This part of the interior, the so-called Sprengisandur route, is the longest stretch between the South and the North and is passable by 4wd vehicles during summer. It is mostly very desolate and barren. Only where there is water, sparse vegetation can be found. In earlier times, when people were more superstitious than they are nowadays and believed in ghosts, giants, elves and outlaws, the few who dared use this route rode as fast as possible through and sometimes exhausted their horses. The word for to exhaust in Icelandic is "sprengja", hence the name of the area. The present route lies further east than the original one and the distance between the last farm in the South and the first one in the North is approximately 250 km.

The greatest obstacles enroute are the unbridged rivers, which have to be forded. They swell when it is warm and the glacial melting increases and when it rains much they can become very dangerous for those who have no experience. On a fine day this route is simply unforgettable because of the scenic beauty all around. During summer scheduled buses drive daily both ways across the interior between Landmannalaugar and Reykjavik to lake Myvatn.

For information on road conditions, see www.road.is or call the Road Administration Information Line (+354) 1777

HIGHLAND ICELAND SAGA

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Local maps
Sprengisandur Route

Accommodations
Sprengisandur Route