Does hiking around an active volcano system sound like your idea of adventure? What about being surrounded by geothermal steam vents, bubbling mud pools, and rainbow-colored hot springs while hiking through the most otherworldly terrain? If you answered yes – you should 100% plan your trip to Iceland around hiking Kerlingarfjöll and the Hveradalir Geothermal Area! Most hikes in Iceland will cause you to question if you are still on planet Earth, but this hike truly is the most epic and out of this world experience.

When prioritizing what to put on your Iceland itinerary, you may have a difficult time deciding if something is truly worth the hype. I can help you with that and tell you right now that THIS PLACE IS WORTH EVERY BIT OF HYPE.

Driving the F-roads in Iceland is an AD-VEN-TURE! No matter how many blogs I read to prepare myself, I was on the edge of my seat the entire drive. In hindsight, I can confidently say that there was no need to feel as uncertain as I did. I hope that in sharing my experience with you, I help open up more space for you to simply enjoy the thrill of the adventure over feeling anxious about the drive.

What to Expect in this Guide:

• What is Kerlingarfjöll and the Hveradalir Geothermal Area?
• How to Access Kerlingarfjöll and the Hveradalir Geothermal Area
• How to Be Prepared and Confident when Self-Driving to Kerlingarfjöll
• Recommended Hikes in Kerlingarfjöll
• How to Add Kerlingarfjöll to your Iceland Itinerary
• What to Wear when Hiking in Kerlingarfjöll
• Additional Tips and Tricks

Kerlingarfjöll and the Hveradalir Geothermal Area:

Kerlingarfjöll is located in the Central Highlands of Iceland. It was formed 10,000 years ago by volcanic activity of the 39- square-mile Tuya volcano system in Iceland. Kerlingarfjöll is home to the 3rd largest geothermal area (Hveradalir) in the world! When visiting Kerlingarfjöll and Hveradalir Geothermal area it is very evident that volcanic activity is still…active. Walking amongst the mountains of rhyolite, you will also experience geysers, bubbling pits, glacial streams, and steam vents! Kerlingarfjöll is sandwiched between Langjökull and Hofsjökull Glaciers, which you can observe looming in the background as you explore its many hiking trails. Kerlingarfjöll is an ideal off-the-beaten track hiking destinations in Iceland due to its location in the Central Highlands and having fewer visitors than many of its well-known counterparts such as Landmannalaugar in the southern Highlands.

What is the best time of year to visit Kerlingarfjöll?

The best time of year to hike Kerlingarfjöll is limited to when the roads are open in the summer from June-September/October. In June and July, there may still be snow covering hiking paths and almost certainly covering the peaks. If your goal is to do summit hikes, the best time to visit is August and early September. Otherwise you can’t go wrong any time the roads are open.

How to Access Kerlingarfjöll and the Hveradalir Geothermal Area:

Access to Kerlingarfjöll requires driving on the famed unpaved, unmaintained F-roads. You will need to either rent a 4×4 vehicle, take a bus, or pay for a tour. I personally think renting a 4×4 vehicle is the best option and highly recommend having your own vehicle for exploring Iceland. It is more affordable AND a better experience.

Access to many of Iceland’s BEST locations requires a private vehicle. Your experience at each location will be much better if you have control over how long you can spend exploring and what time you arrive/leave (planning around tour groups, weather windows, etc.)

If you are weary about renting a vehicle, I created a guide for everything you need to know about renting a car in Iceland. If you are still uncertain, you can pay for a bus transfer or private tour.

By BUS TRANSFER:

Bus access to Kerlingarfjöll is operated by the Gray Line Iceland. Tickets are purchased through either the Reykjavik-Kjolur Route-Reykjavik route or the Reykjavik-Hveravellir Daytour. You can also book one way tickets here.

Ticket costs run from 8.000-10.000 ISK ($56-70) one way. Please note this is NOT a guided experience and simply the bus route to the area. The bus drops you off at the Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort and NOT the trailhead of the parking area. This will add an additional 2.5 hours round trip to hike into Hveradalir for exploration.

The current bus route will run every Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sun between June 15th to September 11th, 2023. You can purchase a ticket at various starting locations including Reykjavik or Gullfoss. The bus will take you up to Kerlingarfjöll or as far as Hveravellir. The return route passes through Gullfoss and returns to Reykjavik through Laugavatn and Thingvellir. It does not stop at either location.

The northbound bus arrives at Kerlingarfjoll at 11:30 (Hveravellir at 12:30) and leaves Kerlingarfjoll at 15:30 (Hveravellir at 14:30). We recommend at least 2 hours in Hveradalir for exploring. Combined with the hike in/out, you will need at minimum 4.5 hours. Due to being pressed for time to explore within the bus timetables, it is recommended that you stay overnight in the area if you take the bus.

By PRIVATE TOUR:

Private transportation and guided tours to Kerlingarfjöll are fairly expensive, running around $250 USD per person. If you wish to travel this way, we recommend using a local guide through Viator tours found on this link.

