Gjástykki


This remote rift zone at the northernmost end of the Krafla fissure swarm was the source of the first eruptions in 1724, and was activated when Leirhnjúkur went off again in the 1975 eruptions. Between 1981 and 1984 the area was the main hot spot of activity in the Krafla central volcano, and the current Gjástykki lava fields date from this time. Gjástykki is a very sensitive area and to visit you’ll need to join a tour. Check with Saga Travel.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Eyjan

8.16 MILES

Eyjan is an island-like mesa covered with low, scrubby forests and small ponds.You can walk a 7km trail around Eyjan from Karl og Kerling to Vesturdalur…

2. Karl og Kerling

8.47 MILES

Karl og Kerling (‘Old Man’ and ‘Old Woman’), two rock pillars, believed to be petrified trolls, stand on a gravel bank west of the river, a 2km return…

3. Leirhnjúkur

8.64 MILES

Krafla’s most impressive, and potentially most dangerous, attraction is the Leirhnjúkur crater and its solfataras, which originally appeared in 1727,…

4. Víti

8.79 MILES

The ochre crater of Víti reveals a secret when you reach its rim – a cerulean pool of floodwater at its heart. The 300m-wide explosion crater was created…

5. Hljóðaklettar

8.84 MILES

The bizarre swirls, spirals, rosettes, honeycombs and basalt columns at Hljóðaklettar (Echo Rocks) are a highlight of any hike around Vesturdalur and a…

6. Rauðhólar

9.71 MILES

The Rauðhólar (Red Hills) crater row, just north of Hljóðaklettar, displays a vivid array of colours in the cinder-like gravel on the remaining cones. The…

7. Krafla Power Station

9.81 MILES

The idea of constructing a geothermal power station at Krafla was conceived in 1973, and preliminary work commenced with the drilling of holes to…

8. Hverir

14.13 MILES

The magical, ochre-toned world of Hverir (also called Hverarönd) is a lunar-like landscape of mud cauldrons, steaming vents, radiant mineral deposits and…