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- Rhyolite Mountains — the whole reason Landmannalaugar looks like a painter went wild. Those pastel, banded hills are volcanic rhyolite altered by heat and minerals, so you get pinks, oranges, greens and creams all in one valley. Light and cloud cover change the palette fast, making every hour feel like a new landscape. Keep an eye out for birds and the occasional Arctic fox pawing around the moss.
- Ljótipollur Crater Lake — a dramatic red crater rim holding a bright turquoise lake, perfect symmetry and impossible colors. It’s an easy detour with postcard-level contrast to the surrounding rhyolite and lava, and it’s especially striking from the rim at golden hour. Feels almost unreal compared with the usual forested or alpine lakes on other trails.
- Brennisteinsalda — the sulphur-streaked
- Rhyolite Mountains — the whole reason Landmannalaugar looks like a painter went wild. Those pastel, banded hills are volcanic rhyolite altered by heat and minerals, so you get pinks, oranges, greens and creams all in one valley. Light and cloud cover change the palette fast, making every hour feel like a new landscape. Keep an eye out for birds and the occasional Arctic fox pawing around the moss.
- Ljótipollur Crater Lake — a dramatic red crater rim holding a bright turquoise lake, perfect symmetry and impossible colors. It’s an easy detour with postcard-level contrast to the surrounding rhyolite and lava, and it’s especially striking from the rim at golden hour. Feels almost unreal compared with the usual forested or alpine lakes on other trails.
- Brennisteinsalda — the sulphur-streaked volcano, all yellow-green streaks and steaming vents. You can actually see geothermal alteration up close here: mineral stains, fumaroles, and a faint sulphur tang in the air. It’s geology on display, loud and raw in a way that most hiking routes don’t let you experience.
- Bláhnúkur (Blue Peak) viewpoint — a short, gritty climb that rewards you with the best panoramic viewpoint in the area. From the top you can see the multicolored rhyolite amphitheater, Ljótipollur, and the dark Laugahraun lava fields laid out like a map. Personal favorite — I’ll hike the steep 20-40 minutes up just for that sweep of colors and the quiet at dawn.
- Natural hot spring / river baths — a genuine, make-your-gear-smell-like-sulphur reward after a long day on the trail. It’s simple: warm river, rocky pools, hikers sharing stories and rinsing off Icelandic grit. The experience is as much cultural and social as it is soothing; bring a towel, go mindful, and leave no trace.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.