Reykjavík: Landmannalaugar & Icelandic Highlands Super Jeep Tour

Iceland gets wilder fast. This 11-hour Super Jeep trip carries you from Reykjavík into Landmannalaugar, where red hills, black lava, clear rivers, crater lakes, and steaming ground crowd into one remarkable day. I like the mix of famous sights and rough Highland roads, plus the choice between a short hike and a soak in a natural hot spring. The small group, onboard WiFi, and hotel-area pickup also make a remote outing easier to manage.

The main drawback is time. You spend many hours in the vehicle, and the scheduled stops are short apart from Landmannalaugar itself. The price of $276.95 per person is fair for a full-day Highland trip in a capable Super Jeep, but lunch and snacks are not included. Guide quality may also shape your experience: Isabella and Rebecka have drawn warm praise for their humor and helpful approach, while one guest wanted more explanation at the sights.

Key points before you book

• Landmannalaugar gives you the best part of the day: You get about 90 minutes for a walk or geothermal bathing in one of Iceland’s most unusual areas.
• The Super Jeep makes the Highlands possible: Mountain roads, river crossings, and rugged ground are handled by an expert driver in a vehicle built for this terrain.
• You see striking color changes: Blue-green water, red crater hills, black lava, rhyolite mountains, and Hekla’s volcanic slopes appear during the route.
• The group is limited to 19 people: That is more personal than a large coach, though the actual group size can vary.
• Bring your own food: Lunch and snacks are not included, so pack provisions for a long day.
• Allow extra time for pickup: The stated start time is 8:00 a.m., while pickup instructions ask you to be ready at 9:00 a.m. and allow up to 30 minutes for the guide to arrive. Confirm the exact time and pickup point when booking.

Why Landmannalaugar is worth the long ride

Landmannalaugar is not a quick stop beside Reykjavík. It sits in Iceland’s southern Highlands, reached by mountain roads and rough terrain that make a suitable vehicle essential. That remoteness is part of the appeal. You leave the city behind and enter a place shaped by volcanoes, lava, geothermal heat, and glacial water.

The area is best known for its rhyolite mountains. Rhyolite can show shades of red, orange, yellow, green, and pale gray, giving the hills a painted look without any paint involved. Around them lie dark lava fields, obsidian formations, hot vents, and natural pools.

You get only about 90 minutes at Landmannalaugar, so this is not a full hiking day. Still, that is a useful amount of time for a short walk, photographs, and a hot spring bath if you keep moving. One particularly pleased guest had enough time to take a satisfying hike, while another called the springs a must-do part of the trip.

The choice matters. If you want to stretch your legs and see more of the area, take the hike. If your body needs a slower hour after the drive, use the geothermal pool. You will not have unlimited time for both, so decide before you arrive.

The Super Jeep ride into Iceland’s southern Highlands

The vehicle is not just a flashy way to travel. A Super Jeep is useful here because the route includes mountain roads, rugged ground, and river crossings. The expert driver is a major part of the experience, especially once the road becomes less like a normal road and more like a route across open Highland terrain.

The ride can also be one of the most entertaining parts of the day. You see the scenery change from the Reykjavík area to the southern countryside, then to the stark volcanic interior. The long drive means you should be comfortable sitting for stretches at a time, but the scheduled stops break up the journey.

The group maximum is 19 people. That is still a group tour, but it gives the guide a better chance to answer questions and adjust the pace than a large bus normally allows. The tour can also adapt the timing slightly when the group has a stronger interest in hiking or a particular stop.

WiFi is provided onboard, which is handy during a long day. It lets you stay connected between stops, though the best reason to choose this trip is the access to the Highlands, not the internet connection.

Hjálparfoss, the waterfall named for help

The first notable stop is Hjálparfoss in Þjórsárdalur valley, near the edge of the Highlands. You get about 15 minutes here, enough to see the waterfall and take photographs, but not enough for a long walk.

Hjálparfoss splits into two streams and drops toward a pond surrounded by basalt formations. The rock gives the falls a strong Icelandic frame, with dark, geometric shapes around clear water.

The name means Help’s Falls. Long ago, this small oasis offered welcome water and vegetation to people crossing the barren Highlands. That simple detail adds meaning to what might otherwise be a quick waterfall stop.

