The Amazing Kerlingarfjöll and Hveradalir Geothermal Area in Iceland.

Kerlingarfjöll is a remote mountain range in the Icelandic Highlands, located between two glaciers:  Langjökull and Hofsjökull. These dramatic colorful rhyolite peaks are home to one of the most amazing natural attractions in Iceland – Hveradalir Geothermal Area. With the hiking trails running among the bubbling hot springs, steaming vents, and boiling mud pools it’s a true hikers’ paradise. I know, it sounds cliche but it’s a fact!

Before I went there myself, I always wondered if the online photos were overly edited – I thought there was no way the colors could be so rich naturally. Well, they are! The entire area looks like one huge, amazing painting! So, yes – photographers’ paradise, too!

Let me show you why you should visit Kerlingarfjöll in Iceland and explain how to do it!

This post contains affiliate links to trusted products and services that I use and love myself. If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive compensation at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. I appreciate your support! See my Disclaimer Policy for more details.

About Kerlingarfjöll

The area has an interesting history. Way in the past Icelanders believed that it was inhabited by outlaws, and no one ventured there till well into the 19^th century.

In the 1930s it started to be a hiking/mountaineering destination. Up until the year 2000 it was also a summer skiing school, however due to global warming and lack of snow it stopped its operations.

As of 2017 Kerlingarfjöll area is a protected nature reserve. 

 It is also called “a valley of hot springs” and later in this article you’ll see why!

Today, it’s often compared to another fantastic, colorful destination in the Highlands of Iceland – Landmannalaugar. Both have rust-colored mountains with beautiful trails for long and short hikes. I’ve been to both and to me there isn’t a winner here – you just have to visit both!

They are very different from each other, yet both absolutely breathtaking and both absolutely worth including in your travel plans.

How to get to Kerlingarfjöll?

Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort is now called the Highland Base at Kerlingarfjöll. The entire complex underwent major renovations and re-opened in the summer of 2023 under this new name. We got to see it that very summer and I have to say they did a great job modernizing it without sacrificing the Highlands charm. More of what you can expect a little later in this article.

By car:

The best way to explore this incredible area is to drive yourself. Just keep in mind that the mountains of Kerlingarfjöll can only be accessed by driving on F-roads, which are unpaved roads, mostly gravel or packed dirt, requiring a 4×4 vehicle, preferably an SUV with good ground clearance. 

Driving distances:

Use this map to help with navigation:

Driving directions:

The F-road you’ll be taking to Kerlingarfjöll is road F35. 

It’s one of the easiest and best-maintained F-roads in Iceland and it will take you through some amazing landscapes. It has no river crossings, so it is perfect for highland beginners.

It is actually not marked on maps as an F-road, however car rental companies still treat it as one, so keep that in mind when choosing a rental car.

How to choose the best rental car for your trip? READ THIS GUIDE!

Road F35 starts near Gullfoss waterfall, just past the Panorama restaurant, which is a perfect place to grab some food and use the restroom before you start your trip. 

Helpful tip: Please read my detailed article about driving on F35 for important information, photos and videos of the drive, but here is one quick tip – gas up at Geysir! It’s the last gas station before F-35 and there aren’t any services along that road, so you really want to make sure you have a full tank.

By bus:

If you don’t want to drive yourself but you’re not up for a guided tour, you can just book a bus transfer, either directly through the Highland base at Kerlingarfjöll (from Reykjavik or Gullfoss) or buy a day pass through the Golden Circle Day Tours from Reykjavik.

With a tour:

If you don’t want to worry about driving on the mountain roads or your rental car is not a 4×4 vehicle you can join a guided tour.

Road F-35 connects the south coast with north Iceland so you can choose a tour departing either from Reykjavik or Akureyri, depending on how it would fit into your itinerary.

From Reykjavik: 

Here are two tours worth considering:

• From Reykjavik: Kerlingarfjöll Hiking Day Tour – this tour includes the bus transfer and a guided hike through the amazing Hveradalir Geothermal Area.
• From Reykjavík: Kerlingarfjöll, Hveradalir, & Highland Baths – this tour also includes lunch and a relaxing soak in the newly opened Highland Baths after your Hveradalir hike.

From Akuryeri:

Tours to Kerlingarfjöll from Akureyri aren’t as common as the ones from the South of Iceland, but this tour looks like a great choice:

• Kerlingarfjöll Highlands Day Tour in a 4X4 from Akureyri – this tour includes a stop at the hot spring in Hveravellir on the way to Kerlingarfjöll. More on Hveravellir later in this post.

