View of multicolored mountains from the Brennisteinsalda trail
Highlights
Colorful mountains, hiking and hot springs in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve.
Time of Visit: June 2024
Duration of Visit: 1.5 days
Description
Landmannalaugar is located in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in the Highlands of Iceland. It is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and unique geological formations. The area is characterized by its multi-colored rhyolite mountains, expansive lava fields, and hot springs.
The Brennisteinsalda volcano, often called the “Sulphur Wave,” is a notable feature due to its vivid red, yellow, and green hues caused by sulfur deposits.
The name Landmannalaugar translates to “the people’s pools,” referring to the geothermal pools found in the region.
The region’s distinctive appearance is due to the rhyolite rock, which contains a variety of minerals that produce a spectrum of colors including red, pink, green, yellow, and blue. These colors are particularly striking against the black lava fields.
Activities and Attractions
Hiking
Landmannalaugar is a hiker’s paradise with numerous trails ranging from easy to challenging. The Laugavegur Trail, one of Iceland’s most famous multi-day hikes, begins here and stretches to Þórsmörk. This trail offers hikers views of glaciers, rivers, and valleys.
Shorter day hikes include Brennisteinsalda and Bláhnúkur. Brennisteinsalda takes hikers up the colorful volcanic mountain, offering panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Bláhnúkur, also known as the “Blue Peak,” is a more strenuous hike with rewarding views from the summit.
Thermal Bathing Area
The geothermal hot springs in Landmannalaugar are a major draw. Visitors can relax in naturally heated pools. The most popular hot spring is called the Thermal Bathing Area which is located a couple of hundred meters from the campsite. Here, warm water from a lava field mixes with cold spring water.
The Thermal Bathing Area is basically a wide spot in a creek. This wide area could probably hold 50 people before it gets to feel crowded. But the area where the water is warm to hot is about ⅓ of the wide area so better get there before everybody else to claim the best spot.
The water level is not deep, about knee high in most places. So people just sit on the gravelly bottom and raise their toes as the warm water stays on top.
Finding the right spot is just a matter of moving around. One spot may feel right one moment only to get hot or cold the next because of the current.
The area is open, meaning there are no trees to block the wind. Thankfully, the park service constructed a couple of structures that block the prevailing wind. People hang their clothes and towels here as there are towel hooks.
The bathing area is a nice way to end the day after a long hike. Best of all, the sun does not set during the summer so you can have a midnight soaking before going to sleep.
Getting to Landmannalaugar
There are basically three ways to get to this special place. You can either take a shuttle bus from Reykjavik, get on a tour or drive yourself there. We drove ourselves there.
Shuttle Bus
We talked to a group that took the shuttle bus and they said it costs around $80 pp. It is a very cost effective way to see the place if you are traveling alone, do not want to drive or if you are doing the multi day hike that begins from the campsite.
Tours
We talked to a guide who was taking visitors there for a day. She worked for Arctic Adventures out of Reykjavik. We have no information on the duration or cost.
Driving
You need to have a 4×4 to get to Landmannalaugar as you will be driving on F roads. It is illegal to drive ordinary vehicles, i,e, non 4×4 vehicles on F roads.
Do not follow Google Map directions as it tells you to take F225. F225 involves a river crossing.
Our car rental host said that the correct way to get to Landmannalaugar is to take F26 then F208. F26 is actually paved but F208 is not. It takes about an hour to drive F208 to the campsite.
There are two shallow streams that must be crossed before you can reach the campsite. Our 2022 Dacia Duster made it without any problem, though the water came up to the hood which was unnerving.
Parking
There is a 450 ISK parking fee. There was a ranger flagging cars about a kilometer away from the campsite. She asked us to scan a QR code in order to pay (Surprisingly, there was cell service even in the middle of nowhere). Then the ranger took a photo of the payment QR code and we were on our way.
There are two parking areas, one before the two stream crossings and one after. The parking area before the stream crossing is limited in size, maybe good for about 50 cars or so. The parking area after the stream crossing is fairly long and can accommodate more than 100 vehicles. This large parking area was never full during the time we were there.
If you decide not to cross the two streams and park before it, there are makeshift boardwalks that allow people to cross over to the camping area. It is probably close to a kilometer walk though which makes it tough when you are carrying your food and camping equipment to the camping area.
Facilities
The campground has flush toilets, showers and an enclosed cooking/eating area. If you are just there for the day, you have to pay the facility fee to use the toilets and enclosed eating area. If you are camping, use of the shower is extra, costing 1,000 ISK for 5 minutes of hot water. You are given a bar code that needs to be scanned at the shower stall to activate the hot water. Otherwise, it is only cold water that is available.
If you brought a collapsible bucket and something to scoop the water, you can collect hot water from the wash sinks and clean yourself the old fashion way.
Camping
There are two types of camping – tent and car. Tent campers set up their shelter in the open area between the parking area and the facilities. It is quite rocky but there are areas that have been cleared by other campers.
If you are a car camper, you can park anywhere in the parking area. There are no utility hook-ups. It is about a two minute walk to the facilities from the parking area (some closer than others).
Park Accommodation
If you want an actual bed to sleep on, the park has dormitory style accommodations. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to enter the dormitory as we were not guests. We also do not know if beddings are provided. However, we did not see any sheets being dried outside so that may be a good indication that you may have to bring your own bedding.
Facility Season
According to the park employee we talked to, officially, the facility operates somewhere in mid-June up to the end of August. Opening day is weather dependent. Some F roads have delayed openings if there was significant snow during the past winter. Best to check F road conditions, i.e. if open or closed, before heading to Landmannalaugar.
The same park employee also said that unofficially, they keep the campground open somewhere around mid-September. During that time, the campsite gets more locals than visitors.
Summary
Landmannalaugar is a testament to Iceland’s raw and diverse natural beauty. It offers visitors a chance to experience unique geological formations, vibrant landscapes, and outdoor adventures.
Hot springs, hiking trails, and remote location make it a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts and adventurers alike. Whether in the vibrant summer or the serene winter, Landmannalaugar provides a memorable and enriching experience, highlighting the wild, untamed spirit of Iceland.