Kerlingarfjöll

Steam vents hiss through cracked orange earth, and the air tastes of sulphur and iron. Kerlingarfjöll in Iceland's central highlands is a cluster of rhyolite peaks where geothermal heat warps the colour spectrum — rust, amber, ochre, and bone white streaked across mountains that look like they belong on another planet.

Kerlingarfjöll is a mountain range centred on the Hveradalir geothermal area, where hot springs, fumaroles, and mud pots cluster at over 1,000 metres altitude. The rhyolite rock surrounding the vents is stained by mineral deposits into vivid bands of orange, red, and yellow — a colour palette intensified by the steam that drifts permanently across the landscape. The mountain lodge at the base provides accommodation inside the geothermal zone itself, a rarity in Iceland's highlands. The area is accessible via the Kjölur highland route, the oldest interior track in Iceland, which crosses the plateau between the Langjökull and Hofsjökull ice caps. Snow persists on the higher peaks well into August, creating striking contrasts between white snow, coloured rock, and steaming vents.