Helpful tip: Be careful – there is Hveradalir – which is the alluring geothermal area in Kerlingarfjöll and Hveravellir – the nature reserve I just mentioned. The names are similar and it’s very easy to confuse them! There is also Hverir – another amazing geothermal area located in North Iceland – to add more confusion! 

Best time to visit Kerlingarfjöll:

Definitely the summertime! The F35 is accessible for self-driving only between June and September.

The weather conditions are always the deciding factor when it comes to the opening/closing days of the highland roads.

I’ve read that the colors of the rhyolite mountains are the most intense from late July into August. That’s also the time when the old winter snow finally melts and the new winter snow hasn’t arrived yet, which makes the trip there a much easier and more enjoyable experience. We visited in August and it was just magical!

Can you visit Kerlingarfjöll in the winter?

Yes, you can! It’s only possible via a super-jeep, properly equipped for a winter trip to the Highland. You can book your tour here. If you’re up for a 3-day winter trek in this amazing area, click here!

Our drive to Kerlingarfjöll:

As I mentioned earlier, we did this trip in late summer. 

The drive from Gullfoss to Kerlingarfjöll took us about 1.5 hours. It’s about 70 km of unpaved bumpy gravel road.

We were lucky to have gorgeous sunny weather and the views along the way were breathtaking. 

About 6.5 km before you get to the Highland Base at Kerlingarfjöll you will pass by a small but very pretty waterfall, Gygjarfoss. It is very easily spotted from the road.

There is a small parking lot and a viewing platform, even a picnic table if you’d like to take a break.

You will also cross a few single-lane bridges and the barren, yet changing volcanic landscape will keep you alert and a bit awestruck throughout the drive. 

For the most part the road is clearly marked and easily manageable. We didn’t encounter a lot of cars; we had the road mostly to ourselves. We did this drive in a Toyota RAV 4 fully loaded with 4 passengers and our luggage. Just take your time – it’s safer for the car and you get to enjoy the scenery.

For details about how we drove on road F35, photos and videos of the drive CLICK HERE.

Helpful tip: Google Maps work great for navigation. Please type “Highland Base at Kerlingarfjöll” in the search box, not just Kerlingarfjöll, so that you get to the correct location easily.

Things to do in Kerlingarfjöll:

The area is so stunning that just being at the base is absolutely breathtaking, but don’t skip other attractions – they are a must-do!

There are two main attractions that should definitely make it to your Kerlingarfjöll “to-do” list: Hveradalir Geothermal Area and the Hot Spring. 

Hveradalir Geothermal Area

It’s the main attraction of Kerlingarfjoll and an absolute must-see. It’s simply stunning and like nothing else I’ve seen so far in my travels. I consider it one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen in Iceland so far.

How to get to Hveradalir Geothermal Area from Kerlingarfjöll Highland Base:

There are two ways to get to Hveradalir.  You can either hike from the resort to the geothermal area or drive.

By car:

To drive to Hveradalir Geothermal Area, take a sharp right turn out of the resort parking lot and simply follow the road for about 12-15 minutes (or a little longer, if you drive slowly, like us!).

That first hill is a bit on a steep side and the road is REALLY rough, just potholes (big potholes!) galore. BUT it gets better quite quickly, still rough but manageable. It’s narrow, so you have to pull off to the side a lot for two cars to pass, however everyone is really good about it and drivers are letting each other pass safely.

This is definitely another highland experience, but in no way unsafe – just exciting!

Watch a video of our drive to Hveradalir here:

Helpful tip: to use Google Maps, type in “4X4 Parking Geothermal Area” or “Hveradalir Thermal Area Parking”.  Please don’t just write “Hveradalir Geothermal Area” – GPS will take you back to the south of Iceland, outside the Highlands. Your time should say 12 minutes (5 km). Even though you can’t really get lost, following the map is good as it gives you a visual of the road, so you are prepared for sharper turns etc.

One more thing to remember: at the end of the drive, you’ll come to a fork – take a right turn to the Hveradalir parking lot. We weren’t quite sure which way to go so we went up, to the left, and ended up in a very small parking area, that definitely wasn’t Hveradalir. I learned later that this is the so called “Fannborg car park” and a starting point for a different hike, Snækollur, described later in this post.

The main Hveradalir parking lot is often referred to as “Keis car park”, however you won’t find that name on maps…

On foot:

You can also hike to Hveradalir from the Highland Base. We did not do that due to time and some unfortunate travel complications so I can’t provide my personal experience (will definitely try this hike next time I visit!).

