Dreki Mountain Hut

Overview

About Dreki Mountain Hut

Dreki Mountain Hut sits at the mouth of Drekagil in the Dyngjufjöll mountains, a practical, no-frills base camp for exploring the Askja caldera just 9 km away by road. This is true Highlands country—barren volcanic deserts, pumice plains, and cratered ridgelines with occasional glacier views. The draw here is geology and solitude, not amenities.

Why stop

Prime base for Askja and Víti hikes with trails from the hut
Simple, well-equipped huts plus summer toilets, water and paid showers
Adjacent campground and staffed summer season with wardens on site

Heads up

Remote 4x4-only access via F-roads; no nearby services
Bring all food and a sleeping bag; no linens or meals provided
Rocky, exposed tent sites with dust and no indoor cooking

Map

Where it is

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Full map

LodgingDreki Mountain Hut65.04203, -16.59526

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Dreki Mountain Hut

Bring a sleeping bag, pillow, and all your food; there’s no supermarket nearby.
Check opening dates and F-road status; a high-clearance 4x4 is required.
Arrive early if camping—tent spots are rocky, exposed, and unsheltered.
Showers are summer-only and typically paid; don’t rely on hot water.
Common rooms may close in the evening and cooking inside can be restricted.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Summer only, when the F-roads are open—typically late June to mid-September. Arrive earlier in the day if you plan to camp, and build weather and road flexibility into your plan. Even in peak season this area sees far fewer people than the park’s lowland highlights.

Facilities

Two huts sleep about 55 people in sleeping-bag accommodation only. Inside you’ll find kerosene heat, gas stoves for cooking, and basic kitchenware (plates, cups, cutlery, pots, pans). A sanitary house offers multiple toilets and, in the staffed summer season, showers (typically paid). Water is available on site. There’s an adjacent campground (first come, first served). Note that cooking inside common rooms may be restricted and common areas can close in the evening.

1 active Vatnajökull alert

ClosureFosshvammur permanently closed at DettifossFosshvammur at Dettifoss is permanently closed to all traffic; do not enter.Official details

Vatnajökull alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Vatnajökull Tour Guide

Your drive to Dreki Mountain Hut, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Vatnajökull National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

Recorded for this place

Dreki Huts: Basecamp for Askja

Listen

“Coming up is Dreki, the main basecamp for exploring the massive Askja caldera. This whole area is named for Drekagil, which means 'Dragon's Gully,' a stark canyon right by the camp.”

Plays as you drive up to Dreki Mountain Hut in the Parkwolf Vatnajökull Tour Guide.

More about Dreki Mountain Hut

What to BringSelf-sufficiency is the rule.

Self-sufficiency is the rule. Bring a sleeping bag and pillow, all of your food, and robust layers for Highland weather. There are no services nearby—the nearest supermarket is by Lake Mývatn. While some visitors report limited snacks and drinks for sale on site in season, don’t count on it for meals.

Getting ThereAccess is via Highland F-roads (F88 or F910).

Access is via Highland F-roads (F88 or F910). A proper 4x4 with high clearance is required, and river fords and rough gravel are possible. Always check current road and weather conditions before you go. The huts sit around 780 m elevation and generally operate roughly from late June (around the 20th) to mid-September, depending on conditions.

Trails and NearbyFrom Dreki, a marked trail heads west across the Dyngjufjöll massif into the Askja caldera and…

From Dreki, a marked trail heads west across the Dyngjufjöll massif into the Askja caldera and another runs north to Bræðrafell hut. Askja’s colorful caldera walls frame a striking lake, and the younger Víti crater holds a milky geothermal pool. Wider explorations in this region include Holuhraun, Kverkfjöll, and Herðubreiðarlindir—names that hint at how raw and volcanic this landscape feels.

What It’s LikeCompared to the park’s coast-hugging hotspots, the Highlands feel empty fast.

Compared to the park’s coast-hugging hotspots, the Highlands feel empty fast. Expect few amenities, big skies, and a lot of black sand and lava. Wildlife is sparse at altitude; the star is the terrain itself—classic Icelandic fire-and-ice country. Campers should expect rocky, exposed ground and dust, with limited shelter from wind.

Need-to-KnowCamping is first come, first served; huts require advance booking through the operator.

Camping is first come, first served; huts require advance booking through the operator.
Facilities (including showers) depend on wardens being on site during the summer season.
Carry extra fuel and supplies before leaving the lowlands; there are no services in the Highlands.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Vatnajökull

All Vatnajökull wildlife maps

22 sightingsGrey SealMost seen around 5 AMSighting map

258 sightingsHarbor SealMost seen around 11 AMSighting map

184 sightingsCaribouMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

62 sightingsArctic FoxMost seen around 8 PMSighting map

168 sightingsWhooper SwanMost seen around 5 PMSighting map

68 sightingsAtlantic PuffinMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Vatnajökull. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.