How to drive to Fjadrargljufur in Iceland (Fjaðrárgljúfur)
Those of you who have visited Iceland will agree this magical country is full of surprises. You may find yourself driving for miles without a soul in sight then all of a sudden, you reach a destination that will genuinely leave you in awe and question nature. So far we’ve visited:
This leads me to the final stop on our journey with Lagoon Car Rental, the breath-taking Fjadrargljufur.
I know what you’re thinking and no I haven’t just bashed my fists all over the keyboard, this IS, in fact, the correct spelling of this spectacular canyon. Situated in the South East of Iceland with the Fjaðrá river snaking majestically through it, this canyon regularly appears in lists of the most amazing canyons in the world and really is something that needs to be seen to realize its epic beauty. At roughly 100 meters deep and covering a distance of approximately 2 km, this canyon was formed due to progressive erosion by flowing water from glaciers through rocks and it truly is an epic sight.
After having visited this canyon on my previous trip to Iceland I knew I had to go again as despite my travels I have never seen anything quite like it. When you arrive the canyon may not strike you instantly, but as soon as you get out and explore you will see what all the fuss is about. There are two main options and depending on how much time you have I recommend you do both. Firstly, you can wade through the canyon. The water is shallow enough to allow you to walk through the canyon with ease and enjoy the serene sounds of the water flowing past you, as well as looking up to the stunning rock formations which almost close you off from reality. The next option is the hiking trail which leads you to the very top of the cliffs and for the thrill seekers you can get dangerously close to the cliff edge where you can fully observe the rock formations from various different angles and gaze in awe at the view beneath you. Depending on how far you go up you can capture the canyon at its best; it really is a photographers dream and I thoroughly recommend this serene location.
That brings me to the end of my journey, thank you for reading and joining me on my unforgettable trip to Iceland, I hope my posts have inspired you to come and visit this beautiful country for yourselves, and also if anyone knows how to pronounce the name of this canyon correctly please do let me know in the comments!
How to drive to Fjadrargljufur in Iceland
So you have read the blog, seen the pictures, now how do you get there? Unlike some of Iceland’s hidden gems, this one is a little easier to uncover.
- Roughly 300 kilometers from Reykjavik and not far from Kirkjubaejarklaustur village, the area is not overrun with tourists and the site has toilet facilities for any campers looking to freshen up.
- While driving the ring road towards Skaftafell, take a left turn on to road 206.
- The road consists of gravel, with many ascends and descends.
- Continue on this road for 2 km until you come to a small parking area with a w/c. Park your car here and enjoy!
A travel story on how to drive to Fjadrargljufur in Iceland by Asad Iqbal
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