Landmannalaugar

About Landmannalaugar

Landmannalaugar is a geothermal area in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in Iceland's southern highlands, known for rhyolite mountains streaked in shades of pink, yellow, green and grey, black obsidian lava fields and a natural hot spring brook where visitors can bathe. It is also the northern starting point of the Laugavegur trek, the multi-day route south to Þórsmörk.

Most people come for the day hikes that start at the hut. Trails climb into the coloured hills and through the lava, and routes range from short loops to full-day walks. The hot brook beside the camping area is the usual way to finish a hike; wooden walkways protect the boggy banks, and using soap in the water is forbidden.

The area can only be reached in summer. Access is by 4x4 on the F208 or F225 mountain roads, and the Icelandic Road Authority sets the opening dates according to snow; on average the roads open around 20 June and stay open until mid-September. The last 2.5 km on the F224 include two river crossings, so drivers of smaller vehicles or those without experience can leave the car at the P1 car park by Námskvísl and walk in over a footbridge. Many visitors join a guided super-jeep or bus tour instead of driving.

Parking costs 1,500 ISK per day for a car with up to five seats. From 20 June to 13 September 2026, self-drivers arriving between 9:00 and 16:00 must reserve parking in advance. Ferðafélag Íslands runs a 78-bed hut with a kitchen, where a bed costs 17,000 ISK per night and must be booked, plus a campsite on hard gravel ground where tents often need rocks to hold them down in wind. Showers are charged separately. A hut warden is present in summer, and the weather can change quickly, so bring warm, waterproof layers.