10 Hidden Gems in Iceland Still Unconquered by the Crowds

Did you know there are hundreds of hidden gems in Iceland? If you are looking for untouched nature, otherworldly hikes, and amazingly beautiful remote corners, this is your destination! 

Iceland is one of the very few countries left in Europe where you can still find so many off-the-beaten spots. Below, we listed the 10 picturesque places in Iceland still unconquered by the crowds, with detailed info on how to visit them. 

Guest post by Igor Vilcec at Epic Iceland

Natural Hot Springs – Hidden Gems in Iceland

There are many famous hot springs in Iceland. You’ve probably heard a lot about Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon. They are all artificially made, fancy and expensive places, often very crowded. Authenticity is missing almost completely from these places. Moreover, if you are looking for budget places to visit, none of them will be friendly to your wallet.

Luckily enough, except for the famous touristy hot pools, there are also almost a hundred wild hot springs in Iceland. Most of them are located entirely away from the masses. Yes, they are harder to reach, and they don’t have fancy showers or dressing rooms. But being alone in a wild and remote Icelandic hot spring is surely once in a lifetime experience. 

Hrunalaug

Hrunalaug is probably one of the most picturesque Icelandic hot springs. It’s located in an abandoned rural area where the only thing you can hear is the bleats from sheep. The surroundings of Hrunalaug are amazingly green in the summer and completely white and covered by snow in winter. In the midst of these is a little wooden shelter that serves as sort of a changing room. 

There are three separate pools, each one with different temperatures. This means you can choose the one which suits you the best. Water is not the cleanest, but hey, that’s part of the adventure! It is pleasantly hot, though. 

Fun fact: this hot spring used to be a place where locals washed their sheep. Luckily, it’s no longer been the case for tens of years already.

Where is Hrunalaug?

Hrunalaug is located next to the small village of Flúðir, quite close to the famous and often very touristy Secret Lagoon. Compared to the lagoon, you will often be alone at Hrunalaug and in beautiful countryside surroundings. It takes just a few minutes of driving from Flúðir by a local road to reach the small, improvised Hrunalaug car park. You may leave your car there and follow on foot. It’s an easy 5-minute walk from the car park before you see Hrunalaug in front of you. 

You can reach Hrunalaug by any 2wd car in summer. In winter though it’s recommended to drive a 4wd car, because the local roads may be icy and snowy. It’s possible to use also a 2wd car, but only when road conditions are good.

Tips on visiting Hrunalaug

• Hrunalaug is maintained by locals and there’s a donation box attached to the shelter. The entrance fee is 1000ISK, or about 7 USD per person.
• If you come outside of the summer, you should check the road conditions on trafficinfo.is before the visit.
• Although it’s remote and wild, more and more visitors are heading to Hrunalaug. If you want to be sure to be alone there, choose the early morning or late evening hours. 

Iceland Hidden Gems – Krossneslaug

Krossneslaug is one of the most remote hot pools in Westfjords. The hot spring source is wild, but a local family has made an infinity pool out of it! And as a bonus, this pool boasts a fairytale-like view over the nearby fjord. 

Where is Krossneslaug?

Krossneslaug is located in the eastern part of Westfjords, at the end of road 643, Strandavegur. The closest inhabited settlement is the village of Djupavik. It takes about a 45-minute of drive to reach Krossneslaug from Djupavik.

The road leading to Krossneslaug is a dirt road full of potholes. It’s recommended to take a 4wd car even in summer, otherwise, you may damage your car. In winter, the road is inaccessible for normal cars, only for Icelandic super jeeps.

Tips on visiting Krossneslaug

• In summer, the owner of the pool maintains it and resides in a cute little house nearby. The entrance fee is 1500 ISK or about 10 USD per person. 
• If any crowds head to this pool, it’s usually in the full season of July and the first half of August. A peak season ends in the middle of August, and by then you will most likely be alone there. 
• It’s a long drive, so it’s good to combine your trip with visiting the entire Westfjords.

Gudrunarlaug

Gudrunarlaug is one of the most beautiful hot springs in western Iceland, yet not known to many visitors. It is unique due to its authentic, old wooden shelter serving as a changing room and, of course, a cute hot spring made from stones. If you want to soak up the true Icelandic atmosphere, then Gudrunarlaug is the right place to do it.

Where is Gudrunarlaug

Gudrunarlaug is situated in-between the Snaefellsnes peninsula and Westfjords, next to the main road 60. You need to take a 3-minute detour by a local road to reach the hot spring. This is perfectly doable in summer by a 2wd car. In winter, though, a 4wd car is usually necessary, because the local road is often full of snow and/or ice. 

