Seltún Geothermal Area

Seltún – an alien land just outside Reykjavík

Iceland, the land of fire and ice, has always fascinated us. When we finally found ourselves on its soil, we knew we had to experience its geothermal power for ourselves. Although we had already seen the geothermal fields in Hverir, we were eager to see Seltún as well. And we did well.

Seltún is a place full of bubbling mud pools, sulphur springs and colourful mineral deposits. These minerals formed the kind of rainbow mountains you’d find in Peru, and the bubbling craters resembled shots from the moon.

You park in the free parking lot and are immediately greeted by sulphurous fumes and beautiful colours. Be prepared, however, that there is nothing in the parking lot. Restrooms are closed and you won’t find a bar or information center.

Palette of all colours

As the area is still active, you cannot move freely. For tourists, there is a wooden trail that will take you through all the nooks and crannies of this beautiful place.

The trail first leads you to small mud pools that look as if they are about to explode. Their beautiful white and blue colour gives them a special charm, but don’t try to touch the water. Mud ponds change colours from black to grey thanks to chemical reactions beneath the surface. Note this.

Carefully observe the rocks as well. They are dotted with tiny craters where mini geysers form. That’s kind of how I imagine the moonscape.

As you continue on, you will get a view of a hidden part of the grounds. In the distance, you can see rocks that go from yellow to turquoise to blue to pink. This rock looks exactly like the rainbow mountains in Peru, only smaller of course .

When you turn your head the other way, towards the parking lot, you’ll see a viewing platform with everything red underneath. This colour is the result of iron oxidation.

However, the red is complemented by sulphurous mud and the typical yellow colour. Together this creates even more contrast and makes you feel that the red is literally glowing.

Opposite side offers a different perspective

If you continue along the trail, you will see different views again. At first the yellow completely engulfs the whole place, so that a few metres later the white and blue of the other lakes can stand out again. Mud pools and ponds of different sizes are constantly in motion. Bubbling mud, which changes colours according to its mineral content, is hypnotic. This is probably why there is another viewing platform directly above the ponds.

On one part of the trail, hot water will be flowing directly under you. Since we encountered a cold creek a few yards back, we assumed the water was coming from it and had just warmed up by crossing the area. We carefully touched it and it was really hot .

Here, the typical smell of sulphur, reminiscent of rotten eggs, accompanies you every step of the way. Although it may be unpleasant for some, it is inherent to the atmosphere of geothermal areas. From the hissing of escaping steam to the muffled gurgling of mud springs, the sounds here are equally intense.

We were even lucky enough to see a rainbow.

How to get to Seltún?

Seltún is located about 40 km southwest of Reykjavík and takes about 45 minutes by car. Follow Route 42, which passes through the dramatic landscape of the Reykjanes Peninsula. The surrounding countryside offers not only the magnificent Lake Kleifarvatn, but especially the volcanoes. All the volcanoes that have erupted in recent years can be found in this area. And of course, the famous Blue Lagoon.

Whether or not you have visited Hverir, we should definitely visit Seltún as well. Each place is original and offers different perspectives. I can’t imagine not seeing one or the other.