If you’re keen to explore where few have ventured before, Iceland’s Highlands are the perfect place for you. With vast mountain ridges, surreal rhyolite mountains, and tranquil wilderness, the Highlands feel utterly extraordinary. Little wonder they’re a favourite of so many of our private tour guides.
“If you feel like Iceland is a different planet, the Highlands are another planet within the planet! Not to mention it’s so untouched, you feel like an explorer being the very first person there.” Levi Baráth, Hidden Iceland Driver Guide
But what should be on your Iceland Highlands itinerary? Below is our guide to this otherworldly destination.
Where are the Highlands?
We always tell our travellers that the appeal of the Highlands lies in the region’s vast emptiness. While the Grand Circle Ring Road loops around the entire island, the Highlands occupy Iceland’s often unexplored interior. Raw, remote, and dramatically distinct from the towns and villages across the coast, this is Iceland untamed.
For the purposes of this guide, we’re not including Askja (covered in our North Iceland guide), or the Golden Circle.
When To Visit the Highlands
Parts of the Highlands are accessible all year round when traversed by experienced guides in customised super jeeps. But for those looking to drive themselves, they are mostly accessible in the summer, between late June, July, August and September, when the weather is mild, the snow has retreated and the land is dry. This is when the mountain roads (F-roads) are open, and river crossings are safer. In our opinion, it’s best visited during July and August if you are going it alone.
Experienced drivers may travel slightly outside this window depending on weather and road conditions, but travel in the Highlands between October and May is generally inaccessible in normal 4×4 vehicles due to heavy snow, ice, flooding, and road closures.
Things To Do in Iceland’s Highlands
When it comes to exploring the Highlands, the real appeal lies in immersing oneself in raw, untouched nature and connecting to one of the most remote regions that Iceland has to offer. Time is best spent hiking, visiting hot springs and taking it all in at your pace.
The Highlands are a favourite of many of our guides, as our Operations & Guide Manager, Emily Bridger, attests.
“Spending the day hiking on the marked trails in the colourful rhyolite Hveradalir hot spring area is a photographer’s dream and I always ensure to end the day relaxing in the geothermal hot spring at Highland Basecamp.”
Let’s explore.
Hveradalir Hot Spring Area
Known for its geothermal vents and bubbling mud pots, Hveradalir is one of Iceland’s most striking geothermal hotspots. Surrounded by rhyolite mountains, sometimes referred to as ‘rainbow mountains’ due to their spectrum of vivid colour across the rock. It’s a place where you can feel the volcanic forces beneath your feet and take in views that stretch endlessly toward the horizon.
Hike across Þakgil
The canyons of Þakgil (pronounced thak-gil) are where you’ll find many of the greatest hiking trails in Iceland, hidden beneath slopes coated in vivid green moss. Trails take you through the valleys and across landscapes of rugged rock, toward sweeping views of landmarks like the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, and the restless Katla volcano lying beneath it.
Horseback through isolated areas
A lesser chosen, but equally great option to explore the Highlands is by horseback. As you cross the black sand plains and remote mountains, the same way local folk have for centuries, you feel completely one with nature. The slow pace lets you explore without rush, without interruption, and often without seeing another soul for hours.
This slower paced traverse is best enjoyed as a private tour and as part of a longer stay in the Highlands.
Things To See In The Highlands
The Highlands promise picturesque views everywhere you turn, so narrowing down our selection isn’t easy. But here are a few of our favourites, and essential additions to your Iceland Highlands itinerary.
Kerlingarfjöll
Orange-stained hills are the backdrop for this remarkable hiking terrain. Kerlingarfjöll is a remote region, yet remarkably peaceful, from the peak of the rust-coloured mountains to the bubbling hot springs, a remarkable sense of calm settles across the entire region.
And for those seeking adventure, we recommend taking a buggy excursion across the wild landscapes.
Landmannalaugar
The surroundings of Landmannalaugar must be seen to be believed. Colourful rhyolite peaks appear as if rainbows carved from stone, displayed in a surreal spectrum of reds, oranges, and greens. Across the volcanic terrain, hot springs bubble and geothermal vents exhale, making the landscape feel almost storybook in its beauty.
All of this is visible across the renowned Laugavegur Trail, widely considered one of the greatest hikes in the country, and an essential addition to your Highland Iceland itinerary.
Þórsmörk
Þórsmörk (pronounced thors-mork) is dramatic and beautiful, a region named after the Norse god of thunder, and appropriately majestic. The mountains are towering, the glacial rivers roaring, and the forests surprisingly lush.
Found between the glaciers of Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull, the region is filled with steep valleys and winding trails fit for hiking. Together, they create one of Iceland’s most unforgettable wilderness landscapes, one that is rightly beloved.
Where To Stay In The Highlands
Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll is our recommendation for a truly unforgettable stay in the region. Ideally situated for adventure, whilst promising comfort and luxury when you need it, Highland Base is the best of both worlds.
The excellent food options for every meal are worth the stay alone, as is the genuine sense of community. In the evening, you retire to your lodge or your hotel room, where the soft linen invites you into a deep sleep. It’s the perfect place to unwind after a day of exploration.
FAQs
Can you explore the Highlands via helicopter?
A helicopter tour is a great way to embrace the sights. At Hidden Iceland, we can offer travellers the opportunity to experience the wonder of the Highlands from above. It’s an entirely new perspective on an already breathtaking region.
Can I make it a luxury tour?
While there may be fewer five-star escapes in the wild lands of the Highlands, there are still opportunities to explore in luxury and comfort. Hidden Iceland offers tailored luxury experiences that combine remote adventure with carefully selected accommodation, expert private guiding, and seamless travel throughout Iceland’s interior.
Do I need a 4×4 vehicle to explore the Highlands?
Most Highland routes require a high, modified, 4×4 vehicle, as the mountain F-roads are unpaved and often involve river crossings. Conditions can change rapidly, which is why many travellers choose to explore the Highlands with an experienced private guide rather than self-driving.
Ready to experience the Highlands for yourself?
Hidden Iceland crafts your ideal getaway, shaped around your interests.
Get in touch today by calling us at +354-770-5733 or by emailing info@hiddeniceland.is, and we’ll begin designing your Highlands Iceland itinerary.
