaping from inside the mountain.
Icelandic Highlands
The Icelandic Highlands are a vast, uninhabited wilderness at the heart of Iceland, shaped by volcanic forces and extreme weather. This remote interior is dominated by black sand deserts, rugged mountains, glaciers, and powerful rivers that carve through the landscape.
Places like Landmannalaugar and Askja showcase the region’s raw beauty—colorful rhyolite peaks, steaming geothermal fields, and massive volcanic craters. With almost no infrastructure and no permanent settlements, the Highlands feel isolated and untouched.
Accessible mainly during summer via rough mountain roads, the area offers a true sense of adventure. The silence, scale, and ever-changing conditions create a powerful atmosphere—both awe-inspiring and slightly intimidating—making it one of Iceland’s most unique and unforgettable regions.
Highland Travel Requirements
All highland F-roads require a 4x4 vehicle and are only open in summer (approx. late June – September). River crossings can be dangerous. Always check road conditions at road.is before departing and never attempt F-roads in a regular 2WD car. Guided super jeep tours are the safest way to visit.
Top Attractions in the Highlands
Remote wilderness, colourful rhyolite mountains and volcanic wonders
Álftavatn Camsite (Laugavegur)
Álftavatn is the second rest stop on the Laugavegur — Europe's most famous long-distance hiking trail. The campsite sits beside the blue waters of Lake Álftavatn in the heart of the southern highlands, surrounded by volcanoes and glaciers. Accessible only on foot or via F-roads.
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Askja Vikraborgir Trail
Trail across volcanic terrain near Askja caldera.
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Brennisteinsalda Trail
Sulfur-colored mountain trail through geothermal valleys.
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Hveradalir Kerlingarfjoll Trail
Trail through colorful geothermal valleys in Kerlingarfjoll.
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Private Silfra Snorkeling 6 p. group - Meet on Location - with Underwater Photos
From $899
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Hveravellir Campsite
A remote Highland campsite beside geothermal hot springs between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers.
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Hvítárvatn Campsite
A remote Highland campsite beside Hvítárvatn lake with views toward Langjökull glacier along the Kjölur Route.
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Landmannalaugar Campsite
A remote Highland campsite in Landmannalaugar surrounded by colorful rhyolite mountains and natural geothermal hot springs.
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Laugahraun Lava Trail
Short lava field hike near Landmannalaugar hot spring area.
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Private Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon 2 Day Tour & Glacier Hike
From $7240
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Nýidalur Campsite
A remote Highland campsite in Nýidalur along the Sprengisandur Route surrounded by glaciers, rivers, and central Iceland wilderness.
Learn more →Blahnukur Summit Trail
Colorful rhyolite mountain hike with sweeping highland views.
Learn more →Dreki Campsite (Askja)
Dreki is the base camp for excursions to Askja — one of Iceland's most dramatic volcanic calderas. Here you will find Víti — a warm crater lake you can swim in — and Öskjuvatn — Iceland's deepest lake. The campsite is in the middle of the highlands and is accessible only by 4x4 vehicles on F-roads.
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Emstrur – Botnar Tjaldsvæði (Laugavegur)
Emstrur (Botnar) is the third rest stop on the Laugavegur hiking trail, between Álftavatn and Þórsmörk. This is one of the most remote and wild campsites on the route, deep in the highlands between Mýrdalsjökull and Entujökull glaciers. Distant views of Katla volcano and unforgettable glacier scenery.
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Private 2-Day Glacier Lagoon, Ice Cave and Northern Lights
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Book NowFjallabak Nature Reserve Trail
Remote highland trail through volcanic landscapes and rivers.
Learn more →Grettislaug Hot Pots (Hveravellir)
Natural hot spring pools at Hveravellir in the Icelandic Highlands. Located in the remote interior between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers. Only accessible in summer by 4x4 vehicle.
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Kerlingarfjöll Tjaldsvæði
A remote Highland campsite surrounded by colorful rhyolite mountains and geothermal valleys along the Kjölur Route.
Learn more →Strutslaug Hot Spring
One of Iceland's most remote and spectacular hot springs, located on the Strutur hiking route in the southern highlands near the Torfajökull geothermal area. A true wilderness bathing experience for serious hikers.
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Reykjavík All In One Food Tour - Eat, Drink & Explore with Locals
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Friðmundará
Witness the majestic Friðmundará waterfall, a multi-tiered spectacle carving its way through a dramatic, green-topped canyon in the Icelandic highlands. This visually stunning location is not only a natural wonder but also a deeply significant site, echoing with the rich sagas and mythical tales of Iceland's past.
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Nýidalur
Nestled in the heart of Iceland's rugged highlands, Nýidalur serves as a crucial base camp along the Sprengisandur route. The dark wooden cabins with their distinctive red roofs, as seen in the image, provide a welcoming haven for trekkers exploring the vast wilderness around Tungnafellsjökull. It's an ideal stopover for those venturing across the challenging Sprengisandur.
