Detailed Guide to Askja
Askja is one of the most amazing (and definitely one of our favorite) places you can visit in the Icelandic Highlands. It's an otherworldly, moon-like volcanic area with several craters and calderas. The biggest one, Lake Askja (Öskjuvatn), is filled with ice-cold water. The smallest one, Lake Víti, is a geothermal crater you can actually swim in (if allowed by park rangers).
It's not easy to get there - but the surreal landscapes are absolutely worth the effort. We've been to Askja several times and it's still one of our favorite spots in Iceland.
We wrote a detailed blog about visiting Askja, if you want even more detailed info: https://epiciceland.net/guide-how-to-visit-askja/
One important note for 2026: Askja is an active volcano. An eruption isn't imminent, but it can't be ruled out. Always check with the rangers at Dreki huts before you go.
How to get to Askja
There's no easy road to Askja - you reach it via a combination of rough, long Highland F-roads. The three main approaches:
- From the East via F905, F910, F894 - difficult terrain, medium river crossings, but the most beautiful drive
- From the North via F88, F910, F894 - easier terrain, but F88 river crossings can sometimes get pretty big and tricky
- From the West via F910, F894 - very difficult terrain and river crossings; not recommended for anyone except real 4x4 enthusiasts
A round trip from Ring Road is roughly 300 km (200mi) and takes 5-7 hours of driving only.
Here's the thing most blogs get wrong: people always claim F88 from the north is always the most dangerous route. That's not true. It all comes down to the Lindaá river crossing on F88. When water levels are high, that one spot is genuinely difficult and needs a large 4x4. When water is low, F88 is actually the easier route - the terrain is flatter and less bumpy than F905/F910.
Our advice: if it's your first visit, take F905 + F910. If you already know how to cross rivers (and have big enough of a jeep), F88 will be quicker.
For the car - you need at least a medium-sized 4x4 with good ground clearance. Suzuki Jimny, Dacia Duster, or similar is the realistic minimum, if we're talking about eastern access roads. For F88/northern access a Land Cruiser should be a minimum in case Lindaá gets a bit more watery.
If you'd rather not drive yourself, you can take a guided bus tour or a super jeep tour from Mývatn.
When to Go
Askja is a summer-only destination, typically from July until September. The roads open once the snow melts (usually mid-June to early July) and close again somewhere between mid-September and early October. Don't count on it being open on the edges of that window - the eastern Highlands are among the first areas to get snow.
Askja hiking trails
There are three main trails:
- Lake Víti trail - about 30 minutes of easy walking from the Vikraborgir car park at the end of F894. This is the most popular and most rewarding one
- Drekagil Gorge trail - around 2 hours, more demanding, from Dreki huts toward Lake Askja, with great views
- Dyngjufell trail - 3-4 hours to the Dyngjufell hut, part of the longer central Highlands route
Most people come for Víti - the geothermal crater with blue-green water. From the rim you can hike down into the crater and - IF GEOTHERMAL ACTIVITY ALLOWS (and RANGERS IN DREKI) then also swim in the roughly 25°C water. Not exactly hot, but warmer than the air, and a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime experience. The descent is steep and the clay is slippery, so bring hiking poles.
Things to Do around Askja
Most tourists only see Víti, but the area around it is full of highlights:
- Herðubreið - the legendary flat-top volcano next to F88
- Drekagil Gorge - a scenic ravine near the Dreki huts
- Holuhraun lava field - formed by the massive 2014 eruption
- Laugavallalaug - one of the most spectacular hot springs in Iceland, and it's actually a hot waterfall
- Stuðlagil Canyon - the famous basalt column canyon, easily added to an Askja day trip
Our Askja Experience - in short
We've now visited Askja four times and driven every road there. Our first trip was at the end of August on a rare sunny day - F905 and F910 turned out to be some of the most beautiful roads we've ever driven, with the landscape constantly changing between gravel, clay, sand, rocks, and sulfur fields.
We've crossed the medium rivers on F905, taken the quicker F88 on later trips, and even tackled the brutal central F910 from Nyidalur - 6 hours of driving on one of the harshest, most remote F-roads in Iceland.
A few tips: come on a clear day (fog can ruin the whole visit), start early, fill up your fuel tank before heading in, and always check road and volcano conditions with the Dreki rangers first.
Happy to answer questions in the comments!