10 Best Volcano Tours from Reykjavik

If there is one interesting thing to see and do during your visit to Reykjavik, it is exploring the volcanic areas. Many tours take you on these volcanic routes where you can learn about the geological behaviour of this country.

Although it is not possible to visit all the volcanoes in Iceland, you can see a few. I will show you some of the best tours that depart from the Icelandic capital to visit the volcanic areas.

Fagradalsfjall is an active volcano that erupted in 2021 and had not expelled any more magma since September until 3 August 2022, when it erupted again. So the landscape is still considerably altered since this event. On this aerial experience, you will have the opportunity to see the eruption up close, the path of the lava and how the landscape has been transformed after the event.

This 40-60 minute flight is definitely one of the best helicopter tours in Reykjavik that you can experience during your visit. You will need to bring a waterproof jacket, warm and thermal clothing, water and a camera.

Details of interest

• Price: from £342 per person. Children pay approximately £257.
• Duration: between 45 and 60 minutes.
• Transport: the flight departs from Reykjavik Domestic Airport. You must make your own way to the airport using a hire car or public transport.

If, instead of flying over the area, you prefer to go on foot and explore the site of the volcanic eruption, this excursion is for you. It is a tour with a professional guide who will take you on a walk through some of the places that were hit by lava from Fagradalsfjall when it erupted.

The lava flow has created new landscapes that are well worth admiring, and on this walking tour you will have the opportunity to see up close how the volcano has left behind new natural spectacles to admire. In four to seven hours, you will not only discover the volcano but also everything around it, and you will see breathtaking landscapes on the way to your destination.

Details of interest

• Price: from £280 per person.
• Duration: 4 to 7 hours depending on the departure point.
• Transport: minibus from Reykjavik and walking once at the site.

During this tour, you will see much more than just the volcano and its surroundings. The trip will take you directly to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, where you will see breathtaking landscapes typical of Iceland's geography. Here you will discover one of Iceland's most famous mountains, as well as a picturesque fishing village and rock formations that are well worth seeing.

The tour will also take you to Snaefellsjökull National Park, where you can see the volcano and some of Iceland's best glaciers, all in one landscape. This volcano is one of the most famous on the island because it appears in Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

Interesting details

• Price: from £128 per person.
• Duration: full-day tour or approximately 10 hours.
• Transport: well-equipped bus for the round trip.

Also on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the Geldeingadalsgós volcano erupted last March, so it is possible to visit it to see how the landscape has been affected by this event.

This is considered an extreme adventure, although the site is quite safe for the public. To get there, you need to walk along several trails on the southern coast of the peninsula. Although the site is open to the public, the tour may be cancelled due to bad weather.

Details of interest

• Price: from £216 per person.
• Duration: around nine hours, or a full day.
• Transport: transport from Reykjavik to the volcanic area and back, as well as during the tour, is included in the price and is provided by minibus.

On this 10-hour or full-day excursion to the south coast from Reykjavik, you will see breathtaking and imposing landscapes. Among so many natural wonders, you will see the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which erupted in 2010.

In addition to the impressive views of this volcano from Skógafoss waterfall, one of the best waterfalls you can visit in Iceland, you will also visit other interesting attractions in the volcanic area, such as the Solheimajokull glacier, which is connected to a larger glacier called Mýrdalsjökull.

Interesting details

• Price: from £98 per person.
• Duration: approximately 10 hours or a full day.
• Transport: fully equipped minibus from your hotel, throughout the tour and back.

This is not only an adventurous and extreme experience, but also a historical one. This is because, aboard an ATV, you will be able to see different sites of historical importance on one of the Westman Islands. During the volcanic tour, you will have the opportunity to see the Eldfell volcano up close.

This volcano erupted in 1973 and destroyed everything in its path. However, the islanders faced the volcano and extinguished it with litres and litres of seawater. During this tour, you will be able to drive around the solidified lava and see how the landscape of this place has changed since that eruption.