Tips on visiting Gudrunarlaug

• In summer, you may park your car at a little car park located a few hundred meters below the pool. In winter, though, this car park is usually full of snow, and you need to be more creative about where to park your car. In any case, don’t leave your car in the middle of the road or on someone’s private property.
• There’s a donation box next to Gudrunarlaug with a voluntary contribution of 1000 ISK or 7 USD. 
• If you want to have almost a certainty to be alone at Gudrunarlaug, come outside of summer. Visitors very scarcely come to Gudrunarlaug in winter.

Hikes in the Highlands

One thing is sure in Iceland, and that is you will never meet crowds when hiking in the Icelandic highlands. There are endless hiking opportunities, most of them around otherworldly landscapes you can’t find anywhere else. The majority of these places are harsh and harder to reach, though. To arrive at some of them, you will need to rent a super jeep in Iceland.

That being said, you need to prepare properly for all aspects of the Icelandic highlands. Plan well for the roads you will be driving, study the hiking trails in advance, and take appropriate clothing and gear. In return, you will be rewarded with one-of-its-kind views and experiences.

Hidden Gems in Iceland – Askja

Askja is a volcanic crater filled with water of a magical blue color you’ve probably never seen before. It looks like a fake at first glance, but it is not. Askja is one of those places where you will virtually feel like you are on another planet. And as a little bonus – you can actually swim in lake Askja! The water in the crater is warm enough to make bathing in it very pleasant. However, you need to plan well for how to visit Askja, because it’s harder to reach, and that’s why it remains one of the hidden gems in Iceland.

Where is Askja?

Askja caldera is located in the central Icelandic highlands. and it takes a hell of a drive to reach it. Roads leading to Askja are accessible only in summer. Always check trafficinfo.is for their accessibility. You can arrive at Askja either from the north, by a highland road F88, Öskjuleið, or from the east by highland roads F905 and F910. Then you have to continue by yet another highlands road F894. 

After about a 3-hour long drive, you will finally reach the Askja car park. From there, it takes about a 45-minute hike to reach Askja lake. Bear in mind that all of the F-roads leading to Askja require crossing medium-sized rivers. You need to have a big 4wd car to do this and practice proper river-crossing techniques. In a nutshell, you need to find the shallowest spot in the river and cross there.

Tips on visiting Askja

• It’s highly suggested to visit Askja only in nice weather. Central highlands are often foggy, windy, and rainy even in summer. It may even be dangerous to visit Askja in too harsh a weather.
• To swim in Askja, you need to hike down the caldera. It’s a steep, unmarked trail where hiking poles come in very handy. Once again, you should attempt this hike only in nice weather. When it rains, you may get injured.
• Roads leading to Askja are an adventure on their own. Plan enough time to admire their surroundings. These are one-of-a-kind landscapes

Landmannalaugar

Have you ever seen rainbow mountains? Well, in Landmannalaugar you will. Landmannalaugar is one of the most colorful areas of the Icelandic highlands. Green moss mixes with orange rhyolite mountains, black volcanic ash, blue gravel, and white chunks of snow. Hikes in Landmannalaugar are one of the most memorable things you may possibly do in Iceland. 

There are several beautiful hiking trails in Landmannalaugar of various difficulties. Among the shortest and the easiest hikes are the Laugahraun lava field or a hike to the orange mountain called Brennisteinsalda. Those with better hiking skills may rather hike an entire loop including a majority of the beautiful spots in the area. The tallest peak of Landmannalaugar, the blue mountain, or Bláhnúkur is part of this loop. 

Where is Landmannalaugar?

Landmannalaugar sits in the heart of southern Icelandic highlands and is accessible only in summer. There are 3 different ways you can drive to Landmannalaugar by yourself. The first option is to arrive from the north by road 208. This is the easiest but also the least beautiful road. It doesn’t require a 4wd car, though. The second option is the mountain road F225 from the west. It’s nicer, but it requires a 4wd car and crossing a small river. 

The final option is to arrive from the south by taking road F208 from around Vik. This is the most beautiful road, but it requires a bigger 4wd car and crosses several medium-sized rivers. The last stretch of the road to Landmannalaugar then leads via a mountain road F224. There’s a deeper river located at its end, which you may either cross with a proper car or leave your car in front of it and walk the rest on foot. 

