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Travel to Hlidarfjall with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Situated between 500 and 1,000m above sea level, seven kilometres from the Icelandic city of Akureyri, Hlidarfjall is one of the country’s top ski resorts, boasting excellent pistes for beginner to upper intermediate level skiers, cross-country trails and off-piste skiing. Night-time skiing on illuminated pistes is also on offer.

The resort base, located at 500m, has only the most necessary facilities of a single ski lodge (the Stryta lodge), toilets, shops and a cafeteria. However, the city of Akureyri offers a multitude of visitor services, shops, accommodation options and recreational opportunities.

Hlidarfjall is a small, personal resort, with only 12kms of groomed pistes, the longest being 2.5kms. The resort caters mainly for lower level skiers, with only green and blue pistes on offer. There are four ski lifts in Hlidarfjall, able to transport 2,000 skiers per hour. Additionally, the resort encompasses five kilometres of illuminated cross-country tracks, and snowboarders have access to a terrain park with jumps, slides and tables.

Between Hlidarfjall and Akureyri, there are a multitude of alternative winter activities on offer. Visitors have access to a superb ice-skating rink and swimming pools heated by geothermal activity. Sports and leisure activities are also available, including a number of fitness centres.

Hlidarfjall’s ski season runs from mid-December to the end of April, with optimal snow from February to March, and cheaper rates offered at the beginning of the season, in selected weeks in January, and towards the season’s close. The easiest way of accessing the resort is to take a flight to Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, then a domestic flight to Akureyri, and the Skibus to Hlidarfjall.

Skiing in Hlidarfjall

The skiing in Hlidarfjall is limited to 12kms of manicured pistes catering for beginners and intermediates; the longest run is 2.5kms. A system of four lifts – one modern quad chair and three surface lifts – is able to provide transport for up to 2,000 skiers hourly.

Additionally, there is a snowboarding terrain park with jumps, slides and tables, and five kilometres of groomed cross-country trails. Night skiing on illuminated pistes is also offered in Hlidarfjall.

Besides skiing, Hlidarfjall and Akureyri present opportunities for numerous sports and leisure activities, with an excellent ice-skating rink, geo-thermally heated swimming pools, several fitness suites and numerous sightseeing excursions. Après-ski activities are diverse, with a theatre, a symphony orchestra, cafés, restaurants, discos and bars all on offer.

Skiing in Hlidarfjall is offered from mid-December to the end of April. Low season rates apply at the start of the season, in January, and towards the end of the season, and best snow conditions can be enjoyed from February to March. The resort can be accessed by road, or by flying to Reykjavik and then Akureyri, and taking the Skibus to the resort.

Après-ski in Hlidarfjall

Akureyri offers a wide range of entertainment possibilities, with a theatre, a symphony orchestra, art museums, and a wide range of shops. Nightlife is lively, with a profusion of restaurants, cafés, bars and discos in the town.

If you wish to stay in Hlidarfjall, the only option is Stryta Lodge, with 100 beds, 70 of which are in a communal sleeping area. There are far more options in Akureyri, in several hotels and guesthouses.

The forested area of Kjarnaskögur, within the town limits, presents several scenic hiking and cross-country skiing trails. The Botanical Garden – the farthest north of its kind – is also a popular sightseeing option. Eyjafjordur is one of Iceland’s major tourist attractions, with a plethora of fantastic hiking paths and horseback riding trails.

Transportation in Hlidarfjall

Hlidarfjall ski resort is situated in the northern reaches of Iceland, seven kilometres from the city of Akureyri. It can be accessed by road (either by bus or self-drive), or by flying into Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, and then taking a connecting flight to Akureyri. The easiest route is to choose the latter option, then take the Skibus from Akureyri to the resort.

You can transport your vehicle to Iceland by taking a car ferry to the Shetland Islands, and then the Smyril Line to Iceland. Driving from Reykjavik to Akureyri involves taking Iceland’s main highway, the Hringbraut (ring road), route 1. The distance between the two cities is 400kms along the coast via Borgarnes, Laugarbakki and Varmahlíð. The journey takes six hours or longer, depending on road and snow conditions.

If you choose air transportation to Iceland, you will need to fly into the capital city of Iceland, Reykjavik, which contains the closest airport to Hlidarfjall that receives international flights. From Reykjavik, domestic flights are available to Akureyri, and a Skibus runs between the airport and the ski resort three times daily.

Alternatively, you could take a bus between the two cities, or hire a car from Reykjavik Airport and drive the rest of the way to the resort. Direct flights to Akureyri are also available from Copenhagen.

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