Caving
1 hour
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travelers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$58
per adult
The Lava Tunnel
The Lava Tunnel
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 4:45 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Explore the magnificent Lava Tunnel, or cave Raufarholshellir, one of the longest and best-known lava tubes in Iceland. It is located just 35 minutes from Reykjavik and is easily accessed year round. A journey into The Lava Tunnel is a unique experience and a great opportunity to witness the inner workings of a volcanic eruption as one walks in the path of lava that flowed 5.200 years ago. Get to explore the tunnel in an easy and enjoyable manner on our standard tour. The tunnel itself is a natural wonder, therefore the terrain is not easily accessible. To help our guests navigate through it, we have installed a foot bridge and lighting rigs into the rock bed. The lights illuminate the cave, further enhancing the experience and highlighting the ever-changing colors, landscape and geological formations inside the cave.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Improve this listingTours and Tickets by The Lava Tunnel
Half-day Tours
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$105
per adult
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,475 reviews
Excellent
2,055
Very good
297
Average
78
Poor
21
Terrible
27
Emelia B
26 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
I booked for myself and my partner to go to the lava cave on our first day in Iceland. I booked the standard tour and we absolutely loved it. The transfer was easy from the main bus terminal to the cave and when we arrived it was just blanketed in snow which was beautiful. They give you treats to put on your shoes to stop you from slipping and a hardhat (you can also get a hiking stick if you want). Our tour guide took us into the cave and it was absolutely amazing. The group was small (around 10 people) and we stopped at 3 different places along the way for the tour guide to explain how the cave was formed. They gave you enough information without overwhelming or boring you and kept it entertaining. When you get to the end of the tunnel they turn the lights off so you can experience complete darkness which was beautiful and scary but it was nice to understand how the cave would be without the artificial lights. The tour guide then took photos for us and let us walk back at our own pace and take photos. The cave is huge and you can do another tour which goes into the cave deeper but we were getting quite cold towards the hour in there even though we were wrapped up and apparently if you go on the longer tour there is no path like what we had so it would be much harder.
We absolutely loved this cave and would highly recommend it to anyone who is going to Iceland. They also do concerts in the cave and hold different events so it’s worth looking to see if something is on while you are there.
Thank you Lava Tunnel for a great experience!
We absolutely loved this cave and would highly recommend it to anyone who is going to Iceland. They also do concerts in the cave and hold different events so it’s worth looking to see if something is on while you are there.
Thank you Lava Tunnel for a great experience!
Written January 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David N
3 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Our Guide Laura was incredible. We did the adventure tour with a lovely family from the UK and it was a magical experience. Being a total of 6 of us, we thought that we might hold the group behind schedule but that was not the case. The tour took every bit of about 3 hours with our group. Laura gave us a history of the cave and explained how it formed over thousands of years. The lava falls at the end of the cave are worth the extra cost for the adventure tour. The tour explains that you need ankle high hiking boots and they are NOT flexible if it is a generic hiking shoe (vice boot). It makes sense for good reason. With how uneven the terrain is, you will definitely want to follow the ankle high on boots. We wore rain pants and a waterproof jacket. I would recommend being light on layers as you are most definitely moving the entire time. The coldest moments we experienced were at the very beginning of the hike where there is a 'skylight' in the ceiling of the tunnel. My wife an I are not the most fit people and eating all of the delicious Icelandic food didn't help us. That and having knee problems most of our lives, we found it challenging but not difficult. Be sure to layer lightly. Regardless of the air temp outside of the tunnel you are going to get warm. Personally I wore a long sleeve and a rain jacket (no layering) and thermal base layer pants with rain pants and that seemed to be enough for myself. Didn't really eat our snacks as we were at awe looking at the vast beauty of the tunnel. We weren't hungry until we got to the end of the tour. The next time that we come to Iceland, we will definitely be doing the adventure tour over the normal one. Plus the smaller groups keeps it special and more personal. Highly recommend going.
