Kerlingarfjöll

About Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll is a mountain range in Iceland's central highlands, south of the Hofsjökull ice cap and just off the Kjölur route between South and North Iceland. The peaks rise from a plateau at roughly 600–700 m to over 1,400 m, with Snækollur the highest at 1,488 m. The range holds the second-largest rhyolite area in Iceland, formed by eruptions under glacier ice, which gives the slopes their yellow, orange and red colours.

The main draw is the geothermal ground, which covers more than 7 square kilometres and is one of the most varied hot spring areas in the country. It is split into three zones: Neðri-Hveradalir, Efri-Hveradalir and Hverabotnar. At Hveradalir a trail runs down from the car park to a boardwalk among steaming vents, boiling pools and coloured clay. The whole area has been a protected nature reserve since 2020, so stay on marked paths.

Access is by Route 35 (Kjalvegur), an unpaved highland road, then the F347 spur to the Highland Base resort; as an F-road it requires a 4x4. It is about 200 km and roughly 3.5 hours from Reykjavík in normal summer conditions. The highland roads open in early summer on dates set each year by the Icelandic Road Administration, and in winter the base is reached only by super-jeep transfer. Summer buses also run from Reykjavík. Parking at Hveradalir is charged, from about 1,000 ISK through the Parka app.

Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll has a hotel, lodges, simpler huts, a riverside campsite with a service house (summer only), an 80-seat restaurant and geothermal baths open all year. Its summer season runs from 15 June to 30 September. Check road conditions and the weather forecast before setting out, as highland weather changes quickly.