Iceland Highlands Road Trip Planning

The Highlands are not a normal scenic detour from the Ring Road. The routes are remote, services are sparse, and many access roads are F-roads with rough surfaces, steep sections, narrow tracks, or river crossings. The decision is not just whether the scenery is worth it; it is whether your specific trip can absorb the uncertainty.

For most travelers, the best Highlands plan is either one focused destination with a Highland-approved vehicle or a guided/highland-bus option that removes the hardest driving. A full interior crossing or deep Askja-style route belongs to experienced highland drivers with time, fuel, and a willingness to turn back.

Choose the Highlands around the visit you want: a Landmannalaugar hiking day, a Kerlingarfjöll geothermal stop, a guided Þórsmörk visit, or a carefully planned interior crossing. Start with one main destination and leave room for the return journey.

An Askja route should be planned as one remote system. Hrossaborg, near the F88 junction, is an optional detour outside the listed stop allowances. The modeled Askja approach continues along Route 1 to Route 901 and F905; it does not use F88. Drekagil and Öskjuvatn belong to the deeper Askja commitment, with separate walking choices once you arrive. Keep the vehicle, fuel, road conditions and turnaround margin ahead of extra stops.

The southern Highlands need the same discipline. Uxatindar belongs to a Langisjór and Skælingar plan, while Einhyrningur belongs to a Þórsmörk-edge or hiking-led day. Both are destination-level choices, not extra pins to attach to an ordinary South Coast drive.

Landmannalaugar is often the first Highlands route to compare because the destination is clear and the access choices are visible.

For the northern Landmannalaugar approach, stay on Route 26 to Sigalda and then use Route 208 and F224. Landmannaleið, numbered F225, is the western approach and has its own river decisions. The day route on this page uses the northern approach in both directions; Bláhylur and other detours need extra driving and visit time.

SafeTravel is explicit that Highland driving is different from ordinary driving. Conditions can change quickly, not all 4WD vehicles suit all F-roads, and river damage risk stays with the driver. That should shape the route: fewer fixed stops, no late-day river decisions, and no plan that requires the road to behave exactly as hoped.

F-road pressure starts with the vehicle, road surface, and how much slower remote driving becomes.

Before leaving the lowlands, share the route and overdue check-in plan with someone who can act, carry offline navigation and backup power, and review the emergency-call preparation in our driving guide. A phone or app does not guarantee reception in a remote valley.

Distances are rounded planning figures checked against Vegagerðin’s named route alternatives. The selected Askja approach is roughly 170 km each way from Reykjahlíð via Route 901, F905, F910 and F894. Kerlingarfjöll base to Hveravellir is roughly 40 km; the onward Mælifellsdalur connection to Akureyri adds about 205 km. Driving and visit times are editorial allowances, not road-authority forecasts, bus schedules or a promise that a full day fits.

A short visit at one arrival does not include a hike to the next destination. Walking from Ásgarður to Hveradalir, crossing between Þórsmörk valleys or adding a long Hveravellir trail requires a separate route and return plan. The overview now identifies these arrivals; confirm the signed parking or booked pickup and the permitted approach before departure.

If the Highlands are only one part of a larger trip, protect the night after the route. A flexible edge base is more useful than a cheaper room that forces you to drive rough roads, then make a long paved transfer in the dark or wind.

Interior stops such as Hveravellir make base choice a facilities, access, and route-sequence decision.

Do not hard-code Highlands dates into the itinerary. The official road status is the deciding source, and the weather forecast can still change the plan after roads open.

• Use guided transport for Þórsmörk if river crossings are the main barrier.
• Use a Highland bus or guided Landmannalaugar day if you want the hikes and hot spring without managing F-road decisions.
• Choose Kerlingarfjöll or a Kjölur-based plan if you want an interior feel with simpler route planning than Askja or Sprengisandur.
• Skip the Highlands on short first trips when South Iceland, Snaefellsnes, or the Golden Circle already fill the route well.
• Move the Highlands to a future trip if every day is fixed and there is no backup window.

A guided route can reduce the driving responsibility, but the operator can still change or cancel it. Confirm the outward and return service for your date and retain a lowland day that works without the Highlands.

For places like Þórsmörk, the better plan may be transport that handles the hardest access for you.

For Þórsmörk, confirm whether your ticket ends at Básar, Langidalur or Húsadalur. This route uses Básar and the Route 1–249–F249 approach from Hvolsvöllur. Route 261 follows a different side of the valley and is not an interchangeable approach. Match the return ticket and walking plan to the same stop.

• Confirm the exact roads you plan to drive and whether each is open or historically realistic for your travel window.
• Ask the rental company whether your specific vehicle is permitted on those roads.
• Check whether river crossings are part of the route and whether there is a safer parking, bridge, bus, or guided option.
• Place lodging so you are not forced into a long transfer after rough road driving.
• Carry a backup route outside the Highlands for bad weather or closed roads.
• Use official sources on the day, not old screenshots, forum reports, or a fixed itinerary PDF.

For the alternative routes, use these parking arrivals:

• Hveravellir: The pin marks visitor parking beside the Hveravellir facilities. The 60–120-minute allowance covers a short geothermal-boardwalk visit and a break. Longer hikes, bathing and an overnight need extra time. Follow facility signs and continue north only with enough fuel and a checked overnight plan.
• Askja: The pin marks Vikraborgir car park at the F894 trailhead. Allow time to walk to Öskjuvatn and back; follow ranger advice and do not assume a descent into Víti is possible. The modeled F905 approach runs via Route 901; F88 has different river risks. Carry fuel and food for the return.