From all my research done before this trip I know that the trail is about 5 km long one way and starts after you cross the bridge by the Kerlingarfjöll  Highland Lodge.  

Then just follow the path up the hill.

Most describe it as easy to moderate, clearly marked and very scenic. Depending on when you go, you may have to cross a snowfield.

Time needed is estimated at about 1.5-2 hours one way, depending on the conditions, your pace, and the number of photo stops you’ll make.

Our experience visiting Hveradalir Geothermal Area

After arriving at Kerlingarfjöll , we checked out the newly renovated Highland Base Lodge. It’s really beautiful, with a restaurant, clean restrooms, maps of the area, and hiking trails.

Very friendly staff members gave us driving directions to Hveradalir Geothermal Area and after refilling our water bottles, we headed back to the car.

The drive was exactly as I described above, but it’s sooo worth the effort. You are mesmerized by the views just standing in the parking lot!

By the way – there is a singular, cute-looking, A-frame restroom in the parking lot!

Then you just simply go down the steps that are built into the hills for easier access and you find yourself in a steaming, colorful wonderland.

There are multiple paths, taking you by the boiling mud pools and steam vents.

You cross some bridges over hot geothermal streams and climb the steps up and down the colorful peaks.

 You can see the glaciers in the distance!

You can just roam around and spend as much time as you like. 

Caution: Stay on the marked paths! This is an active geothermal area; the water and steam are HOT and you can get seriously burned if you get too close.  Boiling hot springs can also be hidden underneath the surface, outside of the marked trails. 

Here is a short video to give you a preview of how stunning this geothermal area is!

We spent about 2 hours exploring the area and headed back to the base. After a quick rest we went to check out the hot spring.

Kerlingarfjöll Hot Spring:

This was another item high on my list of things to see at Kerlingarfjöll.

The hot spring is a result of an unsuccessful test drill to find hot water for heating the buildings.  It’s a small rock walled hot pool, fitting at most 10-15 people.  The water is safe for bathing and has a temperature of about 34-37 C (93-98 F). 

It’s located about 1.5 km (about 1 mile) away from the Highland Base.

The hike to the hot spring at Kerlingarfjöll

This hike is rather easy and very picturesque. It runs along the Ásgarðsá River.

You start out by crossing the same bridge as for the Hvaradalir hike, and then instead of going up (which would take you to the Hveradalir trail), you veer to the left, down towards the riverbank.

Make sure you stay on the right side of the river. It took us about 30 minutes to get to the hot spring, with multiple photo stops to capture the views.

The hike is really nice, but it’s narrow, so may be a little tough and slippery to attempt after the rain. It’s a well-worn dirt track with a few rocky sections.

Wear good hiking boots or trail runners with good traction. This is not a trail for regular sneakers.

Most of this trail is flat and easy like this:

There are some slightly more challenging parts:

The hot spring is small so it can only fit a few people in a time. It was pretty much full when we got there, so we didn’t go in, but we did just sit there a while, taking in the scenery….

There are no changing facilities there, just a bench to put your things on.

It’s a charming, secluded spot and very much worth taking the time to check it out. 

After a short rest we started the hike back to the lodge.

Looking back on the trail – the views are breathtaking!

We got back to the lodge just before the end of their daily waffle buffet – served from 2:30 pm till 4:30 pm, you get Kerlingarfjoll’s signature heart shaped waffles with all the toppings, coffee and hot chocolate.

Other Kerlingarfjöll hiking trails:

There are many hiking trails in Kerlingarfjöll. Here are some of the more popular ones:

Snækollur hike

Snækollur is the highest peak of this area, at 1482 m (4862 ft). The hike to the summit starts from the Keis car park (the main Hveradalir lot) and is about 7 km (4.3 miles) long (round trip), with an elevation gain of about 640 m (about 2100 ft).

I’ve read that you can also start this hike from the Fannborg parking lot where, as I mentioned earlier, we initially went by mistake. Please ask at the lodge to confirm that information.

Austurfjöll peaks hike

This is the extension of the Snækollur hike, including the other almost equally high peaks (Löðmundur and Fannborg) into the route. That makes it a more challenging 5-6 hour hike.

Hringbrautin circuit

This is a challenging 47 km 3-day trek around the peaks of Kerlingarfjöll, with accommodation in huts, that have to be reserved well in advance.

NEW ACTIVITIES at Kerlingarfjöll!

