Reykjadalur Hot Springs Guide + Why You May Want to Skip

• Driving time from Reykjavik: 50 minutes
• Hiking distance to hot springs: 1.9 miles (3 km) one-way
• Hiking time to hot springs: 45-60 minutes one-way depending on your pace and how often you stop for photos
• Difficulty level: Moderate due to the initial steady incline
• Amenities: None
• Entrance Fee: None

The easiest way to find the trailhead is to type in “Reykjadalur Café” in Google Maps.

Take the road to the end. It’s about 5 minutes from the town of Hveragerði. The cafe will be on your right.

Everyone just parks on the side of the road. See the maps below for orientation.

Hveragerði to Reykjadalur Hot Springs Trailhead Map

From the Reykjadalur Café, it’s about a 45-60 minute hike to the hot springs.

Reykjadalur Cafe to Reykjadalur Hot Springs Trail Map

Do not be intimated by the crazy amounts of cars parked along the side. Once you reach the hot springs, everyone spreads out and there is plenty of room.

After we parked, we walked across a little wooden bridge over the river to start our hike on the well-marked gravel path.

Foot bridge over the river to start the Reykjadalur Hot Springs hike

Reykjadalur translates to “Steam Valley,” and you’ll quickly see why.

As we navigated along the trail, we encountered multiple plumes of steam billowing up into the sky. Be prepared for the strong sulfur smell.

Many steam vents on Reykjadalur Hot Springs hike

Reykjadalur Hot Springs gravel trail

The initial part of the hike is uphill. Get ready for a StairMaster workout! I love a good workout, but here is the first part of the experience that drove me crazy.

#1- So Many Flies

This wasn’t just a stray fly or two casually buzzing around. This was an all-out swarm with a clear agenda, make us as miserable as possible.

I kept telling myself as we hiked that it would get better. Maybe just this section. Maybe once we got higher. Nope. They were relentless the entire way.

At one point, I tried to convince myself it was just me. I’m a full-on mosquito magnet, so I figured maybe my body chemistry was to blame.

That theory fell apart pretty quickly when I looked over at my husband, who never attracts bugs, and he was swatting just as much as I was.

In certain sections, we passed groups of people doing horseback tours through the geothermal valley. Every single rider had a fly net covering their face.

That should have been our first real warning.

And I’m not exaggerating this for dramatic effect. These tiny flies completely took over what could have been a really beautiful hike.

At some point I’ll post the video from our Reykjadalur hike, and you’ll see exactly what I mean. There are little buzzing specks flying across the camera every few seconds. It says everything.

Annoying flies on the Reykjadalur Hot Springs hike

I didn’t have any bug spray on. Maybe if I had sprayed my clothes beforehand, it wouldn’t have been quite so bad. Hard to say.

Either way, I’ll leave that thought there and shift to some of the positives, because there were a few.

One of the highlights along the hike was passing Djúpagilsfoss, a really beautiful waterfall that cascades down in soft tiers into the valley below.

Djúpagilsfoss Waterfall on the Reykjadalur Hot Springs hike

After all of that hard work hiking uphill, eventually the trail levels off as you walk into the beautiful Reykjadalur valley.

Reykjadalur Hot Springs hike

Hiking to Reykjadalur Hot Springs

There are sections of the trail where the steam vents almost completely obliterate our view. This is certainly one of the more unique hikes we have done.

Walking through a steam vent on Reykjadalur Hot Springs hike

45 minutes later we made it to the hot springs!

Reykjadalur Hot Springs river

We did this hike on a beautiful sunny Saturday, so the river was packed with both tourists and locals. However, everyone was able to spread out and find their own little private nook.

Sitting in the Reykjadalur Hot Springs River

Reykjadalur Hot Springs River

We made our way along the wooden boardwalk, scanning for a spot that felt a little more tucked away, and eventually found an open section of the river.

Getting in was… not exactly graceful.

