Hiking Kerlingarfjöll Geothermal Expanse (Icelandic Highlands)

ll is a grouping of pocket-size geothermically active together with rust Hiking Kerlingarfjöll Geothermal Area (Icelandic Highlands) — Hiking Guide to Kerlingarfjöll inward Iceland

Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland

Deep inside Iceland’s key highlands, Kerlingarfjöll is a grouping of pocket-size geothermically active together with rust-colored mountains capped amongst snow. Here’s how to organize your ain self-drive adventure.

Kerlingarfjöll is a lesser-known day-hiking experience non besides far away from Iceland’s famous Golden Circle route. It was 1 of my favorite stops inward Iceland!

If you lot desire to acquire off the beaten path a fighting together with extend your Golden Circle trip amongst something to a greater extent than adventurous, this foreign geothermal surface area is the perfect house to halt for a half-day hiking trip (and possibly pass the night).

Surrounded yesteryear rocky light-green peaks together with Iceland’s Tuya volcano system, Kerlingarfjoll itself stands out amongst ruby-red & orangish hues. Hiking these colorful rhyolite hills volition expose you lot to hot springs, geysers, steam vents, together with boiling mud pots.

In this go guide you’ll larn tips for visiting this unique together with photogenic spot.

Kerlingarfjoll Republic of Iceland Map

How To Use This Map

Above you’ll honor a map of the routes to Kerlingarfjoll. Click on the overstep left of the map to honor divide layers marker the route together with points of interest. You tin shroud together with present dissimilar layers, or click icons on the map to encounter the names of places I cite inward this go guide. “Star” the map to relieve it to your ain Google Maps, or opened upwards the map inward a novel window for a larger version. Enjoy!

Exploring Hveradalir Geothermal Area

Some of the summits inward Kerlingarfjoll are covered inward snowfall year-round, similar Fannborg together with Snækollur. In fact, at 1 fourth dimension in that location was a ski-lift, but every bit global temperatures warmed they removed it due to lack of snow.

I spent almost 4 hours hiking only about together with photographing the Hveradalir geothermal surface area of Kerlingarfjoll after camping ground out inward their campground the nighttime before.

Walking through thick steam clouds pouring from fumaroles, together with hiking upwards its dingy orangish slopes, I felt similar an astronaut exploring some other planet!

More visitors showed upwards afterward inward the day, but I initially had it all to myself.

Kerlingarfjöll Hiking Trails

Kerlingarfjoll is crisscrossed amongst dissimilar marked together with unmarked hiking trails. You tin pass a few hours, or a few days trekking through this wild Icelandic landscape.

Hringbrautin Ring Route – This is a total 3-day trek that takes you lot to every nook & cranny of Kerlingarfjoll. With 2 mount huts along the way, there’s no demand to pack a tent.

Austurfjoll Peaks – Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 tough 5-6 hr hike over all the highest mountains inward Kerlingarfjoll, including the highest called Snaekollur at 1,428m.

Hveradalir Walk – The criterion 2-3 hr walk through the geothermal surface area of Hveradalir. Steam vents together with hot springs, amongst optional hikes upwards a few mountains.

Myth Of The Troll Woman

The mountains of Kerlingarfjöll were 1 time considered a refuge for outlaws together with trolls. Icelanders are known for their belief inward mystical creatures.

The weather condition inward these mountains is notoriously bad — getting really cloudy together with windy. The whole house is basically a large volcanic caldera, created yesteryear eruptions from a fourth dimension when in that location were nonetheless glaciers of H2O ice inward a higher house it.

Icelandic legends say the tale of Kerling, an former hag troll adult woman who was the fille of the burn giant Surtur.

One twenty-four hours she didn’t acquire inward abode inward fourth dimension earlier the sunrise together with was turned to stone yesteryear sunlight. If you lot await carefully, powerfulness spot her 30-meter tall stone pillar…

Getting To Kerlingarfjöll

Because it’s located inward the highlands, Kerlingarfjoll tin exclusively live on reached yesteryear driving on Iceland’s notorious “F-Roads”. The F-Roads are essentially rough jeep trails that weave through the remote middle of the country.

