Iceland attractions

Grjótagjá

Grjótagjá is a small lava cave with a geothermal pool inside, a few kilometres east of Lake Mývatn in North Iceland, close to Hverfjall and the Mývatn Nature Baths. The cave sits along a fissure in the lava, and the water in the pool is a clear, strong blue. The cave has a long history as a bathing place. In the early 18th century the outlaw Jón Markússon is said to have lived here and bathed in the spring, and local people used it for bathing until the 1970s. During the Krafla eruptions between 1975 and 1984 the water temperature rose above 50°C, and it has remained too hot for safe bathing since; reports put it at around 45 to 50°C today. Grjótagjá gained international attention as a filming location for the third season of Game of Thrones, in the episode 'Kissed by Fire'. The cave belongs to the farm Vogar, and the landowners do not allow bathing; signs at the entrance make this clear. Visitors can climb down to look at the pool, which takes only a few minutes, but the rocks are uneven and can be slippery, so take care and do not touch or enter the water. Entry is free. Grjótagjá is reached by a short gravel road off Route 1 near Mývatn, with a small parking area a short walk from the cave. It can be visited all year, though the approach can be icy in winter. Combine it with Hverfjall, Námaskarð and the Mývatn Nature Baths, where bathing in geothermal water is permitted.

Raufarhólshellir

Raufarhólshellir, sold to visitors as The Lava Tunnel, is a lava tube in South Iceland about 30 minutes' drive from Reykjavík. It formed around 5,200 years ago in the Leitahraun eruption. The tunnel is 1,360 m long, up to 30 m wide and up to 10 m high. Inside, the walls and ceiling show the colours and textures left by the flowing lava. In winter, ice formations build up near the entrance, which gives the cave a different look from the summer months. The standard route follows a built footbridge, so you do not need to scramble over the rough cave floor, and helmets and lights are provided. The cave can only be visited on guided tours, which run every day from 09:00 to 17:00, all year. The Standard Lava Tunnel Tour lasts about one hour and costs 8,900 ISK; an evening version runs at the same price. A Standard Tour with transport from Reykjavík takes about three hours and costs 14,900 ISK. For more of a challenge, the Lava Falls Adventure Tour (3–4 hours, 27,900 ISK) goes deeper into the tube over rough ground and needs good fitness and balance. Book online in advance; check the operator's site for age limits and child prices. Because it is close to the capital and open all year, the tunnel suits a half-day trip from Reykjavík. The operator's office is at Klettagarðar 11 in Reykjavík, and bookings can also be made by phone. Dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes.

Gígjagjá

Gígjagjá, better known as the Yoda Cave, is a small cave in Hjörleifshöfði, a steep, isolated promontory standing on the black sand plain of Mýrdalssandur in South Iceland. It is about 15 km east of Vík and roughly 200 km from Reykjavík. The nickname comes from the shape of the cave mouth: seen from inside looking out, the opening forms a silhouette that resembles the head of Yoda from Star Wars. The cave is shallow and easy to walk into, with a high, arched entrance, so there is no need for a torch or caving gear. Most people come for the view out through the opening and for photographs, which work best with a person standing in the entrance against the bright sand outside. The promontory itself is worth time too: it was used as a filming location for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and a marked loop trail of about 3 km climbs to the top, taking two to three hours with views over Mýrdalssandur, the coast and Mýrdalsjökull. Hjörleifshöfði is named after Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson, the sworn brother of Ingólfur Arnarson, Iceland's first recorded settler. According to the sagas, Hjörleifur was killed here by his slaves soon after arriving, and a burial mound on the summit is traditionally said to be his grave. The turn-off is signposted south from the Ring Road a few kilometres east of Vík. A gravel track leads to two car parks, the first for the summit trail and the second for the cave; it is usually fine for ordinary cars in good weather, though it can be rough after heavy rain or snow. The land is privately run by Viking Park, and a parking fee is charged through the EasyPark app or a QR code on the signs. The site can be visited all year, but Mýrdalssandur is prone to strong winds and sandstorms, so check the forecast before going.

