Sample Itinerary · Iceland

Highlands Expedition

Landmannalaugar · Askja · Myvatn · Dettifoss

Duration
10 Days · 9 Nights
Accommodations
Mixed: Hotels + Highland Lodges
Transport
Super Jeep
Best For
Adventure · Remote · Experienced

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This is a sample itinerary — for inspiration only. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch around you. Many clients travel a very similar route — if this resonates, book a free consultation and a specialist will build something just like it (or better) specifically for your travel style, dates, and group.

1
Day One

Arrive in Iceland — Blue Lagoon on the Way

Keflavik · Reykjavik

Welcome to Iceland. Your private driver meets you at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) with the Blue Lagoon built into the arrival day — 20 minutes from the airport, pre-booked entry with private cabana, a short soak in the milky-blue geothermal water. By late afternoon, the 45-minute run to Reykjavik and your hotel in the 101 postal code.

Check in, unwind, and have a first Icelandic dinner somewhere your specialist has flagged. The highland interior starts on Day 4 — the first three days are low-altitude acclimatisation, which is the right approach for a trip that’s about to take you to some of the most remote terrain in Europe.

Private airport transfer
Blue Lagoon pre-booked
Arrive Reykjavik

Overnight: Reykjavik

2
Day Two

Reykjavik City Day

Reykjavik

A full day in the world’s northernmost capital. Private walking tour covering Hallgrimskirkja (the 243-foot church with the elevator to the tower), the Sun Voyager sculpture, and the Old Harbor. Afternoon: Harpa Concert Hall and Perlan observation deck with the Northern Lights planetarium and Ice Cave exhibit.

Evening: the Reykjavik food scene. Your specialist has flagged the best current tables — Dill, Matur og Drykkur, or Grillmarkadurinn. Enjoy the last proper city evening; the next several days will be mountain huts and highland lodges.

Private Reykjavik walking tour
Hallgrimskirkja & Harpa
Perlan observation deck

Overnight: Reykjavik

3
Day Three

The Golden Circle + Secret Lagoon

Thingvellir · Geysir · Gullfoss

The classic Golden Circle loop — Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO, mid-Atlantic ridge visible above water, the Althing Parliament site from 930 AD), Geysir geothermal area (Strokkur erupts every 6-10 minutes), and Gullfoss waterfall. Late afternoon: Secret Lagoon at Fludir — the 1891 geothermal pool that’s more intimate than the Blue Lagoon.

Return to Reykjavik for a final lowland evening. Tomorrow morning the super jeep picks you up and the character of the trip changes completely.

Private driver-guide
Thingvellir · Geysir · Gullfoss
Secret Lagoon soak

Overnight: Reykjavik

4
Day Four

Into the Highlands — Hekla to Landmannalaugar

Hekla · F-Road 208 · Landmannalaugar

The expedition begins. Your super jeep driver-guide collects you from Reykjavik after breakfast and heads southeast toward Hekla — one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes (5 major eruptions since 1947) with the devastated lava fields and ash deposits visible from the approach road. The landscape transitions from green farmland to grey-black volcanic desert over about an hour.

At the foot of the highland road, the tarmac ends and the F-road begins. F208 to Landmannalaugar runs through the interior lava fields with river crossings — the super jeep fords them directly and the driver-guide narrates the geology and the technique. By mid-afternoon you arrive at Landmannalaugar — a valley surrounded by rhyolite mountains in every color from rust to mint green to deep purple, with a natural hot spring in the valley floor where a geothermal stream meets a cold river. Check in to the mountain hut or glamping lodge. Evening: soak in the hot spring and watch the midnight sun move around the sky without setting.

Super jeep highland entry
Hekla volcano approach
Landmannalaugar hot spring

Overnight: Landmannalaugar

5
Day Five

Landmannalaugar Full Day

Landmannalaugar

A full day exploring the rhyolite mountains. The signature hike is the Brennisteinsalda loop — a 4-hour moderate circuit around what is often described as the most colorful mountain in Iceland, with layers of sulphur-yellow, rust-red, blue-grey, and mint-green rhyolite exposed by centuries of geothermal erosion. The views from the ridge are the kind that don’t translate well to photographs because the scale overwhelms the frame.

The Laugahraun obsidian lava field is accessible from the base — a vast expanse of black volcanic glass from a 1477 eruption, with the trail running through the sharp-edged formations. Afternoon options include shorter hikes to the Graenagil canyon (a narrow gorge through green-stained rhyolite) or a second extended soak in the hot spring. The mountain-hut dinner is straightforward Icelandic fare — lamb soup, bread, and whatever the hut warden has sourced that day.

Brennisteinsalda rhyolite loop
Laugahraun obsidian lava
Graenagil canyon

Overnight: Landmannalaugar

6
Day Six

Sprengisandur Desert Crossing to Askja

Sprengisandur · F26 · Askja approach

The longest and most remote driving day of the trip — and one of the most extraordinary. The Sprengisandur route (F26) crosses Iceland’s interior volcanic desert from south to north: 124 miles of black sand, glacial rivers, and absolutely nothing. No buildings, no services, no other vehicles for long stretches. The landscape is genuinely Mars-like; NASA tested the Curiosity rover in this terrain.

