B
rennisteinsalda as much as possible counts as an active volcano – its last eruption took place in 1961….
Landmannalaugar is a rather vast, stunningly beautiful area located in the southern part of the Icelandic Highlands (isl. Hálendið, in the Friðland að Fjallabaki nature reserve. For centuries it has been a place of refuge and respite for travelers, and today it is one of the most popular destinations, attracting lovers of beautiful views and hiking.
Landmannalaugar – beautiful rainbow mountains
Landmannalaugar is truly unique, both geologically and aesthetically. It consists of windswept rhyolite mountains (of volcanic origin), creating an extraordinary spectrum of colors – from shades of red and pink, through greens and blues, to golden yellow. At the foot of the mountains, in turn, lies the ebony-black Laugahraun lava field – a vast area of cooled magma from the eruption of the Brennisteinsald volcano around 1477.
The area around Landmannalaugar is also home to falcons and pardvas – two of Iceland’s best-known species of mountain birds. Pardvas are an important food source for falcons, especially in spring, when the winter-white plumage of the male pardva stands out against the dark ground. The parda birds can be hunted in late autumn. Falcons, on the other hand, have been protected by law since 1940.
Ornament of the area – Brennisteinsalda
Brennisteinsalda Volcano
The distinctive feature of this mountain is precisely its magnificent coloration. Blue ashes, black lava, green mosses and red islands formed by iron make this place truly picturesque. From the top of the hill there is a magnificent view of Landmannalaugar and its surroundings.
B
rennisteinsalda as much as possible counts as an active volcano – its last eruption took place in 1961….
Other most distinct and picturesque elements of this landscape are: Sudurnamur – a “wall” of colorful mountains north of Brennisteinsalda, Blahnukur – a beautiful, completely black volcanic peak on the south side, Graenagil – a small stream gorge at the foot of Blahnukur and the lava field itself lying in a cauldron between all these attractions – Laugahraun.
You
get the best views to the most colorful parts of the landscape from the Blahnukur peak and the trail connecting it with Brennisteinsalda.
The hot spring at Landmannalaugar
Complementing the unique climate of Landmannalaugar is an extremely charming hot spring. A nice and practically completely wild, and extremely photogenic hot pond has been created at the place where the hot and cold streams join their waters, just below the about 15-meter high wall of solidified Laugahraun lava. A wooden platform with benches and hangers was built next to it for the convenience of tourists, but the pond itself remains completely natural.
Video: Camping and the hot spring at Landmannalaugar.
Accomodation in Landmannalaugar
From mid-June to mid-September, a hostel, a campground, as well as a store and a small restaurant in suitably converted demobilized buses operate right next to the lava field.
Forsome reason, both the campground and the hostel on Google maps are named after the prettiest mountain in the area – Brennisteinsalda – even though locally no one uses that name (i.e. Brennisteinsalda camping)…
The hut
Landmannalaugar hut (far right)
The standard of bedroom does not differ from that found in other FI huts. The bunk beds are set on a kind of platforms. On these platforms, individual mattresses are placed right next to each other, without any partitions or divisions. On the ground floor there is one very large room (about 30 people, here the platforms are two-story), and on the first floor there are three smaller rooms. In the bedrooms there are also tables with benches that allow you to comfortably eat, play cards or repack your backpack.
In addition, on the ground floor there is a spacious hall with a drying room and a large, fully equipped kitchen with kitchen utensils and access to hot and cold water as well as tables and benches for dining. You can go out to a kind of terrace, directly from the kitchen, where guests can also use the barbecue.
The hut is heated, but not always – depending on weather. Sometimes additional gas stoves are available.
There are no showers or toilets in the hut. Guests use the same amenities as everyone else, in a separate building. The shower is also extra (500 kr), same as for everyone. On the other hand, people who do not stay overnight in the hut are not allowed to enter and cannot use the kitchen or drying room.
There are also no electric sockets in the hut for guests use. This is standard in mountain huts in Iceland, but it is worth remembering. You can charge your phone at the bus store, for a fee.
Landmannalaugar is a popular starting point for the Laugavegur trail. Many organized groups start their Laugavegur tour with an overnight stay in this hut. In many of these groups people hike from hut to hut with minimum backpacks, and their luggage is transported to the next hut by an accompanying super jeep. So they have a lot of luggage (incl. food) and if more than one such group is staying at the hut, the kitchen gets very busy and crowded easily.
