Bathing in a winter wonderland? I did it at Reykjadalur Hot Springs in Iceland

Walking uphill, I could not imagine that moments later I would be lying in a stream in a bikini and also sweating. It is the greatest contradiction I have ever experienced! Bathing in a stream in a winter landscape and being warm too! Almost anything is possible in Iceland and so is bathing in the Reykjadalur hot springs in a winter landscape.

But it was true! I would!

Bathing in a winter wonderland?
I did it at Reykjadalur Hot Springs in Iceland

The Reykjadalur Hot Springs

The Reykjadalur Valley is an active geothermal area famous for its hot water river near Reykjavik. It is located near the town of Hveragerði in southern Iceland. The valley is also known as Steam Valley. Looking at the picture below, you can imagine something about it.

Walk (approx. 1 hour) to Reykjadalur Hot Springs

After walking for about an hour we got to the top and I saw steam coming up from out of the earth. We were alarmed by the guide because the water was smoking hot and would burn on your skin through your clothes. At one point it could get to you because it came out of the earth and spat against a stone. The whole area was smelling like rotten fish, dirty air that I’d rather didn’t inhale….but ofcourse I had to..

It was the Reykjadalur hot springs I was standing next to.

Bathing in a winter wonderland?
I did it at Reykjadalur Hot Springs in Iceland

Another short walk and there I saw a stream. I could already see a man walking with only swimming trunks on, a red body and a camera in his hand. It’s incredible, isn’t it? Everywhere you look you see snow…except where that man was walking in the stream. There you could see a summer scene unfolding.

Summer scenes in a winter landscape
Reykjadalur Hot Springs – Iceland

The closer I got the more I saw of the scene. Two more people were bathing in the water. They were enjoying themselves, you could see they were hot…. The man was still walking there with the camera. It was the guide of this couple I later understood. Our guide spoke to him in Icelandic and he told us the water higher up was too hot for them.

Reykjadalur Hot spring in a winter wonderland

We did walk on first. I saw some wooden fences, these were placed in a cross so that you had four places where you could possibly stand out of the wind and change. I saw people’s clothes lying in the water near one of these fences. We stood at the last one, where the water was also the warmest.

One woman in our group soon had her shoes and trousers off and was standing in the hot water…. She soon noticed that the water was too hot for her. She stepped out of the water….on the cold, snowy ground and stepped back in. This repeated itself a few times until she walked downstream and was able to stand there.

A little further downstream, i.e. further away from the hot spring, the water of the stream is already a little more mixed with cold water to create a better temperature for bathing.

I was still standing there with my clothes on. Meanwhile, I had grabbed some food and was getting colder from standing still. By the time I finished my lunch, I had gotten really cold and couldn’t even imagine taking off my clothes anymore and stepping into the water in my underwear. Your brain has a hard time processing…believe it anyway… In the white landscape where you are standing, it is cold, stays cold and you prefer to keep your gloves and hat on.

I still couldn’t imagine it….

looking around me and only seeing snow

but taking a nice bath?

When some of our group were bathing in the water anyway and were visibly warm, I went to change too. I had already felt the water and yes….ergreatly warm! Like putting your hand into a bathtub in a bathroom. After changing I walked to the water in my winter coat. The little bit of wind there was made it quite cold and the jacket was still nice and warm.

Bathing in a Winter Landscape – Reykjaladur hot spring

But after some of our group got into the water and were enjoying themselfes I went to the wooden fence and started to undress. I knew the water was warm…I had put my finger in there to be sure ofcourse. It was as if putting your hand into a warm bath in your bathroom. After undressing I got my wintercoat back on against the cold wind and walked into the hot stream.

I did and I loved it! Reykjaladur Hot Springs – Iceland

Soon my feet were used to the hot water of the Reykjadalur hot springs. Then I took off my jacket and sat down. I threw some hot water over my body each time until I could have it and moved to a slightly deeper part. Reykjadalur’s hot spring is not deep but in some places you can go all the way under the water. How wonderful! I think we spent an hour bathing. I lay on my stomach for a while….what a surreal picture you have.

How surrealistic… I saw the hot stream….and on both sides white walls of snow. And where ever I looked I saw snow..

I think this is the biggest contradiction I have ever seen….and experienced!

Being in a snowy white landscape, in the cold…but getting out of your clothes and lay down in hot natural water!

When we finally walked back, after spending a few hours upstairs, it was already getting dark. It was around 4pm and in January you have about 8 hours of light a day. So we could already see the sun setting as we walked back to our bus.

I just had a great day!

Would you also like to do a beautiful hike with bathing in the Reykjaladur hot springs river in Iceland?

Or you like to take a nice walk and not go in the hot spring in Iceland? Or book a wonderful trip to a hot spring on the island.

There are many more of these amazing hot springs all over the island. The most famous one you probably know, Blue Lagoon! When I was in Iceland they were renovating there and I couldn’t visit that one…but I did visit another one: The Secret Lagoon. Also a great experience in the evening!

Bad photo but a super memory!

This hot spring was at Fludir, a town near the Golden Circle that everyone who visits the island naturally travels. I chose to take 2 days and took an overnight stay in this small town with a lovely visit in the evening to this Secret Lagoon.

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Want to read more about my Iceland adventures?

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My Roadtrip in Iceland

Adventurous Walk in Thingvelllir NP