Reykjadalur Valley means Steam Valley and is a very beautiful valley in the south of Iceland. Because of it´s geothermal activity the valley is filled with hot springs and mud pools and there is even a hot river in which one can bathe! The Reykjadalur valley is part of the Hengill area, but Mt. Hengill is an extinct volcano, which was active 120,000 years ago.
The valley is situated in Hveragerði. The hike starts from the parking lot where you first cross a bridge over a river and a hike on a gravel trail up the Rjúpnabrekkur Ptarmigan Slopes, leading to Reykjadalur hot steam valley. The hike is 3 km long and will take ca 45-60 minutes one way with plenty of photo stops.
On the first part of the trail there are several hot springs and mud pools to the left. And a borehole called Drottningarhóla or the Queen’s borehole. Along the way there is a canyon on your left hand side with a beautiful waterfall cascading down into the valley.
This area is so colourful, green grass, steam, blue river, hot pots, soda springs, greyish blue mud pools, patches of silicon and sulphur blending in with nature. After a long hike, you can bathe in the natural rivers before heading back!
