- Best time to Visit
- All year-round
- Coordinates
- 64.69921, -20.86920
- Distance from Reykjavík
- 130km (80mi)
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What to know before visiting Húsafell
Where is Húsafell?
Húsafell is a farming estate and visitor hub in the western region of Iceland. With a permanent population of about 10 people, it’s even too small to be really called a village.
Yet despite Húsafell’s tiny size, this farm has become an incredible visitor destination. Set far from the bustle of Iceland’s bigger settlements, it’s a place to discover some of the most fascinating sights that the country has to offer.
You’ll find Húsafell about 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Reykjavík, to the north-east of the city. From Reykjavík follow route 1—Iceland’s “Ring Road”—north towards Borgarnes and take route 50 to the east. You’ll arrive in Kleppjárnsreykir, and Húsafell is only a short distance from there.
The journey from Reykjavík should take about two hours. If you’re navigating with Google Maps, though, be aware that you may be led to a different Húsafell, a mountain peak near the Secret Lagoon close to the village of Flúðir. Instead, you’re looking for the Húsafell on the northwest side of the glacier known as Langjökull.
It’s in a breathtaking location, surrounded by glaciers, mountains, waterfalls, and lava fields.
What to do at Húsafell
Húsafell has an impressive array of things to see and do. While it might look small, it really packs a punch.
Exploring the glacier
One of the best things to do at Húsafell is to explore the Langjökull glacier that sits nearby. Its name means “long glacier”, and it’s the second-largest glacier in Iceland. It’s also one of the deepest—and it’s this that allows it its incredible secrets.
Explore Langjökull on a monster truck ( or as locals call them: "super jeeps") or a snowmobile. You’ll see the beauty of the glacier while enjoying the speed and thrill of these powerful vehicles.
One of the truly exceptional things to do at Langjökull is to venture beneath the ice. At Húsafell, you’ll find the starting point of the tour that’s called "Into the Glacier experience". Here, you can explore the elements below the surface of the glacier in the largest ice tunnel in Iceland. It’s a dazzling experience to walk between the cold walls of ice.
Relaxing in a rugged landscape
Another popular attraction to enjoy at Húsafell is the Húsafell Canyon Baths. Known in Icelandic as the Húsafell Giljaböð, this is the perfect place to unwind and enjoy Iceland’s natural beauty at the same time.
The baths are a great destination at which to experience Iceland’s geothermal power, which heats these relaxing pools. On a tour, you can explore the area and take a dip. You’ll find yourself in a deep rocky canyon, far from civilisation, while you relax in the pools.
Visit in winter to enjoy the northern lights while you unwind in the warm water. Here in Húsafell, there’s very little light pollution, as you’re quite far from the nearest settlement. That means that you can enjoy the aurora borealis at their most vivid, if the skies are clear.
Want more incredible landscapes? Head a short distance down the road to Hraunfossar. It’s a waterfall where the gentle flow emerges from a lava field. As a result, it’s one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. But don’t miss Barnafoss close by. It stands in dramatic contrast to Hraunfossar, in its angry and violent torrent.
Testing your strength
Húsafell is also famous for what’s become known as the Húsafell stone. It’s a legendary rock that people come from all over the world specifically to test their strength on. Weighing in at 186 kg (410 lb), it’s only for the very strongest—but you’re more than welcome to give it a try.
You’ll find this rock next to the sheep pen of which it was once the door. Try and pick it up to your chest and carry it. The world record is held by an Icelander who managed to carry the rock nearly 100 metres.
How to visit to Húsafell
As it’s less than two hours’ drive from Reykjavík, Húsafell is really conveniently located from the capital city. There are many options for places to stay in the area, but you can also visit Húsafell’s best sights in a day trip from Reykjavík.
In fact, if you don’t want to drive, one of your best options to visit Húsafell is to take a guided group tour from Reykjavík. We can show you the very best of the Langjökull glacier, for example, including the Into the Glacier experience.
That said, it’s very easy to spend longer than a day in Húsafell. With plenty of hotels, campsites, restaurants and other facilities, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
FAQ
How far is Húsafell from Reykjavík?
