Landmannalaugar day trip: private hiking & geothermal pool

Nine hours in the highlands with your own guide and driver

A private day trip from Hvölsvöllur to Landmannalaugar with a local guide who drives and leads the route. You hike around the colored volcanic mountains, visit a geothermal pool (bring swimsuit and towel), explore a historic cave at Landmannahellir, and stop at two waterfalls—Þjófafoss and Hnausa pollur—on the way back. Park entry and pickup are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Landmannalaugar day trip from Hvolsvöllur

• Drive from Hvolsvöllur to Landmannahellir
• Enter and explore Landmannahellir cave
• Continue drive to Landmannalaugar
• Hike around Landmannalaugar area
• Swim in geothermal pool (bring swimsuit and towel)
• Stop at Hnausa pollur on return
• Stop and view Þjófafoss waterfall
• Return from Þjófafoss to starting point

The Experience

The drive from Hvölsvöllur takes two and a half hours, skirting the volcano Hekla on the way to Landmannahellir. Your guide stops there first so you can enter the cave, a shelter that sheep herders have used for centuries during the autumn roundup. The cave sits in a landscape of dark rock and sparse vegetation, and the stop gives you a sense of how people have moved through this terrain for generations.

From Landmannahellir, the route continues to Landmannalaugar itself—the main event. Here you hike around the area on your own pace; the colored mountains (reds, greens, yellows from mineral deposits) surround you, and if you've brought a swimsuit and towel, you can soak in a geothermal pool heated by underground springs. The hike is unguided once you arrive, so you choose how far and how long you spend there.

On the return to Hvölsvöllur, the route includes stops at Þjófafoss and Hnausa pollur, two waterfalls where you can rest and photograph. Þjófafoss is part of the Þjórsá river system that runs from the highlands all the way to the south coast. The full day is nine to ten hours door-to-door, and your guide handles all the driving so you can focus on the landscape.

What’s included

• Park entry to Landmannalaugar.
• parking fees.
• pickup from Hvölsvöllur.
• a local guide who drives the entire route.
• stops at Landmannahellir cave, Þjófafoss waterfall and Hnausa pollur on the return.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by FG private tours

Is this one for you?At nine to ten hours, this trip fills most of a day and leaves little room for other activities—book it when you want a full immersion in the highlands without splitting your time between multiple destinations.

Top questions

How far is the drive from Hvölsvöllur to Landmannalaugar?

The drive from Hvölsvöllur to Landmannalaugar takes two and a half hours, passing around the volcano Hekla and stopping at Landmannahellir along the way.

Can I swim in a geothermal pool on this trip?

Yes, there is a geothermal pool at Landmannalaugar that you can use if you bring a swimsuit and towel with you.

What waterfalls do we see on this tour?

You stop at two waterfalls on the return journey: Þjófafoss, which is part of the Þjórsá river system, and Hnausa pollur.

What is Landmannahellir and why do we stop there?

Landmannahellir is a cave that has been a shelter for sheep herders during the autumn roundup for many years; you enter the cave and can photograph the surrounding area.

Is the guide included in this private trip?

Yes, your guide is also your driver for the entire day, and park entry to Landmannalaugar is included in the price.

How much hiking is involved?

Once you reach Landmannalaugar, you hike around the colored mountains at your own pace; the guide does not lead a structured hike, so you control how far and how long you explore.