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Viti Crater Askja Trail
Walk around the turquoise Viti crater lake.
Learn more →Hidden Gems in the Highlands
Off-the-beaten-path spots most tourists miss
Ljótipollur Crater Lake
Ljótipollur — meaning 'ugly puddle' — is a vivid blood-red volcanic crater lake near Landmannalaugar. Despite its unglamorous name it is one of the most striking sights in the Highlands, with steep red and black crater walls plunging into deep blue water. The crater formed in a lava field eruption around 500 years ago. Few visitors make the short hike to the rim, making it a remarkably peaceful spot even during the peak summer season.
Hveravellir Hot Springs
Hveravellir is a geothermal oasis in the centre of the Kjölur highland route — a collection of boiling mud pools, blue hot springs and fumaroles set in a lava field between two glaciers. A natural bathing pool filled with warm geothermal water sits right beside the hot springs. According to legend, Hveravellir was a hideout for the 18th-century outlaw Fjalla-Eyvindur, who survived in the Highlands for years by bathing in the warm springs to endure the freezing winters.
Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall
Aldeyjarfoss is one of Iceland's most dramatic waterfalls — a thundering 20-meter cascade surrounded by perfectly symmetrical basalt columns rising from the riverbank like cathedral pillars. Located on the Sprengisandur route near the highland edge, it sees a fraction of the visitors that more accessible waterfalls receive. The contrast between the white churning water and the dark, geometric basalt formations creates one of the most striking compositions in Icelandic nature photography.
Legends of the Highlands
The Icelandic Highlands have always been a place of myth. These mountains, glaciers and volcanic deserts bred some of Iceland's most enduring stories — outlaws, petrified trolls, and eruptions born from human fury.
Adventure in the Wild Interior
The Icelandic Highlands offer a level of raw adventure found nowhere else on Earth. No phone signal, no facilities, no other tourists — just you and one of the most dramatic volcanic landscapes on the planet.
The Laugavegur Trail — 55 km from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk — is consistently ranked among the world's top trekking routes. It passes through coloured rhyolite mountains, steaming hot springs, obsidian lava fields, and views of glacial valleys that look like they belong on another planet.
Super jeep expeditions offer access to the most remote corners of the highlands — the Askja caldera, the Holuhraun lava field, and the volcanic table mountain of Herðubreið. These tours are led by experienced local guides who know every river crossing and weather pattern.
Laugavegur Trail
55 km world-class trek from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk through rhyolite mountains and glacial valleys.
Super Jeep Tours
Access remote volcanic landscapes, river crossings and the Askja caldera with expert local guides.
Landscape Photography
The coloured rhyolite of Landmannalaugar and Fjallabak is unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Top Tours in the Highlands
Best-rated experiences — book instantly with free cancellation
Private Silfra Snorkeling 6 p. group - Meet on Location - with Underwater Photos
From $899
Book NowPrivate Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon 2 Day Tour & Glacier Hike
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Book NowReykjavík All In One Food Tour - Eat, Drink & Explore with Locals
From $207.37
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Reykjavik Private Northern Lights Tour with Pro Photographer
From $1647.1
Book NowFrequently Asked Questions
When are the Highlands open?▾
F-roads typically open in late June and close again in September or October. The exact dates vary by year and weather conditions — check road.is for current road status before travelling.
Do I need a 4x4 for the Highlands?▾
Yes — absolutely. 4x4 is mandatory for all F-roads. River crossings can be waist-deep and are extremely dangerous in a regular car. Never attempt highland roads in a 2WD vehicle.
How do I hike the Laugavegur Trail?▾
The trail runs 55 km from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk and takes 3–5 days. Book mountain huts well in advance (months ahead in peak season). You can also do guided hiking tours if you prefer not to carry camping gear.
How far is Landmannalaugar from Reykjavík?▾
About 180 km — but the last 30+ km are on rough F-roads, making total driving time around 3–4 hours. A 4x4 or the scheduled highland bus is required.
Is Askja worth the journey?▾
Yes — Askja is one of Iceland's most spectacular volcanic calderas, with the otherworldly Víti crater lake filled with milky blue-green water. The journey takes a full day from Akureyri. Most people go on a super jeep tour.
Haunted Places in the Icelandic Highlands
The Highlands are the most remote and mysterious region of Iceland. Many travelers historically believed spirits protected these landscapes — and medieval Europeans thought one volcano marked the entrance to Hell.
Landmannalaugar
Steam vents rising from the colorful rhyolite mountains were believed to be entrances to hidden underground worlds.
Kerlingarfjöll
The mountains are said to be petrified trolls caught by sunrise — Kerling herself led them across the highlands before dawn broke.
Askja Caldera
This remote volcanic caldera is often described as a gateway to underground fire worlds — formed in a catastrophic eruption in 1875.
Hekla Volcano
For centuries, Europeans believed Hekla was one of the entrances to Hell itself — a belief documented in medieval manuscripts across Europe.
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