Multiple river crossings, managed by the super jeep. Lunch is packed by the mountain hut and eaten at a river ford with Vatnajokull glacier on the horizon. By late afternoon you reach the northern approach to the Askja volcanic system and the Dreki mountain hut at the base of the Dyngjufjoll massif. Check in. The isolation is complete — there is no phone signal, no internet, and no artificial light. This is as remote as it gets in Europe.

Sprengisandur F26 crossing
124 miles volcanic desert
Dreki mountain hut

Overnight: Askja / Dreki

7
Day Seven

Askja Caldera & Viti Crater

Askja · Viti · Herdubreid

The core highland day. Askja is a nested caldera system — a large caldera from a massive eruption, with a smaller crater lake (Oskjuvatn, 220m deep, the deepest lake in Iceland) and an adjacent explosion crater called Viti (meaning ‘hell’) filled with opaque mineral-blue water at about 25°C. The walk from the Dreki area to the caldera rim takes about 45 minutes on volcanic gravel; the descent into the Viti crater is steep, loose gravel, about 30 minutes each way. Swimming in Viti is allowed and encouraged — the warm mineral water surrounded by the crater walls is one of the most singular bathing experiences in Iceland.

Herdubreid — the flat-topped table mountain (1,682m) that Icelanders call ‘the Queen of Mountains’ — is visible from the Askja approach and is a UNESCO-protected landmark. The mountain formed under a glacier during the last ice age, which explains the flat top (the eruption hit the ice ceiling). Afternoon return to Dreki, or begin the drive north toward Myvatn if the schedule allows.

Askja caldera walk
Swim in Viti crater
Herdubreid table mountain

Overnight: Askja / Dreki or Myvatn

8
Day Eight

Dettifoss Waterfall + Arrive Myvatn

Dettifoss · Myvatn

The route from Askja north toward Myvatn passes Dettifoss — Europe’s most powerful waterfall by volume (6,815 cubic feet per second in summer). The falls are 148 feet high and 328 feet wide, fed by the Jokulsa a Fjollum glacial river from Vatnajokull. The spray is visible from a mile away. The east-bank viewpoint (F862) is closer and more dramatic; the west bank is paved and more accessible. Your driver-guide takes the east bank approach.

Afternoon arrival at Lake Myvatn — the volcanic zone of the north. Check in to the Hotel Myvatn or similar 4-star property (the first proper hotel bed since Reykjavik). Dinner at the hotel and a soak in the Myvatn Nature Baths — the northern counterpart to the Blue Lagoon, with significantly fewer visitors and a view across the volcanic landscape.

Dettifoss — Europe’s most powerful
Arrive Myvatn · back to hotels
Myvatn Nature Baths soak

Overnight: Myvatn

9
Day Nine

Lake Myvatn Volcanic Zone + Godafoss

Myvatn · Hverir · Godafoss

A full day in the Myvatn volcanic zone — one of the most geothermally active areas in Iceland outside the highlands you’ve just crossed. Morning: Hverir — the sulphur-encrusted mud-pot field on the ridge of Namafjall, where the ground boils and the sulphur vents are loud enough to hear from the car park. Grjotagja — a small lava cave with a hot spring inside (made famous by Game of Thrones, currently too hot for bathing but visually striking).

Afternoon: a loop around Lake Myvatn itself — the pseudocraters at Skutustadagigar (formed when lava flowed over wetland and the steam blew craters from below), the Dimmuborgir lava formations (a labyrinth of volcanic pillars and arches), and the birdwatching across the lake (Myvatn means ‘midge lake’ and the midge population supports one of the densest breeding-bird concentrations in the world). Final stop: Godafoss — the ‘Waterfall of the Gods,’ named for the moment in 1000 AD when Thorgeir the Lawspeaker threw his pagan idols into the falls after Iceland officially adopted Christianity. A fitting visual close to the interior trip. Return to Myvatn for a final evening.

Hverir mud pots
Dimmuborgir lava maze
Godafoss waterfall

Overnight: Myvatn

10
Day Ten

Akureyri + Fly Home

Akureyri · Keflavik

A final Myvatn breakfast, then your driver takes the 50-minute run to Akureyri — Iceland’s second city (population 19,000), the unofficial capital of the north, with a botanical garden, a picturesque harbor, and a morning’s worth of walking if you want one final Icelandic coffee. Your specialist has the domestic flight from Akureyri to Reykjavik booked (45 minutes, Air Iceland Connect).

Connect in Reykjavik for the international departure from Keflavik. Your Juniper specialist remains reachable throughout, and your in-app itinerary stays accessible. Ten days through Iceland’s interior is a trip most visitors to the island never make — you’ve seen the real geology. Safe travels home.

Transfer to Akureyri
Domestic flight to Reykjavik
App support throughout

Love this itinerary? Make it yours.

This is a sample luxury custom route — a starting point, not a fixed package. Many clients travel something very close to this, customized for their travel style, group, and dates. Book a free consultation and a specialist will build from here.

