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Hveravellir
Hveravellir is a unique nature reserve situated on the Kjolur route in the middle of the west highlands between the glaciers Langjökull and Hofsjökull.
Hveravellir is one of the most beautiful geothermal areas in the world with smoking fumarolees and beautifully shaped with sky blue, boiling water. It is a special experience to have a look around, whether it is in the summer or winter
Housing and dining
Hveravellir has 2 houses for accommodation. One has room for 33 people in sleeping bags, the other sleeps twenty people and is split into 3 separate rooms.
It offers both made-up beds and sleeping bag accommodations. During the summer months Hveravellir operates a small restaurant seating 25 people. During the winter the restaurant is only open for groups with advance reservations
.
Hveravellir is
located on the Kjölur route (number F35), which runs across the middle
highlands from Gullfoss in the south to Blöndudal in the north. The lenght of
the route is 200 km. In the summer
months one can reach Hveravellir in almost any car. We do not, however,
recommend using low vehicles.
The distance from
Gullfoss to Hveravellir is about 90 km but the distance to Blöndudal is about
110 km. Hveravellir lies about halfway between Reykjavik and Akureyri, but
there are about 200 km in either direction.
Over the summer
months, the bus company SBA-Nordurleid offers regularly scheduled bus services
over the Kjölur route. There are
daily departures from both Reykjavik and Akureyri at 8:00 am. The bus from
Reykjavik stops in Hveragerdi at 8:45, in Selfoss at 9:00, at Geysir geothermal
area between 9:45 and 10:15 and at Gullfoss between 10:30 and 10:50. Arrival in
Hveravellir is at 13:10.
You are welcome to
spend a night or two at Hveravellir before heading further north. The bus
leaves Hveravellir at 13:55 and
arrives in Akureyri at 17:00.
The bus leaves
Akureyri at 8:00 am and arrives in Hveravellir at 11:15. From there the bus
continues on to Reykjavik at 12:00 and arrives there at 17:00 after short stops
at Gullfoss and Geysir.
Hveravellir can thus be reached on a daily basis during the summer
months and is an ideal place for a visit due to its remarkable and unique
nature.
Activities: There are a number of other walking routes in the vicinity, for example to Rjupnafell, Thjofadalir, Jökulkrok and up to or on to the glacier Langjökull. Longer routes, for example to Hvitarvatn in the south as well as over the old route over Kjalhraun or along the borders of the glacier Langjökull, are also available. A fascinating route is also along the northern part of Langjökull and through Hallmundarhraun to Husafell. A further nice route leads around Hrutfell from where one can enjoy an extraordinary view over the area. There are an almost endless number of routes to choose from and everyone is sure to find something to suit their taste.
There is a horse
rental at Hveravellir. A number of horse riding trails can be found in the
surrounding area. One can choose between tours lasting a few hours, a whole day
or even a number of days. The Icelandic horse is used to this rough terrain as
it was the only mode of transportation over this route when the first settlers
arrived in the country.
Geothermal pool
The geothermal pool
at Hveravellir is unique. Both hot and cold water flows to the pool, which
makes it easy to regulate the temperature of the water in the pool. Over 20
people can comfortably bathe in the pool at the same time. The pool and its
entire surroundings are magnificent, offering a beautiful view of the
geothermal area, Kjalhraun lava field and Langjökull. There is nothing that can compare to a dip into the pool after a days hike in the highlands.