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F-roadHighlands

Kjalvegur

Highlands, Iceland168 kmeasyMin vehicle: any 4x44WD required

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Watch “CROSSING ICELAND: Adventurous Route 35 (F35) through the Highlands — Kjalvegur, Iceland” on YouTube

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F-roadHighlands

Kjalvegur

Highlands, Iceland168 kmeasyMin vehicle: any 4x44WD required

About

The beginner highland road. No scary rivers. Just gravel between two glaciers.

This road builds your confidence. Hard enough to feel real, easy enough to actually enjoy. Start here.

Vikings used this route 1000 years ago. An outlaw named Fjalla-Eyvindur hid at Hveravellir for 20 winters. The hot springs kept him alive.

Thursday afternoons have the least traffic - tour buses run different schedules. Book Kerlingarfjöll resort months ahead. The hot spring at Hveravellir goes clothing-optional late at night.

Why go

You get the highland feeling without the stress. Great views of glaciers. Hot springs at Hveravellir. Colorful mountains at Kerlingarfjöll.

Photo tips

June has midnight sun - golden light for 4 hours straight. Overcast days are actually better for the colorful mountains.

Wildlife

Good for birds. Skuas, snow buntings, lots of geese. Nothing too rare but plenty to see.

AI assistant

Plan your visit to Kjalvegur

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

Map of Kjalvegur

Kjalvegur is in the Highlands, Iceland at 64.8667°N, 19.7500°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.

Open Kjalvegur on the interactive map →

Plan your visit

Off the main road: 10.8 km from Route 35
Nearest town: Bláskógabyggð — 72.6 km away
Distance from Reykjavík: 132 km in a straight line
What else is close: 62 mapped places within 20 km

F35 typically opens Early June and closes Late September — always confirm on road.is before you drive.

Kjalvegur weather and conditions

At Kjalvegur in Highlands, conditions as of 31 August 2026, 14:15 (Iceland time): 4°C (feels like 1°C), overcast, wind 1 m/s gusting to 4 m/s. Daylight today: 14 h 47 m (sunrise 05:56, sunset 20:43). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.

Data verified 31 August 2026, 14:15· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly

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Visit now · Open year-round · 30 min stop · Visibility —

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Highlands Reykjavík South Coast West North East Westfjords Reykjanes

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Cars & campers

−12%exclusive discountFree cancellation

KEF airport pickup 24/74.8

SUV

Dacia Duster 4x4

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

VW Caravelle

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

TransmissionAutomatic

12,750 kr15,000 kr/day

Reserve −12%

Camper

Key Camper Wild Duo

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

Tours near Kjalvegur

Free cancellation

Small groups

Sightseeing

(Cruise Ships) Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss

Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!

Duration6 hours 30 minutes

HighlightsNorth Iceland

(RS) Lake Myvatn & Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri

Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.

Duration6 hours

HighlightsNorth Iceland

A Gourmet golden circle - a taste of Iceland combined with amazing nature attractions!

Embark on a private adventure through the Golden Circle with Northern Adventurer.

Duration8 hours

HighlightsReykjavík area

Photos & videos

CROSSING ICELAND: Adventurous Route 35 (F35) through the Highlands — Kjalvegur — video poster — CROSSING ICELAND: Adventurous Route 35 (F35) through the HighlandsGot2Go

F35: Iceland’s Legendary Mountain Route #iceland #drive #shorts — Kjalvegur — video poster — F35: Iceland’s Legendary Mountain Route #iceland #drive #shortsPlanes, Trains and Automobiles Vlog

Road 35 (Kjalvegur / Kjölur route) & Hveravellir, Iceland | The famous former F-road (13.08.2021) — Kjalvegur — video poster — Road 35 (Kjalvegur / Kjölur route) & Hveravellir, Iceland | The famous former F-road (13.08.2021)Ervin Drives Around

Iceland gems Hveravellir + Kerlingarfjöll | Highlands F-Road 35 Kjalvegur/Kjölur route) — Kjalvegur — video poster — Iceland gems Hveravellir + Kerlingarfjöll | Highlands F-Road 35 Kjalvegur/Kjölur route)Iceland with a View

