Iceland Highlands: Why It Should Be on Every Serious Traveller's Bucket List
Most people who visit Iceland see the coastline — waterfalls, black sand beaches, the Ring Road. The Iceland highlands are something else entirely. The interior of Iceland is a plateau sitting at 400 to 800 meters above sea level, largely uninhabited, crossed by gravel roads that are closed for roughly eight months of the year. It covers about 40% of the country's landmass and holds fewer permanent residents than a small apartment building.
What it holds instead: rhyolite mountains in shades of red, orange, and sulfur yellow; lava fields that stretch for miles without a single tree; geothermal valleys with steam rising from every crack in the earth. NordicSaga covers Iceland itineraries that include the highlands as either a day excursion or a multi-day route, depending on how much time you have.
Where Are the Highlands in Iceland?
Where are the highlands in Iceland is a reasonable question because they don't appear on most standard tourist maps. The highlands of Iceland occupy the central interior — roughly the area above the coastal lowlands and below the permanent ice caps of Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Hofsjökull. There are no towns here. No gas stations, no grocery stores, no phone signal in most areas. The main access routes are the highland roads, known as F-roads — gravel tracks passable only by four-wheel-drive vehicles with high clearance.
The two primary highland routes are:
Kjölur (Route F35) — runs between Langjökull and Hofsjökull glaciers, connecting the south to the north of Iceland through the interior. It's the more accessible of the two F-roads and can be driven in a standard 4WD without exceptional off-road experience.
Sprengisandur (Route F26) — crosses a vast lava desert in the center of Iceland, longer and more demanding than Kjölur. The landscape here is the closest thing Iceland has to the surface of another planet: flat, black, and almost completely featureless for long stretches.
Both roads typically open in late June and close again in September or October, depending on snowfall. Checking current road conditions before any highland drive is not optional — it's essential. For travelers who'd rather not manage the F-road logistics themselves, Iceland self-drive holidays can be structured to include the highlands with the right vehicle class built into the package.
Landmannalaugar: The Easiest Entry Point into the Icelandic Highlands
Landmannalaugar is where most people first encounter the Icelandic highlands, and it earns that reputation. It sits at the northern end of the Laugavegur hiking trail in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, about 180 km from Reykjavik. Getting there requires an F-road crossing — Route F225 — and a river ford that occasionally catches rental car drivers off guard. The bus service from Reykjavik runs daily in summer and is the safer option if you're not confident with river crossings.
What you actually see when you arrive: mountains colored by rhyolite mineral deposits in combinations of red, pink, green, and deep ochre. The lava field of Laugahraun, formed around 1477, runs along the southern edge of the camp. The geothermal hot springs at the base of the lava field create a natural pool warm enough to sit in year-round — water temperature hovers around 39°C. The surrounding terrain is walkable without technical equipment, though conditions change quickly and snow is possible even in July.
The most popular day hike from Landmannalaugar is the circuit over Brennisteinsalda — the "Sulphur Wave" — which takes about four hours and gives you a close look at active fumaroles, obsidian deposits, and the full sweep of the colored mountain range. The multi-day Laugavegur trail south to Þórsmörk covers 55 km over four to five days through some of the most varied terrain in Iceland. Most hikers book mountain hut accommodation along the route months in advance — it sells out by February for the following summer. Iceland independent tours work well for the Laugavegur if you want the freedom of the trail without managing every logistical detail from scratch.
Kerlingarfjöll: The Iceland Hills Most Visitors Miss
Kerlingarfjöll sits along the Kjölur road in the central highlands of Iceland, at about 1,477 meters elevation. Most visitors who drive Kjölur stop at Hveravellir, the hot spring oasis at the northern end, and miss Kerlingarfjöll entirely. That's a mistake.
The mountain range here is volcanic and deeply geothermal — the Hveradalir valley, meaning "Valley of the Hot Springs," has active vents, steaming ground, mineral-colored soil in shades of rust and mustard, and small pools of boiling water that make the entire valley look like it's breathing. The contrast between the steaming geothermal activity and the surrounding snow-capped iceland mountains is stark and visually striking in a way photographs don't fully capture.
There's a highland camp at Kerlingarfjöll with basic accommodation, a restaurant, and a geothermal bathing pool. Day hikers can drive up from Reykjavik and be on the trail by midday — the distance from the capital is about 160 km, with the last stretch on F-road. For travelers who want a guide who knows the geology and can point out what they're looking at — because the terrain rewards explanation — Iceland private tours to Kerlingarfjöll are worth considering.
