Private Highland tour to Askja Caldera

by Star Travel · private · North Iceland

4.90(67) · operator on Google
Private Highland tour to Askja Caldera — Star Travel

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Star Travel's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.

  • Duration

    12 hours

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    May – Sep

  • Starts in

    Akureyri

  • Meeting

    Hotel pickup available

  • Languages

    EN, DE

  • Start time

    Time agreed after booking

About this experience

We depart from Akureyri following route number 1 throug Mývatn area to Hrossaborg crater before taking the mountain road F88 Crossing Rivers & trailing gravel trails to Herðubreiðalindir – a beautiful green oasis situated in the midst of a barren volcanic landscape.

This is also the place where Fjalla-Eyvindur – Iceland´s most famous outlaw – took shelter in the winter of 1774-1775. From Herðubreiðalindir we continue our journey to Askja, crossing through the lunar-like landscapes where NASA trained their astronauts in preparation for the Apollo moon landings.

Upon arrival at Askja, we park at the Vikraborgir craters which erupted in 1961. From there we walk the A1 trail (2.4 km) to Askja lake and Viti, a smaller lake that has formed inside a crater. Visiting Askja is an amazing and unforgettable experience. It is quite simply one of the most breathtaking sights in the whole of Iceland. If you are feeling adventurous you can bathe in the warm waters of the Víti crater (don’t forget to bring your towel).

In the mountains that surround Askja lies Drekagil – the Canyon of the Dragons, and that´s where we head to next. Drekagil contains some strange yet intriguingly beautiful rock formations.

after Drekagil we drive back to Akureyri.

Description from the operator, Star Travel. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Drekagil
  2. Askja

Included

This tour includes comfortable private transportation (4x4 Jeep), a complimentary pickup service, and an English-speaking guide to enhance your experience.

Good to know

We recommend bringing the following items for a comfortable and enjoyable experience:

  • Warm clothes to stay cozy in changing weather
  • Good hiking shoes for stability and comfort
  • Gloves to keep your hands warm
  • A water bottle to stay hydrated
  • Lunch pack for an extra energy boost along the way

    Being well-prepared will help you make the most of your adventure.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 7 days of departure. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is closed F-roads or a highland storm — decided by the Road Administration and the driver. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Star Travel decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
  2. 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
  3. 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until the cutoff shown above, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Sold out on your date?

Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.

Who this is not for

  • Not a good fit if you want a relaxed day: 12 hours is a long time on the road, most of it spent getting there and back.
  • Priced per vehicle, so it is poor value for one or two people and good value for four or more sharing.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Star Travel is one of 154 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Star Travel

Read all 67 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Charlie

    ★★★★★ · 7 months ago

    Hogni (Garfield) was incredibly friendly, professional and knowledgeable which made our day really special. The tour ran with only 3 of us so it was a very personal experience and we got to see all of the sights with no one else around. We also stopped for hot dogs for lunch which were really tasty and affordable. We learnt so much about Icelandic culture and got some incredible photos of all of the sights - of which there were far too many to mention. I would highly recommend and would definitely book with Star Travel again.

  • Anya

    ★★★★★ · 6 months ago

    What a mindblowing experience! Firstly we went to the Forest lagoon and spent such a wonderful time there, relaxing in hot water with pina colada with a forest view. It was snowing while we were there which made the experience even more magical and movie-like. And then the best part of the tour came. We’ve almost lost the hope of seeing Northern lights that night as it was cloudy and other tours were cancelled but our guide was so confident and just knew WHERE to go! After driving for about an hour we saw Aurora!!! We couldn’t believe our eyes. It was so bright and massive, spreading across the whole sky! We were watching this “show” for an hour: it was dancing in the sky and constantly moving and changing its shape. And the observation spot was between snowy mountains, like in a fairy tale. We were literally screaming and jumping out of happiness because it was so stunning and because our dream came true. And this is thanks to our highly experienced and enthusiastic guide. We are so grateful to him!! He’s a magician who found bright Northern lights in a cloudy day! 15.02.2026

  • Eva Wong

    ★★★★★ · 2 years ago

    THE BEST! No need to look at any other operator! We've traveled around the world and finally had the opportunity to come to Iceland. We are a family of 10 who were on a cruise and our first port in Iceland was Akureyri. We were fortunate to stay overnight and I wanted to make the most of our time. Through lots of research and communicating with a few vendors, I decided Star Travel was the way to go! We booked a private tour and had Julli as our guide for the day. From the moment we booked, til the end of the day at 7:00pm, we had nothing but positive things to say. Great communication. Professional. On time. Expertise. Fun. and Fair pricing. Thank you for showing us the Capital of the North. We loved our experience! All the best to you!

  • Kat Soja

    ★★★★★ · 5 months ago

    Really great tour company, recommend them fully! I have come across Siggy from Star Travel several times during my stay in Akureryi and have nothing but praise for him. Funny, knowledgeable, incredibly committed to making sure that whatever tour you've picked, you will have a great experience. Amazing service and super friendly people on board. Way to go. Thank you, Siggy!

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

No reviews yet from our travellers on this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

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Pairs well with

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from

€2,686 per vehicle

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