HIGHLAND BUS

Landmannalaugar is one of the few areas in the Icelandic highlands that are accessible during the winter months. However, we wouldn’t recommend going alone. With snow-covered roads, limited hours of light, and volatile weather, it’s a challenging place to visit if you don’t have the experience.

That said, with a local guide, winter trips to Landmannalaugar are perfectly safe and will show the wonders of this breathtaking region.

The easiest access point to the highlands from Reykjavík is on the road to Landmannalaugar. Take Route 1—Iceland’s Ring Road—east along the south coast and then join road 26 just before the village of Hella.

You’ll soon arrive at Landmannaleið, or F225, the road that takes you directly to Landmannalaugar.

If you love the outdoors, glorious scenery, and active travel, the highlands are one of the most rewarding regions in Iceland. Expect spectacular landscapes, wide skies, and the magic of the wilderness.

That said, there are many beautiful places in Iceland that are a little easier to visit. For example, if you’re short on time, tours along the south coast are stunning and are easier to fit into quicker trips to Iceland.

If you want a glimpse of the truly wild side of Iceland, the highlands are definitely worth visiting. Highland tours are often the best way to do it.

For example, trekking tours through the highlands show you the very best bits of the region on foot. You can scale snowy summits, traverse epic ridges and mysterious plains, and bathe in remote hot springs.

Alternatively, if you prefer to travel alone, take the Highland Bus into the heart of the region. The bus leaves Reykjavík daily throughout the summer months.

Explore our highland tours to find the best option for you.

Iceland’s highland area is uninhabited and is largely not habitable. There are no shops, paved roads, petrol stations, or any of the other things we take for granted in our normal lives. It’s known as a wilderness for a reason.

Conditions are particularly challenging in the winter, when heavy snows block most of the highland roads. So, while the highlands can be a thrilling place for a visit, it’s not the easiest place to live!

Iceland’s highlands are one of the most remarkable and thrilling places on the planet. Almost completely uninhabited but home to some of the most breathtaking landscapes you’ll ever see, it’s definitely worth a trip if you visit Iceland in summer.

Given their remote location and Iceland’s volatile weather, most of the highlands are usually only accessible between May and September. Outside of this season, many of the roads in the region are closed, apart from those to major sights such as Landmannalaugar.

Iceland is an incredible destination in any season. While the winter is the season of snow and the northern lights, summer dazzles with the midnight sun and glorious green landscapes.

It’s also the easiest season to get around and explore the highlands. Climb mountain peaks or cross volcanic plains, or unwind in a natural hot spring in Landmannalaugar valley.

There are many beautiful roads in the Icelandic highlands. But most of them are what are known as F-roads—unpaved roads that are not open all year round.

The most famous is F225, or Landmannaleið, which takes you to Landmannalaugar, a valley where you can find natural hot springs. Alternatively, you can drive across the entire highlands on F26, the road known as Sprengisandur.

If you want to visit the highlands in Iceland, you’ll need to either hire a car or take a highland tour. Most people take a tour or ride the Highland Bus, because the terrain is a little more challenging than they’re used to driving at home.

For example, none of the highland roads are paved. Instead, you’ll have to drive on unpaved F-roads and sometimes even ford rivers. If you’re not an experienced driver, it can be a lot of hassle that’s easily avoided with a tour.

What’s more, much of the highlands are accessible only in the summer. That’s because heavy snow causes many of the roads to close.

Visit Iceland’s highland region in the summer. This is when most of the snows have melted, the roads have opened, and it’s possible to safely explore the wilderness. Late May to September are typically the best months to visit.

During the winter, on the other hand, conditions can be very harsh. What’s more, many of the roads in the highlands won’t even be open.

The easiest road to reach Landmannalaugar is the F225, or Landmannaleið. This is probably the most frequently used road in the highlands.

While it’s fairly well used, it is still an unpaved road and you will need a vehicle that can handle off-road conditions to drive on it. If you’re hiring a car, let the rental agency know that you’re going to be heading into the highlands.

The highlands is the name given to the central area of Iceland. The vast majority of Iceland’s population lives very close to the coast, which is gentler, easier to access, and enjoys a milder climate. The highlands on the other hand are rugged, wild, and unforgiving.

Draw a circle around the centre of Iceland and you’ll likely cover the mighty Vatnajökull glacier to the southeast of the country, Langjökull to the west, and Mýrdalsjökull to the south. All of this and much of the north are included in the highlands.

The highlands in Iceland are largely uninhabited. There are no permanent settlements and there’s no one that lives there all year round.

That said, particularly in the summer months, people do work there. You may find people managing campsites and mountain huts and doing critical maintenance work. But a lack of paved roads, shops, and petrol stations means that it would be a difficult place to live.

In a way, it’s this remoteness that gives the highlands much of their charm. But if you’re visiting, you need to be prepared.