We carefully stepped down from the embankment onto the uneven, rocky bottom, doing that awkward balance dance trying not to slip. Once we were in though, we settled into our hot spring moment.

And now this brings me to the second reason we walked away feeling a little underwhelmed.

#2- Very Shallow Water 

This might sound a little silly, but I was fully expecting to be able to sink into the water and actually relax.

Instead, I was lucky if I could cover my butt, and I’m a pretty petite person. I found myself sitting on this muddy, rocky bottom, constantly adjusting and never quite getting comfortable.

Not exactly the soaking experience I had pictured.

There are a few sections where rocks are stacked up to create small pools, and those spots looked slightly deeper.

But honestly, judging by how everyone else was sitting, kind of half-submerged and shifting around, I’m not totally convinced there were significantly better options.

Picturesque Reykjadalur Hot Springs River

One saving grace once we were in the water, no flies. Not a single one buzzing in our faces while we sat in the river.

That said, after about 15 minutes, we were ready to call it. We dried off, peeled off our wet bathing suits, and changed into dry clothes before starting the hike back to the car.

And the second we got back on the trail… our little insect friends were right there waiting for us, making sure we didn’t forget them.

If you stay on the left side of the river, you can continue hiking past the Hot Springs and the crowds to Klambragil Canyon. You will see a series of steaming pools.

Shortly after, the trail ends in a little secret waterfall.

You can work this hike into your itinerary a few different ways, depending on how you’re planning your trip:

• As a day trip from Reykjavik
• As a stop along your Golden Circle route
• Or as part of a larger South Coast road trip

We ended up doing Reykjadalur Hot Springs as a quick stop on our way back to Reykjavik after spending four incredible days exploring Iceland’s south coast.

It fit in easily and felt like a nice “one last stop” before heading back to the city.

If you’re still mapping out your route, be sure to read my guide on where to stay in Iceland by region, including some of my favorite boutique hotels that are actually worth booking.

A few things I’m really glad we brought …

→  Bathing suit
Wear it under your hiking clothes. There’s no real place to change, and trust me, you don’t want to be figuring that out on the side of a trail. Also, bring one you don’t mind getting a little muddy because it probably will.

→  Dry bag (or trash bags)
You’ll need somewhere to stash your wet bathing suit after. I usually toss a couple of trash bags in my luggage for “wet things,” and they come in handy more often than you’d think.

→  Water bottle
Bring water, especially in the summer. That uphill hike sneaks up on you, and we were definitely feeling it.

→  Trail runners and/or water shoes
Wear proper trail shoes. This is not the place for sandals. The path can be rocky and muddy in sections.

I’d also recommend water shoes if you have them. The riverbed is uneven and a little sharp, so getting in and out isn’t exactly smooth.

→  Camp towel
A small camp towel worked perfectly for us to dry off and packs down easily.

One more thing, summer in Iceland is cooler than you might expect, and the weather can shift quickly. Layers are key.

If you’re still figuring out what to pack, I put together a full Iceland summer packing list with exactly what you’ll actually use.

The Reykjadalur Valley itself is undeniably beautiful.

Between the soft sound of the river flowing alongside the trail and the steam vents rising up from the earth, it has that raw, geothermal feel that makes Iceland so unique.

But if I’m being honest, the hike to get there ended up feeling more frustrating than enjoyable because of the relentless flies, which took away from what should have been a really cool experience.

I also went in expecting more of a true soaking moment. After the hike, I was ready to sit back, sink in, and relax a bit, but the water just wasn’t deep enough to really do that.

And this might be controversial, but I have to say it. As much as I usually prefer less touristy spots, the Blue Lagoon (and the water massage!) was easily ten times better.

Crowds and all. Sometimes the popular places are popular for a reason.

If you’re planning your trip and trying to prioritize your time, I put together a guide on the 19 best things to do in Iceland with the experiences that really stood out to us.

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Any other tips for avoiding the flies? Is there a “fly season?”

Let me know in the comments below!