Highlands Summer Adventure

Rainbow mountains, hot springs and raw wilderness.

HomeItinerariesHighlands Summer Adventure

Into the wild interior

The highlands open only in summer, revealing rainbow mountains, steaming valleys and lava deserts found nowhere else.

This route reaches Landmannalaugar, Thorsmork and the great calderas, by super jeep or careful self drive.

Length: 4 to 5 days  ·  Best season: July to September only  ·  Good for: Hikers, adventurers, photographers  ·  Start and end: Reykjavik, highland loops

Day by day

A suggested route you can follow at your own pace.

1

To Landmannalaugar

Drive into the highlands to the rhyolite mountains and a natural hot spring.

Stops: Landmannalaugar · Hekla

2

Landmannalaugar hikes

Day hikes among the colourful peaks and obsidian fields.

Stops: Landmannalaugar · Laugavegur Trail

3

Thorsmork

Cross to the green valley of Thor between three glaciers.

Stops: Thorsmork

4

Kerlingarfjoll and Hveravellir

Steaming geothermal valleys and a warm bathing pool on the Kjolur route.

Stops: Kerlingarfjoll · Hveravellir

5

Askja option or return

An optional super jeep day to the Askja caldera, or the drive back to the lowlands.

Stops: Askja · Gullfoss

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How to book this trip

Build it your way, with local operators through Bókun.

We can help you turn this itinerary into a booked trip, pairing a rental car or transfers with day tours and activities from trusted Icelandic operators through Bokun. Tell us your dates and we will tailor the route to you.

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Good to know

Quick answers for planning.

When are the Icelandic highlands open?

Only in summer, roughly July to September, once the mountain roads are clear of snow and the rivers are passable.

Do I need a 4x4 for the highlands?

Yes, highland roads require a sturdy four wheel drive and cross unbridged rivers. Many visitors join guided super jeep tours instead.

What are the highland highlights?

Landmannalaugar's rainbow mountains, the green valley of Thorsmork, Kerlingarfjoll, Hveravellir and the Askja caldera.

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