Víðgelmir Lava Cave

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Basic Information

Iceland is a place filled with wonders and entices even the most experienced adventurers any day. Known as the Land of Ice and Fire, your trip to Iceland will be incomplete if you have not visited at least all the recommended icy glaciers and glorious lava caves hidden deep beneath the surface of the earth. One the most popular in Iceland and one of the world’s largest lava caves is Víðgelmir lava cave in Borgarfjörður area of West Iceland. A colorful world of its own, Víðgelmir lava cave is filled with hidden wonders and surprises that can only be fully praised and understood when witnessed in person. The narrow tunnels and tight space of the caves will take to a world unknown and unseen by most people in the world.

Know the Cave

This tour takes to the naturally formed lava tunnel due to a volcanic eruption. The actual size of this cave is still unknown but about 1600-meter-long part of the cave is accessible for tourists to visit an experience which makes it one the longest and largest lava caves in the world. The environment of the cave is otherworldly but harsh. Being an underground cave, it gets winter-level chilly inside the cave even in the summer season so, make sure that you are wearing enough clothes and have layered up with the base, mid and shell level clothing to stay protected of the cold. Rest, the tour is suitable for both experienced tourists as well as the beginners. Helmets and headlights are necessary in order to properly navigate through the cave along with gloves and good hiking boots as the floor of the cave can be slippery due to snow.

Family and Agency-Conducted Tours

The site around Víðgelmir lava cave is owned by a family so there are several family-guided tours provided in conjunction with skilled guides along with tours conducted by tour agencies. The insides of the cave are well-maintained and organized for you to enjoy the wonderous creations of nature without feeling claustrophobic or anxious.

The tour of the cave is conducted by a well-experienced trust-worthy guide no matter if you have chosen to take the local family-owned tour or a variant from the ones provided by the tour companies and agencies. You will have plenty of chances to do some pro-level photography of the formations you will find inside even though there is no natural light available. Consider bringing a camera with a focal length suitable for night-time photography to get good pictures. There are plenty of lights installed inside the cave by the caretakers to give your shot some light hues. Guides accompanying you will not guide through the tour but will also tell you about the process of formation of the lava cave.

From 90 USD

How to get to the Cave

It takes about 2 hours from Reykjavik to get to Borgarfjörður in West Iceland where the cave is located. A normal car can be used to drive to the spot, special super jeeps or 4×4 vehicles are not required for this ride. You can choose to go on a self-driving tour to the destination and then have a well-guided family-owned tour of the cave or you can book a trip with a tour agency. There are several kinds of tour options available for you to choose from. The cave is underground so you may find it a bit hard to locate it on your own if you are driving yourself. The closest town to the cave is Borgarnes where you can stop to fill up the gas or pick up a few things. It is a 1-hour ride after this town to the cave.

Once you reach the cave and have met your guides, you will be given necessary instructions regarding safety and other important things. Make sure you have received your helmet and headlights. Now, all that is left is for you to enjoy the caves and bask in the glory of the underground wonders.