Accommodation
Accommodation in single and double-unit cottages and in one triple-unit house. Rooms with a double bed, a bunk for one child and a shared bathroom, as well as double / twin or family rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Ideal for families or groups. Free WiFi in the common areas of the main building where you will also find the restaurant and reception area.
Board
The restaurant is in the main building, close to the cottages. Breakfast for guests is served in the main building. The restaurant is open in the evening from 1st of mai until 1st of november. In the winter period it is advised to book a table in advance. From 1st of june until 1st of september the restaurant is open from 13-16 in the daytime also. Delicious meals are served in a cosy dining room set in beautiful surroundings. The speciality of the house is our own delicious grilled free range lamb among other dishes mainly from the district. Our soups and cakes/desserts are all homemade.
Service and recreation
The area has many interesting hiking trails and opportunities for birdwatching. During summer, guided coach tours run daily from Kirkjubæjarklaustur to many of the best known and most interesting sites in the region. Some of these spectacular attractions include the Lakagígar craters, Eldgjá canyon, Skaftafell (a former national park in its own right, now part of Vatnajökull National Park) and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Golfers will enjoy the nine-hole golf course in Efri-Vík (10 km / 6 mi). The closest village with a geothermal swimming pool, supermarket and other services is Kirkjubæjarklaustur (7 km / 4 mi). Hunkubakkar runs a sheep farm alongside its tourism services.
Hiking trails around a beautiful and diverse region
Hunkubakkar sits on the banks of Skaftár river, 1 km / 0.62 mi from route no 1 (the ‘Ring Road’) in an area renowned for its natural beauty. Opposite the farm, on the southern banks of the river, is the eastern edge of the western section of the Skaftáreldahraun lava flow, which flowed from the infamous Skaftáreldar eruption in 1783. On the northern bank of the river are grassy slopes making way to heathlands and wilderness. There are countless fascinating hiking trails in the region, so everyone will be able to find something suitable for their level of experience. Just 1 km / 0.62 mi in from the farm is the road to the Lakagígar craters (4x4 vehicles only), and a short stretch east of the junction is the spectacular Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, a must-see for anyone visiting the area. Another enjoyable hike is the ‘austir brúnir’ trail to Kirkjubæjarklaustur. The Hunkubakkar staff are more than happy to help guests with directions and can point out hiking trails in the surroundings and beyond.
Lakagígar and Eldgjá
The best known natural attraction in the highlands above the farm is Lakagígar, a series of craters located 53 km / 33 mi from Hunkubakkar via the mountain road that you turn into 1 km / 0.62 mi in from the farm (4x4 vehicles only). Skaftáreldar volcano erupted in 1783, forming Europe’s largest lava flow from a single eruption in recorded history. The lava flow, known as Skaftáreldahraun, extends from Lakagígar along a 25 km / 15.5 mi long volcanic fissure. This enormous eruption started on June 8th, with the western stream of the lava flow stopping on the other side of Skaftár river, a little east of Hunkubakkar, on July 20th that summer. A short distance north of Lakagígar is another protected natural treasure, Eldgjá, a 70 km / 43 mi long volcanic fissure that last erupted in the year 934. Lakagígar and Eldgjá are both part of the vast Vatnajökull National Park. The national park staff in Kirkjubæjarklaustur can provide information about tours, driving considerations, access, and precautions to take when visiting this delicate environment. Guided coach tours run daily from Kirkjubæjarklaustur (drive by the farmyard at Hunkubakkar).
Vík í Mýrdal, Reynisfjara, Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón
Hunkubakkar is ideally situated for day-tours to several of the most interesting places in the south and southeastern parts of the country. Travelling westward, it’s about 70 km / 43 mi over the black sands of Mýrdalssandur to the village of Vík í Mýrdal, and from there it’s around 10 km / 6 mi to the unique and spectacular basalt columns at Reynisfjara beach. Travelling east will take you around the Síða area, over the eastern section of the Skaftáreldahraun lava flow, and then around the Skeiðarársandur desert to Skaftafell (78 km / 48 mi), which is part of the Vatnajökull National Park and one of the country’s most popular natural attractions. From Skaftafell it’s just 60 km / 37 mi to the famous Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon at Breiðamerkursandur.
Hosts: Pálmi Harðarson og Jakobina Flosadóttir