Interesting details

• Price: from £85 per person.
• Duration: approximately one hour from arrival at the Westman Islands.
• Transportation: you must arrive on your own by ferry from Reykjavik to the Westman Islands and then walk a few streets to the meeting point specified at the time of booking. The tour is then conducted by ATV.

Thrihnukagigur volcano is one of the most impressive and interesting volcanoes not only in Iceland, but in the world. This is because it holds the title of being the only volcano that can be explored from the inside. During this tour, you will be able to see it from the inside and climb it.

The last eruption of this volcano was 4,000 years ago and it is considered a safe place to visit inside and descend into the crater. You can visit this inactive volcano on this experience, which lasts 5 to 6 hours, during which you will also be able to see the lava fields up close.

Details of interest

• Price: from £28 per person.
• Duration: approximately 5 to 6 hours including transfer from the hotel and return.
• Transport: fully equipped bus from hotel pick-up, during the trip to the volcano and back to the hotel. The climb and tour inside the volcano are done on foot.

You will need between 12 and 14 hours to visit the Bardarbunga and Askja volcanoes on this complete and extreme adventure excursion aboard a super jeep. This experience will take you to the Holuhraun volcano, which erupted in 2014 and left lava fields and a completely new landscape in its surroundings. This is an adventure to be enjoyed only in the summer season.

You will also see the craters and lunar landscape left behind by the many volcanic eruptions in the area. Your guide will tell you one of the most interesting facts about this area: it was here that astronauts trained to travel to the moon for the first time.

Interesting details

• Price: from £252 per adult, with children paying half price.
• Duration: full day, approximately 12 to 14 hours.
• Transport: you must make your own way to the information centre in Reykjahlid, from where you will depart by jeep to the volcanic area.

This plane tour is one of my favourite experiences because it gives you the opportunity to see the entire snow-covered landscape in the Grímsvötn eruption area from above. This is a basalt volcano that erupts frequently, making it one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland.

It is mostly covered by layers of ice, forming ice caves that you can also visit from Reykjavik. When it erupts, it creates a glacial flood phenomenon when the lava comes into contact with the ice.

Interesting details

• Price: from £300 per adult, while children can pay approximately £225 each.
• Duration: approximately 45-minute flight.
• Transport: To begin the experience, you must make your own way to the meeting point established at the time of booking. You can use a hired car or public transport. Once on board, the tour is conducted by plane.

Black sand deserts, geothermal areas, waterfalls, and a handful of other breathtaking landscapes that only Iceland can offer are just part of what this experience has in store for you. The tour will take you directly to one of Iceland's most voracious volcanoes, Hekla, which is also nicknamed "The Gateway to Hell".

For approximately 7 hours, you will have the opportunity to discover everything this volcano has to offer its visitors. It is one of the tourist adventures you won't want to miss in Iceland, and you can do it at almost any time of year, without having to wait for the best time to visit Reykjavik to take this tour.

The trip is made in a super jeep departing from the south coast, however, you can change the pick-up point at an additional cost to see the volcanic landscape and some of the lagoons from Reykjavik.

Details of interest

• Price: you can find this excursion for approximately £10 per person.
• Duration: around 7 hours.
• Means of transport: Super Jeep throughout the trip. If you choose hotel pick-up, you will board a minibus with all amenities.

• Regardless of the time of year you go on any of the excursions, always wear comfortable, warm clothing, hiking boots and sunglasses. It is also important to bring waterproof jackets.
• If you are travelling with children, first check the minimum age requirement for children to participate in the experience.
• Make your reservations well in advance , as demand often exceeds supply.
• If you are pregnant or have back problems, you should consult your doctor before participating in any of these experiences.

Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice, and one of the reasons is the high level of seismic and volcanic activity on the island. You definitely can't leave Iceland without first seeing most of the volcanoes in the area, both active and inactive.

I recommend this type of excursion if you are an adventure lover and enjoy pushing your limits. These visits to Iceland's volcanoes will remind you of the power of nature and give you an idea of how spectacular the geography of this country can be.