These gravel tracks aren’t actually maintained together with closed downwards for the wintertime inward slowly September or early on Oct (after the kickoff snow) until June. So hiking Kerlingarfjoll is a summertime adventure.

Some F-Roads are to a greater extent than hardcore than others, requiring you lot to drive through rivers amongst no bridges. Luckily F-35 Kjölur, the route to accomplish Kerlingarfjoll, isn’t besides difficult.

A 4X4 vehicle is required for all mount roads inward Republic of Iceland though, 2WD rental cars are non insured hither because conditions are extreme (snow, ice, mud, sand, rivers, etc.)

For to a greater extent than tips almost driving inward Iceland, make certain to read this article first.

Golden Circle Extension

If you’re planning to self-drive Iceland’s famous Golden Circle Route, together with you lot go out early on plenty inward the morning, you lot tin tack on Kerlingarfjöll to extend your trip.

From Gullfoss Waterfall the drive upwards F-35 to Kerlingarfjöll takes 2-3 hours, depending on how rugged your vehicle is. The route tin acquire really crude oil inward some spots. It’s also possible to acquire hither from the town of Blönduós inward the North.

Iceland’s highlands are no joke, together with you lot demand to live on prepared amongst food, water, a total tank of gas, together with warm vesture should you lot interruption down.

If you lot create upwards one's heed to add together Kerlingarfjöll to the typical Golden Circle stops, you’ll demand to pass the nighttime in that location together with drive dorsum the side yesteryear side day. There’s no means you lot could practise all of it together with acquire dorsum to Reykjavik the same day.

Where To Stay At Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjoll has a pocket-size resort amongst 20 double rooms together with 10 smaller private cabins together with A-frames that you lot tin rent out for the night.

This backcountry monastic enjoin has hot showers available, bathrooms, a pocket-size shop, together with a restaurant. There’s also a campground here, which is what I did. It costs 2000 ISK ($16 USD) per individual to army camp amongst your ain tent.

From the cabins, you lot tin follow a path beside the river leading to a squeamish footling hot restrain puddle that’s prophylactic to swim in. It takes almost xxx minutes to acquire in that location on foot.

There’s also a remote backpacker hostel farther upwards F-35 called Gíslaskáli Kjölur.

Kerlingarfjoll Travel Tips

Icelandic names tin live on confusing. Kerlingarfjöll is the mount range, spell Hveradalir is the actual geothermal area.

To accomplish the ruby-red hills together with steam vents of Hveradalir, you lot tin either hike from Kerlingarfjöll Mountain Resort (1.5 hours), or if you lot take hold a 4X4 vehicle, drive upwards a steep dirt route to relieve time.

Fill your gas tank earlier entering the highlands. There’s 1 gas see at Kerlingarfjöll but it isn’t ever working.

There are a few world buses that halt out here, the 610 together with 610a, but you’d demand to pass the nighttime together with take hold some other charabanc dorsum the side yesteryear side day.

The hiking trails tin live on really muddy, or fifty-fifty covered inward snowfall depending on the fourth dimension of year. Proper hiking boots are recommended.

The surface area is really sensitive to foot-traffic, together with hence delight remain on marked trails to avoid destroying the frail landscape.

While many people go Iceland’s famous Golden Circle, far less enterprise upwards into the rugged highlands. But every bit you lot tin see, there’s a goodness argue why its worth the endeavor involved! ★

Travel Planning Resources For Iceland

Packing Guide

Check out my travel gear guide to assist you lot start packing for your trip. Pick upwards a go backpack, photographic boob tube camera gear, together with other useful go accessories.

Book Your Flight

Find inexpensive flights on Skyscanner. This is my favorite search engine to honor deals on airlines. Also brand certain to read how I honor the cheapest flights.

Rent Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Car

Discover Car Hire is a non bad site for comparison machine prices to honor the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies. Also read my tips for driving inward Iceland.

Book Accommodation

Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent apartments from locals on Airbnb. Read to a greater extent than almost how I mass inexpensive hotels online.

Protect Your Trip

Don’t forget go insurance! I’m a large fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read to a greater extent than almost why you lot should ever deport go insurance.

Recommended Guidebook: Lonely Planet Iceland

Suggested Reading: The Little Book Of Hidden People

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