Written October 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brighton50
UK190 contributions
Mar 2023
This was an amazing trip underground through a lava tunnel. After a safety talk and putting on a hard hat, we went down through the tunnel in a small group with our guide who was very informative and had perfect English. It is amazing with frozen ice stalagmites. When we got as far as we were going the guide turned all the lights off to experience perfect darkness and silence. You can do the hour tour or a 4 hour tour to get to the end of the tunnel. There are stairs and walkways for the hour tour but you also get to walk on the surface of the tunnel - they provide sticks if you feel a bit unsteady. I am slightly claustrophobic but I felt fine. It was fascinating. I think they do get busy so worth booking. Just 40 mins from the capital.
Written March 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim J
Cardiff, UK79 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
We visited in February when the lava tunnel had massive cones of snow inside because of the openings in the tunnel roof,the spectacular ice formations at that time of year is something you'll always remember. I originally booked a standard day tour, but our plans had to change and I managed to change it to a evening tour. Our guide Asdis was brilliant, very informative, safety advice and equipment is provided, suitable for children. Will have to book a Lava tunnel adventure tour when in iceland again
Written March 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dhristo
Melbourne, Australia2 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
We booked a tour on Friday 24 March for Wednesday 29 March. In line with cancellation policy we cancelled our tour on Sunday 26 March via an email as well as a message through their website contact email address. We also sent a follow up email on Monday 27 March. Not hearing back we called on Tuesday 28 March to confirm they received our cancellation request and details about how we would receive a refund. They confirmed receiving our co-written cancellation requests and promised an email on Wednesday morning confirming request and refund details. Not having received a response on Wednesday morning as promised, we called back in the afternoon. Jona told us receptionist was ill and she would speak to her supervisor about arranging refund and confirming it via email. We are yet to receive any confirmation but earlier today, Thursday 30, they sent us an email thanking us for attending tour and to rate it!!!!
It would have been better to receive email on refund as promised twice but never delivered rather than email thanking us for a tour we didn’t attend and cancelled in line with their stated cancellation policy on their website!!
It would have been better to receive email on refund as promised twice but never delivered rather than email thanking us for a tour we didn’t attend and cancelled in line with their stated cancellation policy on their website!!
Written March 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian K
Salem, MA23 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
"Alex" (Maybe Alec) did an excellent job with his tour. The cave tour last about 60 minutes and has three major stops where the guide will explain parts of the caves.
On the tour you learn about the discovery of the caves, the lava impacting the caves, early icelandic explorers, rock minerals and so much more. Alex approached his tour with a well directed sense of humor that sat well with audiences from all over. Our tour group had a number of nationalities and Alex did an excellent job accomodating language barriers to the best of his ability.
If your looking for something unique to throw on your schedule without giving up your whole day of travels, the lava cave is well worth the visit.
On the tour you learn about the discovery of the caves, the lava impacting the caves, early icelandic explorers, rock minerals and so much more. Alex approached his tour with a well directed sense of humor that sat well with audiences from all over. Our tour group had a number of nationalities and Alex did an excellent job accomodating language barriers to the best of his ability.
If your looking for something unique to throw on your schedule without giving up your whole day of travels, the lava cave is well worth the visit.
Written January 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lucy Z
London, UK68 contributions
Oct 2022
We were fortunate enough to experience a personalised version of the extended adventure tour – with only ourselves and our guide, Iris. Iris is very knowledgeable – answering all of our questions on the various lava formations – and navigated the 3 of us expertly through the maze of tunnels. I would thoroughly recommend the extended tour if you have the time – the sheer scale and variety of the cave as you venture down will leave you in awe, and you will see some amazing lava formations when you reach the end that bring to life how the lava flowed into the tunnels years ago. I would also like to extend a special thank you to Iris – very friendly and informative, and she made the experience even more memorable.