There are some exciting new atrractions offered in this area of Icelandic Highlands! Read more below:

The Highland Baths

This is a brand-new addition to the Highland Base at Kerlingarfjöll. The Baths opened in the spring of 2024 and are now available to all visitors from 11:00 am till 11:00 pm.

Admission is included for overnight guests (except campers), otherwise the fee is 4900 ISK per adult, with discounts for teens and children. The baths offer hot pools, a cold plunge, a sauna and a bar. From the photos on the official website, they look incredible!

Book your admission ticket here.

E-bikes mountain tours

This is perfect for biking enthusiasts! a 90-minuted guided electric bike tour of the mesmerizing Kerlingarfjöll lanscapes.

For details, pricing and booking click here.

Other places to visit near Kerlingarfjöll area

Not far from Kerlingarfjoll Highland base you have another geothermal area:

Hveravellir 

It is a nature reserve located about an hour away (40 km) from Kerlingarfjöll Resort, just 2 km. off of road F35, heading north.

It has a restaurant, two lodges, called the Old Hut (dorm style rooms) and the New Hut (private rooms), a campsite and hiking trails around the geothermal area.

And of course, a hot spring! 

We did not have enough to spend here during our visit (find out why here) but it’s definitely on the list of places to come back to!

For details about Hveravellir hiking trails visit their official website.

Where to eat at Kerlingarfjoll:

As I mentioned, there is a restaurant in the main Highland Base building that serves hot food and drinks, but there is no store here, so you have to bring your snacks, drinks and any food you’d want to cook if you’re camping with you.

Where to stay near Kerlingarfjöll:

If you want to stay along in or near Kerlingarfjöll you have two options:

The Highland Base at Kerlingarfjöll

The newly renovated Highland Base offers private rooms in the lodge, dorm style rooms, huts (see the photo above), cabins and a campsite, with access to bathrooms, showers, a kitchen and a dining area. 

Hveravellir – you have a choice of the Old Hut with dorm-style rooms and the New Hut with private rooms or a campsite. 

Can I visit Kerlingarfjöll as a day trip? 

If you’re considering visiting Kerlingarfjöll  as a day trip it is best to start from your accommodation on the Golden Circle to keep drive times to a minimum.

As I listed at the beginning of this article, the drive from the north is a lot longer so I’m not sure I’d recommend it.

Your closest starting point with accommodation on the northern side of road F35 is Varmahlíð, located 2.5 hrs away from the Highland Base.

Helpful tip: Akureyri is 3.5 – 4 hours away. If you’re based there you can also drive to Kerlingarfjöll on your way to South Iceland – in my opinion it’s a better option than backtracking.

How to prepare for your visit to Kerlingarfjöll  (especially the hiking part!)

• Have a full tank of gas before you start! Like I stated at the beginning of this article there are no gas stations on F-35, so fill up at N1 near Geysir or, if coming from the north – in Blönduós.
• Bring your snacks and drinks. You can buy hot food and drinks and refill your water bottles at the Kerlingarfjöll Highland Base, but there is no store there to buy anything.
• Bring layers and clothing for 4 seasons! Icelandic weather is unpredictable in general and in the Highlands is even more tricky. It is generally colder than in other parts, although as you saw from the pictures, we were very lucky and had a glorious warm sunny day. It is definitely not a rule!
• Wear good hiking boots! 
• Stay on the trails, for your safety and to protect the environment!
• Check the road conditions and weather forecast before you travel.
• Install safety.is (for road/weather/safety alerts), vedur (wether) and road.is (road status/conditions) apps on your phone to have them handy and stay updated.

So now that you know everything about this amazing area, start packing and get ready to experience some of the best views in Iceland!

---

---

You may also like:

• 6-day Iceland Itinerary (How to See the Best of Iceland in a Short Time)
• Best Black Sand Beaches in Iceland – a Practical Guide.
• Diamond Circle in North Iceland – a Perfect Itinerary.
• Snæfellsnes Peninsula – A Complete Guide and Top Things to See.
• Ultimate Guide to Hiking the Bláhnúkur – Brennisteinsalda loop.
• Fjaðrárgljúfur – How to Visit Iceland’s Fairytale Canyon.
• Reykjadalur Valley – a Beautiful Hike to a Hot River (+ Tips for the Best Experience)

Need more help planning your trip? Join our private Iceland Travel Planning Facebook Group to share your questions and experiences, plus get expert travel tips and advice from a supportive community of Iceland enthusiasts!