Hveravellir and Kerlingarfjöll
The weather was beautiful as expected that morning, so we decided to leave early to enjoy Kerlingarfjöll in the best light possible. We had already visited Kerlingarfjöll a few years ago, but we absolutely wanted to return because we considered the site just as stunning as the Landmannalaugar region.
We hit the road a little before 8:30 AM to tackle the first stretch of the Kjölur track up to Hveravellir. This first part was in fairly good condition, with few bumps and no river crossings.
The Hveravellir Oasis
About two hours after departure, we arrived at Hveravellir under a beautiful blue sky. The site was as well-maintained as ever, with wooden walkways laid out to help visitors explore the area safely. We took our time walking around and snapping photos of the various volcanic features before getting back in our Duster and heading toward Trail F347.
The Hveradalir Trail in Kerlingarfjöll
At the Kerlingarfjöll campsite, we couldn't believe our eyes! The site had been improved significantly since our last visit, with new luxury rooms set up further above the historic Asgard camping huts.
Last time, we opted for the long, scenic Hveradalir hiking trail which departed from the campsite itself. This time we decided to explore the area located above the campsite plateau. We drove the remaining 5 km, a very bumpy road that led us up into the mountains, where we found a new parking area.
This was the starting point of the "Hveradalir Circle" hike, which tops out at 4 km return trip. Like most trails in this lunar landscape, the path is not without its challenges and requires good physical condition.
As we started walking uphill and the mountains rose around us with their deep orange hues under the clear sky, we were once again surprised by how well the site was maintained. A few years ago, there had been nothing here except a few discreet wooden markers to line the hiking trail. Since then, the hiking paths have been clearly marked, and small wooden stairs had been installed wherever necessary to help visitors climb the steep and slippery slopes of the Kerlingarfjöll mountains.
The trail offers extraordinary views of the whole area, and we even crossed a snowfield. Of all the trails we visited this year, this was by far the most beautiful in terms of scenery.
We hit the road in the mid-afternoon, our eyes still full of breathtaking landscapes and their vivid, otherworldly colours. Road F35, from the F347 to Gullfoss, was in very poor condition and made for a particularly bumpy ride. We arrived at our guesthouse in Ásólfsstaðir in the late afternoon and settled in as we planned to stay there a few days.
