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Laki Craters & Lakagígar Lava Tour in the Highlands

Name: Laki Craters & Lakagígar Lava Tour in the Highlands
Brand: Iceland Travel Guide
SKU: 98332
Price: 40000 ISK
Availability: PreOrder
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

8 to 9 hoursGroup: Small groupEasySuper Jeep from KirkjubæjarklausturAll agesSummer (15 June to 15 September)

5.0(1 review)

A day tour into the highlands to Lakagígar, the row of volcanic craters left by the 1783 Laki eruption, one of the most remote and dramatic lava landscapes in Iceland.

FagrifossLakagígar crater rowTjarnargígurFjaðrárgljúfur canyon

Lakagígar, the 27 km row of about 140 craters from the 1783–84 Laki eruption
View from the top of Mount Laki, in the middle of the crater row
Fagrifoss waterfall, Tjarnargígur crater and Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon
Super Jeep drive with river crossings on highland roads
About 5 hours of stops and hiking time

Your day, stop by stop

Click a stop for photos and practical tips.

KirkjubæjarklausturMeet at the N1 petrol station at 8:45 for a 9:00 departure, or use the free pick-up from selected hotels and guesthouses in the area. You can park your car at N1.

Kirkjubæjarklaustur, usually shortened to Klaustur, is a small village on the Ring Road, the first you reach after crossing the Mýrdalssandur plain and the Eldhraun lava field on the way east from Vík. The name breaks into three plain words: kirkju (church), bæjar (of the farm) and klaustur (convent). There are hotels, restaurants, fuel and a supermarket, which makes it a good overnight stop or lunch break.

Read our Kirkjubæjarklaustur guide →

FagrifossA stop at this waterfall on the way into the highlands.

Fagrifoss means 'the beautiful waterfall', and it earns the name with a broad, multi-tiered drop of about 80 metres framed by columnar basalt, on the Geirlandsá river. It stands right beside the F206 highland road towards Lakagígar. It is not far from the Ring Road, but the F206 is a genuine F-road with a river ford, so it needs a 4x4 and is open only when the road is, typically in summer.

Read our Fagrifoss guide →

Lakagígar crater rowHike among the moss-covered craters of the 1783 Laki eruption, with views from Mount Laki.

In June 1783 a volcanic fissure opened here and erupted for eight months, sending out huge amounts of lava and toxic gas. The national park counts more than 130 craters along a fissure roughly 25 to 29 kilometres long. The eruption, known in Icelandic as Skaftáreldar, the Skaftá Fires, was one of the most devastating in recorded history. Lakagígar lies in the southern highlands, reached only by the F206 highland road in a large 4x4, generally from mid or late June to September.

Read our Lakagígar guide →

TjarnargígurA crater with a small lake inside, part of the Laki fissure.

A crater with a small lake inside, part of the Laki fissure, the 27 km row of about 140 craters left by the 1783–84 eruption.

Fjaðrárgljúfur canyonThe last stop, at this deep, winding canyon, before returning to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Fjaðrárgljúfur is a winding canyon up to about 100 metres deep and 2 kilometres long, cut by the Fjaðrá river. The basalt walls are around two million years old, but the canyon itself was carved in roughly the last 9,000 to 10,000 years by glacial meltwater. The result is a sharply zigzagging gorge with mossy, near-vertical walls, seen from an easy marked path along the rim.

Read our Fjaðrárgljúfur guide →

About the Laki craters tour

The Laki eruption of 1783–84 was one of the largest lava eruptions in recorded history, and it changed the course of Icelandic history: the ash and gas it released caused famine that killed a large share of the population at the time. Lakagígar, the 27 km fissure of about 140 craters it left behind, is now a quiet, remote highland landscape of moss-covered lava and volcanic cones.

This is a highlands trip, so it only runs in summer, from 15 June to 15 September, when the mountain roads into the area are open. The tour leaves Kirkjubæjarklaustur at 9:00 in a specially modified Super Jeep with a local driver-guide, crossing rivers on the way. The day lasts 8 to 9 hours, with about 5 hours of stops and hiking time.

There are flush toilets at Laki, at Tjarnargígur and at Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, and a dry toilet at Fagrifoss. No food is served on the way, so bring food and drinks for the whole day, warm clothes and good hiking shoes, as the weather in the highlands changes fast.

Included

Super Jeep tour with an experienced local driver-guide
Guiding in English
Free pick-up from selected hotels and guesthouses near Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Not included

Food and drinks (bring your own for the day)

What to bring

Food and drinks for the day
Warm, waterproof layers
Good hiking shoes
Camera

Good to know

Runs from 15 June to 15 September, when the highland roads are open
About 8 to 9 hours, with about 5 hours of stops and hiking
Meet at the N1 petrol station in Kirkjubæjarklaustur at 8:45; departure at 9:00
Open to all ages; children 12 and under get a lower price
Bring food and drinks for the whole day
Toilets at Laki, Tjarnargígur, Fjaðrárgljúfur and Fagrifoss

Questions people ask

Why does this only run in summer?

Lakagígar is in the highlands, reached by mountain roads that are only open in summer. The tour runs from 15 June to 15 September.

How remote is this area?

Very. The day takes 8 to 9 hours from Kirkjubæjarklaustur, but about 5 hours of that is spent at the stops and hiking.

What happened at Laki?

The 1783–84 eruption released huge amounts of lava and ash, causing a famine that killed a large share of Iceland's population at the time.

Where does the tour start?

At the N1 petrol station in Kirkjubæjarklaustur (meet at 8:45, departure 9:00), where you can park. Free pick-up is available from selected hotels and guesthouses in the area.

Reviews

Reviews from travellers who took this tour. A local reads every review before it is shown.

5.0Based on 1 review

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Incredible!

Our Super Jeep tour to Laki Crater and Lakagígar was an incredible adventure! The drive itself was exciting, taking us across rugged highland roads that felt completely off the beaten path. Standing on top of Laki Crater and looking out over the endless row of volcanic craters was absolutely breathtaking. Our guide shared fascinating stories about the eruption and the area’s history, which made the experience even more meaningful. A unique and unforgettable way to explore one of Iceland’s most dramatic landscapes!

Kellie L. · August 2025

From40,000 ISKPer person