The water also shows an important Icelandic contrast. Fossá is a spring-fed river with a clear blue tone, while the nearby Þjórsá is glacial, grayish, and loaded with sediment. At Hjálparfoss, you see the cleaner color of fresh water before the rivers meet.

Fifteen minutes is brief, so treat this as a scenic pause rather than a major outing. The value comes from the setting and the contrast in the water, not from a long visit.

Sigöldufoss and the changed color of a river

The next short stop is Sigöldufoss, a waterfall on the Tungnaá river. It falls about 10 meters, and the water can look a striking turquoise color.

That color is tied to a major change in the river. The Sigalda Power Plant diverted much of the glacial water for hydroelectric use, leaving a smaller flow of clear spring water at the falls. Before that change, the river carried more glacial sediment and looked muddy gray.

This is a good example of how Iceland’s scenery is linked to power, engineering, and natural forces. You are not simply looking at a pretty waterfall. You are also seeing the result of a human alteration to a glacial river system.

Again, you have about 15 minutes. Take in the color, listen to the guide’s explanation, and make your photographs quickly. If your guide is talkative, this is a stop that benefits from context. One piece of feedback about the experience was that the guide did not explain enough about the area, so it is worth asking questions if you want more than a photo stop.

Landmannalaugar: hiking, hot springs, and volcanic color

Landmannalaugar is the center of the trip. The road there passes through rough Highland country, and arriving by Super Jeep gives you access without arranging a separate self-drive vehicle or taking on the demands of Highland driving yourself.

The area has several features packed close together:

• Multi-colored rhyolite mountains
• Dark lava fields
• Obsidian formations and caves
• Steaming geothermal vents
• Natural hot springs
• Hiking routes through the volcanic surroundings

The short hike is the better choice if you want to understand the area’s shape and color. Walking lets you see how the red and yellow hills rise beside black lava and geothermal ground. It also gives you the chance to move beyond the immediate bathing area.

The hot spring is the better choice if relaxation matters more than distance. Geothermal bathing is included, and the water offers a memorable way to experience the heat beneath Iceland’s surface. Bring suitable swimwear and a towel if those are not supplied, since the tour information confirms the bath but does not specify towel provision.

You should also remember that the bath is outdoors in a remote area. Conditions can feel different from a heated pool in town, and the time available is limited. The tour gives you a taste of Landmannalaugar, not a full day in the park.

The strongest praise for this trip centers on the guides at this stop. Isabella was described as fun, accommodating, and informative. Rebecka was praised for her humor, helpful manner, and strong knowledge of the route. Another guide name appears as Rebecca, so the spelling may vary, but the practical point is clear: a good guide can turn the same scenery into a much better experience.

Ljótipollur, the Highlands crater that is not ugly

Ljótipollur translates roughly as Ugly Puddle, a name that does the place no favors. The crater lake is surrounded by red and green hills, making it one of the more photogenic stops on the route.

This is an explosion crater, and the lake reaches a depth of about 150 meters. Iron and sulfur in the rock and soil help create the red and green tones around the water. The result is a sharp contrast between the dark volcanic setting, the colored crater walls, and the lake itself.

You get about 15 minutes here. That is enough for a viewpoint and photographs, but not for exploring the crater at length. Wind and weather can also affect how clearly you see the colors. Keep your expectations realistic: this is a short scenic stop, not a hike around the entire lake.

Hekla, one of Iceland’s active volcanoes

The route includes a photo stop near Hekla, one of Iceland’s most explosive and unpredictable volcanoes. Hekla has erupted roughly 20 to 30 times since Iceland was settled, and it remains active.

The volcano sits along a 40-kilometer rift. Its most active section, Heklugjá, runs beneath the mountain, and the summit has several craters. Past eruptions were powerful enough to send ash into the atmosphere and affect the climate of the Northern Hemisphere for years.

Hekla’s lava flows have shaped about 10 percent of Iceland’s land area. That figure helps put the mountain in perspective. You are not just stopping near a cone for a quick picture. You are looking at a force that has helped form a large part of the country.

The stop lasts around 15 minutes. Visibility is crucial, and mountain weather can change quickly. If Hekla is hidden by cloud, the guide can still provide context, but the photo opportunity will be less rewarding.

