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Fjallabaksleið syðri

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F-roadSouth Coast

Fjallabaksleið syðri

South CoasthardMin vehicle: large 4x44WD required

About

The road to that famous green cone mountain - Mælifell. Serious rivers. Opens late, closes early.

Standing at Mælifell, you get why astronauts trained in Iceland. This is as close to alien as Earth gets. The silence rings in your ears.

Maps left this area blank until the 1900s. Early explorers called it 'the desert behind the glaciers.' Some people went in and never came out.

The Holmsá river changes by the hour. Glacier melt is unpredictable. Cross before noon or wait until evening. Getting stuck here costs $3000+ for rescue. Not joking.

Why go

Mælifell is the most photographed mountain in Iceland for a reason. Perfect green cone in black sand. Looks fake. It's not.

Photo tips

Shoot Mælifell from the northeast in afternoon. Drones need permits but worth it. Fog rolling through makes insane photos.

Wildlife

Arctic foxes den in the lava here. White winter coat against black sand - incredible contrast if you spot one.

AI assistant

Plan your visit to Fjallabaksleið syðri

Build an itinerary — full days, multi-stop routes, drive times, alternatives.

Map of Fjallabaksleið syðri

Map

63.8000°N, 19.3333°W · South Coast

Plan your visit

Getting there
Road F261 (Emstruleið)
Off the main road
32.3 km from Route 1
Nearest town
Hvolsvöllur — 44.6 km away
Distance from Reykjavík
133 km in a straight line
What else is close
317 mapped places within 20 km
Good to know
Reached on an F-road. Icelandic law requires a 4WD vehicle on F-roads, and they open only for the summer season — check the current status before setting out.

Tours near Fjallabaksleið syðri

Highlands Hiking: Small Group Landmannalaugar Hike & Hot Springs - Without transferfrom 16.500 ISK · 5 hBus transfer from Landmannalaugar to Hella / Reykjavikfrom 12.220 ISK · 4 hSolheimajokull Glacier Guided Hiking Small Group Tourfrom 12.299 ISK · 3 hSólheimajökull Glacier Hike and Ice Cave Explorationfrom 22.999 ISK · 4 h 30 minGlacier Explorationfrom 20.999 ISK · 5 h 30 minKayaking by the Glacier - Solheimajokullfrom 19.999 ISK · 2 h 30 minSolheimajokull Ice Climbing & Glacier Hikefrom 31.381 ISK · 4 hGlacier Hiking Tour - Icelandic Local Guidefrom 38.900 ISK · 10 hThe Zip Line + Glacier Hike Adventurefrom 45.000 ISK · 4 h
All 1,648 tours
ToursIn season nowSolheimajokull Ice Climbing & Glacier Hikefrom 31.381 ISK · 4 hEarly Bird Ice Cavefrom 25.000 ISK · 3 h 30 minLaugarás Lagoon Birki - Premium Lagoonfrom 9.900 ISK · 2 hAll 1,648 toursBy activity and region

Is F210 open right now?

Live from Vegagerðin, the authority that opens and closes this road. Every other highland road is on the live F-road map.

1 highland road reported · 1 closed or closed in places · Vegagerðin, updated 3 min ago

F-roadStatus nowVegagerðin's wording
F210 Fjallabaksleið syðriImpassableÓfært

F210 typically opens Late July and closes Early September — always confirm on road.is before you drive.

Fjallabaksleið syðri weather and conditions

Last updated

2°Cpartly cloudy · feels -6°C11 m/sgusts 159 h 53 mdaylight · 08:06 – 17:59
In season now · Winter in IcelandSolheimajokull Ice Climbing & Glacier Hikefrom 31.381 ISK · 4 h
See the tour
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Cars & campers

−12%exclusive discountFree cancellationKEF airport pickup 24/74.8
Dacia Duster 4x4
SUV

Dacia Duster 4x4

Cheapest real 4WD in the fleet — gravel, the Westfjords and easy summer F-roads without truck prices.

