Travel the Interior

Travel Iceland with Iceland Travel

Travel the Interior

Contrasting profoundly with the more hospitable exterior regions, the interior of Iceland is a howling wilderness of otherworldly vistas, where pristine deserts of sand and cinder are broken-up every now and then by heroic floral blooms, occasional shivering rivers, gleaming icecaps and jagged mountains. Because of the unpredictable extreme weather and lack of vegetation, very few people were brave enough to inhabit the desolate heart of Iceland and most outlaws, who were sent there as a punishment, swiftly perished. Even now the interior of Iceland remains unpopulated, and closed for tourism most of the year. Kjalvegur (or Kjölur) and Sprengisandur – the two main routes through the interior, were originally forged by Vikings on horseback as they made their way to the annual meetings in Þingvellir. With its challenging untamed appeal, many people are attracted to this last true wilderness of Europe and visit during the restricted travel season, which falls somewhere between June and August - depending on the weather, but even in this period, travelers must be vigilant and prepared for sudden extreme weather conditions - including snow storms.

The Kjalvegur Route

Travelling from either end of Kjalvegur (Rte. 35), the connecting 165km (103 miles) stretch of mountain track is best suited for those with appropriate 4WD transport and good suspension. From the northern end, Kjalvegur is accessed via a turnoff halfway between Varmahlíð and Blönduós on Rte. 731, and exits in the southwest region at Gullfoss.

The ghosts of Kjölur There are many stories of outlaws and others who have ended up in snowdriven tombs on the highlands; one of the tales tells of two brothers named Bjarni and Einar Halldórsson, who in the autumn of 1780, together with their travel companions, traversed the highlands to buy some sheep and horses in the South. On their return they were caught in a blizzard northeast of Kjalfell and tragically perished, together with their livestock; their bones were found 65 years later in a place subsequently dubbed ‘Bonehill’ (Beinahóll). Visitors camping in the area often witness mysterious shadows, and animal bones still turn up there regularly.

Hveravellir (Hot Spring Plains)

At around 650m (2,133ft.) above sea-level this is one of Iceland’s best known geothermal high-temperature areas, with measurements reaching 150°C / 302°F, at a depth of 1,000m / 3281ft underground. This highlight of the Kjalvegur route has a camping area, mountain huts with sleeping-bag accommodation, a modest service centre, plus access to a geothermal pool for bathing. Note, keep to the boardwalks while exploring the sulphur-encrusted hot springs.

THE OUTLAWS Lawbreakers in Iceland were frequently sent to the highlands of the interior as a punishment for their crimes, if they could survive the extreme wilderness for 20 years, their crimes would be forgiven and they would be allowed to return to the lowlands. The two most famous surviving inhabitants of the highlands were Eyvindur and his wife Halla, who lived for a period of time in Hveravellir, using the hot springs to cook their meals of pilfered sheep meat.

The Kerlingarfjöll

Mountain massif is one of Iceland’s supermodels of nature and a favourite with photographers. The landscape features glimmering glaciers, steaming geothermal hot springs and a span of beautiful rhyolite mountain slopes, that shimmer in shades of yellow, red and green. The slopes are topped with a number of shapely peaks - the highest rising up to 1,477m (4,846ft.) above sea-level. The area is also popular with hikers and has a number of great trails of varying length and difficulty. Huts are available for those who would like to spend more time exploring the chiselled ravines, and bathing in the bliss of natural thermal ponds. For more information on the area and accommodation, contact the service center at Ásgarður. kerlingarfjoll.is

THE GIANTESS’S MOUNTAINS The Kerlingarfjöll name translates as ‘the woman’s mountains’ and originates from an old folk tale, which tells of a troll lady who didn’t make it back to the shelter of the mountain in time for sunrise and was consequently turned into stone. Standing at about 25m / 82ft high she was quite a large lady, or is it just a giant rock tower?

Hvítárvatn (White River Lake)

At the southern end of the Kjölur route - around 45km (27 miles) from Gullfoss, a glacier outlet from the Langjökull ice-cap occasionally calves into Lake Hvítárvatn. This well vegetated oasis with its marshy plains creates a captivating scene, and is accessed via a turnoff from Rte. 35.

Sprengisandur

Travelling from south to north, the 196km (122 miles) Sprengisandur route (Rte. 26) leads up to the Hrauneyjar highlands from the Þjórsár-dalur valley in the South Central and ends

at Aldeyjarfoss in the North. Unlike the Kjalvegur route, Sprengisandur still has many unbridged rivers and can only be crossed using appropriate 4WD transport with good clearance and suspension. The route is accessible usually from the end of June until early September – depending on the weather. Traveling the Sprengisandur route by horse is a popular alternative adventure and takes around eight days to complete.

Fjallabak Nature Reserve

Fjallabak was established in 1979 and covers around 47.000 hectares of land located in the southern interior of the country. The region gets its name from the wild rugged mountains, which are carved with deep valleys and sculpted by volcanic eruptions and geothermal activity. The region is accessed via the Sprengisandur road on Rte. 26.

