From Reykjavik: Landmannalaugar & Háifoss Waterfall Tour

The best part of this 13-hour highland journey is the sudden change in scenery. After leaving Reykjavík, you trade paved roads for rough tracks, black lava, red and yellow rhyolite hills, turquoise water, steaming ground, and waterfalls that feel far removed from the usual Iceland circuit. Landmannalaugar is the main event, but the route there is part of the reward.

I especially like the guided access to difficult roads and the chance to combine a proper hike with a soak in a natural hot pool. Guides such as Ottar, Beggi, Kalman, HBO, and Siggi have been praised for strong driving, local stories, Icelandic music, and extra stops when conditions allow.

The catch is simple: this is a very long day, and the ride can be cramped and bumpy. You need hiking shoes, warm layers, food, water, and enough stamina for a moderate trail. The pool has no changing rooms or lockers, so plan your swimwear and towel with care.

Key points to know before booking

• A four-hour Landmannalaugar stop: You get time for a 1.5 to 2-hour Lauga loop, photo stops, lunch, and a hot-spring soak.
• A rough-road adventure: The highland route includes uneven tracks and river crossings, making a guided vehicle far more practical than a normal rental car.
• Four major waterfall stops: Háifoss, Granni, Hjálparfoss, and the waterfall at Glanni add variety to the day.
• A rare mix of geology: Rhyolite hills, obsidian, lava fields, craters, hot springs, and turquoise lakes appear in one outing.
• A long but worthwhile schedule: Expect about 13 hours, though past trips have sometimes run longer because of road, weather, or vehicle delays.
• Best for active sightseers: The tour suits adults and children aged eight and up who can manage a moderate hike and a full day on the road.

Why Landmannalaugar is worth the long ride

Iceland’s southern highlands reward patience. Landmannalaugar sits inside the Fjallabak Nature Reserve, where volcanic forces have produced an unusually broad range of colors and textures. The rhyolite hills can appear yellow, orange, red, green, or pale gray, while dark obsidian gives the ground a sharp, glassy edge.

You are not visiting a single viewpoint and then climbing back onto the bus. The tour gives you roughly four hours in the area, enough to walk, pause for photos, eat, and use the geothermal pool. That amount of time matters because the highlands work best at walking pace.

The main hike follows the easy Lauga loop for about 1.5 to 2 hours. It passes colorful hills, obsidian formations, lava fields, the lower slopes of Bláknúkur, and steaming geothermal ground. The route is described as moderate, not strenuous, but the surface and weather can make it harder than the distance suggests.

One useful feature of a guide is that the walk does not become just a march from one viewpoint to another. Guides have explained how different volcanic rocks formed and pointed out details that are easy to miss from the road. Ottar, for example, has been praised for explaining hot springs and rock types while accompanying the group toward the higher part of the route.

The road into the highlands

The journey begins with pickup or a meeting at Tour Bus Stop 12 at Höfðatorg on Þórunnartún, depending on the option selected. Optional pickup can take up to 30 minutes, so do not schedule anything tightly before departure.

The driving is split into several sections, with breaks that help prevent the day from feeling like one unbroken ride. There is a short stop at the Highland Center Hrauneyjar, where you can take a bathroom break and buy or organize food for the rest of the day. Food and drinks are not included, so bring your own supplies.

The highland roads are part of the experience, but they are also the least comfortable part. Past passengers have described full vehicles, cramped rear seats, and rough driving conditions. One trip suffered a vehicle breakdown that caused a four-hour delay and a return to Reykjavík around 1 a.m. That appears to have been an exception, but it is a useful reminder to leave your evening open.

The upside is that you do not have to handle the rough roads yourself. The guides and drivers deal with the route, weather, and difficult surfaces while you watch the country change outside the window. Several guides, including Kalman and HBO, have received praise for careful driving as well as their commentary.

Wi-Fi is included on board, though the signal may vary in remote country. It is best treated as a convenience, not a reason to rely on the bus for all communication.

Hnausapollur and Frostastaðavatn

Hnausapollur is the first major highland photo stop. This ancient volcanic crater contains a turquoise lake surrounded by dark, open sand. The contrast is stark, and the ten-minute stop gives you a quick chance to photograph one of the area’s most unusual color combinations.