Where to Stay in Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort was under renovation when we visited in June 2022. The resort is expected to open in June of 2023 and will begin accepting online reservations in February or March, 2023. Upon reopening, the resort will accommodate for a wide range of travel-comforts including a legacy hotel with 15 Standard twin and 5 Standard family rooms, 7 A-frame huts with sleeping bag accommodation or made-up beds, and campsite accommodations. There is also. a new hotel with 22 Deluxe rooms, 4 Premium rooms, and 2 Highland Base Suites that will open on August 1, 2023.

SELF-DRIVING to Kerlingarfjöll

There is only one main F-road that leads to access to Kerlingarfjöll, the F-35 also called Kjalvegur. This road MUST be open for you to be able to reach both Kerlingarfjöll and Hveradalir. F-35 is only open from mid-June through when the first snows begin to fall in the Highlands (around September). In my personal opinion, the F-35 is the MOST accessible and easiest F-road to drive in the Central Highlands.

The F-35 can be navigated by any sized 4X4 and any level of experienced driver. All river crossings to access Kerlingarfjöll now have bridges. For the most part, the F-35 is relatively flat and extremely wide with more than enough room for 2 cars. We also drove the F-208 to Landmannalaugar and that road was considerably more hair raising than this route, but doable!

You can reach Kerlingarfjöll using the F-35 from Blönduós in the north or from Gullfoss in the south. There are inconsistencies as to which direction is the smoothest. It is certain that the distance from Blönduós is farther, taking just under 3 hours one way. The direction you travel from will likely be determined by your final destination following your hiking adventures or by current road conditions/closures.

During our trip, we drove the section south of Kerlingarfjöll (traveling up from Gulfoss). This section is a much shorter distance than from Blönduós, and took us under 2 hours to reach the Mountain Resort.

From Gullfoss

The F-35 begins just after Gullfoss waterfall where it is paved for a short distance before becoming gravel. Once you hit the gravel, sit back – relax – and enjoy your adventure into Iceland’s Central Highlands!

Just before the second large river crossing (approximately 35 km down the F-35), there is a nice pull off spot where you can walk down to the river and view Hvítárvatn Lake backdropped by Iceland’s second largest glacier, Langjokull. We stopped here on our way back from hiking in Hveradalir . It was one of the most serene experiences we had the entire trip. I truly felt like I was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but ice covered mountains and barren plains for miles. We spent some time enjoying the expansive views and flying our drone on our way back from hiking Hveradalir.

After approximately 60 km, you will turn right onto F-347. This road will take you straight to Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort and onwards to Hveradalir. There is a lovely waterfall just off the side of the road halfway between the F-35 turn off and the mountain resort. This is another excellent place to stop during your journey to/from Kerlingarfjöll.

Gýgjarfoss waterfall

Gýgjarfoss waterfall is about 5 meters tall and 20 meters wide, making it the sweetest little hidden treat. A picnic area and small platform were recently constructed for viewing pleasure, and you can also hike down a little past the platform for a superb photography spot! On a clear day, you will be able to see the Kerlingarfjöll mountain range directly behind Gýgjarfoss.

Continue onward toward the Mountain Resort. Once you reach the resort, you only have 5 km to go! This final pass leading up to the Hveradalir parking area is VERY bumpy, steep, and heavily rutted. We followed another car and used their driving as a guide to navigate the ruts and large rocks in the path. It was the only part of the drive that was ‘difficult’ though never unsafe. The conditions of the road DO pose a risk of damaging the undercarriage of your car, which is NOT covered by rental insurance. We recommend either following a car up OR being extra mindful of large rocks and ruts.

Recommended Hikes in Kerlingarfjöll

Hveradalir Geothermal Area

Due to weather and time constraints we were only able to explore this area of Kerlingarfjöll. From the parking area, there are roughly 3 km of walking paths that go over, around, and through the bubbling pools, rushing frigid glacial waters, and peaks and valleys of this area. We had more than enough to do in the 2-3 hours that we spent there, and we were not able to explore it in its entirety due to snow coverage. I will note that although we didn’t get to experience the hikes below I did not feel like we missed out of anything when we left. If you wish to do this hike from the Resort, here is the link for the full trail map.

Kerlingarfjöll Hot Springs

Just upstream from the Mountain Resort lies a small hot spring that many visitors claim is an excellent treat to add on after hiking in the area. From the Resort, you can follow along an easy-to-follow marked trail alongside the river to reach the designated bathing area.

Snaekollur Summit (optional Austurfjöll add on)

If we get the chance to go back to this area of the world, I am determined to go back and do this hike! At just 7k from the car park, you can summit Snaekollur the highest peak in the region. I could imagine that the view is unlike any other! You can also add on additional peaks including Austurfjöll to this hike if you are wanting more of a challenge and more rewarding views.

