Day 12. The Colorful Landmannalaugar
From Kirkjubæjarklaustur drive to the Fjallabak route. The route is one of the most scenic trails in the interior highlands of Iceland, perhaps the most colourful and diversified of the many interesting mountain tracks, rugged colourful landscape of unsurpassed beauty. One of the highlights of the route is Eldgjá, one of the most interesting sights in this part of the country. Here nature has created a unique spectacle splitting mountains and valleys in its course creating a gigantic 30 km long gash into the earth, in some places is up to 600m wide and up to 200m deep. The volcanic fissure is considered to be the greatest of its kind on earth. Only a small part of Eldgjá can be visited by car. Ófærufoss, used to be one of the country´s most beautiful waterfall, framed by a natural bridge, arching over the rivers gorge that collapsed years ago. From Eldgjá, drive along twisting route west along and over a winding rough trail skirting the base of mountains and sometimes through narrow defiles where snow remains long into summer. There is marvellous scenery along the route.
Continue to Landmannalaugar, nesting under the high edge of an obsidian lava flow. Here is a wardens station, mountain hut and a camping site. Near the hut is a warm water pool created by the confluence of natural hot water and a coldwater springs which issue within a short distance of one another from underneath the high edge of the obsidian lava above.
The scenic interest in the area is tremendous. The mountains here are perhaps the most varied and colourful in Iceland.
A hike to nearby Bláhnjúkur, where the visitor has unobstructed view of the surrounding countryside is highly recommended, also to Jökulgil, a long rugged defile with several side canyons and tributary gullies. High up on the slopes above the lava under which the hut nestles is a colourful thermal area, springs emitting sulphurous odours. Leave Landmannalaugar and pass lake Frostastaðavatn, surrounded by colourful mountains and craters. Continue on a trail that proceeds cutting across some relatively recent lava streams and through the Dómadalur valley. Come to Landmannahellir, a cave that runs some distance into a hillside. The track passes through a wide variety of canyons, valleys, over rock ridges and black lava, weird plain of lava rocks surrounded by captivating mountains. The mountain track over Landmannaleið offers some of the finest scenic views available throughout this fascinating region. Off the track there are various trails leading to the volcano Hekla, which is in view on and off to the south of the trail. At the end of the route continue to Hella.
On March 20th 2010, a volcanic eruption started on Fimmvörðuháls, a mountain ridge between the glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The eruption on Fimmvörðuháls lasted a couple of weeks. After this eruption came to an end a new and bigger eruption started underneath the nearby icecap of Eyjafjallajökull Glacier. This eruption came to an end on 23. May 2010.
Driving distance
220 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Eldgjá Canyon
Landmannalaugar
Lake Frostastaðavatn
Overnight:
Hella area