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Go on a journey to the center of the earth, on this lava caving trip inside Thrihnukagigur volcano, a breathtaking and truly unique experience! This tour literally takes you inside a dormant volcano, through the top crater and to the bottom of its magma chamber that once was filled with red-hot molten lava.
This tour will begin when you are picked up from your hotel in Reykjavík and taken to the Bláfjöll Country Park, which sits just on the outskirts of the capital area. From here, it is just a two-mile easy hike to Thrihnukagigur volcano, where you will descend into the magma chamber of the volcano. At the base camp, your group will be split into smaller parties of 6–7 people.
After being equipped with the necessary safety equipment, you will enter the lift’s basket and begin your descent. Nowhere else in the world can you enter a magma chamber this way. This exciting lift journey toward the center of the earth covers 120 meters and takes about 6-7 minutes.
During your slow descent, the beauty of the magma chamber will become instantly apparent. Intense heat and pressure from Thrihnukagigur’s most recent eruption gave the rocks an incredible texture and coloration. Expect to see smooth walls and bizarre formations in many colors: yellows, blues, reds, oranges, and violets. So vibrant that it’s hard to believe that they could be natural.
It is not just the beauty of the space that will amaze you; it is also the size of it. To give some perspective on the size of the magma chamber, enormous monuments such as Reykjavík’s iconic Hallgrímskirkja church or the Statue of Liberty could easily fit inside it.
Once your descent down the chamber is complete, your guide will let you out of the elevator, and you can explore the volcano. You will spend about 30-40 minutes on the ground of the volcano, during which time you can take as many photos as you want. Your guides will be with you at all times, in the cable lift and on the ground in the chamber.
After your exploration, you will return to the elevator and ascend into the bright, open world. Once you reach the surface, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Icelandic meat soup or vegetable soup and hot coffee/tea/chocolate.
Finally, you will walk back over the lava field. Again, you will be accompanied by a guide at all times. The bus will be waiting for you in the parking lot, ready to drive you back to your hotel in Reykjavík.
The following is important information applicable to this volcano tour. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us by email or phone, we are here to make your tour exceptional!
Operation:
This tour is operated by our trusted partner.
Pick up:
Please note that Activity Iceland offers pick-up service from authorized pickup points in the Reykjavik downtown area. We can unfortunately not offer pick-up service from Airbnb or private apartments, nor Keflavik Airport for our tours. If your pick-up location is not on our pick up list in the booking form then we kindly ask you to locate the closest pick-up point to your accommodation. It might take up to 30 min for our guides to reach your pick-up point, so please wait patiently for us to arrive. As much as possible be prepared and ready to go.
Booking:
Our day tours are very popular and we have many days when all the available seats are booked out. Please book your tour early to avoid disappointment. You can book this tour online using the booking form or just call our office. We typically respond to phone calls from 8:00 AM to 17:00 PM GMT – if you do not reach us, please send an email and we will reply to your message as soon as possible.
Prices:
All prices are per person. We accept payment by major credit and debit cards with no additional fees. Gratuities are not included.
Tour itinerary changes:
At all times your safety is our first priority. You can expect any kind of weather in Iceland. For this reason, the tour itinerary may be subject to change the sights without notice or the tour might be canceled due to weather, or other unforeseen circumstances. If the timing changes, we will need your valid mobile phone number to contact you and inform you of the time change. Please don’t forget to fill out your phone number on the booking form. If the tour is canceled, you can choose to receive a full refund or to reschedule your tour for another day. We make every effort to avoid any such changes wherever possible.
Age limit:
The minimum age is 12 years old, but we do make exceptions. Children that are able to hike 2 times 3.5 kilometers, even in bad weather, are welcome to join the tour. If this applies to your child and you have appropriate clothing, then you can go ahead and book your ticket on the booking site. The price is the same for children and adults. Note that we cannot make a refund if it turns out that your child is not able to finish the hike. Also, note that we do not recommend that people bring infants into the crater.
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 is 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. Guides will be with you at all times during the walk.
What to bring:
Since the weather is unpredictable, always bring comfortable outdoor clothes, warm layers, with waterproof and windproof outer-layers. Jeans are not suitable clothing; waterproof jacket, sturdy and waterproof outdoor shoes and a warm sweater are highly recommended. Bring your personal daily medications if required.
Medical conditions:
Please let us know of any allergies or medical conditions that you may require assistance with.
Payment and cancelation:
Full payment is required at time of booking to secure your place. We require 24 hrs notice of cancellation for a refund. Any cancellation made within less than 24 hours prior to departure will be fully charged.
Authorized Tour Operator and Travel Agency certified by the Icelandic Tourist Board, a proud member of the Icelandia family. Tours offered on this website are sold under the license of Ferðaskrifstofa Kynnisferða.