Seltún Geothermal Area

About Seltún Geothermal Area

Seltún is a high-temperature geothermal area in Krýsuvík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 40 minutes' drive from central Reykjavík. The hillside is a mess of boiling mud pots, hissing steam vents and clay stained yellow, red and green by minerals, and you will smell the sulfur before you open the car door. For a close look at raw geothermal ground without a long drive, the Seltún geothermal area is hard to beat.

A boardwalk loop runs straight through the most active part, close enough to feel the heat coming off the pools. From its upper end, a path climbs the slope for a wider view over the field and back toward Kleifarvatn lake. Sulfur was mined at Krýsuvík in past centuries, long before anyone built a boardwalk for visitors.

Stay on the boardwalk and marked paths. The crust around the vents can be thin over boiling water and mud, so the Seltún hot springs are for looking at, never for bathing in. In rain and frost the boards and steps get slippery, and shoes with good grip make a real difference in winter.

Seltún sits right beside Route 42 between Kleifarvatn and the south coast, and it is open all year. Thirty minutes to an hour covers the boardwalk and the path above it. If you want another short stop, the Grænavatn crater lake is a few minutes down the road.

Entry is free, but the parking lot next to the field charges by number-plate recognition: 750 ISK per day for a car with up to five seats and 1,500 ISK for larger vehicles, with stays under 10 minutes free. Pay on site or through the Checkit app; unpaid fees are billed to the vehicle owner, and rental companies may add a handling charge. Toilets and information boards are by the parking lot.