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Vatnshnjúkar

North Iceland, Iceland478 m elevation

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MountainNorth Iceland

Vatnshnjúkar

North Iceland, Iceland478 m elevation

About

Vatnshnjúkar rises to 478 m in North Iceland — the 555th highest of the 685 peaks we map there. Nearest road is Route 1, 13 km away.

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Plan your visit to Vatnshnjúkar

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

Map of Vatnshnjúkar

Vatnshnjúkar is in North Iceland at 65.7752°N, 16.6139°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.

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Plan your visit

Elevation: 478 m above sea level
Off the main road: 12.9 km from Route 1
Nearest town: Reykjahlíð — 20.1 km away
Distance from Reykjavík: 309 km in a straight line
What else is close: 200 mapped places within 20 km

Vatnshnjúkar weather and conditions

At Vatnshnjúkar in North Iceland, conditions as of 31 August 2026, 10:45 (Iceland time): 6°C, mostly clear, wind 2 m/s. Daylight today: 14 h 54 m (sunrise 05:40, sunset 20:34). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.

Data verified 31 August 2026, 10:45· 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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North Reykjavík South Coast West East Westfjords Reykjanes Highlands

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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 Vatnshnjúkar

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

Adventure snowmobile tour Akureyri

The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.

Duration5 hours

HighlightsNorth Iceland

Photos & videos

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Frequently
asked
questions

How do I get to Vatnshnjúkar?

Vatnshnjúkar is in North Iceland. 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 Vatnshnjúkar without a guide?

It depends on the route and conditions. Lower Icelandic peaks are hikeable in summer with proper boots, layers and a forecast check, but weather turns fast even in July. Tell someone your route and register plans on safetravel.is.

When is the best time to hike Vatnshnjúkar?

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 Vatnshnjúkar?

Vatnshnjúkar is 478 m above sea level, according to OpenStreetMap and Wikidata records.

Nearby

km column = your drive

Waterfalls

#1.Selfoss

11 km·~13 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#2.Dettifoss

11 km·~14 min drive

The most powerful waterfall in Europe. This beast moves 500 cubic meters of water per…

#3.Hafragilsfoss

12 km·~14 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

#4.Réttarfoss

14 km·~17 min drive

A waterfall in North Iceland.

4 waterfalls near North Iceland

Hot Springs

#1.Geothermal hot spring near Þingeyjarsveit

9 km·~11 min drive

Natural hot spring

#2.Grjótagjá

21 km·~25 min drive

Lava cave with hot spring near Mývatn. Yes, it's the Game of Thrones cave. Currently too…

#3.Stóragjá Cave

22 km·~27 min drive

Lava cave hot spring near Mývatn. Grjótagjá's quieter neighbor.

#4.Ystihver

34 km·~41 min drive

Natural hot spring

4 hot springs near North Iceland

Campsites

#1.Ásbyrgi - Vesturdalur

18 km·~22 min drive

The western valley has one of two camp sites in the national park its only for tents. The…

#2.Hlíð, Mývatni

20 km·~24 min drive

The scenery around the camp site is divers, good flat areas and lava tubs that offer good…

#3.Bjarg

20 km·~24 min drive

North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…

#4.Vogar

22 km·~26 min drive

North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…

4 campsites near North Iceland

Supermarkets

#1.Krambúð

20 km·~24 min drive

Krambúð supermarket — supplies

#2.Nettó

44 km·~53 min drive

Nettó supermarket — supplies

#3.Verslunin Skerjakolla

59 km·~71 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#4.Hagkaup

68 km·~82 min drive

Hagkaup supermarket — supplies

4 supermarkets near North Iceland

Gas stations

#1.Reykjahlíð

20 km·~24 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#2.Ásbyrgi

29 km·~35 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#3.Mývatn

30 km·~36 min drive

Orkan · 308.6 kr/L petrol

#4.Laugar

35 km·~42 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

4 gas stations near North Iceland

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.Adventure snowmobile tour Akureyri

5 hours

The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.

from 166.750 ISKView tour →

3 tours near North Iceland

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