Landmannalaugar

Landmannalaugar (say it roughly: land-manna-loy-gar) sits at the edge of a vast lava field in Iceland's Highlands, and the colours here will genuinely stop you in your tracks — obsidian black, sulphur yellow, burnt orange, and deep burgundy all competing for your attention across the rhyolite mountains. It's the starting point of the famous Laugavegur hiking trail and a destination worth visiting in its own right.

The natural geothermal pool at the camp is warm enough to soak in year-round, and after a day on the trails, slipping into that steaming water with a view of the surrounding peaks is one of those experiences you'll be talking about for years. Day hikes ranging from 2 to 6 hours fan out in every direction — the route up Brennisteinsalda volcano is particularly rewarding for the views it offers over the entire area.

Landmannalaugar is only accessible from late June through early September, when the F-roads are open to 4WD vehicles. You can reach it by scheduled Highland bus from Reykjavík (roughly 4 hours), which makes it very doable without a hire car. Multi-day hiking tours and guided Laugavegur trail trips depart from here regularly throughout summer.