Laki Craters Airplane Tour | Skaftafell Flightseeing

A short flightseeing tour over the Laki Craters, a chain of around 140 craters formed by Iceland's biggest eruption in the 1780s. You fly from Skaftafell over outlets of Vatnajökull glacier and the surrounding moss-covered lava fields.

• A pilot-guided flight with a window seat for everyone
• Views over outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Iceland's largest ice cap
• The Laki Crater row, around 140 craters from the 1783–1784 eruption
• Moss-covered lava fields seen from above
• Coffee or tea included before or after the flight

Your day, stop by stop

1Skaftafell TerminalMeet at the tour centre and terminal for check-in.

The flight departs from and returns to the tour centre at Skaftafell Terminal, where you check in. There is free parking on site, so you can leave your car there for the whole flight, which lasts about 50 minutes.

Facilities · parking, tour centre

Read our Skaftafell guide →

2Vatnajökull glacier outletsFly over outlet glaciers spilling from Europe's largest ice cap.

Vatnajökull is Iceland's largest glacier and, by volume, the largest ice cap in Europe, covering about 7,700 km², around 8% of the country. The ice is on average about 380 metres thick, and several active volcanic systems lie beneath it, including Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga, whose heat can trigger sudden floods known as jökulhlaup. Around 30 outlet glaciers reach down from it, several towards the Ring Road in the southeast, and the whole area is part of Vatnajökull National Park. The flight crosses several glacier tongues that flow down from the main Vatnajökull ice cap.

Read our Vatnajökull guide →

3Laki Crater chainView around 140 craters formed in the 1783–1784 eruption.

From the air you can trace the whole line of around 140 craters left by the 1783 to 1784 Laki eruption, one of the largest lava eruptions in recorded history, with severe effects on the climate and on the Icelandic population. The fissure now runs in a long line across the highlands, softened by a blanket of green moss.

Historical note · erupted 1783–1784

4Súlutindar peaksViews of the ridges and peaks surrounding the crater row.

The ridges and peaks around the crater row are rugged highland terrain, normally seen only from the air or on multi-day treks, so the flight shows you country that few visitors ever reach.

About the Laki Craters airplane tour

This flightseeing tour departs from Skaftafell Terminal and covers one of Iceland's most remote and dramatic landscapes: the Laki crater row. The 1783–1784 Laki eruption was one of the largest lava eruptions in recorded history, and its effects on the climate and Icelandic population were severe. From the air you can trace the full line of around 140 craters, now softened under a blanket of green moss.

The route also crosses outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Europe's largest ice cap by volume, giving a sense of scale that is hard to get from the ground. The flight lasts about 50 minutes and every seat is a window seat, since the aircraft is small.

This is a small personal group experience with a minimum of three passengers per flight, so it may be combined with other travellers rather than run as a fully private flight. As with any flightseeing tour in Iceland, the route and departure time depend on the weather, and the operator can adjust or delay flights at their discretion.

There is free parking at the Skaftafell terminal and a hot drink included, but bring warm layers for the walk to and from the aircraft, as this area is exposed and can be windy even in summer.

Questions people ask