Accommodation in the hut costs the same as in other huts on the Laugavegur trail, i.e. 11,000 ISK – about $85 per person per night (2023). Reservations can be made via Ferðafélag Íslands.
The campground
Landmannalaugar campsite (in Google Maps marked as Brennisteinsalda camping) has a lot of advantages, but also some disadvantages.
view of the campsite from Laugahraun
There is also a ‘canteen’ tent for all hikers, which provides good protection against rain, moderate protection against wind, and quite negligible against cold. The mere existence of this tent is certainly an advantage (e.g. in Alftavatn there is not a covered place for hikers to cook and dine), but given the popularity of this campsite, such a tent is definitely too small and “at peak hours” it is quite crowded.
The list of advantages is complemented by a quite large shop (or even two), a bar/restaurant, the possibility to get here by regular buses and quite well-functioning 4G coverage (rather rare a thing in the interior). In the store (for a fee) you can also charge your phone, which is a unique exception above the interior standards.
There is also a mountain rescue team here, so help is close at hand if needed. The lifeguards office is located next to the main/old store. It is easy to recognize by the rescue quads and off-roaders parked nearby, and by the registration plates decorating one of its corners (lost by tourists in the ford in front of the campsite).
On the downside the campsite itself should be noted. People sleeping in motorhomes may not even notice it, but pitching a tent on the ground is a bit of a challenge here. The ground is stone and gravel and very hard, and it is really difficult to drive a pin or a peg into it. The northern part of the campsite is a bit greener / with more grass, but the ground is also very hard. That’s why stones are used a lot – either to add weight to poorly holding pegs, or simply to replace them. There are plenty of stones to use, and the information that they should be returned to special crates is a kind of a legend – no one bothers to do that and it would be counter-productive, TBH.
Unfortunately, the campsite is quite open to north and south winds, so it can get very windy here. You can see some tents that couldn’t cope with the wind…
The shelf with leftover food and gas, which we can use for free, is usually empty or almost empty. Remember that for majority of tourists, this campsite is the beginning of the journey, not the end, so no reason to leave food or camping gas behind.
If you get here with your own car, you can drive into the special camping car park or leave the car (and also stay overnight) in the car park before the fords. This way you can get here without crossing any water. If you stay overnight, you are charged the same fee as other campsite users – register at the reception desk.
A night at the campsite costs 2,500 ISK ($20), and the shower costs an additional 500 ISK ($4) for 4 minutes of hot water. If you do not stay overnight, but do use the amenities, you must also pay a fee of ISK 500 at the campsite reception (that’s separate from the shower fee).
People who spend the night in the hut, on the campsite or only use the amenities, after registration and payment at the campsite reception, receive a special waterproof wrist band in the color corresponding to the purchased “package”. In practice, however, few people wear these bands and they are not enforced in any way…
A
cheaper, less crowded and somewhat nicer campsite is the nearby Landmannahellir (8 mi north-west on the F225 road). If you travel by car – consider this alternative.
Shops and restaurant
There are two shops and one “micro-restaurant” on the campsite.
The first shop, as at many other campsites, operates at the reception desk. You can buy sweet and salty snacks (500 – 2000 kr / $4-15), several types of freeze-dried meals (3500 kr / $27), soft drinks (500 kr / $4), light beer (2%, 900 kr / $7), camping gas (jetboil, 230 g, 2700 kr / $20), maps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and even hats, socks, gloves, towels, earplugs or playing cards… The choice is very limited, but prices are not overy high.
The second, much larger shop operates at the southern end of the campsite, in one of the characteristic old green buses. What’s interesting – it’s a family shop operating in this place since 1992. Here, the selection of goods is much wider: snacks, cookies, even several types of pesto and pasta sauces, a selection of pasta and rice (700-800 kr / $5-6), canned fish, olives, canned corn and beans (350 kr / $2.50 for a small can), energy bars, freeze-dried meals, instant noodles, even some fresh fruit, packaged bread, briquettes and barbecue lighters etc. The selection of cosmetics, hiking accessories, towels, socks, sunglasses, etc. is also much wider here. You can also charge your phone for a fee. There is even something completely useless for tourists available here, i.e. alcohol, including the strong types, and also sold as single shots … (there is more on offer than you can see in the photo above).
The prices are of course quite high (although similar to those in the shop at the reception), but considering that the nearest Bonus shop is over 80 miles away, you can say they are reasonable.
