Fjallabak Nature Reserve: Iceland's Highland Wonderland

Fjallabak Nature Reserve covers 470 square kilometres of highland Iceland — rhyolite mountains, volcanic lakes, lava fields, and geothermal areas south of the central highland plateau. Landmannalaugar is within the reserve's boundaries and is its most visited feature, but the reserve extends well beyond it to include the Frostastaðavatn and Ljótipollur crater lakes, the colourful Norðurnámur rhyolite hills, and the volcanic landscape around the dormant Torfajökull central volcano. Fjallabak is one of the very few Iceland destinations where the landscape reward justifies the commitment of F-road travel.

Key Features

Ljótipollur is an explosion crater filled with a deep red lake — the colour from oxidised iron in the crater walls against the dark blue of the lake water creates one of Iceland's most dramatic colour compositions. The crater rim is accessible on foot from the road. Frostastaðavatn is a geothermal lake accessible by the F-road system where camping beside the lake provides one of Iceland's most remote overnight experiences. The Norðurnámur hills above Landmannalaugar provide the most photographed rhyolite colour displays in Iceland.

Access

The F208 and F225 routes give access to different sections of the reserve. Both require 4x4 vehicles and are summer-only. The BSI highland bus serves Landmannalaugar from Reykjavik in July and August — the only public transport option for visitors without a 4x4.

Flora and Geology

The rhyolite rock that creates Fjallabak's extraordinary colour palette forms when silica-rich magma cools slowly underground and is later exposed by erosion. The different colours — yellow from sulphur deposits, red from iron oxidation, green from copper minerals, and the pale grey of unweathered rhyolite — appear in distinct bands and patches across the mountain faces. The area around Landmannalaugar has the highest concentration of colour variety. The highland vegetation, including hardy dwarf willows, bilberry, and cotton grass, clings to the valley floors between the barren coloured slopes.

Geothermal Activity

Fjallabak sits within the volcanic zone of south Iceland, and geothermal activity is widespread. The hot springs at Landmannalaugar are the most famous, but smaller geothermal features — steam vents, warm ground, and hot seeps — appear throughout the reserve. The Torfajökull central volcano beneath the reserve is Iceland's largest geothermal area, with the surface expressions visible at Landmannalaugar and the surrounding hills. The combination of geothermal heat and cold mountain streams creates the natural bathing pool that has drawn visitors to Landmannalaugar since the first Icelanders settled the country.

Photography in Fjallabak

The optimal photography strategy in Fjallabak is to treat the colour landscape as the primary subject rather than using it as background to other subjects. Wide-angle lenses (16mm to 24mm) capture the full sweep of coloured hillsides in their landscape context. Telephoto compression (100mm to 200mm) isolates individual colour bands and produces abstract compositions unavailable with wide angle. The morning light (8am to 11am in summer) is optimal for the Norðurnámur rhyolite hills facing southeast. The combination of warm light on yellow and red hillsides with cool shadow in the valleys creates the maximum colour contrast the landscape offers.

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