Kjalvegur F35 Highland Traverse

The F35 Kjalvegur cuts 166 kilometers through Iceland’s savage interior from Gullfoss to the ring road near Blönduós, crossing the Holtavörðuheiði highland plateau where NASA trained Apollo astronauts. This ancient route passes the Kerlingarfjöll mountains and Hveravellir geothermal area, where you’ll ford multiple glacial rivers including the treacherous Hvítá crossing that claims vehicles every summer.

Moderate difficulty requiring high-clearance 4WD and river crossing experience. Water can be thigh-deep at crossings, especially after rain or glacial melt. Best tackled June through September when F-roads are officially open. Carry recovery gear, emergency food, and satellite communication — cell service is nonexistent. The payoff is witnessing Iceland’s raw geological violence: steaming vents, painted rhyolite mountains, and endless highland solitude that defines real overlanding.