Hrunalaug

What to expect

Hrunalaug is a small natural hot spring on the farm Ás in Hrunamannahreppur, a short drive from the village of Flúðir in South Iceland. It has been in the same family since the 1890s, and it is private property. You are a paying guest on a working farm, not visiting a public site.

The bathing area is made up of three stone pools, each from a different era:

• The laundry pool. The oldest part, built around 1890 by the farmer at Ás and his family, was used for washing clothes and for bathing.
• The sheep pool. Built in 1935 for dipping sheep. Every second year all sheep had to be washed to prevent scab, a disease caused by mites. Sheep bathing here stopped in the 1980s.
• The visitors’ pool. The current owners built a third pool in 2017 to cope with the number of visitors. In summer 2023 it was rebuilt larger and deeper, with an outer ring of natural columnar basalt.

The owners give the water as 99 to 100°F37 to 38°C. That is warm rather than hot, which suits a long soak on a cold day. The pools sit in a grassy hollow surrounded by low hills and farmland, and the water is clear.

It is small. With about 25 to 30 people allowed at once, it never feels like a lagoon, but it is rarely empty either.

How access has changed

Hrunalaug has changed a lot in ten years, and older guides and photos can be misleading.

In 2015 the Reykjavík Grapevine reported that the family could not keep up with the number of visitors. Tour buses were the main pressure, and there was vandalism and camping despite signs. The owners’ daughter said they had sometimes thought about bulldozing the pool. At that point there was no formal entry system.

Since then the owners have:

• Started charging a fee, now ISK 3,000 to 3,500 for adults.
• Built a larger pool in 2017 and rebuilt it in 2023.
• Closed the pool at night. It used to be possible to visit at any hour. Now entry is allowed only during opening hours.
• Set a 90-minute limit on each visit.
• Opened a changing building in 2026, set into the hill behind the pool, with lockers, toilets and showers under a glass roof.

If you read about a free, round-the-clock pool with only a tiny changing shed, that information is out of date.

Getting there

Hrunalaug is about 100 km (62 miles) from Reykjavík, 13 km (8 miles) from the Golden Circle route, 30 km (19 miles) from Geysir and 32 km (20 miles) from Gullfoss, according to the owners.

• From Reykjavík: Take Route 1 east over Hellisheiði toward Selfoss, then head north on Route 30 to Flúðir. The owners put the total at about 100 km (62 miles).
• From Flúðir: Leave the village on Hrunavegur toward the church at Hruni, then take the signed side road to the Hrunalaug car park. The owners suggest searching for “Hrunalaug Hot Spring” in your map app.
• From Geysir and Gullfoss: Head south toward Flúðir. It works well as a last stop after the Golden Circle.

The walk from the car park to the pool is less than 200 m (about 0.1 mile). In winter the path can be covered in snow and ice, so wear proper shoes.

When to go

Hrunalaug opens all year.

• Summer (1 May to 31 August): 09:00 to 22:00
• Spring and autumn (1 September to 31 October and 15 March to 30 April): 09:00 to 21:00
• Winter (1 November to 14 March): 10:00 to 20:00

The cheapest and usually quietest time is before 14:00, when every ticket is ISK 500 less. Afternoons in summer can bring a queue if several groups arrive together. In winter you can soak in the dark before closing on a clear night and hope for northern lights.

The owners occasionally close for private sessions. In autumn 2026 they listed closures on 3 November (14:30 to 16:30) and 6 November (10:00 to 11:30). Very dry periods have dried the pool up in the past; if that happens, the owners post a notice on their website. Check it on the day.

Prices and rules

Prices as listed in October 2026:

Ticket	Before 14:00	From 14:00
Adult	ISK 3,000	ISK 3,500
Age 11-15	ISK 2,000	ISK 2,500
Seniors and disabled guests	ISK 2,500	ISK 3,000
Age 10 and under	Free	Free

• Payment: Card or cash (ISK).
• Towels: Rent one for ISK 1,000, or bring your own. Bring a swimsuit.
• Private sessions: ISK 60,000 for one hour before or after opening hours, ISK 150,000 for 90 minutes during opening hours before 14:00 and ISK 200,000 after, plus ISK 40,000 for each extra half hour. Email [email protected].
• No glass drink containers at the pool.
• No drones.
• No camping. It is private land.
• Children under 11 must be with an adult.
• Not wheelchair accessible.

Coffee, soft drinks and sweets are on sale before or after your soak. Shower before you get in, as at any Icelandic bathing place; the new changing rooms supply shampoo, soap and conditioner.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging or camping at Hrunalaug. Flúðir, a few minutes’ drive away, is the local village and the obvious base, with places to stay and a shop. It is also home to the Secret Lagoon (Gamla laugin), a larger pool built to handle crowds, which the Hrunalaug family has pointed visitors to in the past. Selfoss, further south on Route 1, has the widest choice of beds in the region.

Safety notes

• Slippery stones: The owners stress that the wet stones in and around the pool are very slippery. Move slowly and do not climb on the walls.
• Icy path: The short walk from the car park can be icy from November to March.
• Water temperature: At 99 to 100°F37 to 38°C the pool is comfortable, but long soaks with little to drink can still leave you lightheaded.
• Respect the farm: Close gates, keep to the path and leave nothing behind. The future of the pool depends on visitors not causing the problems the family faced in 2015.