Kjölur, Mountain pass and plateau in Northwestern and Southern Iceland
Kjölur is a high plateau in Iceland's interior that stretches about 168 kilometers and connects the northern and southern regions between two large glaciers. The terrain is rough and undeveloped, with few roads and a remote, barren landscape.
The route through Kjölur was already in use during the Viking era around 900 CE, when travelers and traders used it to connect distant parts of the island. Over the centuries, this path remained a key link for people crossing the highlands.
The Hveravellir area has long served as a refuge for travelers crossing Iceland's highlands. People have gathered here for centuries because of the natural warmth, building mountain huts that visitors still use today.
The F35 road through Kjölur is normally open only from June to September and requires four-wheel drive vehicles due to rough unpaved roads. You should plan fuel and supplies carefully since this area has almost no services along the way.
At Hveravellir there are colored mud pools and steaming fumaroles, a geothermal area with natural hot springs. Visitors can bathe in the warm pools, which creates an unusual experience in this remote and otherwise cold landscape.
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