Caves of Hella | The Underworld of the South

This Caves of Hella tour is a short guided walk through a set of ancient man-made caves right beside the Ring Road, with your guide explaining the theories about who carved them and how they were used.

• A quick, easy stop right on the Ring Road near Hella
• Ancient man-made caves with unclear, debated origins
• A guided walk with stories about early settlers and later farm use
• Runs daily, several times a day, all year
• Suitable for all ages, including young children

Your day, stop by stop

2The man-made cavesA guided walk through the caves with stories about their history.

The caves were carved into soft rock, likely over centuries, and their exact origin is still debated. Your guide covers the main theories and how the caves were later used on the farm.

Time here · about 45–60 minutesWalking · flat, easy ground, mostly underground

About the Caves of Hella tour

This is a short, easy stop for anyone driving the South Coast: a set of man-made caves cut into soft rock at Ægissíða, right beside Route 1 near Hella. Nobody knows for certain who dug them or when, and your guide walks you through the different theories, from early Christian hermits to later use as sheep shelters and storage.

The tour itself is only about an hour, mostly underground on flat, easy ground, so it suits families and anyone short on time between the Golden Circle and the rest of the South Coast. It runs several times a day, every day, all year round, so it is easy to fit around a longer itinerary.

Because it is short and close to the main road, it works well as a stop on the way to or from Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk or the waterfalls further along the South Coast.

Questions people ask