The Iceland Highlands are a vast, uninhabited volcanic desert at the heart of Iceland. It’s our favourite part of the country and a thoroughly rewarding experience. Here are our tips for visiting the highlands.
This remote central highlands region of Iceland has some of the country’s most stunning and diverse landscapes.
Colourful mountains, deep canyons, hidden thermal springs and expansive glaciers.
Visiting the Highlands is not only an opportunity to experience Iceland’s raw natural beauty but also a chance to escape the crowds, embrace adventure, and truly connect with the wild side of this extraordinary island.
We’ve been to the highlands many times, so we know what to look out for if you are thinking of visiting. This guide has all our tips for a safe and memorable trip into the Iceland Highlands.
WHAT ARE THE ICELAND HIGHLANDS?
The Iceland Highlands are vast zones of uninhabited volcanic desert, formed above the mid-Atlantic rift (a gap between two tectonic plates).
Destroyed by volcanic activity and then re-formed through the forces of nature, the highlands are a continually changing, harsh environment.
The highland landscape includes dramatic, colourful mountains, canyons, hidden thermal springs, and other geological wonders.
WHERE ARE THE HIGHLANDS?
The highlands cover an area of 40,000 square kilometres (25,000 square miles) in the centre of Iceland.
The popular Ring Road (Route 1) circles the edge of Iceland, not because there’s nothing to see in the middle, but because the highlands are inaccessible for most of the year.
IS IT WORTH IT?
We think visiting the highlands is the best way to experience the real Iceland. There are three great reasons to visit.
Firstly, it has some of Iceland’s best natural scenery. Expect to see beautiful rainbow-coloured mountains, canyons cut deep into barren landscapes, waterfalls cascading over multi-layered gorges, glaciers, sandy deserts, and lakes.
Secondly, most tourists stick to the Ring Road. Head into the highlands and you’ll quickly get away from the crowd, often enjoying amazing natural scenery all by yourself.
Finally, getting there is all part of the adventure. Going to the highlands often involves driving through rivers and over very harsh terrain. It’s important to be prepared, but it’s also thoroughly rewarding.
WHEN TO VISIT THE HIGHLANDS?
The Iceland Highlands are only accessible during a brief summer window, typically from late June through early September, when the snow has melted enough for the mountain roads to open.
The exact opening dates vary each year depending on weather conditions, with the main highland routes (F-roads) usually becoming passable by mid-June at the earliest.
Read our guide to the F-Roads, which has more information about some of the main roads and when they are likely to be open.
Even during this peak season, conditions can be unpredictable, with potential for sudden weather changes, river crossings that fluctuate with glacial melt, and temperatures that drop significantly at night.
So, always check the weather conditions at Safetravel.is and Road.is before setting off.
HOW TO VISIT THE HIGHLANDS
The best way to visit the highlands is on a day trip from the Ring Road.
Most of the places you’ll want to visit in the highlands are remote with few facilities. You can certainly stay overnight in some of them, Landmannalaugar, Thorsmork and Kerlingarfjoll, for example.
But generally, you’d travel in, have a look around, and then come back out to the Ring Road again.
Our Ring Road itinerary has some suggestions for visiting the highlands and you can find our top recommendations in our Day Trips into the Iceland Highlands guide.
BY CAR
We highly recommend driving yourself into the Highlands. You can get to some of Iceland’s best scenery on your own schedule, stop as much as you want, and take in the scenery.
It’s also a bit of a challenge, but a very rewarding one. Here are a few things you need to know about self-driving in the highlands.
You need a 4×4 — To get to the highlands, you’ll need to drive on the F-Roads which are unpaved gravel roads. Only 4×4 vehicles are permitted to drive on the F-Roads.
You need to think about insurance — Most car rental companies DO NOT insure you for driving on F-roads, so check this in advance. We always use Lotus Car Rental, which offers insurance for both the F-Roads and, specifically, river crossings.
You’ll need to drive across rivers — The main challenge with driving in the highlands is that you’ll need to cross rivers. We cover how to do this in much more detail in our F-Roads of Iceland guide.
HIGHLAND BUS
The Highland Bus is a great alternative if you’re not keen on driving yourself in the Highlands.
They are specially designed to cope with the rough terrain and fast river crossings, so it’s a safe, easy, and reliable way to visit the Highlands. We took the Highland Bus to Thorsmork and it was a very smooth experience.
The Highland Bus usually starts in early June and runs daily until mid-September.
PRIVATE TOUR
A private tour is another option if you don’t want to drive or be restricted to the bus schedule.
Here are a few well-rated tours:
Thorsmork Private Photo Tour — This tour includes a guide and professional photographer to capture your memories. Locations include Seljalandsfoss, Eyjafjallajokull, Thorsmork and Stakkholtsgjá canyon.
Landmannalaugar Super Jeep Tour — This popular guided tour includes Hjalparfoss, Sigoldufoss, Landmannalaugar, Ljotipollur and Hekla Volcano.
Landmannalaugar Day Hike — Enjoy a guided hike in Landmannalaugar over the lava fields with pick up from Reykjavík.
Thórsmörk Super Jeep Tour — Go deep into the heart of Thórsmörk on this super jeep tour, taking you to places not possible in a regular vehicle.
TIPS FOR VISITING THE HIGHLANDS
The highlands are a great experience, but you do need to be prepared. Here are some tips for a safe, exciting adventure into the highlands.
Road Conditions – Road conditions can change very quickly, so stay up to date at safetravel.is. Keep your plans flexible and pick a day to go when conditions are best.
Weather Conditions – Weather conditions also change quickly, so pack warm clothes, waterproofs and hiking boots or shoes. Check the Iceland weather forecast before you leave.
Offline Maps – Download Google Maps for offline use, which provides decent timing for easier F-roads under normal conditions.
Let people know where you are going – Tell family and friends your itinerary, and let your guesthouse/hotel know where you intend to go and what route you are going to take.
Download SafeTravel – This app helps you plan journeys and keeps you informed about road conditions. It also provides information on road signs. Safe Travel App Mac // Safe Travel App Google Play.
Fuel – Always leave with a full tank of petrol and monitor your fuel usage as you go. There are almost no petrol stations in the highlands, and running out is not something you want to worry about.
Food & Water – Take plenty of food and water with you for the trip. There are very few shops and restaurants in the highlands.
Tyre Repair Kit – Make sure you have a spare tyre that’s fully operational or a tyre repair kit, and that you know how to use it.
Do not go off-road – Driving off-road is illegal in Iceland, and you are not covered by insurance if you are off the marked track.
Leave as early as possible – Although there are plenty of hours of daylight in Iceland, you want to leave as early as possible. You can never tell exactly how long the journey is going to take and it’s good to have a bit of extra time in case you need it.
WHERE TO GO IN THE HIGHLANDS?
We have a complete guide on the Best Places to Visit in the Iceland Highlands, but here are our top 5:
Landmannalaugar — One of the most accessible destinations in the highlands with colourful rhyolite mountains, glacial rivers, and lava fields.
Thórsmörk – A remote area where three valleys converge under three imposing glaciers, forming a dramatic wilderness of spectacular scenery.
Maelifell – A dramatic cone-shaped mountain surrounded by a massive expanse of black sand.
Kerlingarfjöll — A small but stunning mountain range with snow-capped summits wedged between two mighty glaciers.
Askja – A series of interlinking calderas and craters in a very remote part of the highlands. This is the most challenging place to drive to in the highlands.
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