The stop is short, so have your camera ready before leaving the vehicle. You will not have time for a long walk around the crater. Its value is visual rather than active, a sharp introduction to the volcanic character of the day.

Next comes Frostastaðavatn, another highland lake with a short sightseeing stop. It adds water and open space to a route otherwise filled with rock, ash, and hills. Weather can change the mood completely. On a clear day, the colors are stronger. Under cloud, the country can look austere and almost lunar.

These pauses also break up the ride before Landmannalaugar. I appreciate that the tour does not save every viewpoint for the end. You start seeing unusual geology well before the main destination.

The Lauga loop through Landmannalaugar

At Landmannalaugar, you have about four hours. The central activity is the Lauga loop, a 1.5 to 2-hour hike through some of the most varied terrain in southern Iceland.

Expect a steady walk across lava and uneven ground rather than a smooth path. The route passes formations of black obsidian, fields of lava, colorful rhyolite hills, and the foothills of Bláknúkur. Steam rising from geothermal areas gives the walk an extra sense of motion, even on a calm day.

Do not assume that an easy rating means ordinary footwear will do. Hiking shoes are specifically recommended, and weather-appropriate clothing is essential. A sunny morning can give way to rain, wind, or even snow flurries in summer. One August outing encountered snow during the final destination, which made the trail harder but produced memorable photographs.

The guide usually walks with the group and explains what you are seeing. Stories about Icelandic life, old beliefs, Vikings, trolls, and local geology have helped make the long ride more engaging on past departures. Some guides have also played Icelandic music on the bus, a small touch that gives the day more local character.

The tour is not a private walk, so the pace must suit the group. If you are a strong hiker hoping for a long mountain trek, this will feel limited. If you want a manageable introduction to the highlands without arranging a multi-day route, the loop is a sensible compromise.

The hot spring after the hike

After the walk, you can bathe in the geothermal pool at Landmannalaugar. This is one of the tour’s strongest features because the soak comes at the right moment, after several hours of movement and cold highland air.

The water is described as refreshing and healing, with views across the surrounding hills. The pool is natural and simple rather than a polished spa. You should bring swimwear and a towel, and remember that there are no changing rooms or lockers at the hot pool site.

That last point is easy to overlook. Pack your swimsuit and towel where you can reach them, and keep valuables to a minimum. The schedule allows time for the bath, but the exact amount depends on the group and road conditions.

Some people may prefer to use the full Landmannalaugar time for walking. You can do that, but skipping the pool would remove one of the most distinctive parts of the outing. The contrast between a cool hike and warm geothermal water is exactly what makes the stop work.

Háifoss, Granni, and Hjálparfoss

The waterfall stops give the return journey a different rhythm. Háifoss is the headline waterfall, dropping through a dramatic gorge and appearing as part of a striking double-pronged scene with Granni. A photo stop of about 20 minutes is enough to take in the view, though you should not expect a long hike around the gorge.

The scale of Háifoss makes it a strong counterpoint to the close-up textures of Landmannalaugar. The highlands are not only about colored hills and volcanic rock. Here, water has cut deeply into the land, producing a broad, powerful view.

Hjálparfoss is set in a different type of setting, with water framed by dark volcanic ground and open country. It is a calmer stop than Háifoss and gives you another chance to see how Iceland’s rivers shape the terrain.

The schedule also lists Glanni, though the exact stops can vary. Guides sometimes add other waterfalls, lakes, ruins, or ravines when time and conditions allow. Past outings have included places such as Sigöldugljúfur and Gjáin. Treat these as possible extras, not guaranteed parts of the advertised route.

What the 13-hour schedule feels like

The official duration is 13 hours, including roughly 105 minutes, 30 minutes, and other long bus sections between stops. The day starts early, includes a four-hour stay at Landmannalaugar, and ends with a break in Selfoss before the final drive into Reykjavík.

You will return tired. That is not a flaw, but you should plan around it. Do not book an important evening meal, flight, or show too close to the expected return. Weather, road conditions, group timing, and vehicle problems can stretch the day.

