Kjalvegur Highland Route (F35)

The Kjölur route has been Iceland’s main highland passage for over a thousand years, cutting straight through the island’s heart between two massive glaciers. This 170-kilometer gravel road connects Gullfoss waterfall in the south to Blönduós on the north coast, passing through the geothermal wonderland of Hveravellir where hot springs steam against a backdrop of ice-capped peaks. The route crosses the Kjalhraun lava field and skirts the western edge of Hofsjökull glacier, with the road reaching its highest point at 670 meters above sea level.

F35 rates as moderate difficulty—rough gravel with occasional river crossings but manageable for any high-clearance vehicle in summer months. Stock 4WD handles it fine, though the corrugated sections will rattle your teeth loose. Best driven June through September when snow clears; winter closure is absolute. No fuel available along the route, so tank up before heading into the highlands. The payoff is Iceland’s most accessible taste of the raw interior—endless volcanic plains, geothermal areas, and the kind of otherworldly landscape that makes you understand why Vikings thought this was the edge of the world.