Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience, Golden Circle

4.8 (13 reviews)
Follow an expert guide along easy-to-navigate paths and walkways as you explore Víðgelmir, Iceland's largest lava cave.
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Donn
Donn S.
Nov 12, 2025
The Víðgelmir Lava Cave experience was good and something different from the other activities we had planned. It's an interesting way to explore the unique geological... Read more
Matthew
Matthew T.
Sep 15, 2025
Your guide made it a lot of fun for everyone.
Zoe
Zoe C.
Sep 13, 2025
Great experience walking through the cave and learning about how the cave was made. Fun experience, especially when the lights were turned out!
Mike
Mike D.
Sep 03, 2025
We were given good instructions and explanations. Felt very safe. The guide was excellent.
nancy
nancy l.
Aug 19, 2025
Really amazing so not to be missed
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Overview

Experience the thrill of caving in a safe and family-friendly way with a guided exploration of Víðgelmir, Iceland's largest lava cave. Located beneath the Hallmundarhraun lava field in West Iceland, this geological wonder stretches for almost a mile underground, with a series of wooden walkways, well-maintained paths, and state-of-the-art lighting built throughout. This 1.5-hour excursion takes you deep underground as you don a helmet and headlight and follow an expert guide through soaring chambers and narrow caverns lined with giant stalactites and stalagmites.

Highlights

  • Explore Iceland's largest lava cave with a guided walk along underground walkways and paths
  • Discover facts about the cave's fascinating geology and Viking history from your expert guide
  • Marvel at the vibrant colors and unusual rock formations illuminated by state-of-the-art lighting
  • Learn more about how the cave was formed by cooling lava from a 10th-century CE eruption 

Know before you go

Duration
1h 30m
Recommended for
All ages
Group
Group tour, 32 people or less

What you'll do

Your lava cave adventure starts when you arrive at the site's visitor center, located about an hour's drive east of Borgarnes and 15 minutes north of Húsafell. Make sure you're dressed warmly and wearing comfortable walking shoes, then grab a helmet and headlight and follow your expert geologist guide and the rest of your small group as you descend into the cave's depths. During this 1.5-hour exploration, you'll traverse purpose-built walkways and paths that make navigating the cave easy even for families and non-hikers.

Glimpse fascinating geological features like stalactites, stalagmites, and lava crystals, and learn about how Iceland's largest lava cave stretches for almost a mile underground and reaches depths of 5,250 feet (1,600 m), with ceilings as high as 52 feet (16 m) in some portions. Your guide will explain how the tube-like structure was formed by cooling lava during a massive volcanic eruption in the 10th century CE, and share stories of its importance throughout the country's human history, including the discovery of Viking Age artifacts now on display at the Iceland National Museum. 

Start times

  • Monday
    10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm
  • Tuesday
    10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm
  • Wednesday
    10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm
  • Thursday
    10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm
  • Friday
    10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm
  • Saturday
    10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm
  • Sunday
    10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm

What's included

  • Professional geologist guide
  • Helmet
  • Headlamp

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Traveler photos
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Traveler reviews

13 total ratings, 10 with reviews
4.8
Feature ratings
Quality of Experience
4.6
Guides, Drivers and Staff
4.9
Transport
5.0
Donn
Donn S.
Miami, FL | Reviewed on Nov 12, 2025

The Víðgelmir Lava Cave experience was good and something different from the other activities we had planned. It's an interesting way to explore the unique geological features of Iceland. We enjoyed it.

Sue
Sue F.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Oct 13, 2025
The cave experience was fun and interesting. There are very few cave formations in lava so if you are expecting stalagmite and stalactities you would see in a limestone cave, well, you won't see them. But the guide was really fun and the experience was great. Read more

The cave experience was fun and interesting. There are very few cave formations in lava so if you are expecting stalagmite and stalactities you would see in a limestone cave, well, you won't see them. But the guide was really fun and the experience was great.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Mark
Mark F.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 25, 2025
Guide was educational and lots of fun. Amazing underground formations. Read more

Guide was educational and lots of fun. Amazing underground formations.

Quality of Experience
Matthew
Matthew T.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Sep 15, 2025
Your guide made it a lot of fun for everyone. Read more

Your guide made it a lot of fun for everyone.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Zoe
Zoe C.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Sep 13, 2025
Great experience walking through the cave and learning about how the cave was made. Fun experience, especially when the lights were turned out! Read more

Great experience walking through the cave and learning about how the cave was made. Fun experience, especially when the lights were turned out!

Tips for future travelers

There are a lot of open wooden stairs into and out of the cave. Could be disconcerting to some, and needs some physical aptitude.

Quality of Experience
Very informative with a geological guide.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Entertaining and informative
Mike
Mike D.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Sep 03, 2025
We were given good instructions and explanations. Felt very safe. The guide was excellent. Read more

We were given good instructions and explanations. Felt very safe. The guide was excellent.

Tips for future travelers

Definitely worth it. They run tours pretty often. We got there early and just sat at the car. We could have probably joined an earlier tour.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
nancy
nancy l.
West Chester, PA | Reviewed on Aug 19, 2025
Really amazing so not to be missed Read more

Really amazing so not to be missed

Transport
Had our own car. Easy to get anywhere
Scott
Scott C.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Aug 18, 2025
A fun experience into the a lava tube. The guide was fun and informative with plenty of little jokes, but also a wealth of historical information about the tube. The complete darkness experience at the end was surreal. Read more

A fun experience into the a lava tube. The guide was fun and informative with plenty of little jokes, but also a wealth of historical information about the tube. The complete darkness experience at the end was surreal.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Jenna
Jenna S.
Largo, FL | Reviewed on Aug 23, 2023
The lava cave was really awesome. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about how the lava tube was created and took the time to answer questions along the way. It was an amazing adventure and was very family friendly Read more

The lava cave was really awesome. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about how the lava tube was created and took the time to answer questions along the way. It was an amazing adventure and was very family friendly

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Jennifer
Jennifer B.
East Tremont, NY | Reviewed on Jul 10, 2023
This was a fun tour. The cave was super interesting and the guide was so educated on the history. We all loved this. Read more

This was a fun tour. The cave was super interesting and the guide was so educated on the history. We all loved this.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Wonderful
Transport
Short walk to cave

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