Reykjadalur hot river: hike, horse or night walk
Reykjadalur is a free, easy hike above Hveragerði with a warm river to bathe in. Walk it yourself with a car; book the €98 night hike or the horse ride without one.
The short version
- Reykjadalur is 45 minutes from Reykjavík, above Hveragerði. The walk is about 3 km each way, roughly an hour up.
- With a car, go on your own. There's a parking fee and nothing else to pay.
- Without a car: the guided night hike is from €98 with a headlamp and the bath included (roughly August to November).
- On horseback: from €119 for 1.5 hours in the valley. The ride doesn't list a bath.
- There are no changing rooms. Wooden screens, a boardwalk and nowhere to leave your things.
Short answer: if you have a car, walk it yourself. It’s free apart from parking, the path is clear, and the river is the same with or without a guide. If you don’t have a car, book the guided night hike from €98. If you ride, the Hot Spring Valley ride from €119 is the one to book, and you can walk up for a soak another day.
Reykjadalur, “steam valley”, sits in the hills just north of Hveragerði, about 45 minutes east of Reykjavík on Route 1. A river runs down it, and hot springs feed into it along the way. Somewhere along the boardwalk the water is warm enough to lie in. That’s the whole attraction. It’s simple and it works.
Walking it yourself
The trail starts at the car park at the head of the valley above Hveragerði. It’s around 3 km each way with a steady climb of about 300 metres, and most people take 45 minutes to an hour up. Steam vents and bubbling mud sit close to the path. Stay on it; the ground beside it can be boiling.
At the top there’s a boardwalk along the river with a few wooden screens to change behind. No lockers, no showers, no café. Bring a towel, a bag for wet things and something warm for afterwards. The water is warmer upstream and cooler downstream, so move along until it feels right.
The downsides. It’s busy on summer afternoons and on weekends with Icelanders too. The path is muddy after rain and icy in winter, when you’ll want crampons or spikes. In some springs the valley is closed for a few weeks to protect the thawing ground. Check before you drive out.
The night hike
Hikers of Iceland’s Northern Lights Hike to Reykjadalur is from €98. It starts at 20:00, takes four hours plus driving, and puts you in the river in the dark with a headlamp. Up to 15 people, minimum age eight. Pickup from Reykjavík can be added.
It’s billed as a northern lights hike and the lights are possible, but that’s the smaller reason to go. The bigger one is that the valley is empty at night. You’ll share the river with your group rather than a hundred strangers. It runs roughly late August to November on the current calendar. Nobody can promise the sky, and you’d enjoy the soak under cloud.
On horseback
Sólhestar is based just below the valley. Their Hot Spring Valley ride is from €119 for about 1.5 hours in the saddle, departing 09:30 or 13:30, minimum age ten. It’s open to beginners, and warm overalls, rain gear and boots are included. It doesn’t list the bath, so treat it as a ride through the valley rather than a swim.
Our horse riding guide covers the tölt and what to expect on an Icelandic horse.
Private
A private Reykjadalur hike is from €527 for a small group, with pickup from Reykjavík or the airport and a guide who sets the pace. For two people who don’t drive, that’s a steep price for a path they could follow alone. For a family with young children who want someone to carry the plan, it can make sense.
Our honest take
Drive, park, walk up and get in. It’s one of the few things in Iceland that doesn’t need a ticket, so don’t buy one you don’t need. Go early in the morning or late in the day to miss the crowd.
If you’re car-free in Reykjavík, book 1013828. The empty valley is worth more than the price. Riders should book the Sólhestar ride and treat the soak as a separate plan.
Put it on your first or last day. It’s close to Reykjavík and fits well after the Golden Circle or on the way back from the south coast.