Húsafell sits to the northwest of the glacier known as Langjökull. It’s about 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Reykjavík. The journey takes about 2 hours.
Húsafell is a village and estate in the west of Iceland. While it actually covers an enormous area of land, the permanent population is actually very small. Around 10 people live all year round in Húsafell.
For a tiny little village, there are many things to do in and around Húsafell.
For example, you can go hiking, relax in the Húsafell Canyon Baths, or try your strength against the famous Húsafell stone. Húsafell is also the place where you can visit the ice tunnel beneath the Langjökull glacier, at Into the Glacier.
With so much to do in Húsafell, it’s common for visitors to stay for a couple of nights. However, you can also visit the area on a day trip from Reykjavík.
Húsafell is a small village that offers a huge variety of different activities and experiences.
If you’re interested in the outdoors, for example, Húsafell hiking offers some of the most exciting trails in the country. Or if you want to venture into the heart of a glacier, Húsafell is the best place to do that too.
The village is an incredible place to unwind too. For example, visit the Húsafell Canyon Baths to take a dip in geothermal hot springs in a rugged environment. There is also a small geothermal swimming pool at Húsafell, for a considerably lower fee than the Canyon Baths.
There are many things to see in the Húsafell area:
- Ice caves. Deep beneath the Langjökull glacier there’s a breathtaking man-made ice cave.
- The Húsafell stone. A legendary lifting stone that Icelanders have used to prove their strength.
- Húsafell Canyon Baths, where you can unwind in geothermal pools
- Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. Two of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls, thanks to their vibrant colour and the surrounding lava fields.
- Langjökull. Visit the base camp for glacier hiking or snowmobile experiences.
Visit Húsafell and you’ll find many activities to enjoy:
- Test your strength on the Húsafell stone.
- Relax in the Húsafell Canyon Baths.
- Take a trip across the ice on the Langjökull glacier.
- Visit an ice cave beneath the mighty Langjökull.
- Go for a hike in the incredible countryside.
- Witness Deildartunguhver, the steaming hot springs.
- Venture into Víðgelmir, Iceland’s largest lava tunnel.
- Hike to the Ok glacier, which was once a glacier. You can hike from Húsafell, to reach a plaque that commemorates its death.
You can visit Húsafell all year round. While you’ll find it lush and green in the summer, winter brings snow—and the chance to see the northern lights.
Winter is a great time of year to visit. There’ll be fewer people around, but the landscape is exquisitely beautiful. Come and see it for yourself!
Húsafell is right next to the glacier known as Langjökull (“long glacier”). This is the second-largest glacier in Iceland and it’s a fantastic place to explore in the west of the country.
There are many ways to see this ice cap. Why not travel across its surface on a glacier tour? It’s possible on a snowmobile, or even on a monster truck. Whichever way you choose, it’s an unmissable experience, promising breathtaking landscapes.
You can venture beneath the ice at Langjökull, too. Visit Into the Glacier at Húsafell to head into the largest ice tunnel in Iceland. It’s an adventure into a completely different world.
Húsafell is a great place to see the northern lights. Far from large towns, Húsafell has very low light pollution, meaning that the aurora borealis can be seen with incredible clarity.
Come to visit between late autumn and early spring to have the chance to see the northern lights at their best. All you need is clear skies and a favourable forecast to enjoy an experience you’ll never forget.
The Húsafell stone is a lifting stone that’s named after the village of Húsafell. It weighs 186 kg (410 lb), and people come from all over the world to test their strength on this rock.
The rock was first used as a door for a stone sheep pen, which was built in Húsafell in the nineteenth century. The stone only became famous when it was supposedly moved by Guðný Snorradóttir, the farmer’s daughter.
For the last century, Icelanders have tested their strength with this stone, while many replicas have been made to be used in strongman competitions across the world. Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson holds the record for the distance anyone has lifted the rock, as he carried it for 98 metres.
If you’re in Húsafell, why not try lifting the Húsafell stone? Anyone can try it—and many people come to Húsafell specifically to give it a try.
We would say, though, that unless you’re a weightlifter, there’s not a lot of point trying. It really is very heavy!