Road 
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Askja
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.' Otherworldly 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.
Drive: Good·
Visit now·
30 min stop
Ring Road 1Checking…
F-roadsOpen
ClosuresChecking…
Wind—
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Entry: Free
Parking: Free
No booking
Entry feeFree
ParkingFree
BookingNot needed
Getting thereCar recommended
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Blue hour—Cars & campers
KEF airport pickup 24/74.8
Transmission
Fuel
Seats
Drive
SleepsTours near Askja
Small groups
Duration
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VehiclePhotos & videos
No verified videos yet — we only show footage confirmed to be Askja, no lookalikes. Search YouTube
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Nearby
Waterfalls
A waterfall in North Iceland. One of many cascades that make Iceland a waterfall paradise.
A waterfall in the Highlands. One of many cascades that make Iceland a waterfall paradise.
A waterfall in North Iceland. One of many cascades that make Iceland a waterfall paradise.
A waterfall in East Iceland. One of many cascades that make Iceland a waterfall paradise.
Hot Springs
Water hot spring
Volcanic crater lake at Askja. Highland destination, not always safe for bathing - check…
Wild hot spring. Off the tourist path. Check conditions before going.
Geothermal spot. Water temp varies but usually comfortable. Bring your own towel.
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…
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
Humpbacks and dolphins in Eyjafjörður — the classic North-Iceland outing.
Snowmobile across a glacier, then hit the Golden Circle classics.
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?
Data & sources
Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.
Wikimedia CommonsHero & gallery photography · Wikimedia Commons
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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