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133 km
About 2 h 5 min
Car 1–4 · Van 5–7
Free cancellation 24 h
South coast · from KEF
About Hella and the drive
Hella is a small town on the banks of the Ytri-Rangá river, on Route 1 in the Rangárþing farming district. It is horse country, with many farms offering riding, and on a clear day you can see the volcano Hekla on the skyline to the north-east.
Travellers usually come to Hella to stay: the hotels, guesthouses and cabins around town are a convenient base for the south coast, with Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss to the east and the Golden Circle within reach to the north. The surrounding countryside is dark and open, which makes the area popular for watching northern lights in winter. Just outside town there are old man-made caves at Ægissíða that can be visited with a guide.
From Keflavík Airport the driver follows Reykjanesbraut to the edge of Reykjavík, then Route 1 all the way: over Hellisheiði, past Hveragerði, across the Ölfusá river at Selfoss and east over the Þjórsá, Iceland's longest river. It is a straightforward main-road drive, and if you need groceries for a cabin, Selfoss is the natural place to stop.
Seasons and roads
Winter nights in the Hella area are long and dark, good for northern lights from roughly September to April (never guaranteed). Route 1 is open all year, but Hellisheiði can close briefly in storms.