The vehicle size is intended for a small group, which is useful on narrow or rough roads and allows the guide to speak directly to people. The tradeoff is personal space. If you are tall or dislike sitting in a packed minibus, ask about the vehicle setup before booking if that information is available.

The Selfoss stop provides a chance to rest and pick up food or drinks before the final leg. Still, bring lunch and snacks from Reykjavík or use the earlier Highland Center stop. You do not want to reach Landmannalaugar hungry, especially before the hike.

Price, group style, and overall value

At $226 per person, this is not a cheap day trip. It is also not comparable to a standard Golden Circle outing. The price covers transport from Reykjavík, the guide, on-board Wi-Fi, and Landmannalaugar facility fees. You are paying for access to a difficult-to-reach region, a full day of driving, a guided hike, and several major stops.

The value is strongest if you do not want to rent a suitable highland vehicle or handle river crossings and rough roads. A self-drive trip requires more planning, a vehicle suited to the route, and confidence with changing weather. This tour puts those demands in the hands of an experienced driver.

The value is weaker if you want a relaxed day with short drives. For that kind of trip, the schedule will feel punishing. You should also accept that the vehicle may be cramped and that the actual day can run longer than advertised.

The guide can make a major difference. Ottar, Beggi, Kalman, HBO, Siggi, Anna, Karla, Petur, and others have been singled out for humor, care, stories, music, and safe driving. Since the guide varies by departure, you cannot book a specific personality, but the role itself is central to the experience.

Who should book this highland day trip

I would choose this tour if you want to see a part of Iceland that is hard to reach independently and you are comfortable with a very full day. It suits active adults, older children aged eight and up who can manage the walk, and anyone who wants more than roadside viewpoints.

It is a good match for photographers because the route offers constant changes in color and texture. It also suits first-time visitors who want one memorable highland day without giving up several nights to a longer trek.

I would hesitate if you have limited mobility, dislike uneven paths, or cannot tolerate a long ride. The activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, and the hike requires reasonable fitness. A towel, swimsuit, solid shoes, water, food, and warm layers are not optional extras here.

Cancellation is flexible up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if the Iceland forecast is uncertain, though they do not remove the need to check your own schedule carefully.

Should you book the Landmannalaugar and Háifoss tour?

Book it if your priority is remote scenery and variety: rainbow-colored hills, obsidian, lava, hot water, crater lakes, and major waterfalls in one demanding day. The tour delivers a lot, and the guide makes the rough journey far more manageable.

Skip it if you want comfort, short transfers, or a predictable finish time. The ride can be cramped, the roads are rough, and the day may run long.

For most active visitors with only one chance to reach the southern highlands, I think the price is justified. Bring lunch, dress for four seasons, protect your valuables at the pool, and keep the next morning free. That preparation lets you focus on the extraordinary part: Landmannalaugar itself.

FAQ

How long is the tour from Reykjavík?

The scheduled duration is 13 hours, though the day can sometimes run longer because of weather, road conditions, or vehicle delays.

Where does the tour meet in Reykjavík?

The stated meeting point is Tour Bus Stop 12 at Höfðatorg on Þórunnartún. Pickup is optional, depending on the selected option.

Is hotel pickup included?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included as a standard part of the activity. Optional pickup may be available, and the pickup process can take up to 30 minutes.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live guided tour is conducted in English.

How much time do you get at Landmannalaugar?

You have about four hours at Landmannalaugar, including the guided hike, free time, sightseeing, and the chance to swim in the geothermal pool.

How long is the Landmannalaugar hike?

The Lauga loop takes about 1.5 to 2 hours and is described as a moderate-level hike.

Is the hot spring included?

Yes. The Landmannalaugar facility fees are included, and you have the opportunity to bathe in the geothermal pool after the hike.

What should you bring?

Bring swimwear, a towel, food and drinks, water, hiking shoes, and clothing suited to the weather.

Are food and drinks provided?

No. Food and drinks are not included, so bring your own supplies or use the available break stops to buy snacks.

Is the tour suitable for children and people with mobility impairments?

Children under eight are not permitted, and the activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. The hike requires the ability to manage a moderate trail.