Askja and the Northern Highlands
Askja is where the Iceland highlands become genuinely remote. The volcano sits in the Dyngjufjöll mountain range in the northeast interior, reachable via Route F88 from the Ring Road near Mývatn. The drive takes about three hours from Mývatn across a lava desert that predates most of recorded human history in Iceland.
The caldera holds two lakes: Öskjuvatn, Iceland's deepest lake at 220 meters, and the smaller Víti — a geothermal crater lake with opaque turquoise water sitting at around 27°C in summer. Swimming in Víti was a tradition until a landslide in 2014 made it temporarily off-limits; access has since reopened, though conditions should be checked locally before attempting it.
The American Apollo astronauts trained in the Askja area in 1965 and 1967, specifically because the terrain resembled what they expected to find on the moon. The Highlands of Iceland article on Wikipedia gives more geological context if you want to understand what you're driving through before you arrive. Because the Askja route is long, remote, and unforgiving of vehicle breakdowns, most travelers do it as part of a guided day trip from Akureyri or Mývatn. Escorted Iceland tours that include the northern highlands handle the logistics of this particular route well.
When to Visit the Iceland Highlands
The accessible window is narrow: late June through early September. That's roughly ten weeks when the F-roads are open and the river crossings are manageable. Before and after that window, snow closes the roads and the highland interior becomes inaccessible except by snowmobile or aircraft.
Within that window, timing still matters:
Late June to mid-July — longest days, snow still visible on higher peaks, wildflowers in valley areas, rivers running high from snowmelt (which affects ford depth)
August — generally the most stable conditions, rivers lower, highland huts at peak capacity
Early September — crowds drop sharply, autumn colors appear on the tundra vegetation, risk of early snowfall increases
A small number of Iceland mountains locations remain accessible in winter via snowmobile tours, particularly around the Langjökull glacier area and some sections near Þórsmörk. These are specialized tours and not a substitute for the full highland experience, but they give a sense of what the landscape looks like under snow. Iceland winter tours cover the options for travelers who can't make the summer window.
Practical Notes Before You Go
A few things that matter more in the highlands than anywhere else in Iceland:
Vehicle requirements — F-roads legally require a 4WD vehicle. Rental companies void insurance coverage if you drive a standard car on an F-road. This is enforced and the fines are real.
River crossings — even on marked F-roads, unbridged river crossings (fords) are common. Water depth changes daily depending on temperature and snowmelt. Crossing in a convoy of two vehicles is the standard practice.
Fuel — there are no fuel stops in the central highlands. Fill up completely before leaving any highland-adjacent town.
Weather — the interior gets snow in every month of the year. Bring layers, waterproofs, and a plan for shelter if conditions change.
Communication — mobile coverage is absent in most of the interior. A satellite communicator (SPOT or Garmin inReach) is worth having for solo or small-group travel.
The Safetravel Iceland website provides real-time safety information specific to highland conditions and is the best resource for current road and weather advisories.
FAQ
What are the Iceland highlands?
The highlands are the elevated interior plateau of Iceland, covering roughly 40% of the country's landmass. They sit between 400 and 800 meters above sea level and are largely uninhabited, accessible only by F-roads in summer.
When do the highland roads open in Iceland?
F-roads typically open between late June and early July, depending on snowmelt. They close again in September or October. Road.is publishes real-time opening and closure information.
Do you need a 4WD to drive the Icelandic highlands?
Yes. A four-wheel-drive vehicle with high clearance is legally required for F-roads. Standard rental cars are not permitted and insurance will not cover damage from F-road driving.
What is the best highland destination for a first-time visitor?
Landmannalaugar is the most accessible starting point — it's reachable by bus from Reykjavik, has clear hiking trails, geothermal hot springs, and gives a representative introduction to highland terrain without requiring advanced planning.
Can you visit the highlands in winter?
The central highland roads are closed from October through June. Some highland-adjacent areas near glaciers and Þórsmörk are accessible via snowmobile tours in winter, but the interior itself is not drivable.
How long do you need in the highlands?
A serious day trip from Reykjavik covers one destination — Landmannalaugar or Kerlingarfjöll. Two to three days allows you to combine multiple areas or hike the Laugavegur trail. A week gives enough time for both the south and north highland regions.
The highlands take more planning than the rest of Iceland, and that planning pays off. The landscape here operates on a completely different scale from the coastal scenery — wider, quieter, and more geologically raw. Most first-time visitors who make it to the interior say it was the part of the trip they hadn't expected. Putting together a highland itinerary that fits your timeframe and vehicle access level is the main logistical challenge — the Iceland tours section at NordicSaga covers options across different formats and access levels if you want to compare before deciding.