Vatnshellir Lava Cave

Vatnshellir is a lava tube on the southern side of Snæfellsjökull National Park, at the western tip of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The cave was formed about 8,000 years ago when molten lava drained out from beneath a cooled crust, leaving a hollow tunnel, and it is one of the easiest ways to see the inside of an Icelandic lava tube without specialist equipment. The cave can only be entered on a guided tour, run by Summit Adventure Guides. Tours last about 45 minutes and descend roughly 35 metres by two spiral staircases through a series of chambers, where the guide points out lava formations and the mineral colours on the walls and explains how the tube formed. Helmets and torches are provided. The cave is cold all year and the floor is uneven and can be wet, so bring warm layers, gloves and sturdy footwear. Participants need to be able to walk unaided on rough ground and manage the staircases, and children under five are not allowed. Tours run year-round, with departure times adjusted to the season; book online and arrive at least 10 minutes before your slot to check in. Prices are ISK 5,900 for adults, ISK 4,600 for students and those aged 65 and over, ISK 2,600 for teenagers aged 12–17, and free for children aged 5–11, with a discount on early departures. There are no toilets at the cave; the nearest are at the Malarrif visitor centre, about three minutes' drive away. Vatnshellir is close to other sights on the peninsula's southern coast, including the Lóndrangar sea stacks and Djúpalónssandur beach, so it fits easily into a day on Snæfellsnes.

The Cave Vidgelmir

Víðgelmir is a lava tube in the Hallmundarhraun lava field in Borgarfjörður, West Iceland, on the land of the farm Fljótstunga near Reykholt. The operator describes it as Iceland's largest lava cave, with a volume of about 148,000 cubic metres, and the tunnel runs for just under 1,600 metres. It formed when the surface of a lava flow cooled and hardened while molten rock kept draining through beneath, leaving a hollow tube; the operator dates the lava formations inside to about 1,100 years ago. The cave has been a protected site since 1993. The cave can only be entered on a guided tour. The standard Cave Explorer tour lasts about 1.5 hours and is rated easy: wooden platforms, stairs and railings lead from chamber to chamber, and helmets with headlamps are included. Inside you see colourful vaulted ceilings and lava formations, and in the colder months seasonal ice formations. Tours run all year. Adult prices published by sellers range from about 7,500 to 9,000 ISK depending on where you book, with reduced prices for children, so check the current rate when booking. Families with young children can join, but children under 6 may have to turn back before the final stop for safety reasons. Arrive 10 to 15 minutes before your departure time. It stays cold inside the cave year-round, so bring a warm jacket, sweater, hat and gloves, plus sturdy shoes. The cave is about 15 minutes' drive from Húsafell, and a visit pairs well with Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls, Deildartunguhver hot spring and the nearby Surtshellir cave in the same lava field. Several West Iceland and Snæfellsnes tours include Víðgelmir, which makes it an option for travellers without a car.

Thríhnúkagígur Volcano

Þríhnúkagígur (Thríhnúkagígur) is a dormant volcano in the Bláfjöll country park, about 30 minutes' drive south-east of Reykjavík. Its name means crater of the three peaks. It last erupted more than 4,000 years ago, and after the eruption the magma drained away from the conduit instead of solidifying, leaving an open, bottle-shaped chamber beneath a small opening in the crater. It is the only place where visitors can be lowered into a volcanic magma chamber of this kind. Access is only on the guided Inside the Volcano tour. The day starts with a guided hike of about 3.2 km each way across moss-covered lava from the car park to a base camp beside the crater. From there, small groups wearing helmets and harnesses are lowered around 120 metres in an open cable lift to the floor of the chamber. You then have roughly 30 to 45 minutes to walk around with a guide and look at the walls, which are streaked red, yellow and black by minerals and oxidation. Back at base camp, lamb soup, with vegetarian options, and hot drinks are served. The tour runs only in the snow-free season, roughly from mid-May to late October, and has limited places, so book ahead. It is one of the more expensive tours in Iceland; check the operator for current prices. There is a child rate for ages 8 to 12, and participants need to be fit enough for the hike, which takes around 45 minutes each way on uneven ground. You can drive yourself to the meeting point in Bláfjöll or book a pick-up from Reykjavík. Wear hiking boots, warm layers and waterproofs; it is cool inside the chamber and the weather on the lava can change quickly. The tour pairs well with other volcanic sights near the capital, such as the Raufarhólshellir lava tube, the Geothermal Exhibition at Hellisheiði power plant, and the lava fields at Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes peninsula.

