Volcano Scooter Tour in Westman Islands to Eldfell

This volcano scooter tour rides a seated electric scooter up toward Eldfell, the volcano that erupted on Heimaey in 1973, with a local guide explaining how the eruption changed the island.

• Ride a seated electric scooter rather than walk uphill
• See Eldfell, the volcano that erupted without warning in 1973
• Hear the story of the eruption and the overnight evacuation of the island
• Full safety gear and a short practice session included
• Short tour that suits a limited amount of time in port or in town

Your day, stop by stop

2Ride toward EldfellA guided ride up through the lava-changed landscape.

A guided ride up through the landscape the eruption left behind. Your guide points out where lava and ash buried streets and houses in 1973 as you ride toward the volcano. You sit on an electric scooter, so there is no uphill walking, and you get a short practice session and full safety gear before leaving.

3Eldfell volcanoThe volcano formed by the 1973 eruption.

Eldfell is the young volcanic cone that opened on the edge of Heimaey town overnight on 23 January 1973 and forced the whole island to evacuate. Your guide tells the story of the eruption and what followed, standing on the ground where it happened. The stop is part of the one-hour tour.

Time here · part of the 1-hour tour

About the Westman Islands volcano scooter tour

In the early hours of 23 January 1973, a fissure opened on the edge of Heimaey town and began erupting without warning, forcing the entire population off the island overnight. The eruption went on for months and buried part of the town under lava and ash, creating the volcano now known as Eldfell.

This tour covers that story and the ground it changed, riding a seated electric scooter rather than walking, which keeps it short and manageable for most guests. Your guide fits your helmet, safety vest, and knee and arm protection, and runs a short practice session before setting off toward the volcano, stopping along the way to point out where lava reshaped the town and to tell the story of the eruption and its aftermath.

At an hour long, it is one of the shorter tours on the island, a good option if you have limited time in port or simply want a quick, guided look at Iceland's most dramatic recent eruption site.

It is not wheelchair accessible and is not recommended for anyone with a heart condition, given the physical nature of riding the scooter. Bring warm clothing and rain protection, as none is provided beyond the safety gear.

Questions people ask