Day Tour Inside the Volcano
The dormant Þríhnúkagígur volcano is a unique natural phenomenon. By setting up the necessary gear and equipment, we’ve created a tour that opens the door to a new world.
Daily Itinerary
Þríhnúkagígur volcano is dormant – it last erupted over 4,000 years ago. There are no indications of it erupting again in the near future. The volcano’s name, mostly unpronounceable for anyone other than locals, would be directly translated as ‘Three Peaks Crater’. The name comes from Árni B. Stefánsson, who was the first to explore the vault and who has pleaded the case for making it accessible for years. The three craters (one of which you will be descending into) are prominent landmarks, standing against the sky on the highland edge, about 20 km (13 miles) southeast of the capital area, within the protected area of Bláfjöll Country Park.
To be able to experience this wonder, all you need is the willingness to do a moderate 45–50 minute hike (to get to the crater) and the guts to descend 120 meters/400 feet to the bottom of the crater in an open cable lift. The hike to the volcano is an integral part of the tour.
Dates & prices
Departures: from middle of May to October
Tour Duration:
5-6 hours (about 40 minutes inside the volcano)
Price per person: ISK. 47.000 , 8 years old and above
Youth per person (8-12 years old) : ISK.23.500
Price included:
- Pick-up at your hotel in Reykjavík.
- All safety gear, helmets, harnesses, etc.
- Small groups, plenty of guides = personal experience.
- Volcano tour of a lifetime.
- Traditional Icelandic meat soup, coffee/tea and perhaps some sweets as well. We also serve vegetarian soup.
- Transfer back to your hotel in Reykjavík.
Good to know
- Fitness level needed: Moderate (the level of difficulty is 2 out of 5). No knowledge of hiking or climbing is required. It’s not a steep uphill walk, but the surface is uneven in places. The last 10 minutes of the hike are the more challenging, with an elevation of around 50 m/150 ft. This is NOT a tour for those in limited physical shape.
- Distance walked: Approximately 3.5 km (2 miles) each way. The walk usually takes around 45–50 minutes (depending on the condition of people in the group). A guide will be with you at all times during the walk.
- If you select self-driving or take a private transfer when booking the tour, here is a link with some practical information on how to get there: https://insidethevolcano.com/the-tour/how-to-get-there/ We urge you to study the directions carefully and not rely solely on the GPS coordinates. We recommend that you arrive at the meeting point 20 minutes past the scheduled departure time. The departure time shown in the voucher is the time when the bus takes off from Reykjavik.
What to bring:
- Good shoes – We recommend wearing hiking boots on the tour since the trail is rocky and can get wet and muddy on a rainy day.
- Outdoor clothing. The weather in the mountains can be very different from the conditions in the city. It’s important for guests to realize that the weather is very unpredictable, and you should definitely bring warm, rainproof clothes with you, even if the weather in Reykjavík is nice and the forecast looks good. Not least because it’s always the same temperature inside the crater – about 3°C (37°F). That’s cold!
- A camera. You will want to remember this trip. Yes, you can take as many pictures as you want!
- A good spirit. This tour is all about having fun.
