Landmannalaugar
The great Highland oasis Tourists often ask natives about their favorite place in their homeland. Where do Icelanders go when they want to see something exciting or unique in a country that offers so many opportunities regarding natural wonders and outdoor activities? Do people in Iceland just take the usual Golden Circle or the South Coast drive? More often than not, Icelanders answer this question with: “Landmannalaugar”. by Einar Páll Svavarsson
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ocated in the Icelandic Highlands, Landmannalaugar is full of fascinating natural wonders, including intriguing landforms, boiling hot springs, rare lava fields, geothermal activity, and unique geology. You can spend days there and always find something interesting to see. It’s where you can experience a one-of-a-kind atmosphere and multiple hiking trails loaded with colorful mountains and diverse landscapes. The place is exotic! GEOLOGICAL HISTORY IS THE KEY
This development is still going strong as the island is still sitting on the hotspot and has about 30 volcanic systems on the rift between the tectonic plates. And it is still delivering magma to the surface through its volcanoes. The last eruption occurred in 2014.
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One of the main reasons Iceland has so many fascinating natural wonders is the fact that the island is very young in geological terms and still volcanically active. It first appeared when two tectonic plates collided around 16 million years ago, pushing the seabed on both sides above sea level. This part of Iceland, still under development is known as the West Fjord Peninsula and the East Fjords, and they are the oldest parts of Iceland. Coincidently, some millions of years later, a hot spot appeared below the middle of the rift zone between the plates and started delivering magma to the surface. In an infinite number of eruptions and ongoing volcanic activity, spanning long periods of the last ice age, 1.6 million years ago, as well as warming periods, the island expanded and grew. This development is still going strong as the island is still sitting on the hotspot and has about 30 volcanic systems on the rift between the tectonic plates. And it is still delivering magma to the surface through its volcanoes. The last eruption occurred in 2014. THE GEOLOGICAL MOTHER OF LANDMANNALAUGAR One of these active volcanic systems, the Torfajökull System, is the volcanic mother of Landmannalaugar. Contrary to the overwhelming volume of basalt lava in most other volcanic systems, the unique feature of Torfajökull is its very high level of acid in the magma. This combination is the main contributor to the colorful rhyolite mountains and the spectacular geothermally active landscape, often described as an out of this world experience. HIKING TRAILS Landmannalaugar is a summer destination visited from July through September. During the winter, at 600 meters above sea level, everything of interest is covered with snow. In the summer you can choose from among many exciting hiking trails. The most popular one is the Laugahringur, often including a trek to the top of Brennisteinsalda Volcano (the name literally means Sulfur Wave).
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