Gamla Laugin Hveragerdi

Gamla Laugin (the Old Pool) at Reykjadalur near Hveragerði is a natural geothermal river in the Ölfus region of southwestern Iceland where a hot stream fed by multiple bicarbonate spring sources runs through a volcanic valley, creating a wild natural bathing experience accessible by a scenic 45-minute hiking trail from the geothermal village of Hveragerði. The naturally warm river — varying in temperature along its course from comfortably warm to quite hot — allows bathers to find their preferred temperature in the flowing geothermal water, lying directly in the stream bed surrounded by steaming fumaroles, bubbling mud pools, and the Icelandic open sky. Hveragerði itself is a geothermal horticultural town where greenhouses heated by geothermal energy produce flowers, tomatoes, and bananas in the subarctic climate, and where hot springs emerge directly in gardens and streets throughout the community. The Reykjadalur hot spring river hike is one of Iceland's most beloved natural thermal experiences, combining accessible mountain scenery, geological spectacle, and genuinely wild geothermal bathing in a single easy excursion from the capital.