The Circle Route (Hringbrautin Circuit)

If backpacking is at the top of your list – you can include this 30 mile hike on your must do list. It leaves almost no corner of Kerlingarfjöll uncovered and takes approximately 3 days to complete.

Is it safe to hike in Kerlingarfjöll?

The question of the day! If I’m being honest, I did not realize that Kerlingarfjöll and Hveradalir were located in an ACTIVE volcanic system until AFTER we hiked there. This was a huge mistake on my part, and one that I won’t make again. I researched the safety of hiking there and followed all of the proper protocols before going, but the reality of what we were doing didn’t sink in until after we had arrived back at our accommodation later that day.

When hiking in Iceland, especially in and around volcanos, we highly recommend ongoing surveillance and observation of the current status of the volcano system in which you are exploring using the Aviation Colour Code Map provided by the Icelandic Meteorological Office. This map provides live updates of the current status of Icelandic volcanic systems using a color-coded map that labels each volcano based on its activity level and risk. It is up to you to decide what level of risk you label as “safe”. You can also sign up for text notification alerts while in Iceland from the IMO. Per the IMO, “Notifications are issued for both increasing and decreasing volcanic activity, and are accompanied by text with details (as known) about the nature of the unrest or eruption, especially in regard to ash-plume information and likely outcomes.”

How to Add Kerlingarfjöll and Hveradalir to your Iceland Itinerary:

Ring Road from the South:

We visited Kerlingarfjöll as a day trip, only having time to explore around Hveradalir before returning back to our AirBnB in Hveragerdi. Due to weather and snow, we weren’t able to add on any summit hikes. Visiting Hveradalir as a day trip is easily do-able and a great addition to your Golden Circle itinerary. If you are traveling from Hveradalir (like us) or other cities in the Golden Circle (Laugarvatn, Reykholt, Fludir, etc.), sightseeing Geysir, Gullfoss, and Kerlingarfjöll would make for an excellent day in your itinerary.

Other day trip options include –

• Ring Road from the North: optional day trip from Blönduós before continuing onward to Western/Eastern Iceland
• Partial Ring Road trip: Splitting your trip into either Western or Eastern Iceland and short cutting through the Highlands with a Kerlingarfjöll pit-stop

What to Wear when Hiking in Kerlingarfjöll

The weather we experienced on the day we hiked in Kerlingarfjöll was hallmark Iceland climate. It was cloudy and foggy, and the wind reached up to 30 mph!

I wore a base-layer, fleece quarter zip, patagonia Re-tool snap quarter zip, light down jacket with a hood, AND a rain coat (5 layers!!). After an hour of exploring, the sun broke through and the fog lifted allowing temperatures to rise a little – but the winds were relentless.

Even if it is not as cold or windy during your trip, a rain coat or windbreaker is extremely helpful to have in addition to having layers on hand for unexpected weather changes. Waterproof hiking boots are KEY for hiking among the steam vents and red mud (and at times snow) in the geothermal area. Bring a second pair of shoes to keep in the car and change into after hiking for the drive home. I also found it helpful to wear moisture wicking hiking pants with leggings underneath. This allowed me to easily clean the mud off the back/bottom of my pants without needing to wash them while traveling.

Additional Tips and Resources:

You will not see very many other cars while driving on the Central Highland F-roads in Iceland. For this reason I would highly recommend that you:

• Fill your tank with gas as close to the Highlands as you can. If you are traveling north from Gullfoss there is a gas station just opposite the famous Geysir at the Geysir Centre.
• Always be prepared for a change in both weather and temperature. The Highlands are much colder and the weather is fickle and highly unpredictable. Bring extra layers and rainproof gear.
• Pack extra water and food. There are no petrol stations or stores in the Highlands, and you must bring in whatever food and water you need to consume while you are there. There is a large N1 gas station and one stop convenience shop/cafe/gift store across from Geysir that you can stop at on your way in from the South.
• Download any maps and podcasts/music that you need to have for your travels – there is minimal to no cell signal once you enter the Highland region.
• Know the appropriate numbers to call if you need help or roadside assistance including your rental company. The number in Iceland to call for in case of an emergency is 112.
• Further information on road conditions is available via tel. 1777 (if problems use tel. +354 522 1100), which is open 8-16 in summer and 6:30-22 in winter.

SPECIAL NOTE:

***Hveravellir is another geothermal area located 45 km north of Kerlingarfjöll. It also has many trails to explore including the Kjalhraun lava field. It’s highlight is its natural warm pool where you can swim in the springs. Please DO NOT confuse the two. Hveravellir is located 1 hour’s drive to the north of Hveradalir. They are NOT the same!

Making the journey into the Central Highlands during your Iceland adventure is a MUST do if you’re an adventure seeker or hiking enthusiast. Although it may seem intimidating, there are absolutely ways to educate and equip yourself to be prepared to drive the F-roads and explore among Iceland’s lesser known and lesser accessed mountains, glaciers, and volcanoes. We hope this guide encouraged + prepared you for your next big adventure!

In wander + awe,

Meredith + Patrick