Accommodations
Boutique hotels, charming B&Bs, or historic castle stays — chosen based on your preferences and travel style.
Transportation
Private driver-guide, self-drive rental, or a mix of both — all transfers confirmed before you travel.
Experiences
Pre-arranged tours and activities built around your interests — entrance tickets sorted, no queuing.

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Activities on this itinerary

Your specialist pre-arranges the right luxury experiences based on your interests and travel style. These are the custom experience types available on this route — specific choices are made with you, not for you.

Landmannalaugar Hot SpringNatural geothermal · valley floor

Brennisteinsalda Rhyolite Loop4-hour hike · most colorful mountain

Laugahraun Obsidian Lava Field1477 eruption · black volcanic glass

Sprengisandur Desert Crossing124 miles · no services · Mars-like

Super Jeep River CrossingsHighland F-roads · driver-guided

Askja Caldera WalkNested caldera · volcanic geology

Viti Crater SwimMineral-blue water · 25°C · explosion crater

Herdubreid Table MountainQueen of Mountains · UNESCO · 1,682m

Dettifoss WaterfallEurope’s most powerful · east-bank approach

Myvatn Volcanic ZoneHverir · Namafjall · Grjotagja · Dimmuborgir

Godafoss WaterfallWaterfall of the Gods · year 1000 AD

Myvatn Nature BathsNorthern Blue Lagoon · volcanic views

Activities are selected and pre-booked with your specialist based on your interests — not all activities are included in every trip version. Availability varies by season.

The people who will design your Iceland trip

You work directly with a specialist who has navigated the highland interior personally — not a call center or booking agent. Every consultation is with someone who knows the F-road conditions, the river crossing levels, which Landmannalaugar hot spring has the best afternoon light, and which Askja approach gives you Viti crater without the day-trip crowds.

Iceland · Ireland · Scotland · UK

Taryn Harrison

Juniper Tours’ most tenured specialist with 25 years of experience designing Iceland itineraries across every season. CMSC certified and a former Peace Corps volunteer. Taryn knows which South Coast hotel has the best geothermal hot pot for aurora-watching, which Golden Circle day-order avoids the coach-tour peaks at Gullfoss, and which booking needs to be made six months out or it won’t happen.

25 Yrs
CMSC
Iceland Specialist

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About this itinerary

When can the Iceland highlands be visited?


The interior highlands are only accessible when the F-roads are open — typically mid-June to mid-September, depending on the year’s snowmelt. The Icelandic Road Administration (VEGAGERDIN) officially opens each F-road segment when conditions allow, and the highland routes (F26 Sprengisandur, F88 to Askja, F208 to Landmannalaugar) open at different times; F208 to Landmannalaugar is usually among the first, often by late June. Your specialist monitors the road-opening schedule and advises on the optimal booking window. Attempting the highlands outside this season is not possible — the roads are physically closed and unpassable.

What is a super jeep and why is it required?


A super jeep is a heavily modified 4×4 vehicle — typically a Toyota Land Cruiser, Ford Excursion, or Nissan Patrol — with raised suspension, 38-inch to 44-inch tyres, snorkel exhaust, and reinforced undercarriage. The modification is necessary because the highland F-roads include unbridged river crossings (the super jeep fords them directly), volcanic sand and gravel surfaces, and terrain that would bottom out or strand a regular 4×4 rental car. The driver-guide is an experienced highlander who has navigated these routes over multiple seasons and knows the river crossing depths, the shifting sand conditions, and the weather patterns specific to the interior. This is not a vehicle you can rent — it comes with the driver.

What fitness level does this trip require?


Moderate-to-good. The highland days involve 3 to 5 hours of walking on uneven volcanic terrain (lava fields, pumice, scree), and the Askja caldera day includes a descent into the Viti crater on a steep, loose-gravel path that takes about 30 minutes each way. Landmannalaugar has multiple hiking trails at varying difficulties, with the signature loop through the rhyolite mountains taking about 4 hours. None of this is technical climbing — it’s walking on rough ground — but travelers with knee or ankle issues should discuss the terrain with their specialist. The super jeep handles the long-distance transit; the physical effort is concentrated in the site visits.

What are the highland accommodations like?


Honest answer: the highland accommodations are functional rather than luxurious. Landmannalaugar has a mountain hut operated by the Icelandic Touring Association (sleeping-bag accommodation, shared facilities, hot spring right outside) — your specialist arranges the private-room option when available, but this is not a boutique hotel. Some operators offer glamping-style upgraded tents at Landmannalaugar. The Askja area uses the Dreki mountain hut (basic, shared facilities) or, increasingly, a mobile highland camp set up by the operator. Reykjavik, Myvatn, and Akureyri nights are 4-star or higher. The contrast between the highland stays and the bookend hotels is part of the experience — the interior is genuinely remote and the accommodation reflects that honestly.

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“We are so glad we used Juniper Tours for our trip to Iceland. Taryn was a delight to work with and took care of every detail of our trip from pre-booking to the second we got home. She is knowledgeable, professional and treated us as though we have been friends forever. She designed a custom vacation based on our interests as well as the best the country has to offer.”

Sahbreena M.  ·  Iceland Custom Tour  ·  Verified Google Review

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