Landmannalaugar

Landmannalaugar (Rte. 26 > 208) is an exceptional hiking area and characterised by a colorful assortment of rhyolite mountains, canyons, glacial valleys, and fields of moss-topped lava. It’s renowned for its natural pools, formed when geothermal streams and cold spring water mix together creating a temperature just right for bathing in. This location also known for the spectacular 55km (34 mile) hiking route ‘Laugavegurinn’, which connects Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk (see below) through some epic and endlessly varied scenery. Although the altitude here is over 600m / 197ft above sea-level, the river banks are remarkably covered in soft grass and beautiful flora. Just before reaching Landmannalaugar there’s a little detour to an impressive crater-lake named Ljótipollur or Ugly Pond - with its stunning crimson screes disappearing into the blue-green water, this lake does not live up to its baffling name!

Eldgjá

(Rte. 208) or ‘Fire Canyon’ is a 40km long volcanic chasm stretching from the Mýrdalsjökull glacier to Mt. Gjátindur. Its most impressive proportions can be admired at the northern end of Fjallbaksleið, where its width stretches 600m (1,968 ft.) across and with a depth of 200m (656 ft.) in places. Pouring from the Nyrðri-Ófæra River into the western side of Eldgjá is the wonderful waterfall named Ófærufoss, which drops down in two lively cascades. Until the year 1993 there was a frequently photographed stone arch, positioned perfectly over the lower cascade forming a natural bridge.

Veiðivötn (Rte. 228)

is a cluster of volcanic crater-lakes northeast of Landmannalaugar. The lakes here, which are rich with trout, are popular with anglers who are attracted to the peaceful and idyllic environment. Accommodation and fishing permits are handled by veidivotn.is

Þórsmörk

Þórsmörk (Rte. 249) or Thór’s Forest, is an extraordinary valley enclosed between the sheltering Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull mountain glaciers. The valley is an oasis of vegetation, where moss, birch and fir trees grow in abundance, creating a vivid contrast with the surrounding snowcapped mountains. Because of the significant shelter, the valley has an unusually warm climate and is an attractive tourist destination, especially for Icelanders; it’s also very popular with ramblers for its excellent system of hiking trails and is both the start or end points of the famous Fimmvörðuháls trek and the Laugavegurinn hiking route. The area is a treasure of nature, with plenty of scenic surprises and a number of pleasant summits to scale, such as the easy-going Valahnjúkur or more demanding Útigönguhöfði. There is also a variety of marvellous canyons such as Stakkholtsgjá, cut by large rivers, but now possible to explore from the ground. Þórsmörk is only accessible via hiking routes or by powerful 4WD vehicles and buses adapted for fording rivers. Transfers on a highland bus from Hella to Þórsmörk are availale and recommended. We can book this for you at Iceland Travel. Snorraríki (Snorri’s Dominion) is a cave located high on the slope of a basalt cliff on the trail between the Húsadalur and Langidalur. According to legend this cave was once the hiding place of an outlaw named Snorri who outsmarted his enemies and evaded capture.

The Eastern Interior

There is a cluster of wonderful attractions on the Eastern Interior

route (Rte. 88) with Askja and Kverkfjöll – the star highlights, featuring at the southern end of the road. Though the sights are numerous, the trip can easily be done in a day; as a detour from the route connecting Egilsstaðir to Mývatn, or as a day trip from a northern base such as Akureyri or Mývatn. Note, the roads here are only suitable for drivers with 4WD vehicles. If you would like to visit the area but don’t have the right car you can book a tour in your app or on the Iceland Travel website - icelandtravel.is Hrossaborg (Horse City). A small trail leads to this 10,000 year old crater on Rte. 88. This natural amphitheatre gets its name from the horses who seek shelter there in bad weather.

Herðubreið (Rte. 88). If this mountain looks familiar it’s because of its ubiquitous appearance on Icelandic picture postcards where its symmetrical 1,682m (5,518ft.) table form is framed in the foreground by the Lindaá river and the lush floral vegetation of Herðubreiðarlindir. In real life it’s even better! Drekagil or Dragon Gorge is a gnarly canyon and one of the highlights of the distorted Dyngjufjöll mountain massif surrounding the Askja caldera. Askja is classified as a Stratovolcano because of the layers of lava created from recurring eruptions over thousands of years. The most recent occurring in 1961. Öskjuvatn was formed in the devastating eruption of 1875, when part of the Askja caldera caved in and formed a crater lake with an astounding depth of 217m (712ft.) - the deepest in Iceland. North of the crater is thermal lake called Víti (hell) where experienced Icelanders show the more hesitant tourists how to scurry down the slopes and plunge into the warm pearly water. Note, the slopes can be very slippery. Kverkfjöll. The northern rim of the Kverkfjöll Central Volcano protrudes from the hems of the Vatnajökull glacier, and stands erect between two of its cool glacier tongues. Above the surface its tallest peak Skarphéðinstindur, reaches 1,929m (6,328 ft.) but beneath the frozen white mass, where its calderas are buried, a battle of extreme elements rage. The trails around the area weave together a series of stunning sights, featuring river gorges, hot-springs, volcanic fissures, ice caves, and bathing pools fed by waterfalls. For more information on the range of trails and accommodation contact the warden at the Sigurðarskáli mountain hut on Rte. 902. fljotsdalsherad.is/ferdafelag In August 2014 a volcanic eruption began in Holuhraun, a large lava field just north of the Vatnajökull ice cap. The eruption lasted for 6 months and produced a lava field of more than 85 km2.

Main text written and compiled by Jane Appleton and Lisa Shannen, who have both lived and traveled extensively in Iceland for many years, co-authored Frommer’s Iceland (2011) and blog for reykjavik.com.