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Dimmuborgir Lava Formations
Dimmuborgir Lava Formations
4.5
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  • Sophie M
    26 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun, easy walks with interesting geology.
    Fun easy walks, well sign posted and lots of interesting and dramatic rock formations. If you're going when there's snow, use crampons because some of the paths are steep and the popularity of the area means they get packed and icy. Birders, look out for rock ptarmigans!
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 5, 2024
  • frankt4712016
    New Jersey74 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great walks through fascinating lava formations…a must do!
    Mostly easy, well marked, paved walks through a natural sculpture garden made of lava formations. Only unpaved trail is the blue trail which was a lot of fun, not too challenging and definitely worth doing. You just need to watch your footsteps in spots. Don’t miss the Kirkja- cathedral shaped cave on the red trail. And the home of the Icelandic Yule Lads along the yellow trail.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 5, 2024
  • jjluke
    Calgary, Canada2,047 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Suitable for a quick stop or hiking around, whatever works for your timing!
    Running out of time, we made a brief stop here. Parking is free but there is a cost for use of restroom. Amazing topography of lava fields crated. Would be worth a walkthrough/hike if we had the time, but a quick stopover for pictures would be just fine as well :)
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 21, 2024
  • 709andrewf
    London, United Kingdom93 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Easy and interesting walks.
    Well laid out and signposted tour of a lava field. Lots of aspects of lava to see and there were a lot of people there seeing them. Some really cheesy bits of light-hearted nonsense thrown in for good measure, but those displays don’t distract from the overall experience. A pleasant and informative walk. You can also choose your distance which is useful when planning your time.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 17, 2024
  • Alex D
    Canberra, Australia6 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting formations... the Yule Lads think so and so should you
    The name makes it sound like other lava fields you see from the road -- not so, this one has many larger and interesting formations and other things to see in there as well. The cafe is good too, it had all you could eat soup when we visited. Another reviewer noted that the toilets are free -- they are not, but they are if you order food in the cafe, but my wife didn't know that when she went before we ordered so that was kind of annoying. They give you a QR code on a card that you can scan to use the toilet. So hold on for a bit and order first!
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 31, 2024
  • Sharon Mortimer
    95 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cool lava formations
    Dimmuborgir has a good road up to the car park, which is free. A nice cafe if you want refreshments and toilets available too. A small charge of 300isk unless you buy something from the cafe. The whole area is filled with amazing lava pillars, caves, rugged crags and towering rocks. Several well-marked walking routes and notices explaining local beliefs surrounding Dimmuborgir. Take time to explore each route and don't forget your camera.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 29, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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.

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Poppenlander
Seattle, Washington, United States281 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
The Dimmuborgir Lava Formations are one of the tourist stops along the road around Lake Myvatn. We spent roughly an hour here. There are numerous pleasantly graded trails that crisscross the lava fields, allowing a variety of views and angles on these fascinating geologic formations. There is also quite a bit of folklore that goes along with the rocks.

We enjoyed our visit, but because we were there around mid-day, we realized that the sun coming straight down flattened out the rocks and shadows. We think that the formations would have been more interesting in early morning or late afternoon light.

(A lot of people seemed to be here because one of the formations was used as a setting in the "Game of Thrones" TV series. Having never watched the show, that facet of the experience was not at all interesting to us.)

The Lava Formations are free of charge to visit, and there was a lot of parking, and I think there was a concession stand. All of this tourist infrastructure leads to significant crowds. Nonetheless, we enjoyed walking through and around the rocks, which showcase the interesting volcanic geology of Iceland. Would have had a better experience at a quieter time of day, with more dramatic illumination though.
Written June 25, 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.

Tom J
London, UK1,862 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
Whilst driving around the Myvatn area we stopped in at Dimmuborgir lava formations as a place to grab a coffee, a bite to eat and then have a stroll.

