Landmannalaugar
Rainbow-coloured rhyolite mountains, lava fields and a natural hot spring in the highlands - a hikers' paradise reached only in summer.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
Landmannalaugar, deep in the Icelandic highlands, is a surreal landscape of mountains streaked in rhyolite reds, oranges, greens and blues, cut by black lava fields and steaming ground, with a natural hot spring to soak in after a hike. It is the start of the famous Laugavegur trek and a jewel reached only in the brief summer.
What you actually see
- The rainbow mountains - the rhyolite peaks streaked in extraordinary colours.
- The natural hot spring - the warm stream to bathe in among the mountains.
- The lava field - the black Laugahraun lava beside the camp.
- The Laugavegur trail - the celebrated multi-day trek starting here.
When to go
The short highland summer from late June to September, the only time the roads and huts are open; outside it the area is snowbound and unreachable. Even in summer weather is changeable.
Honest expectations
It is genuinely remote, reached only by rugged 4x4 fording rivers or by highland bus, not an ordinary car, and only in summer. Weather turns fast and cold at altitude. The Laugavegur trek is a serious multi-day undertaking.
Nearby
The Laugavegur trail leads to Thorsmork; the highlands and Hekla volcano spread around.
What to pack for Landmannalaugar
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
