Iceland F-roads

F206 Lakavegur (Laki craters)

Closed

Road notes by Nimrod Ron · Iceland Lead & Content Curator· Updated 18 Oct 2026

F206 Lakavegur runs about 45 km from the Ring Road at Kirkjubæjarklaustur up to the Lakagígar crater row, the 1783 eruption that changed Europe’s weather, passing the Fagrifoss waterfall on the way. It has several wide, rocky fords and sits in the third water tier, so it needs a high-clearance 4x4 and a dry spell; it opens mid-June and most people see Laki from a Superjeep tour out of Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Key facts

Connects: Route 1 at Kirkjubæjarklaustur (via Route 206) to the Laki craters and the F207 loop
Length: 45 km, about About 2 hours each way in good conditions
Opens: mid-June
Closes: late September
Rivers: Yes. Water tier 3: medium to large water crossings
Car: Large 4x4 with 30 cm or more of clearance and river experience
Region: South (near Kirkjubæjarklaustur)

Schematic map of F206 Lakavegur (Laki craters): Route 1 at Kirkjubæjarklaustur (via Route 206) to the Laki craters and the F207 loop — Where F206 runs and what it connects. Schematic, not for navigation.

Status today

Closed

Fagrifoss – LakagígarClosed
vegurClosed
Holtsvegur – FagrifossClosed

Source: umferdin.is (Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration), as of 29 Oct 2026, 09:51. Re-check road.is on the morning you drive.

The facts

F206 at a glance
Fact	Value
Connects	Route 1 at Kirkjubæjarklaustur (via Route 206) to the Laki craters and the F207 loop
Region	South (near Kirkjubæjarklaustur)
Length of the F-road section	about 45 km
Driving time	About 2 hours each way
Status now	Closed
Typical opening	mid-June
Typical closing	late September
Difficulty	difficult
4x4 required	Yes, by law
River crossings	Yes · water tier 3
Car that fits	A high-clearance 4x4 — Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, or Toyota Hilux.

F206 at a glance. Live status from umferdin.is as of 29 Oct 2026, 09:51, refreshed every 30 minutes.

Reaches: Fagrifoss waterfall · Laki (Lakagígar) crater row and the Laki summit walk · Tjarnargígur crater lake · Eldgjá via F208 for the long loop

The road

Route 206 leaves the Ring Road just east of Kirkjubæjarklaustur as a gravel road, becomes F206 and climbs past Fagrifoss into the Vatnajökull National Park’s Laki district. The crater row stretches 25 km; the F207 loop circles the main area with short walks up Laki itself and to the Tjarnargígur lake. The whole visit is a long day from the coast.

River crossings and the car

Several fords with uneven, rocky beds, including one just below Fagrifoss that stops compact 4x4s after rain. Third water tier: a high-clearance 4x4 such as a Land Cruiser or Hilux, with F-road cover, in settled weather. Rangers at Kirkjubæjarklaustur post current ford depths; ask before you go.

Water tier 3: Medium to large water crossings. A high-clearance 4x4 — Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, or Toyota Hilux.

When it opens

Mid-June most years, and it closes in late September. The road is damaged and closed by heavy rain inside the season as well. Recorded opening and closing dates are below.

F206: first and last day recorded open, by year
Year	First day open	Last day open	Days open	Days sampled
2026	not yet	–	0	11

F206: first and last day recorded open, by year. Daily snapshots from 19 Oct 2026 to 29 Oct 2026. A road still open shows the latest snapshot date as its last day open.

Download the data (CSV) · free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with a link back.

How itineraries use it

As a full day from Kirkjubæjarklaustur or Vík, by Superjeep tour for most travelers and by self-drive for those with a high-clearance 4x4 and settled weather. Plans that already have a Landmannalaugar day usually choose one or the other rather than both.

Itineraries that use F206

Editor-picked Highlands plans from real trips drive this road or reach the places on it. Duplicate one and make it yours.

See itineraries with F206

Questions about F206

Can I drive to the Laki craters in a Dacia Duster?

Not reliably. F206 has several wide, rocky fords and a compact 4x4 is at risk after any rain; most rentals exclude it for small cars. A high-clearance 4x4 in dry weather, or a Superjeep tour from Kirkjubæjarklaustur, is the answer.

How long is the trip to Laki?

About two hours each way on F206 from Kirkjubæjarklaustur, plus the F207 loop and two to three hours at the craters, so a full day from the South Coast with no time for anything else. Tours run about nine hours. From Vík add an hour each way, which makes a Vík base a long day.

Is Laki worth it in rain?

Rarely: the fords rise, the road may close and the crater row disappears into cloud. Keep the day flexible and swap it for the Vatnajökull side if the forecast is wet.

Deeper reading on iceland-trip.com

Our sister site covers every place in depth: access, parking, seasons, what to expect. Written by the same team.