Waterfalls, F-Roads and "The Rainbow Mountains"

Driving from Þingvellir to Landmannalaugar felt like leaving one world and slowly entering another, a more primal, untouched place. We took the northern route via F208, a path that demands respect but rewards you with raw beauty at every turn. This F-road is the entry point for most adventurous travelers daring enough to drive into Iceland's highlands.

Where Dacia Dusters look like Mushrooms

Though the F208 is unpaved, it’s surprisingly well maintained. You’ll see every kind of vehicle trying its luck here, especially the Dacia Duster, Iceland’s unofficial national car. With rooftop tents and a spirit of adventure, these little white SUVs dot the landscape like mobile mushrooms. We always joke that there must be more Dusters than Icelanders. Where these cars all go in winter, we will never find out.

Waterfall Wonderland

Right after the first steep descent into the highlands on F208, we noticed a crowd moving toward a nearby cliff. We hadn’t planned much, as usual. We float through weeks like butterflies, a bit unprepared, often lucky. So we parked our truck at the parking space and followed.

What we found was breathtaking: a canyon carved deep into the earth, with a dozen waterfalls crashing into the valley below. Lush green moss where the mist lingered, black sands and volcanic rock where it didn’t. It felt like the crown jewel of Icelandic waterfalls. Alone, this scene would have made the journey worth it.

The Baptism of Landmannalaugar

After leaving the waterfall scene, we drove hours through breathtaking highland landscapes. Just before reaching Landmannalaugar, the road saves its best challenge for last: two water crossings stand between you and the campsite. There’s a parking area before them, but when we arrived, it was completely full. There was no space for our big truck.

Originally, we had planned to stop, observe others making the crossing, and learn exactly where to drive and how deep it was. But things turned out differently. No parking possible. I had to make a decision. And off we went. Without learning from others, we dipped into the crossings. Our truck is made for this type of adventure, and it handled the challenge smoothly, even the second puddle which was surprisingly deep.

Our home-on-wheels is built for this. With a fording depth of 80cm and the heating exhaust slightly lower, we were confident. And yes, it worked. The truck was in its element. Crossing the rivers felt like a rite of passage, the final gateway into Landmannalaugar.

Highlands in Color

We hiked up Bláhnúkur, a nearly 1,000-meter peak that offers one of the best views of Iceland’s famous rainbow mountains. The name isn't just poetic, Bláhnúkur means “Blue Peak” in Icelandic, named after the bluish tint of its rock. The hills really do seem to shimmer in green, brown, red, and blue. We had very bad weather with heavy wind and rain, which made the pictures even more dramatic. The clouds clung to the peaks, shifting quickly and creating moments of light and shadow that felt almost staged. The views from the top were dreamlike.

Steam drifted from the earth. The wind howled. It was silent and loud at the same time. The wind was roaring, and the colors of the mountains seemed to scream silently from every ridge.

Camp Encounters

We spent two days there. Soaked in the natural hot pots. Hiked. Laughed. Met locals. One afternoon, a group from the local summer search and rescue team came by. Young volunteers, full of energy and curiosity. They asked if they could see the inside of our truck. Of course! We chatted, learned from each other, and received a great tip: leave Landmannalaugar heading south. So we did. The southern stretch of F208? Even more beautiful, and more water crossings.

No Sermons, Just Stories

I could go on, but I won’t preach. Writing all this feels a bit like preparing a Sunday sermon, but that’s not what this should be. We’re not here to convince or convert anyone.

If you’re unsure whether it’s worth the trip, or just curious about what it feels like to stand in a place like this, come and see for yourself.

Let the pictures speak, or even better, let your own eyes take it all in.

Explore. Dream. Discover.