Written November 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John B
Brentwood, TN16 contributions
Mar 2022
We actually drove here from Reykjavik in the snow and wind on 16 March. Our guide Theo, did a great job. His geological knowledge was informative and he even had a good sense of humor. The snow coming in from the openings above added a really cool layering effect in certain areas as well as the stalagmite ice formations created from the melting snow and refreezing. Our 11 yr old really enjoyed the experience.
Written March 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joe M
London, UK13 contributions
Feb 2023 • Friends
We did the Adventure Tour (the longer experience, off the besten track). We had an amazing experience with our excellent guide, Jona. She was very knowledgeable and made sure everyone was comfortable with the difficult terrain. The 3 hours spent in the lava tunnel were awesome. We climbed up and down all sorts of of rock piles and hills to reach the ancient source of the lava tunnel. There are incredible colours and shapes in all of the rocks and you can see the actual lines in the rocks from where the magma once ran. Incredible experience.
Written February 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lucy Z
7 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Really interesting tunnel. The rock had good colours and the ice stalagmites were nice. The guide Alex (sorry can’t pronounce his full Icelandic name) was really entertaining, very funny.
Written March 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How long do you actually get underground? And how deep do you go? I am a UK based international cave expeditionist so would like to ensure I am not disappointed by a trip.
Written September 5, 2021
There are two tours, the standard tour is roughly one hour and is a group of ~20 people and a guide, walking along the path and never getting more than about 30-40' underground. This does not at all sound like something you would be interested in. The extreme tour is two hours and would probably be more of what you are looking for. We only did the standard version as we were essentially going to be in the area on our way toward Skogar, so I don't have any details on the longer version. All I can say is you don't want the standard version.
Time is approximate time in the lava tunnel. Add on ~40 minutes each way plus pickup time if you are getting a transfer from Reykjavik.
Written September 12, 2021
How does this Lava Tunnel tour compare to the Vatnshellir Lava Tube Tour?
Written August 13, 2019
Raufarholshellir is a bigger cave and has platforms and sophisticated lighting in sections of it. Vatnshellir does not have any lighting and no paths, although they do have stairs in selected sections. Raufarholshellir is just outside Reykjavik but Vatnshellir on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The tour to Vatnshellir is shorter and there are not toiled facilities at Vatnshellir.
Written August 29, 2019
How does this Lava Tunnel at Raufarholshellir compare with the Leiðarendi Lava Tube? Which one is more spectacular?
Written March 20, 2019
Leiðarendi is smaller, has suffered from a greater destruction of lava formations, and has no man made lights, paths and platforms.
Written July 24, 2019
Wouaouhh! quelle beauté ! Si vous passez dans le coin, ne ratez pas la visite! La force de la nature: un tunnel de près de 1500 m de long creusé par la lave . J'ai été impressionné par les différentes couleurs .Nous avons un excellent guide ( en anglais) . Unique !!
Written December 30, 2018
Hey Paul, thank you so much for the question, you should definitely post it to our page as a review :)
Happy new year!
Written January 1, 2019
Can you access it without booking a tour?
Written January 25, 2018
Not by yourself at Raufarholshellir. Bit of local backlash as most tunnels are on National land and freely open. This one is on private land. After years of non-management the owners sealed it off, cleared out all the garbage (99%), built 300m of walkway for better access, and now charge for the experience to cover maintenance. Much smaller, Leiðarendi, is just an opening in the ground without any improvements or controls. Enter at your own risk... get a bumpcap!!
Written January 26, 2018
I can see this is 30 min drive from Reykjavik, where we are staying, to the lava tunnel. problem is we don't have a car. are there any tours that simply go here, do the 1 hour tour and back to reykjavik?
Written October 25, 2017
We did this with a tour that left from Reykjavik. You can book it from the Lava Tunnel website or Reykjavik Excursions. We used the latter and it was easy.
Written October 28, 2017
Are hard hats/torches provided? We are travelling to iceland in december and wondering if this tour woukd be ok in the winter?
Written July 2, 2017
Helmets are yes, torches no- but the helmets have headlamps and the cave is very well lit, they have all the necessary gear!
Would be fun in the winter!
Written July 5, 2017
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