Some roads in Iceland take you to a destination.
Hungurfit is different. The road itself is an adventure.
Deep in the southern Icelandic Highlands, the Hungurfit track winds through the rugged Fjallabak region, connecting the F261 and F210 areas near the Hungurfit hut. It is a remote mountain track known for steep sections, rocky terrain, river crossings and dramatic wilderness.
For travelers looking for an Iceland Highlands road trip that goes beyond the usual tourist routes, Hungurfit offers a very different side of the country.
Where Is Hungurfit in Iceland?
Hungurfit sits in the southern Highlands, in the wider Fjallabak region.
Getting there means moving away from Iceland's better-known tourist corridors and deeper into the interior.
The landscape changes quickly.
Green countryside gives way to volcanic terrain. Mountains rise around the route. Rivers cut through valleys, while vast stretches of wilderness open up in every direction.
The Hungurfit track connects the F261 area with F210 through this remote landscape, passing near the Hungurfit and Króksskáli huts. This is Iceland without the crowds.
What Makes the Hungurfit Route Special?
Hungurfit isn't famous because of one single landmark.
It's the combination of everything you encounter along the way.
Expect a landscape of:
- Rugged volcanic mountains
- Green moss-covered valleys
- Rocky mountain tracks
- Glacial rivers
- Deep valleys and canyons
- Black volcanic terrain
- Vast open wilderness
The contrast is particularly striking.
Bright green vegetation against dark volcanic ground.
Blue-green water flowing beneath rugged mountains.
A narrow road disappearing into an enormous landscape.
This is the kind of scenery that makes an Iceland guided driving expedition feel less like a conventional tour and more like an expedition.
Markárfljótsgljúfur: A Dramatic Highland Landscape
The Hungurfit area is closely connected with the spectacular Markárfljótsgljúfur canyon.
Created by powerful glacial and volcanic forces, the canyon cuts dramatically through the Highland landscape.
The scale is difficult to appreciate until you're standing there.
Deep ravines.
Steep cliffs.
Green valleys.
Dark volcanic rock.
And a river moving through the landscape below.
For travelers exploring the Iceland Highlands, this is a reminder that Iceland's landscapes aren't simply beautiful—they are the result of powerful geological forces that continue to shape the island.
Why Hungurfit Requires a Serious 4x4
This is where the vehicle becomes especially important.
Hungurfit is described as a rugged mountain track with steep climbs, rocky stretches, uneven terrain and river crossings.
That means a normal road car isn't appropriate for the route.
For the Adventures Overland expedition, the journey is undertaken in a 4x4 Land Rover Defender.
The Defender brings the capability needed for the terrain while providing the comfort required for a multi-day expedition.
But the vehicle is only one part of the equation.
The route, weather, road conditions and local knowledge matter just as much.
That's why experienced guidance is essential when exploring remote Highland terrain.
When Can You Experience Hungurfit?
The Iceland Highlands are highly seasonal.
Winter can bring snow, ice and difficult conditions, while summer provides the primary window for exploring the interior by vehicle.
The Hungurfit hut itself has a year-round opening designation, but the access requirements change dramatically with the season; the hut authority notes that summer access requires a good 4x4, while winter access requires a modified super jeep.
For a guided driving expedition, the timing of the journey is therefore carefully considered around road and weather conditions.
And summer has its own rewards.
Long daylight hours.
Green valleys.
Open mountain landscapes.
Flowing rivers.
And much more time to appreciate the journey.
Hungurfit Is About Going Beyond the Familiar
Many travelers experience Iceland through Reykjavík, the Golden Circle and the South Coast.
Those destinations are spectacular.
But the Highlands tell a different story.
There are fewer settlements.
Fewer services.
Fewer conventional tourist facilities.
And far more wilderness.
For American travelers used to the huge landscapes of Alaska, Wyoming, Colorado or Utah, the sense of scale may feel familiar.
But Iceland adds something completely different:
Volcanoes, glaciers, geothermal activity and ancient geological forces—all within the same landscape.
Why Should Hungurfit Be on Your Iceland Highlands Itinerary?
Because some of the best travel experiences aren't found at a famous viewpoint.
They're found when the road gets quieter.
When the landscape gets bigger.
When the route becomes more challenging.
And when you realize that you're somewhere very few travelers ever reach.
Hungurfit offers all of that.
It's rugged.
It's remote.
It's demanding.
And it's spectacular.
For travelers searching for an Iceland Highlands road trip, an Iceland 4x4 adventure, or a guided driving expedition in Iceland, Hungurfit is a route worth knowing about.
Written by
Julie Fishman
General Manager, USA
After 25+ years in the corporate world, Julie has learned first and foremost to care about the customer’s experience. She is now partnered with Adventures Overland to offer their guided driving expeditions to American guests for the first time. Her love of the road is grounded in her 4x4 club membership and a lifetime of global travel experience, combined with a love a nature and being of service.
