What is Askja and where is it?
Askja is a caldera in an untouched wilderness inside the Vatnajökull National Park, located in the volcanic landscape of the center highland of Iceland, in the mountains Dyngjufjöll. Inside the caldera is a deep lake, and the world famous Víti Explosion Crater. It is most often suitable to bathe in the Víti crater due to it’s warm geothermal water.
The trip itself leads us into the highland, through the largest untouched wilderness in Iceland, called Ódáðahraun, along the glacier river Jökulsá á Fjöllum with endless variety of volcanic landscapes, freshwater springs, waterfalls, lava fields and wonders.
The tour to Askja starts early in the morning since normally the tours to Askja are about 11-12 hours long. Pickup is on request, most often from the guesthouses and hotels in the Lake Mývatn area. From there we head to the east through lava fields. At the crater Hrossaborg, we make our turn to the south on the gravel road F88. We will cross rivers on the way, fords, and the river Grafarlandaá is the first one. There we take our first stop on enjoy the pureness and beauty of the this spring fed river that comes from under the Lava field and forms a small waterfall where the ford is.
After that our tour leads us through lava fields with great contrasts until we reach the ford at river Lindaá, another spring fed river. Next stop is the nature reserve Herðubreiðarlindir oasis (nearby Mt. Herðubreið). Here we take another stop where my guests can use the washrooms (toilets) and take a look at the special nature of this place. In Herðurbreiðarlindir, I guide my guests in a walk through the place and take you the the location where our most famous outlaw hid during the winter of 1774-1775.
Next on our way is the magnificent place and waterfall called Gljúfrasmiður, a waterfall in the glacier river Jökulsá fjöllum. It has shaped the landscape over time into forms that are hard to imagine.
We then head to Dyngjufjöll, where the Askja caldera is, but first we stop at Dreki hut to have lunch (there are no shops in the highland so please bring a lunch with you). After our lunch, we drive to Vikraborgir craters where we start our 2,4km walk to the crater Víti and the Lake of Askja. Vikraborgir are the craters where the NASA Apollo mission astronauts’ training took place in 1965 and 1967.
Since 2014 I’ve made over 130 trips to Askja, and it always brings me great joy and happiness to be able to show this unique area to my guests. Normally the highland roads open in the end of June, and are open until the first snowstorm of the winter (it can be as early as early September).
Tour price: ISK 250.000,- (around USD 1792 / EUR 1670) for private tour with maximum of 4 passengers, comfortable for 3. (The price is total for your group or couples, not per person) – Only available as a private tour – The tours are available on request, reservation required.
- Departures are optional: Pick up at your selected location in the Lake Mývatn area.
- Departure time is on request but I prefer not later than 7:45am since the duration of the tour is is normally around 11-12 hours.
- Included is a fully guided tour and transportation.
- Refreshments are not included in the price. Please note that there are no shops in the highlands so please bring a lunch package and drinking water along with warm clothes and hiking boots.
- No confirmation fees, just full payment after the tour, when I drop you off at your car or hotel. I Accept most credit cards and cash in all currencies.
Here below are some example pictures from my tours to Askja.
