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Esja

Highlands, Iceland1,661 m elevation

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MountainHighlands

Esja

Highlands, Iceland1,661 m elevation

About

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Plan your visit to Esja

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

Map of Esja

Esja is in the Highlands, Iceland at 64.2729°N, 16.4881°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.

Open Esja on the interactive map →

Plan your visit

Elevation: 1,661 m above sea level
Off the main road: 28.1 km from Route 1
Nearest town: Nesjahverfi — 61.1 km away
Distance from Reykjavík: 264 km in a straight line
What else is close: 16 mapped places within 20 km

Esja weather and conditions

At Esja in Highlands, conditions as of 1 September 2026, 00:00 (Iceland time): -5°C (feels like -12°C), fog, wind 9 m/s. Daylight today: 14 h 42 m (sunrise 05:45, sunset 20:27). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.

Data verified 1 September 2026, 00:00· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly

Driving conditions

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Daylight today

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

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Aurora forecast for tonight

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 Esja

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

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Frequently
asked
questions

How do I get to Esja?

Esja is in Highlands. Check live road conditions on this page before you drive — highland trailheads often need a 4×4, and some access roads only open in summer.

Can I hike Esja without a guide?

Esja is a high summit (1,661 m) — routes at this altitude often cross glacier or exposed terrain and should be done with a certified guide, rope and crampons. Do not attempt it solo, and check safetravel.is first.

When is the best time to hike Esja?

June to September, when snow has cleared from the trails and daylight is long. Winter ascents are serious mountaineering. Always check the forecast on vedur.is before you set out.

How tall is Esja?

Esja is 1,661 m above sea level, according to OpenStreetMap and Wikidata records.

Nearby

km column = your drive

Waterfalls

#1.Draugagilsfoss

16 km·~19 min drive

A waterfall in South Coast.

#2.Fellsfoss

24 km·~29 min drive

A waterfall in South Coast.

#3.Morsárfoss

26 km·~31 min drive

Morsárfoss is a waterfall in Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland. Measurements showed that…

#4.Hangandifoss

31 km·~38 min drive

The fall comes off the rim of Múlagljúfur, the mossy canyon that opens above the…

4 waterfalls near Highlands

Hot Springs

#1.Guðlaug

50 km·~60 min drive

New seaside hot pot on Langisandur beach in Akranes. Ocean views.

#2.Hoffell Hot Tubs

56 km·~67 min drive

Hot tubs with Vatnajökull glacier views near Höfn. Run by local farm.

#3.Geothermal hot spring near Hornafjörður

57 km·~68 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#4.Geothermal hot spring near Höfn

62 km·~74 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

4 hot springs near Highlands

Campsites

#1.Skaftafell

37 km·~44 min drive

The camp site is spacious with trees as shelter. The camp site is divided into several…

#2.Campsite Reception

37 km·~45 min drive

Icelandic campsite offering basic facilities for travelers exploring the area. Iceland's…

#3.Ferðaþjónustan Svínafelli

37 km·~45 min drive

We are located in Öræfi, just underneath the highest peak of Iceland.

#4.Svinafell

37 km·~45 min drive

Icelandic campsite offering basic facilities for travelers exploring the area. Facilities…

4 campsites near Highlands

Supermarkets

#1.Nettó

62 km·~74 min drive

Nettó supermarket — supplies

#2.Gvendarkjör

93 km·~112 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#3.Kjörbúðin

114 km·~137 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#4.Kaupfjelagið

132 km·~158 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

4 supermarkets near Highlands

Gas stations

#1.Freysnes

37 km·~45 min drive

Orkan · 308.6 kr/L petrol

#2.Fagurhólsmýri

44 km·~53 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#3.Nesjar

61 km·~73 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#4.Höfn

62 km·~74 min drive

Olís · 310.8 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