Sprengisandur, the F26, is a highland gravel road through the interior of Iceland between the Hofsjokull and Vatnajokull glaciers. At about 200 kilometres, it is the longest of Iceland's highland roads. It is passable in summer.
What and where Sprengisandur is
Sprengisandur, the F26, runs through the interior of Iceland between the Hofsjokull and Vatnajokull glaciers. It is a highland gravel road rather than a paved route, and it cuts across the central interior instead of following the coast. At its northern end the road passes the basalt waterfall Aldeyjarfoss.
Iceland's longest highland road
At about 200 kilometres, Sprengisandur is the longest of Iceland's highland roads.
Crossing an empty plateau
The route crosses the Sprengisandur plateau at roughly 400 to 700 metres above sea level. Much of the road is gravel, with no services, fuel or mobile-phone coverage. The Nyidalur valley, roughly midway, has a mountain hut used as a rest point.
The name and its history
The name Sprengisandur refers to the old practice of riding horses hard across the barren sands.
Driving Sprengisandur
Sprengisandur is passable in summer. For live conditions, check road.is and safetravel.is. To compare options for the Highlands, see Highlands tours.
Make the road check part of the plan
Before building a route around Sprengisandur Route F26 in Iceland, review Iceland road conditions and adjust for current conditions.