Loftsalahellir Cave

Loftsalahellir is a small cave on the south-western side of Geitafjall, a hill near Dyrhólaey on Iceland's south coast, a short distance west of Vík í Mýrdal. It covers only a few dozen square metres, but its moss-lined walls and triangular mouth frame a view over the Dyrhólaey peninsula and Reynisfjara black sand beach, which has made it a favourite with photographers. The cave has a place in local history. Farmers of the Mýrdalur district once used it as their assembly place, meeting here to settle local matters. Nearby is a rock called Gálgaklettur, the 'gallows rock', a reminder that the area also served as a place of execution. To get there, turn off Route 1 onto road 218 towards Dyrhólaey. About 2.5 km after the junction there is a tiny car park on the left, and from there a path crosses a meadow and climbs to the cave mouth in under five minutes. The path can be muddy, so wear suitable shoes. There is no entrance fee listed and no facilities at the site. The cave can be visited all year, although the short climb can be slippery in winter. Evening light is especially good for photographs, and in summer the surrounding meadows have plenty of birdlife, including Arctic terns and oystercatchers. It takes only a few minutes to see, so it is best combined with Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara and Vík in the same outing.

Surtshellir

Surtshellir is a lava tube in the Hallmundarhraun lava field in West Iceland, around 60 km from Borgarnes and inland from the Húsafell area. It is almost 2 km long, and together with the neighbouring Stefánshellir it forms a cave system of about 3.5 km, the longest lava cave in Iceland. The lava field itself came from a large eruption near Langjökull around AD 900 that buried some 240 square kilometres of land. The cave is named after Surtr, the fire giant of Norse mythology. It has been known for centuries: Eggert Ólafsson documented it in detail on his travels in 1750, and it is often described as one of the first lava tubes studied by modern cave scientists. Excavations in 2001, 2012 and 2013 found evidence of Viking Age ritual activity inside the cave in the decades before Iceland converted to Christianity around AD 1000. Inside, the main tunnel reaches around 10 metres high and 15 metres wide, with walls of glazed lava and layered basalt. The westernmost section, called Íshellir (the Ice Cave), has a lower ceiling and permanent ice, with ice formations on the floor and walls. Unlike the nearby Víðgelmir, which is visited on guided tours, Surtshellir is unmanaged and free to enter, with no lighting or walkways. The floor is a jumble of rough, loose rock and ice, so bring a helmet, strong boots, warm clothing and more than one light, and do not go in alone. Access is via the F578 mountain road towards Arnarvatnsheiði, which is closed in winter, so it is only realistic to visit in summer.

Breiðamerkurjökull

Breiðamerkurjökull is an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull in Southeast Iceland, flowing down from the ice cap onto the Breiðamerkursandur plain inside Vatnajökull National Park. Its tongue ends in Jökulsárlón, and the icebergs that drift through the lagoon and wash up on the Diamond Beach break off from this glacier. Breiðárlón is another lagoon at its edge. The glacier has been retreating for about a century. It began pulling back from the Atlantic coast in the 1920s, and Jökulsárlón started to form around 1935 as meltwater filled the space the ice left behind. Satellite images show its edge moving back by roughly 6 km between 1990 and 2025, and the lagoon keeps growing as seawater flowing in speeds up melting and calving. Breiðamerkurjökull is one of the main places for ice cave tours in Iceland. The caves change from year to year, and they can only be visited with a licensed guide, who provides the required safety equipment. After an ice collapse in a cave on the glacier killed a visitor in August 2024, Vatnajökull National Park tightened its rules: ice caves are now closed from May to September, so the ice cave season runs from October to April. Licensed operators must assess each cave daily and avoid any that are judged unsafe, and each guide may lead only a limited group. Glacier hikes on the ice also require a guide. Many tours start from Jökulsárlón on the Ring Road, which is also the easiest place to see the glacier without going onto the ice. Tours can change or be cancelled when weather or cave conditions are poor. The Diamond Beach and Fjallsárlón lagoon are close by, and Skaftafell is within easy reach to the west.