Asbyrgi (Shelter of the Gods)
Asbyrgi (Shelter of the Gods)
4.5
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4.5
209 reviews
Excellent
109
Very good
69
Average
24
Poor
5
Terrible
2
Ian H
41 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Loved it here. We went in early May so there was hardly anyone around. The lake at the southern tip was still frozen with snowy paths close by. We hiked the central ridge and had a picnic at the tip. This took a couple of hours in total. The hike around the edge is for next time and we understand that takes 3-4 hours. The visitor centre is pretty good also. The drive to it from Husavik is beautiful too.
Written 19 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dennis E
Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands234 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
I loved the area. The enormous rock walls are really impressive and the area has a Magical vibe going on. When we were there it was really quiet and we had all the nice spots (the small forest, the small pond and the small Lake) to ourselves. The area is easily accessible and Therese a toilet at the parking.
Written 3 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
R K
60 contributions
July 2023 • Couples
We were there with bad weather and not fit enough to take the long hike up the mountain to have a view from above. From the free parking lot it is hardly noticeable what you are exactly looking at. Not really worth the while unless, perhaps, if you are capable of a long hike. There is a small visitor centre which was not that impressive.
Written 3 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Davidjellis
Lowestoft, UK9,473 contributions
Aug 2024 • Solo
I visited Asbyrgi as part of a cruise ship excursion from Akureyri and really enjoyed our short stop here. We parked near the visitors centre and toilets and our group took the path down to the pond (known locally as Botnstjörn). It was an easy stroll, although there were some steps to navigate along the path. The water was so clear and the horse-shoe shaped cliffs tower all around you. It was really beautiful.
Before leaving the pond and heading back to the bus I took the path to the right of the pond which led to a viewing platform that looks down over the pond, which was well worth checking out for the scenic overlook. If in the area it's worth making a diversion to Asbyrgi (and the toilets are free).
Before leaving the pond and heading back to the bus I took the path to the right of the pond which led to a viewing platform that looks down over the pond, which was well worth checking out for the scenic overlook. If in the area it's worth making a diversion to Asbyrgi (and the toilets are free).
Written 26 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert L
Amherst, MA1,616 contributions
June 2021 • Couples
I recommend driving in as far as possible, to the parking lot. You can see the horseshoe shaped canyon from there. Good spot for hiking but this is the law of diminishing returns as the effort does NOT reward increasing views.
Written 28 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RaczDavidBarbi
Debrecen, Hungary82 contributions
Sept 2022
Tripadviser marks it in the wrong place. We saw it after Dettifoss, approaching via road 862. You can go into the canyon with car and then in the middle, there is a parking lot. It's a very cozy place, you can take a nice walk here.
Written 29 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robyn J
Ipswich, Australia110 contributions
Aug 2018
After the deafening roar of Dettifoss it was lovely to walk into Asbyrgi canyon where it was very peaceful and quiet. It is an amazing horseshoe shaped canyon with 90m cliffs and a pool at the bottom. The pool is very still and with the green vegetation it is hard to distinguish the edges of the pool. Very pretty. There is a viewing platform and benches to sit and contemplate. There is also a cliff top walk.
Written 24 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patrik Oskar G
149 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
Free parking at the end of the road with toilets is an advantage. There are many path routes and the whole area with the lake, trees and amazing canyon walls is quiet amazing. Still not crowded. I have enjoyed my time there. I would like to have opportunity to look on ther canyon from above, so some kind of view platform would be great. Time to spend: 45-60 min or more if you want to hike around
Written 3 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RL K
Great Malvern, UK308 contributions
Aug 2018 • Solo
This is an extraordinary place. There is a car park and path, but wear boots. The path Leeds to a delightful pond with towering 90 m high cliffs above. If geology interests you, this is for you. In any event, this is a lovely place to explore. It is thought that this canyon was created by huge flows of water from volcanically induced flash floods. It must have been a huge waterfall! Mind blowing. It looks like the gorge was produced by an earthquake, but who knows. Legend talk of hoofprints of the Gods.
Written 6 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
davidwellings
Stourbridge, UK42 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
You need to mean to go here to the Asbyrgi gorge - North in Iceland and east of Akureyri and Husavik - if you have driven, you will buy now be used to the roads, though, to be fair, some of these are very good indeed!
You get a sense of the landscape to come as you approach, as the vertical cliff rock formations appear well before you get to your destination. The road takes you in past a tall tower of rock, Eyjan (island), which towers above the green fields of grass and shrub all around. Ultimately you enter into a small birch wood, typically of Icelandic woodland. It is silent and idyllic. A smallish car park and visitor centre (closed when we were there!) lead to a variety of pathways, through the trees, ultimately to a curved lake at the foot of the sheer cliffs, which close off the head of the gorge.
It is a magical if not spiritual place to be - Icelanders hold family picnics and concerts, where the acoustics give an ethereal atmosphere. The Icelandic group Sigur Ros performed here for part of their film Heima (YouTube!)
All I can say is that it's fully worth the trek, you won't regret it! Go!
You get a sense of the landscape to come as you approach, as the vertical cliff rock formations appear well before you get to your destination. The road takes you in past a tall tower of rock, Eyjan (island), which towers above the green fields of grass and shrub all around. Ultimately you enter into a small birch wood, typically of Icelandic woodland. It is silent and idyllic. A smallish car park and visitor centre (closed when we were there!) lead to a variety of pathways, through the trees, ultimately to a curved lake at the foot of the sheer cliffs, which close off the head of the gorge.
It is a magical if not spiritual place to be - Icelanders hold family picnics and concerts, where the acoustics give an ethereal atmosphere. The Icelandic group Sigur Ros performed here for part of their film Heima (YouTube!)
All I can say is that it's fully worth the trek, you won't regret it! Go!
Written 27 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, We are planning to visit Asbyrgi on early november, but we don't know if the weather and snow are still worth a visit. Or should be better go to other places?
Written 18 October 2019
Looking over the horseshoe top of the cliff - Best navigation directions to get closest with a car? How long does it then take to walk to that magnificent point from the car and what level difficulty is it?
Written 11 January 2018
Not sure which of the points you mean, but all the trails to the view points start right at the entrance to the canyon, around the parking lot. The one to the top of the inner cliff would about 40 min hike one way and the hike is relatively easy.
the hike on the outer rocks (surrouning canyon) would take much more time - reserve at least 3 hours to enjoy the nature and views. though cannot tell about the difficulty as we did not take it.
If I remeber correctly, there is a trials map at the parking lot with all info (time, difficulty etc), so it would be easy to decide on the spot.
enjoy it.
Written 12 January 2018
Looking over the horseshoe top of the cliff - Best navigation directions to get closest with a car? How long does it then take to walk to that magnificent point from the car and what level difficulty is it?
Written 11 January 2018
Visitamos Islandia a primeros de noviembre, y no sé si esta zona sera accessible en esas fechas.
Written 27 May 2017
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