Right next to this shop, in the neighboring bus, there is a small restaurant, or rather: a bar. It serves vegetable soup with bread (ISK 1,800 / $14), hot dogs (ISK 1,000 / $7.50) and a selection of sandwiches for between ISK 1,600 and ISK 3,200, i.e. about $12-24.
Short hiking trails in Landmannalaugar
Landmannalaugar short trails map
© Based on data from National Land Survey of Iceland
You can buy a small map of the area (350 kr or about $2) at the campsite information desk.
- A1: Laugahraun
Taking the shortest trail around the Laugahraun lava field and without climbing any peaks can take no more than an hour, and will allow you to see most of the area’s attractions. However, you are sure to stop more than once along the way to admire the views, so reserve up to two hours for this trip. - A2: Brennisteinsalda / Sulphur Wave Trail
If you have about 2-3 hours at your disposal, you can extend the Laugahraun hike by climbing to the top of Brennisteinsalda and possibly also bypassing it from the other, western side. The path can be steep, narrow and loose – if you plan to climb to the top, be sure to wear suitable footwear. - A3: Bláhnúkur
If you are in the mood for even more – go to the Blue Peak (isl. Bláhnúkur). This is already a real “piece of mountain”. It measures 945 meters above sea level and is a beautiful, quite powerful and extensive massif. A trip along this route is already approx. 3-4 hours, but on a sunny day with good visibility the effort will repay with beautiful views. - A4: Sudurnamur
The route through the rainbow peaks themselves – Sudurnamur (Suðurnámur – “southern quarries”) – is also similar in length. This route is also beautiful and offers unique views, but the nature of the mountains is probably such that they are best viewed from the neighboring hills…
As you can see from the plan, these 4 routes – Laugahraun, Brennisteinsalda, Bláhnúkur and Suðurnámur – can be combined quite freely. If you have more time and want to go through all of them it’s probably best to go counter-clockwise – start from Blahnukur, go to Brennisteinsalda and decide there whether you return via Laugahraun (by a shorter or longer route) or make a full circle via Sudurnamur.
If you have even more time – probably two days or at least a day and a half – you can choose one of the longer routes described below.
Hiking full-day trails from Landmannalaugar
Long day hiking trails in Landmannalaugar
© Based on data from National Land Survey of Iceland
- B1: Ljótipollur (approx. 4-6 h); the name of this lake should be translated as ‘ugly puddle’, but it is completely unjustified. The lake is beautiful, and the trail itself abounds with lovely views as well. You can read more about the place here: Ljotipollur Lake.
L
jótipollur can also be reached by car. If you come to Landmannalaugar with your 4×4 car, be sure to visit this “ugly puddle” on your way. - B2: Skalli is already a 7 to 8 hour hike
- B3: Háalda will take us up to 9 hours
- B4: Laugavegur
Those who want to backpack around Iceland can set off from Landmannalaugar on the Laugavegur – arguably Iceland’s most popular hiking trail. It connects Landmannalaugar and Thorsmork – two places considered by many to be the most beautiful on the entire island. It will take 4 days to walk this trail, and you will have to spend the night in small hostels (reservations are required very far in advance!) or in your own tent, at the adjacent campsites (no reservations). - Hellismannaleid
To the west of Landmannalaugar runs the Hellismannaleid trail. It connects Landmannalaugar, Landmannahellir, Afangagil and Rjupnavellir. The trail is much less traveled than Laugavegur, but also offers spectacular views – including the surrounding lakes and post-volcanic landscapes around the Hekla volcano. Due to the very small number of tourists on the trail, you can feel here like on most Icelandic trails: alone in an unending space.
As you can see these are full-day routes (and the last two are poorly marked), so it’s a good idea to notify emergency services or campground staff before setting out on them.
How to get to Landmannalaugar
Aside from hiking to here, Landmannalaugar can be quite easily reached by a four-wheel-drive car or a scheduled bus.
Getting to Landmannalaugar by car
A modern Toyota RAV4 flooded their engine
N
ote that the depth of the ford may be different on the right and left side (here: east and west). If you are unsure if your car can make it, get close to the ford on foot and wait until you see other cars go by both sides. If the Toyota in the photo above had driven on the shallower side, it would have passed easily…
When assessing the depth of water in the streams you need to cross, remember that it can change during the day – even in a few hours. Just because you get into a campsite doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll be able to get out of it as well. On the other hand, let’s not get crazy either – the water in these fords often reaches up to your knees at most, and motorcyclists also pass through them. Just be careful here.
