For most tourists, Highland Center Hrauneyjar is the last gas station before entering the highlands, the interior of Iceland – or the first one after leaving it. But Hrauneyjar is also a family hotel and vacation resort.
A place at the end of the world
Highland Center Hrauneyjar sits at the last few yards of asphalt on Road 26, the road that leads into the interior. A little farther east the asphalt ends and the road turns into the gravel mountain road F26. Slightly closer still, road F208 branches off to the south, leading to the extremely beautiful and popular Landmannalaugar. The hotel, the restaurant and the gas station in Hrauneyjar are the last “outposts of civilization” before the beautiful but wild Icelandic highlands.
The next gas station, in Fossholl at the northern end of the F26, is as far as 240 km (150 miles) away, so the station in Hrauneyjar is quite popular. It is also the closest and most convenient station for those heading south, to Landmannalaugar. By the way, the Olís station in Hrauneyjar is known for the highest fuel prices in Iceland.
However, Highland Center Hrauneyjar is first and foremost a family vacation resort. It has comfortable rooms, a restaurant and a café, and it offers its guests rest as well as plenty of activities. The hotel has double and triple rooms. Not every room has a bathroom, but every room has free wi-fi :-). Thanks to its location, it is a great base for exploring the interior and highlands of Iceland.
| Hótel Hrauneyjar room prices, per night (September 2026) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Room | Price | Sleeps |
| Economy double | 20,900 ISK (~$175) | 2 |
| Standard double / twin | 30,900 ISK (~$260) | 2 |
| Standard triple | 36,900 ISK (~$310) | 3 |
| Standard family (double + Murphy bed) | 41,900 ISK (~$350) | 4 |
Checked 13 September 2026, source: thehighlandcenter.is.
Throughout the year, the hotel organizes activities for individuals and groups:
- trips to volcanoes,
- trekking,
- glacier hikes,
- ice climbing,
- jeep tours,
- cross-country skiing,
- skiing,
- snowkiting,
- ice fishing,
- helicopter flights.
Veidivotn – a treat for trout fishing enthusiasts
Veidivotn (Veiðivötn) is a cluster of more than 50 small lakes, located about 35 km (22 miles) east of Highland Center Hrauneyjar.
The total area of the region is about 20 km2 (8 square miles). Most of the lakes are so-called crater lakes, formed by a violent eruption in 1477. Veiðivötn is thus one of the younger areas of this type in Iceland. The crater formations here look truly otherworldly, and the contrast between the black sand and the clear water can be simply awe-inspiring.
The lakes are very popular with anglers, for whom the most convenient place to stay is Highland Center Hrauneyjar.
- More than 57 species of birds have been observed in the Veiðivötn area. The lakes are also home to one of the oldest trout stocks in Europe. The area is therefore a true paradise for anglers and bird-watchers.
- If you want to come to Veiðivötn to fish, book well in advance – there are plenty of people eager to do the same.
- The access roads to Veiðivötn are usually open from mid-June to mid-October.
- Because of the gravel surface and rough terrain, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is the safest choice for getting to the region.
Other points of interest near Hrauneyjar
Since Highland Center Hrauneyjar is, in a sense, the center of the southern part of the Icelandic highlands, it makes an excellent base for visiting the nearby attractions. Keep in mind, however, that many of them are accessible only in summer and only by 4×4 (or by highland bus – such lines pass through Hrauneyjar).
The most important attractions around Hrauneyjar are:
- Landmannalaugar – the beautiful so-called Rainbow Mountains, with a natural geothermal pool at the campsite;
- Ljótipollur – a blue lake in a crater that formed about 1,100 years ago. It is part of Veiðivötn, a region of Iceland popular among fishing enthusiasts;
- Sigöldugljufur canyon;
- Haifoss – a beautiful waterfall off the beaten track – a gem of Icelandic nature – and the smaller ones: Hjálparfoss and Gjáin;
- Hekla – the queen of Iceland’s volcanoes – one of Iceland’s most dangerous yet most popular mountains;
- the small but interesting open-air museum Thjodveldisbaer (Þjóðveldisbær), with buildings from the Viking age.
How to get to Highland Center Hrauneyjar
Highland Center Hrauneyjar is located on Road 26, in its eastern section. Contrary to what Google Maps, for example, shows, the road turns into a mountain road and gets the F26 designation only 13 km (8 miles) farther east – at the fork with road F228.
You can reach Highland Center Hrauneyjar on a comfortable paved road, in any type of vehicle. From Reykjavík it is about 156 km (97 miles) and roughly 2.5 hours of driving: Route 1 east, then roads 30, 32 and 26 (thehighlandcenter.is). There is also an EV charging point here (2025) – one of the very few on the edge of the interior.
Photos of Highland Center Hrauneyjar
