The Great Highland Oasis

Located in the Icelandic Highlands, Landmannalaugar is full of fascinating natural wonders, including intriguing landforms, boiling hot springs, rare lava fields, geothermal activity, and unique geology. You can spend days there and always find something interesting to see. It’s where you can experience a one-of-a-kind atmosphere and multiple hiking trails loaded with colorful mountains and diverse landscapes. The place is exotic!

GEOLOGICAL HISTORY IS THE KEY

One of the main reasons Iceland has so many fascinating natural wonders is the fact that the island is very young in geological terms and still volcanically active. It first appeared when two tectonic plates collided around 16 million years ago, pushing the seabed on both sides above sea level. This part of Iceland, still under development is known as the West Fjord Peninsula and the East Fjords, and they are the oldest parts of Iceland. Coincidentally, some millions of years later, a hot spot appeared below the middle of the rift zone between the plates and started delivering magma to the surface. In an infinite number of eruptions and ongoing volcanic activity, spanning long periods of the last ice age, 1.6 million years ago, as well as warming periods, the island expanded and grew. This development is still going strong as the island is still sitting on the hotspot and has about 30 volcanic systems on the rift between the tectonic plates. And it is still delivering magma to the surface through its volcanoes. The last eruption occurred in 2014.

THE GEOLOGICAL MOTHER OF LANDMANNALAUGAR

One of these active volcanic systems, the Torfajökull System, is the volcanic mother of Landmannalaugar. Contrary to the overwhelming volume of basalt lava in most other volcanic systems, the unique feature of Torfajökull is its very high level of acid in the magma. This combination is the main contributor to the colorful rhyolite mountains and the spectacular geothermally active landscape, often described as an out of this world experience.

HIKING TRAILS

Landmannalaugar is a summer destination visited from July through September. During the winter, at 600 meters above sea level, everything of interest is covered with snow. In the summer you can choose from among many exciting hiking trails. The most popular one is the Laugahringur, often including a trek to the top of Brennisteinsalda Volcano (the name literally means Sulfur Wave).

How often do you get an opportunity to climb up to a volcano? Another trail takes you to Bláhnúkur Mountain or the more challenging Suðurnámur Mountain Ridge. Also, there are longer hiking trails where you can go deep into the mountains south of Landmannalaugar. And if you are ready for the challenge, there’s the 54-kilometer four-day hike to Þórsmörk, known as the Laugavegur Trail. Along the way, you cross over the tops of mountains, go through deep valleys, ford rivers and creeks, and stop by one small glacier. It is one of the most sought after hiking experiences in the country. All this is part of the Torfajökull Volcanic System.

A STUNNING VIEW WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT

From the top of the Brennisteinsalda Volcano, you’ll get a spectacular 360-degree view of the colorful mountains, at least three glaciers, glacial rivers starting their journey to the coast, and a big chunk of the Highland. You will also have a view of Landmannalaugar’s small lava field, Laugahraun, which was the consequence of an eruption some five hundred years ago from the volcano you are standing on. It was a peculiar eruption, as the magma came from another volcanic system about one hundred kilometers northeast of Landmannalaugar—the terrifying and dominant Bárðarbunga Caldera. The Bárðarbunga Caldera which sleeps under an eight hundred-meter-thick ice cap, occasionally wakes and erupts with a lot of mayhem. It is the volcano that was responsible for Iceland’s latest eruption in 2014 north of the Vatnajökull Ice Cap. That is why we sometimes claim that the unusual lava field in Landmannalaugar is an illegitimate child of another volcano.

GEOTHERMAL POOL

For decades, one of the main attractions of Landmannalaugar has been its natural geothermal pool. It is one of the most popular geothermal pool in Iceland. Formed entirely by mother nature by blending a hot geothermal stream and a cold spring-fed creek, both coming from under the Laugahraun Lava Field, it is as natural as they come. The geothermal pool is a convenient and relaxing addition to any hiking tour in Landmannalaugar. For many visitors, it is a most exotic experience—dipping into a natural Jacuzzi outside in the nature, deep in the Highland not far from the Arctic Circle. And everything is heated by the magma lurking somewhere below the earth’s crust.

A ONE OF A KIND PLACE

Without a doubt, Landmannalaugar is a unique place. There are few places in Iceland or the planet that offer such variety and distinctiveness in landform and outdoor experience. It’s a remarkable place indeed.

About the author: Einar Páll Svavarsson is a political scientist turned photographer and writer with decades of interest and experience traveling in Iceland. Einar is the owner and creator of one of the largest information websites about Iceland – Hit Iceland.