ICELAND - Driving North to South on Iceland's Highest F-Road! F35, Kerlingarfjoll, and More! — Kjalvegur — video poster — ICELAND - Driving North to South on Iceland's Highest F-Road! F35, Kerlingarfjoll, and More!Adventure Dog Overland

Route F35 (Iceland, 4K, 2025-06-18) — Kjalvegur — video poster — Route F35 (Iceland, 4K, 2025-06-18)Arctic Polar Dub Plates

Reviews

Frequently
asked
questions

What car do I need for F35?

The minimum vehicle for F35 is "any 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 F35 in a 2WD car?

No. F35 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 F35 open?

F35 typically opens Early June and closes Late September. Always confirm on road.is before you drive — dates shift year to year with the weather.

How do I get to F35?

F35 (Kjalvegur) is located in Highlands. 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 F35?

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.

Nearby

km column = your drive

Waterfalls

#1.Gýgjarfoss

25 km·~30 min drive

A waterfall in the Highlands.

#2.Skuggafoss

32 km·~38 min drive

A waterfall in the Highlands.

#3.Háaleitisfoss

47 km·~57 min drive

A waterfall in West Iceland.

#4.Bröttuhlíðarfoss

48 km·~57 min drive

A waterfall in West Iceland.

4 waterfalls near Highlands

Hot Springs

#1.Mýrarhver

9 km·~11 min drive

Natural hot spring

#2.Heimilishver

9 km·~11 min drive

Natural hot spring

#3.Eyvindarhver

9 km·~11 min drive

Natural hot spring

#4.Rauðihver

9 km·~11 min drive

Natural hot spring

4 hot springs near Highlands

Campsites

#1.Hveravellir

9.3 km·~11 min drive

Highland campsite accessible in summer only. F-road driving required. Basic facilities…

#2.Hvítárnes

28 km·~33 min drive

Highland campsite accessible in summer only. F-road driving required. Basic facilities…

#3.Árbúðir

29 km·~34 min drive

Highland campsite accessible in summer only. F-road driving required. Basic facilities…

#4.Kerlingarfjöll - Highland Base

29 km·~35 min drive

The camping site at Mountain Kerlingafjoll is in the vally of Asgard, on the north side…

4 campsites near Highlands

F-Roads

2 f-roads near Highlands

Supermarkets

#1.Kaupfélag Vestur-Húnvetninga

81 km·~97 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#2.Krambúðin

86 km·~103 min drive

Krambúð supermarket — supplies

#3.Krambúð

86 km·~103 min drive

Krambúð supermarket — supplies

#4.Kjörbúðin

92 km·~110 min drive

Kjörbúðin supermarket — supplies

4 supermarkets near Highlands

Gas stations

#1.Húsafell

56 km·~67 min drive

Orkan · 308.6 kr/L petrol

#2.Geysir

67 km·~81 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#3.Staðarskáli

70 km·~84 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#4.Víðihlíð

71 km·~85 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

4 gas stations near Highlands

Tours

#1.(Cruise Ships) Lake Mývatn and Goðafoss

6 hours 30 minutes

Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!

from 25.300 ISKView tour →

#2.(RS) Lake Myvatn & Godafoss Waterfall Day Tour from Akureyri

6 hours

Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.

from 25.900 ISKView tour →

#3.A Gourmet golden circle - a taste of Iceland combined with amazing nature attractions!

8 hours

Embark on a private adventure through the Golden Circle with Northern Adventurer.

from 159.000 ISKView tour →

3 tours near Highlands

Data & sources

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

VegagerðinVisitor access & practical facts
VegagerðinLive road status & cameras · Icelandic Road Administration
Open-MeteoWeather forecast · CC BY 4.0
NOAA SWPCAurora (planetary Kp) forecast · public domain
OpenStreetMapInteractive-map data · ODbL
Esri, Maxar & Earthstar GeographicsSatellite imagery for the 3D terrain render · GIS User Community