Tips on visiting Landmannalaugar

• You can camp at Landmannalaugar and the campsite is located in very picturesque surroundings.
• Ideally, choose a non-foggy day to enjoy the magnificent views from the hikes to the fullest.
• Always check the road conditions before going on www.road.is

Kerlingarfjoll

If you are looking for hidden gems in Iceland then Kerlingarfjoll should proudly sit at the top of your list. Kerlingarfjoll is a mountain area hidden in the central Icelandic highlands, famous for its orange colors. It’s a hikers’ paradise where you may wander next to hot spring streams full of boiling Sulphur and admire otherworldly landscapes at every step. You can read a detailed guide to Kerlingarfjoll to choose a specific hike.

Where is Kerlingarfjoll?

Kerlingarfjoll is located exactly in the middle of Iceland. You can get to Kerlingarfjoll only in summer, and you need a 4wd car for that. To arrive at Kerlingarfjoll you have to take road 35, Kjolur, first and then turn east in the middle of the road for the detour by a mountain road F347 leading directly to Kerlingarfjoll. 

Road 35 is accessible both from northern Iceland, next to Varmahlid, and from the south, next to the famous Gullfoss waterfall. Which route to take mostly depends on the rest of your plans. Both the southern and northern parts of road 35 are similarly difficult and long, and the landscapes around are more or less the same.

Tips on visiting Kerlingarfjoll

• Kerlingarfjoll is very cold, even in summer. This is one of the coldest areas in Iceland. Dress accordingly. Try to catch a nice day, weather-wise.
• Kerlingarfjoll campsite is very picturesque, and it’s located just a few miles away from the main hiking area. 
• There are many boiling hot springs in Kerlingarfjoll, in the area called Hveradalir. None of them is accessible for bathing, though. They are simply too small, too hot, and too dangerous for swimming.
• There’s one hidden hot spring where you may actually swim. You can reach it from the Kerlingarfjoll campsite. It’s about a 1-hour hike, one-way, but it’s totally worth it!

Hidden waterfalls – Wonders of Iceland

There are hundreds, if not thousands of different waterfalls in Iceland. Some of them are very well hidden, though. They are mostly located in the highlands and many are even more beautiful than their famous and crowded counterparts! To reach these off-the-beaten-path waterfalls, you need to drive long distances through harsher terrain or hike inside narrow canyons. But that’s exactly what’s so unique about Iceland.

Aldeyjarfoss – Hidden Gems in Iceland

Aldeyjarfoss is a powerful waterfall entirely away from all the tourist masses. Aldeyjarfoss is unique due to its cascade, rectangular-shaped rocks that eventually resemble a famous Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik. This is not a coincidence. The church was indeed built based on these rocks. 

Where is Aldeyjarfoss?

Aldeyjarfoss is located in the northern part of the Icelandic highlands. To reach it, you have to take the local road 842, Bárðardalsvegur, between Akureyri and Mývatn. The road is accessible only in summer. Then, for the last 3 miles, you have two options. You can either continue via mountain road F26 right to the little car park above the waterfall, or you may leave your car at the beginning of the road. 

To drive the road F26 you need a 4wd car which is mandatory in Iceland for all mountain roads. If your only option is a 2wd car, then you have to leave your car at the beginning of the road, and hike the last 3 miles. From the car park, it takes around 5 minutes to access the best viewpoints of Aldeyjarfoss. 

Tips on visiting Aldeyjarfoss

• The best views of Aldeyjarfoss are during the sunset. This is when when you may snap some of the most beautiful photos of the waterfall.
• It’s possible to hike down to the base of the waterfall, where a small, cold lake is located. It’s a steep and unmarked hike, do it only very carefully. The bravest ones may then dip into the cold lake and take some cool pictures with the waterfall in the background.

Nauthusafoss

Nauthusafoss waterfall would proudly bear a name hidden gem. It’s not only hidden at the end of the narrow ravine but also a road leading to this ravine that is well hidden away from all the main roads. Nauthusafoss is a very unique waterfall looking like an oasis in the middle of nowhere. And if you are lucky, you may be completely alone there. Why? Because it’s not that easy to reach this place.

Where is Nauthusafoss?

You can get to Nauthusafoss by taking the local road 249 from the famous ring road. Road 249 leads to a hard-to-access hiking area called Thorsmork. About halfway into Thorsmork, there lies a minuscule detour toward a ravine called Nathusagil. To reach this detour, no special automobile is required, you will do fine with a 2wd car in summer. In winter, the Nauthusagil ravine is inaccessible.

You may leave your car at a small gravel car park just in front of Nauthusagil. Then you have to hike for about 30 minutes to reach the Nauthusafoss waterfall. But the hike is not an ordinary one. You will have to traverse through rocks, streams, and narrow canyon walls. At one point, you will need to climb a huge stone wall using the attached chain! You definitely need to be fit for this hike. 

