Laugavallalaug Hot Spring – The Hot Spring Shower in Iceland

Basic Information

Hidden Hot Spring in East Iceland
GPS: 65.0066, -15.76243
4×4 car is required to get to the hot spring.
Temperature around 40°C.

Laugarvallalaug is a beautiful hidden hot spring, located in East Iceland. This hot spring is one of the top hidden gems of Iceland since not many travelers visit this place. You might have seen this hot spring in some photos, but not many travelers have traveled all the way to the Eastern Highlands to this hot spring. The main reason is it’s remote location and long distance from the capital city of Iceland, Reykjavik. Laugavallalaug hot spring would definitely be on every travelers bucket list if it was easily accessible. Because of its out of the beaten path location, this hot spring is one of the best places for bathing in the Icelandic nature.

Hidden Hot Spring in East Iceland

Laugarvallalaug‏ Natural hot spring is located in Laugavalladalur Valley, in the midst of the East Iceland Highlands, north of Vatnajökull Glacier and Kárahnjúkavirkjun. Laugavalladalur Valley is an oasis in the middle of nowhere. Close to the ruins of the deserted Laugavellir Farm there is a geothermal stream that flows into a warm little waterfall, falling into a small pond. There the stream has been dammed, turning the warm water into a perfect pond for bathing, with the waterfall itself serving as a shower. It is ideal to take a warm natural shower in the waterfall and relax in the pool.

Above the waterfall you can find around 50 meter long hot stream where you can bathe as well. The water in the stream comes from underneath and the temperature of the new water here is around 70°C. When it gets mixed with the cold water from the stream, the temperature is around 40°C. This part of the hot spring is usually pretty dirty because of the mud at the bottom of the stream. That’s why it is ideal to take a shower in the hot waterfall to clean the mud off you.

The temperature of the pool is usually around 40°C but please check the water before diving into it, since it might at times be a little too warm.

How to get to Laugavallalaug hot spring

When going to Laugavallalaug hot spring pool, take the road from Egilsstaðir to Kárahnjúkar. From there it is around 7 kilometers to the hot spring. The 7 kilometers long road is a rough gravel road and only accessible for 4×4 cars.

You can find a small campsite located close to the pool. To reach the campsite, you have to cross a small creek. This is easy for most 4×4 cars. The campsite is located just a few minutes walk from the hot spring.