Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel Tour

A one-hour guided Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel tour, about 30 minutes' drive from Reykjavík. You walk on built paths into a 5,000-year-old lava tube, with a helmet and headlamp provided.

• Walk into one of Iceland's longest lava tunnels
• Coloured mineral walls left by the lava flow
• Built paths and a footbridge, no crawling
• Helmet and headlamp included
• Tours on the hour every day, about 30 minutes from Reykjavík

Your day, stop by stop

1The Lava Tunnel, road 39Meet at the cave's reception about 30 minutes from Reykjavík.

Raufarhólshellir formed about 5,200 years ago in the Leitahraun eruption, when lava kept flowing under its own cooled crust and then drained away, leaving a long hollow tube. At 1,360 metres it is the fourth-longest lava tube in Iceland, and one of the roomiest, up to 30 metres wide and about 10 metres high, so the standard tour involves no crawling or squeezing. It can only be visited with a guide.

Read our Raufarhólshellir guide →

2Briefing and gearGet your helmet and headlamp and meet your guide.

Your guide gives a short safety talk and hands out a helmet and headlamp before you walk to the cave entrance, on road 39 about 30 km from Reykjavík.

Included · helmet and headlamp

3The collapsed entranceWalk down into the tunnel where the roof has fallen in.

Light pours in through holes where the roof collapsed, and in winter ice formations can build up here. A footbridge, built paths and some stairs lead you over the rough lava floor. Water drips from the roof, so wear a waterproof jacket.

Walking · built paths, a footbridge and some stairsTip · water drips from the roof, so wear a waterproof jacket

4Deeper into the lava tunnelColoured lava walls in a tunnel up to 30 m wide.

Raufarhólshellir formed about 5,200 years ago in the Leitahraun eruption, when lava kept flowing under its own cooled crust and then drained away, leaving a long hollow tube. At 1,360 metres it is the fourth-longest lava tube in Iceland, and one of the roomiest, up to 30 metres wide and about 10 metres high, so the standard tour involves no crawling or squeezing. It can only be visited with a guide. At points your guide may ask you to switch off your lights to see how dark the cave is.

Tunnel · 1,360 m long, up to 30 m wide and 10 m highCrawling · none

Read our Raufarhólshellir guide →

About the Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel tour

Raufarhólshellir is one of the longest lava tunnels in Iceland, about 1,360 m long, up to 30 m wide and up to 10 m high. It formed around 5,000 years ago, when a lava flow from the Bláfjöll mountains crusted over on top while the molten lava inside kept flowing and drained out, leaving a hollow tube.

The guided walk takes about an hour. Built paths and a footbridge cover the roughest parts, and there is no crawling, but you do walk on uneven ground and some steep stairs. It is cold, damp and dark inside all year, so dress warmly.

Light falls into the first part of the cave through collapsed sections of the roof. In winter, ice sculptures can form here, and in summer the colours of the lava walls are the main sight.

You drive there yourself. The cave is on road 39 (Þrengslavegur), about 30 km from Reykjavík: take road 1 east for 18 km and turn right onto road 39 for 12 km. It is on the way to the South Coast and the Golden Circle, so it fits easily into a self-drive day.

Questions people ask