VolcanoNorth IcelandAskja
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About
A massive caldera in the highlands with a crater lake you can swim in — Víti, meaning 'hell.' The water is warm and milky blue. Apollo astronauts trained in this area.
Getting here is an adventure — F-roads, river crossings, lunar landscapes. Then you're standing in a caldera, steam rising, bathing in 'hell.' Strange is an understatement.
A massive eruption in 1875 devastated nearby farms and triggered Icelandic emigration to North America. NASA sent astronauts here to train for the moon because the landscape looks so alien.
The lake is swimmable but the walk down is steep and can be slippery. Water temperature varies (usually 25-30°C). The main caldera lake Öskjuvatn is dangerously cold — don't confuse them.
Map of Askja
Askja is in North Iceland at 65.0304°N, 16.7469°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.
Plan your visit
Elevation- 1,516 m above sea level
- Nearest town
- Vogar við Mývatn — 66.4 km away
- Distance from Reykjavík
- 267 km in a straight line
- What else is close
- 62 mapped places within 20 km
Askja weather and conditions
At Askja in North Iceland, conditions as of 1 September 2026, 07:15 (Iceland time): -1°C (feels like -5°C), overcast, wind 3 m/s gusting to 6 m/s. Daylight today: 14 h 48 m (sunrise 05:43, sunset 20:31). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.
Data verified 1 September 2026, 07:15· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly
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Blue hour—Cars & campers
KEF airport pickup 24/74.8
Transmission
Fuel
Seats
Drive
SleepsTours near Askja
Small groups
Duration
Highlights
Type
Photos & videos
No verified videos yet — we only show footage confirmed to be Askja, no lookalikes. Search YouTube
Reviews
Frequently
asked
questions
Can you swim at Askja?
How do you get to Askja?
When is Askja accessible?
What does Víti mean?
Did astronauts really train here?
Nearby
km column = your drive
- 1
Vikraborgir4 km - 2Kollóttadyngja23 km
- 3
Herðubreið25 km - 4
Heidarspordar38 km - 5Fremrinámar45 km
Waterfalls
A waterfall in North Iceland.
A waterfall in the Highlands.
A waterfall in North Iceland.
A waterfall in East Iceland.
Hot Springs
Water hot spring
Volcanic crater lake at Askja. Highland destination, not always safe for bathing - check…
Water hot spring
Geothermal spot
Campsites
North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…
North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…
North Iceland camping option. Less crowded than the south, with dramatic landscapes and…
Highland campsite accessible in summer only. F-road driving required. Basic facilities…
F-Roads
Shortcut to Askja caldera
Final bumpy kilometers to Askja
Supermarkets
Krambúð supermarket — supplies
Bónus supermarket — supplies
Supermarket — supplies
Nettó supermarket — supplies
Gas stations
Orkan · 308.6 kr/L petrol
Orkan · 308.6 kr/L petrol
N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol
N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol
Tours
Lake Mývatn and the surrounding area are an absolute must if you're exploring the North!
Discover the wonderland of Lake Myvatn and Godafoss Waterfall with an experienced local tour guide.
The freedom of covering all kinds of terrain on a snowmobile is something everyone should experience.
Data & sources
Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.
Wikimedia CommonsHero & gallery photography · Wolfgangbeyer · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
OpenStreetMapVisitor 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
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