The cafe was great and had a wonderful selection of hot drinks and food. They offer a soup buffet as well but we were only in the mood for something light. As we’d purchased from the cafe we didn’t have to pay to use the toilets but for anyone else there is a 300ISK charge so it’s worthwhile thinking about that if you want a coffee to walk around with as well.

The lava formations have a few guided walks around of various lengths, enough to provide people with the options that best suit their timescales. It’s an interesting place riddled with folklore and the tales of it being the home of the Icelandic Yule lads!
Written October 20, 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.

Megan K
Chicago, IL45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
The lava formations in this area are spectacular. Inside the area there is a map of several different routes that you can take around the area. I wouldn't call them "hikes," as the paths are all paved and it's not too hilly. We walked the yellow route which wasn't too long but allowed us to see a lot. There are spots along the routes where you will see ropes for people to climb up closer to some of the formations. Makes for some fun pictures. This would be a great place to bring kids. Enjoy your visit!
Written August 8, 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.

Brian D
Denver, CO2,388 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
A great place to stop and visit for a couple of hours. Very unique lava formations are scattered throughout this area. There are some very easy trails, fully paved and not very far. There are some rougher trails for those with more time and effort. The lave formations just keep on coming. There is even a trail that leads from here to the Hverfjall Crater on foot! Tried out some of the more strenuous trails and ended up getting a little lost. Everything looks similar and the trails become dirt paths, so it can be easy to get a little disoriented when you wander off. The signs are clearly marked, so you should be able to navigate your way back to the entrance. Two hours fly by when you are exploring caves and taking pictures of all of the scenery found here. Don't miss it if you are in the Myvatn area.
Written August 27, 2021
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.

bonnie481
Philadelphia, PA58 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
A fun place to visit, especially for families with kids. The lava formations are extensive, large, and the most unusual we saw in Iceland. Caveats; first, you need face netting to protect yourself from the little black flies, and second, this is a big tour bus site, so it's crowded. Otherwise, it is definitely worth a stop. It's free.
Written August 23, 2021
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.

Dilly4472
Spilsby, UK900 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
There are a choice of routes here where paths (mostly surfaced) meander through the lava fields. We chose a 2m route which was clearly signposted the whole way. The lava formations are certainly weird and the whole area (once about 200m from the carpark and cafe) was very peaceful - we hardly saw a soul once we’d left the tourist honeypot!!! The area is preserved as a nature reserve but there were no information boards about the flora and fauna - a shame.
Written July 31, 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.

Alex D
Canberra, Australia6 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
The name makes it sound like other lava fields you see from the road -- not so, this one has many larger and interesting formations and other things to see in there as well. The cafe is good too, it had all you could eat soup when we visited. Another reviewer noted that the toilets are free -- they are not, but they are if you order food in the cafe, but my wife didn't know that when she went before we ordered so that was kind of annoying. They give you a QR code on a card that you can scan to use the toilet. So hold on for a bit and order first!
Written August 31, 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.

Kim G
Toronto, Canada1,909 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
There are several paths at this location ranging from 15 minutes to 2 hours long. We took a shorter path and checked out the interesting lava formations with some interesting folklore as well.

Worth a walk around and it is free to enter. However you do need to pay to use the washrooms.
Written October 22, 2021
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.

P H
207 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
What an incredible place! My sister thought it was absolutely the most beautiful place she had ever seen (and that's saying something, what with what we've seen in the way of natural beauty on this trip alone). Make some time to wander the paths and take at least one of the marked hikes - they're do-able even in the snow. Be sure to stop at the restaurant/gift shop (recommend the Soup Buffet - try the Geysir Bread!!!)
Written December 27, 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.

frankt4712016
New Jersey74 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
Mostly easy, well marked, paved walks through a natural sculpture garden made of lava formations. Only unpaved trail is the blue trail which was a lot of fun, not too challenging and definitely worth doing. You just need to watch your footsteps in spots. Don’t miss the Kirkja- cathedral shaped cave on the red trail. And the home of the Icelandic Yule Lads along the yellow trail.
Written June 5, 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.

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Dimmuborgir Lava Formations - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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