Hveragerdi to Selfoss: Geothermal Walks and South Iceland Bases

Hveragerdi: the geothermal town worth a morning

Hveragerdi sits 45 kilometres east of Reykjavik on Route 1, roughly 40 minutes by car, and it earns its nickname from the steam rising through the town itself. The Reykjadalur valley walk starts from a car park on the northern edge and runs about three kilometres each way along a boardwalk past bubbling mud pools to a warm river where you can bathe. Allow two to three hours round trip; bring a towel and shoes you do not mind getting muddy. The path is uneven in places, and the river temperature shifts with the weather.

In town, the geothermal greenhouse cluster, the Edinborg glasshouse and the Hveragerdi swimming pool make an easy half-day if rain sets in. The town makes a fine first or last night before or after Reykjavik, but it is small: a handful of guesthouses and hotels, one main supermarket, limited evening food. If you want somewhere to walk to dinner after a long hike, Hveragerdi's quiet evenings may disappoint — plan to eat early or drive on.

Selfoss as a South Iceland base

Selfoss, 13 kilometres further east, is the practical base for the South Coast. It has the region's best concentration of hotels, guesthouses and self-catering apartments, a large supermarket, petrol stations and restaurants open later than in the villages. From here, the drive to Thingvellir National Park is about 60 kilometres, to the Seljalandsfoss waterfall around 70 kilometres, and to the black sand at Reynisfjara roughly 130 kilometres. That range makes Selfoss a sensible two- or three-night stop rather than a single overnight.

The town sits on the Olfusa river, and the riverside path and the old bridge give an easy evening walk. Rooms here are generally cheaper than equivalent Reykjavik accommodation and easier to book late, though summer weekends fill fast. I would book Selfoss over Hveragerdi for any stay of two nights or more, keeping Hveragerdi for a single geothermal-focused night. If you are self-driving the ring road, Selfoss also breaks the Golden Circle and South Coast into manageable day trips without repeated backtracking.

A short loop: Kerid, the crater and the coast

Halfway between Hveragerdi and Selfoss, the Kerid volcanic crater sits just off Route 35 and takes 30 to 45 minutes to walk around the rim. The water at the bottom is an unusual opaque blue-green, best photographed in low morning or evening light. A small parking fee applies at the crater. Nearby, the Nesjavellir geothermal area and the Grafningsvegur back road offer quieter driving than Route 1, with steam vents visible from the car park.

South of Selfoss, the coast around Eyrarbakki and Stokkseyri holds old trading houses, a maritime museum and a modest shoreline. These villages see a fraction of the South Coast traffic and make a good wet-weather alternative to the waterfalls. Combine them with a stop at the Hveragerdi greenhouse village on the return leg and you have a full, low-mileage day. Avoid trying to reach the Westman Islands ferry at Landeyjahofn and return the same afternoon in winter; the light and the weather rarely cooperate.

When to go and what to skip

Late May to early September gives long daylight, open mountain roads and the widest choice of rooms. June and July are the busiest; early September still works well, with noticeably less traffic and similar weather. Winter has short daylight and occasional road closures on Route 1 east of Hveragerdi, and the Reykjadalur path becomes slick; check road conditions before setting out. Snow tyres are worth insisting on for any winter rental.

Skip the temptation to use Hveragerdi as a base for the whole South Coast — the extra driving adds up over several days. Skip the Blue Lagoon on a tight itinerary; the Secret Lagoon near Fludir and the town pools at Selfoss and Hveragerdi offer a similar soak with less of a queue. If you have only one full day in the area, I would walk Reykjadalur in the morning and drive the Kerid and Eyrarbakki loop in the afternoon, sleeping in Selfoss.