Highland Circle - Longer Version

We drive east from Reykjavik to the volcanic mountain of Hekla. From there we will drive to the geothermal highland oasis of Landmannalaugar and to the central highland tourist station by Hrauneyjar dam where you will spend your first night.

We will set our course to the north taking the Sprengisandur highland road through the highland lake district and cross east from Gaesavatnaleid to Askja caldera/crater lake. We will spend the night in the local mountain hut.

We explore the Askja caldera/crater lake area with its recent volcanic activity and then drive to the powerful river of Jokulsa a Fjollum. We then continue south to Kverkfjoll, a geothermal area by the glacier of Vatnajokull where we will spend the night in this exclusive highland landscape of ice and fire.

From the Kverkfjoll area, we will drive north to Lake Myvatn – which is an area with incomparable natural settings – where we will spend the night.

We drive north by the magnificent River Jokulsa a Fjollum to the largest waterfall in Europe, Dettifoss situated in the canyon of Asbyrgi and the national park of Holmatungur. From there we drive to the coastal town of Husavik – „The whale-watching capital of the world“ – where we will spend the night.

Whale-watching tour by boat from Husavik, for those who wish to experience this before we drive west to Godafoss Waterfall and on to the town of Akureyri - where we will spend the night.

Today we drive west from Akureyri to the Skagafjordur region and south along the Kjolur highland road which lies between the glaciers of Langjokull and Hofsjokull. We will spend the night at the unique geothermal area of Hveravellir in the midst of the highlands. There is the chance to enjoy a bath in a natural hot water pool there both in the evening and in the morning.

We will drive south from Hveravellir taking the Kjolur highland road south to Lake Hvitarvatn and explore the magnificent waterfall of Gullfoss. We then drive to the remarkable geothermal area of Geysir with its world-famous hot springs. Finally, we drive through Thingvellir National Park on our way back to Reykjavik.