Off the beaten path: Hafrahvammagljúfur Canyon and the hot spring s...

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A hidden gem

Today, I’m taking you back to the day I visited two canyons in East Iceland. I’ve already written about the first one here. Stuðlagil Canyon is beautiful, but it doesn’t even come close to the absolute monster we were lucky enough to see a few hours later.

Hafrahvammagljúfur Canyon is different in every way imaginable!

First of all, to get there, you have to drive deep into the Icelandic highlands. And I absolutely love these landscapes - a vast rocky desert with mountains and glaciers looming on the horizon. Only a small percentage of tourists venture into these areas, and that’s exactly what makes it so amazing.

The distance between Stuðlagil Canyon and Hafrahvammagljúfur Canyon is just under 40 km, but the drive took us about 1.5 hours. The most nerve-wracking part was the final stretch leading up to the canyon.

The canyon itself is about 8 km long and is crowned on its northern side by the largest dam in Europe. Its construction sparked a lot of controversy at the time. At the spot where we stopped (roughly halfway along the canyon), there were no visible signs of major human interference with nature. The only man-made structure is a viewing platform.

From there, you can safely look deep into the canyon – 200 meters down.

The bottom of the canyon is traversed by one of the largest rivers in Iceland, Jökulsá á Dal.

This is a perfect example of a place whose magnificence can’t be captured by any photo or video. Here, you can witness the true face of wild Iceland. That’s why it ended up on the list of places I plan to explore more thoroughly in the future.

Although the area doesn’t offer commercially prepared trails, it’s perfect for those who enjoy walking off the beaten path. You can embark on a hike along the edge of the canyon, and there are also several routes nearby that lead through lava fields.

We didn’t have time for longer walks, but we did visit another extraordinary place:

Laugavallalaug - hot spring shower

After crawling along another 8 kilometers of gravel road at a snail's pace, we arrived at a magical place - Laugavalladalur Valley. That’s where the hot waterfall is located.

There’s a small parking area nearby, from which it’s only about a 200-meter walk to the destination. Along the way, you pass the remains of an abandoned farm and follow a very hot stream.

Suddenly, the stream ends, and it drops about 8 meters into a small, natural pool. During my travels in Iceland, I always carry a swimsuit and a towel - just for occasions like this!

That day, the area was busier than usual, but I still managed to find a spot under the natural hot shower.

The water was hot enough to relax even on a relatively cool day. From what I know, in winter, the water temperature is on the edge of comfort.

Those who find the pond too hot can cool off in the icy cold river flowing right next to it.

After the bath and returning to the parking lot, we cooked a simple lunch, which that day tasted like the most exquisite dish in a luxury restaurant. The tough journey through the interior, the canyon, and the hot waterfall gave me a taste of the adventure I love the most. I got to experience wild nature and feel the off-road vibe, but with safety rules in mind and within reasonable limits.

Camping Mjóanes

After a day full of experiences, we happily returned to the campsite, which became our favorite during the trip. Located on the outskirts by a lake, yet fairly close to the town of Egilsstaðir, surrounded by small forests and full of surprises.

The place is run by a family of artists, and you can see their influence everywhere. I didn’t want to take photos of their house, but just look at how the spacious living room, connected to the kitchen, looked.