Oxi Pass

Route 939, the steep gravel Oxi Pass over the Oxi heath, a white-knuckle shortcut across the mountains in east Iceland.

Oxi Pass, Route 939 or Axarvegur, is a narrow unpaved mountain road that cuts across the highlands between the head of Berufjordur and the Skriddalur valley near Egilsstadir, slicing the coastal Ring Road distance roughly in half. It is a dramatic gravel pass climbing to around 530 metres with gradients reaching close to 20 percent, blind crests and sheer drops, and it rewards the brave with vast, empty highland views. A 4x4 is not strictly required but the surface is potholed, the edges are unguarded and the road is open only in summer, closing entirely in winter. Mind the steep loose gravel gradients, unguarded drops on blind bends, and the summer-only seasonal closure.