What the $276.95 price really covers

At $276.95 per person, this is not a budget day out. The price makes more sense when you consider the vehicle, the expert driver, pickup and drop-off, WiFi, Landmannalaugar facility fees, and geothermal bathing.

The biggest value is access. Reaching Landmannalaugar requires a vehicle suited to rough Highland routes, and hiring a private vehicle or arranging an independent trip can add cost and planning. Here, you also get a guide and a fixed route that includes waterfalls, a crater lake, Hekla, and the main Highland destination.

The tradeoff is that lunch and snacks are not included. Pack food and water for the full day. The tour lasts about 11 hours, with much of that time spent traveling between stops, so food is not a minor detail.

I see this as a good value for a first visit to Iceland when you want to see the Highlands but have limited time. It is less attractive if you prefer slow travel, long hikes, or the freedom to linger at each sight.

Pickup details you should sort out early

Pickup is offered from specified locations in Reykjavík, but not every hotel or private rental qualifies. City-center hotels and private Airbnbs cannot be served because of traffic restrictions. You may need to use the closest approved pickup point.

There is also a timing point to clarify. The tour details give an 8:00 a.m. start, while the pickup instructions ask you to be ready at 9:00 a.m. and allow up to 30 minutes for the guide to arrive. Do not guess. Confirm your exact pickup time and location before the morning of the trip.

The company has also helped with a difficult cruise-ship arrival, including phone guidance through the terminal area. That suggests the office can be useful when your transport schedule is unusual. Still, build in a safety margin. A full-day Highland trip cannot wait indefinitely for a late arrival.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. If poor weather forces cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would choose this tour if you want a broad taste of Iceland’s southern interior in one day. It suits first-time visitors, short stopovers, and anyone who wants Landmannalaugar without driving a challenging Highland route.

It is especially good for you if:

• You want both sightseeing and a hot spring option.
• You enjoy volcanic scenery more than city attractions.
• You are comfortable with a long day and substantial vehicle time.
• You prefer a small group to a large coach.
• You want an expert driver for rough mountain roads.
• You have limited time in Reykjavík but want to reach the Highlands.

I would think twice if your main goal is a long hike. Ninety minutes at Landmannalaugar is useful, but it will not satisfy someone hoping to spend most of the day on a trail. I would also consider another plan if you dislike fixed schedules or need a quiet, slow-paced outing.

Most people can participate, and the maximum group size is 19. The tour is offered in English. Weather remains a real factor, since the Highlands can be difficult to reach in poor conditions.

Should you book the Landmannalaugar Super Jeep Tour?

Book it if you want a big serving of Iceland in one day: clear waterfalls, colorful volcanic hills, black lava, a crater lake, geothermal water, and a view near Hekla. The best parts are the access to Landmannalaugar, the choice of hiking or bathing, and the personal feel of a smaller vehicle.

Go in prepared. Bring lunch, snacks, appropriate outdoor clothing, and enough patience for a long ride. Confirm the pickup time, ask your guide questions, and choose your Landmannalaugar activity before arrival.

At $276.95, this is a worthwhile splurge for a short Reykjavík visit or a first Highland excursion. It is not the right pick for a relaxed spa day or a serious trekking trip, but for a vivid one-day introduction to Iceland’s volcanic interior, it delivers a strong mix of scenery and adventure.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts approximately 11 hours, including travel between destinations.

What time does the tour begin?

The listed start time is 8:00 a.m. Pickup instructions ask you to be ready at your chosen pickup location at 9:00 a.m. and allow up to 30 minutes for the guide to arrive, so confirm the exact time when booking.

Is pickup available in Reykjavík?

Yes, pickup and drop-off are offered from specified locations in Reykjavík. City-center hotels and private Airbnbs are not served because of traffic restrictions.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch and snacks are not included, so you should bring your own food for the full-day outing.

Can I hike at Landmannalaugar?

Yes. You can choose to explore the area on a short hike during the approximately 90-minute stop.

Can I bathe in a natural hot spring?

Yes. Geothermal bathing is included, and you can choose a natural hot spring soak instead of, or as part of, your time at Landmannalaugar.

Is WiFi available during the tour?

Yes. WiFi is available onboard the Super Jeep.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

If poor weather causes cancellation, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund. Free cancellation is also available when you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time.