Landmannalaugar: Iceland's painted highlands (summer only)

Iceland’s highlands: the most remote accessible landscape in Western Europe

Landmannalaugar sits at 600 meters elevation in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, surrounded by rhyolite mountains whose mineral composition creates extraordinary color gradients — purples, pinks, greens, and yellows on bare rock that looks nothing like conventional highland scenery. The area also has the most accessible natural geothermal hot spring in Iceland: a natural pool where hot spring water mixes with a cold stream to create a temperature you can actually bathe in, open to anyone, free, no infrastructure.

This is not a place for unprepared visitors. The F208 highland road that provides the main access requires a genuine 4x4 (high clearance, all-wheel drive, not an AWD crossover) and involves river crossings that can be impassable after rainfall or snowmelt. People drive regular rental cars into the highlands every summer and damage them — the rental agreements explicitly exclude F-roads, meaning any damage is entirely the renter’s financial liability. Do not do this.

The season is strict: typically mid-June through early September, depending on snow conditions each year. Buoys that mark the river crossing depths go in when the road opens and come out when it closes. Check road.is and Safetravel.is before any highland journey.

What Landmannalaugar actually looks like

The rhyolite mountains that encircle the camp at Landmannalaugar are the result of ancient silica-rich lava flows cooling slowly. The silica content and various mineral inclusions (iron creating reds and oranges, olivine creating greens, sulfur creating yellows) produce colors on exposed rock faces that resemble a palette rather than conventional grey volcanic terrain.

The most striking ridge is Barmur, visible directly north of the camp. The most common short hike (2-3 hours return) crosses the Laugahraun lava field formed in 1477 by an eruption here, climbs to Brennisteinsalda (a partly active volcano whose steaming fumaroles emit sulfur, giving it the name “sulfur wave”), and returns via the Graenagil (Green Gorge). The color shifts on this circuit in different light conditions are the reason photographers specifically time highland trips for morning or evening hours.

The natural hot spring

The geothermal spring at Landmannalaugar is not a developed facility. It is a natural mixing point where a boiling hot spring flows into the cold Jökulgil river. The resulting pool is roughly 38-42°C depending on water flow, surrounded by nothing more than grass and rocks. There are simple changing huts maintained by the Icelandic Touring Association (FÍ) — using the facilities requires paying a day fee at the Landmannalaugar hut (~1,500-2,500 ISK ~€10-17).

Bathing here at midnight in mid-July, under a sky that does not get dark, is one of the genuinely distinctive Iceland experiences. Bring a towel, flip-flops, and a change of clothes. The pool is popular at weekends in July but never reaches Blue Lagoon crowd levels.

The Laugavegur trail

Landmannalaugar is the northern trailhead for the Laugavegur long-distance hiking trail (55 km, 4 days, ending at Þórsmörk). This is consistently rated among the top 10 hiking trails globally, passing through rhyolite highlands, obsidian lava fields, geothermal areas, glacial rivers, and eventually the green highland valleys of Þórsmörk.

The trail is hut-based (Landmannalaugar, Hrafntinnusker, Álftavatn, Emstrur/Botnar, Þórsmörk), with bookings through Ferðafélag Íslands (FÍ) or private operators. Huts book out 6-12 months in advance for July and August. Camping is permitted in designated areas. The trail season mirrors the road season: mid-June through early September.

Daily stages vary from 12 to 25 km. Weather changes rapidly at elevation — snow, fog, and wind can occur in any summer month. The glacial river crossings on day 3-4 require water confidence. This is not a casual undertaking; it is a proper wilderness route.

Access options

4x4 self-drive: From Reykjavik, take Route 26 south from the Ring Road or Route 32 toward the F208 junction. The F208 itself involves multiple unbridged river crossings (Jökulgil, Innri-Emstruá) that can be knee-deep or higher after rain. Monitor road.is daily. A proper highland 4x4 rental adds significantly to cost — plan for 25,000-40,000 ISK/day (~€170-272) for a suitable vehicle.

Super jeep tours: The most practical option for visitors without a highland-capable vehicle. Operators from Reykjavik run daily tours in summer with high-clearance vehicles that handle the river crossings safely. Guides provide geological commentary on the rhyolite formations and the volcanic history of the area. Book a Landmannalaugar day hike tour from Reykjavík to get there without the vehicle logistics.

Highland bus (hálendaferðir): Reykjavik Excursions and Trex operate highland bus services from Reykjavik to Landmannalaugar in summer. The journey takes 4-5 hours each way. This is the budget option — approximately 10,000-13,000 ISK (~€68-88) round trip — and works if you want to spend a full day hiking independently.

The F210 alternative: through Veiðivötn

The F210 provides an alternative highland route from the south coast through the Veiðivötn lake district (a series of fishing lakes in extinct volcanic craters) to Landmannalaugar. This route requires additional river crossings and is less frequently maintained than the F208. Only experienced highland drivers should consider it.

What to expect: honest assessment

Landmannalaugar rewards prepared visitors enormously and disappoints unprepared ones. If you arrive expecting a tidy tourist site, you will find a campsite, a hut, and some changing facilities in a windy highland valley. The landscape delivers — but you have to walk into it to understand why it is considered one of Iceland’s premier destinations. The rhyolite colors require altitude and light to reveal themselves. The geothermal pool requires removing clothes in cold wind. The hiking requires fitness and proper equipment.

Bring: waterproof shell jacket and trousers, wool layers, waterproof boots (expect wet crossings on any trail), hat and gloves, a full day’s food and water (no shops), and a downloaded offline map. The weather on the Fjallabak plateau changes faster than almost anywhere else in Iceland.

Book a Landmannalaugar super jeep day tour from Reykjavik if you want to reach the highlands without the vehicle complexity. For a full Iceland trip incorporating the highlands, the Iceland 7-day from Reykjavik itinerary shows summer highland routing. For the practical details of getting around Iceland by car, including F-road rules, that guide is essential reading before any highland attempt.

For the broader context of Iceland travel costs for a highlands-focused trip, see the Iceland cost and budget guide. The best time to visit Iceland guide explains why summer is the only realistic option for Landmannalaugar in detail.