Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
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Talk to a local
Iceland Travel GuideLOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN ICELAND
My trip
Talk to a local
Vatnshellir is a lava tube about 8,000 years old in Snæfellsjökull National Park, on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. It is about 200 km (around 2.5–3 hours) from Reykjavík, visited only on a 45-minute guided tour down a spiral staircase to a depth of about 35 metres, open all year.
Vatnshellir formed when a lava flow from the volcanic system around Snæfellsjökull cooled on the outside while the molten rock inside kept flowing and eventually drained away, leaving a hollow tube. The cave is about 200 metres long and reaches roughly 35 metres below the surface at its deepest point, with a constant temperature of around 6°C whatever the season.
Visitors go down a metal spiral staircase into the cave and walk through chambers with twisted rock formations and mineral colouring on the walls. There is no permanent lighting inside, so guides provide helmets and flashlights. It is a good option for anyone curious about Iceland's volcanic underground who does not want the longer hike or drive required for some other lava caves.
Vatnshellir means "water cave". On the way through you see twisted lava formations, walls coloured by different minerals and the marks left by flowing lava, and the guide tells the folklore attached to the cave and to the glacier above it. The drive there is part of the visit, with the Snæfellsnes coast, lava fields and Snæfellsjökull in view for much of the way.
Arrive about 10 minutes before your tour starts. In winter, check road conditions on umferdin.is before driving out along the peninsula.
You can only enter with a guide, which keeps visitors safe and protects the cave. The tour takes about 45 minutes.
The tour means walking on uneven rock and going down and up spiral staircases. You need to be able to walk and climb stairs without help, so it is not suitable for people with mobility problems.
Children aged five and over can join with an adult, which makes the cave a good family stop on Snæfellsnes.
Photography is allowed. Watch your footing and keep up with the group while you take pictures.
Wear warm clothes, gloves and sturdy closed shoes. The cave is about 6°C all year and sometimes damp, so a waterproof jacket is useful. Leave heels, smooth-soled shoes and flip-flops in the car.
There is a car park and a small service hut at the cave entrance, where tours meet. According to the tour operator, the nearest toilets are at Malarrif, about three minutes' drive away. There is no café or shop at the cave; the nearest services are in Hellnar and Arnarstapi.
Arnarstapi, Hellnar and Ólafsvík have guesthouses and hotels, making the western end of Snæfellsnes a convenient base for visiting Vatnshellir along with the coastal sights nearby.
No, the cave is only accessible on a guided tour and is gated otherwise.
About 35 metres at its deepest point, reached down a spiral staircase.
About 45 minutes.
Yes, tours run year-round, though weather can occasionally affect the schedule.
About 200 km, around 2.5 to 3 hours by car.
Booking ahead is recommended, especially in summer, when tours often sell out.
No. There is no permanent lighting in the cave. The guide provides flashlights and helmets.
Yes, children aged five and over can join if they are with an adult.
Tours and trips that include Vatnshellir, booked directly with a local travel agency in Iceland.