TransmissionManual
FuelPetrol/diesel
Seats5
Drive4WD
From
5,355 kr6,300 kr/day
Reserve −12%
VW Caravelle
9-seater

VW Caravelle

Whole family or friend group in one car — gear in the back, room to stretch.

TransmissionAutomatic
FuelDiesel
Seats9
Drive2WD
From
12,750 kr15,000 kr/day
Reserve −12%
Key Camper Wild Duo
Camper

Key Camper Wild Duo

Sleep right by the trailhead, wake up at the falls — F-road ready from mid-June.

TransmissionManual
FuelPetrol
Sleeps2
Drive4WD
From
5,304 kr6,240 kr/day
Reserve −12%

Photos & videos

Fjallabaksleið syðri — photo by Moyan Brenn from Italy · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0Photo: Moyan Brenn from Italy · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
MOST BEAUTIFUL & ADVENTUROUS Road of Iceland: Route F210Got2Go
Iceland F-Roads: F210 south (2022, no sound, dashcam)Roadtrip Onky Monk
ISLANDE – HIGHLANDS du sud en solo (F210, F232, F261, Thórsmörk) Épisode 1HORS-PISTE
F210 Full Length Drive | all river crossings | F-roads Iceland 4KEpic Iceland
Iceland Timelapse F210 southRoadtrip Onky Monk
Iceland: 104km of F Roads (F224,F208,F233,F210,F232,F209)GALEFORCETV

Nearby

km column = your drive

  1. 1Eldgjárvegur6 km
  2. 2Landmannalaugavegur12 km
  3. 3Þórsmerkurvegur16 km
  4. 4Öldufellsleið20 km
  5. 5Lakavegur22 km
All f-roads in South Coast →

Waterfalls

  1. 1Ljósafoss12 km
  2. 2Markarfljótsfoss15 km
  3. 3Stakkholtsgjá18 km
All waterfalls →

Hot springs

  1. 1Hot Spring Shower8 km
  2. 2Geothermal hot spring near Rangárþing ytra20 km
  3. 3Strútslaug21 km
All hot springs →

Fuel

  1. 1Hrauneyjar44 km · 315.8 kr/L
  2. 2Hvolsvöllur45 km · 310.9 kr/L
  3. 3Vík í Mýrdal46 km · 309.9 kr/L
All fuel →

Supermarkets

  1. 1Krónan45 km
  2. 2Kjörbúðin53 km
  3. 3Krambúð61 km
All supermarkets →

Tours

  1. Adrenaline Combo: Off-Road Buggy & Mega Zipline Experiencefrom 29.300 ISK · 3 hours
  2. Buggy Adventure in Þórsmörkfrom 89.990 ISK · 5 hours
  3. Bus transfer from Landmannalaugar to Hella / Reykjavikfrom 12.220 ISK · 4 hours
All tours →

Frequently
asked
questions

What car do I need for F210?
The minimum vehicle for F210 is "large 4x4". A proper 4WD like the Dacia Duster or Suzuki Vitara covers "any 4x4" roads; pick something larger for "medium 4x4" routes. The rental section below has live prices — the code MAP gives 12% off.
Can I drive F210 in a 2WD car?
No. F210 legally requires 4WD, like every F-road in Iceland. Driving it in a 2WD car is illegal and voids your rental insurance if anything goes wrong.
When does F210 open?
F210 typically opens Late July and closes Early September. Always confirm on road.is before you drive — dates shift year to year with the weather.
How do I get to F210?
F210 (Fjallabaksleið syðri) is located in South Coast. Check live road status on road.is before you drive — F-roads close without warning after rain or early snow.
Is river-crossing damage covered by rental insurance on F210?
No. River-crossing damage is excluded from every rental insurance policy in Iceland, even full-coverage plans. Cross only where locals or rangers confirm it’s safe.

Data & sources

Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.

Spotted an error, or have something to add? Help us keep this page accurate.

All f-roads18 F-roads in South Coast, mapped with photos, distances and live conditions
Iceland nowfrom 19 Sep 06:10
8°C · overcastWind 2 m/sRing Road (R1) openAurora Kp 2.67Daylight 07:02 – 19:39Webcams