Askja

Askja is one of Iceland’s most awe-inspiring highland destinations — a vast volcanic caldera system in the Dyngjufjöll mountains of the central interior. The main caldera, Öskjuvatn, is Iceland’s deepest lake at around 220 metres, while the smaller adjacent crater Víti holds a milky-blue geothermal pool that adventurous visitors can swim in during summer. The entire landscape has an eerie, otherworldly quality that led NASA to use it for Apollo astronaut training in the 1960s.

The approach across the Ódáðahraun lava desert is itself part of the experience, as the track winds through black sand plains, lava fields, and steaming vents before the caldera rim rises dramatically ahead. From the parking area it is a roughly 3 km return walk to the shores of Víti and Öskjuvatn, with the rim providing panoramic views that stretch across the interior plateau on clear days. The scale of the landscape is humbling and the colours — black lava, white snow patches, vivid blue water — are extraordinary.

Askja is accessible only via highland F-roads (primarily F88 from Mývatn), typically open from late June to early September depending on snow conditions. A high-clearance 4×4 vehicle is mandatory; several major river crossings are involved and conditions can change quickly. Guided day tours depart from Mývatn and Akureyri, making the caldera accessible to visitors without suitable vehicles.