Roads to Landmannalaugar© Based on data from National Land Survey of Iceland
I give the distances and times below from the asphalt exit, so getting there via Route 208 from the north will not always be the fastest.
- Access from the north: road 208, about 30 km, 1 h
This is the easiest and most popular access. From the asphalt, you exit south at a junction slightly east of the Hrauneyjar Mountain Center. In this section, the road officially (that is, according to road.is) has no mountain road status and is ‘simply’ numbered 208. Despite this, however, in the field and on Google Maps it is still marked as F208.If you want to come to Landmannalaugar in a car without a 4×4 drive or one of the smallest cars equipped with such a drive, this road will definitely be the best for you. Just in case, however, confirm with your rental company whether according to your insurance it is a mountain road or not and therefore whether you are allowed to drive this way. With a car without four-wheel drive you won’t get to the campsite itself anyway, because about 500 m before it you have to cross 2 rather deep streams (i.e., more or less knee-deep, although it depends on many things, of course). Slightly before these fords – at the height of Lake Frostastaðavatn – another difficulty awaits: a rather steep and winding climb. If the road is empty – any car will get in without trouble. If you have to pass someone, then although those entering have priority, for example, buses have even more priority, so you have to expect to have to stop and start uphill on the gravel. It can be done, but without 4-wheel drive it can be a bit of a challenge.
T
he F208 road is worth a stop at the Sigöldugljufur canyon. The gravel path to the canyon begins at the parking lot, located about 6.5 km south of the F26 road exit (about 3 km past the bridge at the Sigöldustöð hydroelectric power plant). This is one beautiful, intimate place that most tourists skip as they rush to the famous Landmannalaugar. - Access from the west: F225, about 50 km, 1.5 h
The name of this road is Landmannaleid. From paved road 26, it departs slightly northwest of the Hekla massif and in its initial phase leads along the northern edges of the massif. Here you can turn off the F225 road to the south and drive up to Hekla itself and the surrounding hills (see more in the article: Hekla – Queen of Icelandic Volcanoes); - Access from the south: F208, about 75 km, 2 h
This part of Road 208 is already definitely a mountain section, so here there is no doubt and both officially and unofficially it is a mountain road: F208. It’s a very nice road, allowing you to see, among other things, the beautiful volcanic rift Eldgja and the Ofaerufoss waterfall, but it’s definitely a road for 4×4 vehicles only. It branches off from paved Road 1 to the north between the towns of Vik and Kirkjubaejarklaustur, near the Skaftartunga farm. - Access from the southwest: F210 and F261, about 160 km, 4 h
The last option to reach Landmannalaugar is the F210 and F261 roads leading from near the town of Hella. They lead on – respectively – the north and south sides of the Tindfjallajokull glacier and connect with the F208 road about 2.5 km south of the road to Eldgja and Ofaerufoss This is the longest of the ways to get to Landmannalaugar, so if you’re going for it, it’s not likely to be for the sake of getting there efficiently, but for the sake of making the road as beautiful and potentially most difficult as possible – I respect that! 🙂 If so, in addition to seeing Eldgj and Ofaerufoss, consider taking the F261 much earlier – to Emstrur-Botnar Hut and walking to Markarfljótsgljúfur canyon (eh, those Icelandic names…). The views are certainly not to be forgotten, and you can read more about the canyon here: Markarfljotsgljufur – a beautiful but difficult to access canyon in the mountains
Getting to Landmannalaugar by bus
If
you are not renting a car or an off-road vehicle, finally, if you just want to walk the Laugavegur trail, you can also get to Landmannalaugar by bus. The buses are available in season, usually between June 15 and September 10.
Reykjavik Excursions maintains daily connections to Landmannalaugar from Reykjavik (you can also board at intermediate stops – such as Selfoss or Hella), called The Highland Bus. The entire trip (one way!) takes 4 hours and costs about $75, but Landmannalaugar is really worth the effort. If you go from Reykjavik at 7 am, you’ll get there as early as 11 am and you’ll have up to 7 hours until the last return bus (you’ll be back in Reykjavik around 10 pm). These 7 hours are certainly enough to enjoy the beauty of Landmannalaugar, but be sure to buy your tickets well in advance.
Alternatively there’s plenty of private day trips to Landmannalaugar in a rather broad price range. See the top selection here: Landmannalaugar Day Trips.
Photos from Landmannalaugar