Tips on visiting Nauthusafoss

• The hike is wet, but with good-quality shoes, you don’t need to bring any special water shoes. You can make it with dry feet even in normal shoes. 
• The place is even more unique when the sun starts to shine into the ravine. Sunbeams then create a unique scenery and a game of lights. 
• Guided tours usually visit this place around 10 AM and around 4 PM. Try to choose different times to avoid tourists. 

Highland roads

Icelandic highlands roads are so special they even received a special name, F-roads. Some say this is due to the fact, that when you drive them you feel like saying an f-word all the time. On one hand, these mountain roads are very rough and sometimes even dangerous. On the other hand, they are surrounded by magnificent landscapes, and driving them makes for a great adventure trip.

F-roads are open only in summer, and a 4wd car is compulsory to drive them. The most important thing is to choose the proper car in Iceland. Some F-roads require huge cars, the so-called super jeeps, to pass them without damaging your car. Almost all mountain roads contain river crossings and these need to be approached with huge caution. Good preparation is of the uttermost importance when it comes to F-roads. Nonetheless, it’s usually more than just worth the views and adventures!

F208 Fjallabaksleið Nyrðri

The southern part of road F208, or in Icelandic Fjallabaksleið Nyrðri, is one of the most beautiful roads in Iceland. Volcanos covered with moss, black ash, and harsh landscapes are just a few of the highlights this road offers. Pick a nice day with a proper car, and you will not regret driving this road!

Where is F208?

F208 is a long road connecting Vik with Landmannalaugar. The road then continues further north and turns into non-F-road 208. The northern part of the road is the least interesting, though. If you have enough time and sufficient car, definitely drive the southern part of it, south of Landmannalaugar.

To drive F208 you need to have a 4wd car, ideally a slightly bigger one, like Toyota Land Cruiser or Nissan X-Trail. With small city SUVs, like Toyota Rav4, you may encounter problems when there’s too much water in the rivers. The worst thing that can happen to you is flooding the engine with water. In that case, your car will be dead. Forever. 

Tips on driving F208

– Always check trafficinfo.is before going. Ideally, ask someone local about the river conditions.

– There are many beautiful detours along the road. For example, a detour east towards lake Langisjór via road F235 or a detour towards magical Ljótipollur lake near the Landmannalaugar area

– Buy good car rental insurance before taking the road. Most car rental companies will not insure you for river crossings. Some companies do, though, but they are typically more expensive.

F261 Emstruleið

The mountain road F261, Emstruleið, belongs to one of the better accessible and yet still amazingly beautiful Icelandic F-roads. When driving the F261, you will be surrounded by fascinating landscapes from the moment you enter the road. 

Firstly, you will pass a Stora-Dimon hill right next door on road 250. Be sure to hike it on a nice day. There’s a stunning view from Stora-Dimon over the gigantic arms of a nearby river and all the way into Thorsmork. Then there will be a weirdly shaped mountain called Einhyrningur to the northwest. Deeper into F261, you will also pass the detour towards the spectacular Markarfljotsgljufur canyon in the southeast. 

Then there’s a detour to the northwest leading to Hungurfit mountain hut. This is a very tough detour only for huge jeeps. Finally, road F261 ends shortly before the legendary Maelifell volcano. To reach it, you need to continue via the harder road F210 with an even bigger car.

H4: Where is F261?

F261 is located in the southern Icelandic highlands on the opposite side of the Krossá river than the hiking area Thorsmork. It connects southwestern Iceland with another mountain road, F210. Emstruleið is the easier of these roads, thus more suitable for the first timers in Iceland.

You have to drive a 4wd car on F261. The quality of the road is not the best, so expect an uneven and rocky terrain. The bigger the car the better. There is also one river crossing at the end of F261. The river is called Blafjálakvisl and can get deep when it rains a lot, so take special care when crossing it.

Tips on driving F261

• If you don’t want to cross any rivers, you can still drive the substantial part of F261. The only river crossing is located almost at the end of the road, close to the crossroads with F210.
• F261 is a very bumpy road. Be sure to have a car with high ground clearance. Otherwise, you will have to drive very slowly. In that case, count on having enough time.
• The detour towards Markarfljotsgljufur canyon is even bumpier with many dangerous sharp stones on the road. If you don’t have a proper car, it’s better to leave your car on the side of the road on the gravel (not on the road) and reach the canyon by hiking.

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