Planning a trip to Iceland and looking to explore its most spectacular geothermal and volcanic areas? You’re in the right place!
In this article, you’ll discover 10 of Iceland’s most breathtaking geothermal and volcanic areas – from erupting geysers to lava fields and colourful craters. Whether you’re looking to walk through steaming landscapes, soak in natural hot springs, or witness Iceland’s volcanic energy, there’s a geothermal gem here for everyone!
Let’s dive in and find your perfect volcanic or geothermal adventure in Iceland!
Bonus : Mývatn Nature Baths
Note: Most parking fees in Iceland are to be paid on the Parka app, you can find their website here.
First up: Gunnuhver. Located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, it is a steaming geothermal area with bubbling mud pools and fumaroles. There is a wooden walkway allowing people to explore this area safely. HOWEVER, I wouldn’t recommend staying too close to the huge clouds of steam, as it is very hot.
Gunnuhver is definitely worth a walk there, it’s absolutely beautiful and it is one of those geothermal areas where the sulfur smell is not too bad.
Walk: Walking on the wooden walkway to see the mud pools and clouds of steam can be done in 10 minutes, but the path goes all the way to the lighthouse in about 20 minutes (1,3km).
Parking fee: Free
Krýsuvík, my personal favorite! Also on the Reykjanes Peninsula, it is a colourful geothermal area with hot springs, bubbling pools and vivid mineral deposits. As for the previous spot, there is a wooden walkway, make sure to go all the way up to see the breathtaking view over this site and the red mountains further away.
Cannot recommend enough visiting for the sunset, especially because it is located near Kleifarvatn lake and it’s worth stopping a few minutes to admire the evening lighting there as well.
Walk: The wooden walkway takes you around the geothermal area during 10-15minutes.
Parking fee: 750 ISK (5€).
Looking for a thermal river where you can bathe surrounded by mountains ? Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River is THE place for it.
After a one-hour hike through stunning mountains and waterfalls, you will reach a warm river where you can bathe. It is free so take into account there are no installations such as restrooms, changing rooms and so on. As you can see on the last picture below, there is however a wooden walkway and some wooden folding screens for some kind of privacy if you need to change into a bathing suit. The water is very hot, so we decided against bathing, even putting only a hand in the water was a lot. But the hike is definitely worth it!
Walk: The hike to the hot spring is 3,5km, It takes about an 50-60 minutes to reach it because it can be quite uphill sometimes. The way back is a bit faster.
Parking fee: 300 ISK (2€) for an hour, 1000 ISK (7€) for up to 5 hours. I recommend paying 1000 ISK because it took us 2 hours round-trip.
For another beautiful crater in South Iceland, heat to Kerið Crater. This volcanic crater lake has impressive red slopes and turquoise water. You can walk around the rim and down to the lake as well in a matter of minutes (be prepared for some set of stairs!).
Walk: The walk around the rim and down to lake is about 20-30 minutes round-trip.
Parking fee: Parking is free but this is one of the only places where there is an entrance fee. Tickets are 600 ISK per person (4€).
This one might be one of the most known geothermal site in Iceland, so expect a little crowd! The reason? The famous Geysir erupting every 5-10 minutes. I’d suggest waiting for 2-3 eruptions at least because some are way more powerful than others.
Walk: You can access the geyser a few minutes from the parking lot but I’d suggest walking around the site for at least an hour to be able to see the eruptions from different viewpoints.
Parking fee: 1000 ISK (7€).
Eldhraun is a vast mossy lava field formed by one of Earth’s largest eruptions during the 18th century. Vast moss-covered lava fields. You can drive through it, but there are some areas where you can stop and walk on short trails.
Walk: You can see the lava fields all along the road but this stop allows you to see them closely. It’s at most a 5-minute little loop.
Parking fee: Free
Öxi Pass – this scenic mountain route (Route 939) connects the east fjords with Egilsstaðir. You will drive past waterfalls, canyons, rugged volcanic terrain…You’ll be blown away.
Note: It is open seasonally (June to September) due to snow, so definitely check before if you can take this road. We were there the last week of September and it was perfectly fine.
To see a beautiful turquoise crater lake head to Víti Crater, in the Krafla volcanic area. While you walk around the rim, you can admire the coloured mountains in the mountains as see on picture 2. It is usually open from May to September, depending on snow, so make sure to verify that before planning to go there.
Walk: You can see the lake a few steps from the parking lot (you can see some cars in the 3rd picture on the left), but the view from the top is really nice and takes only 15-20 minutes tops.
Parking fee: 800 ISK (5,5€).
Next: Hverir. If you are going in North Iceland, definitely stop at this stunning geothermal site with dark bubbling mud pots contrasting with the yellow formations. I must warn you the sulfur smell is really strong!
Walk: You can walk around the site freely, the parking is right in front, I’d say 30 minutes allows you to really explore this geothermal area.
Parking fee: 1400 ISK (9,5€), it is a bit expensive but very much worth it, this place is unreal.
Last but not least, Skútustaðagígar, a cluster of pseudocraters in North Iceland formed by steam explosions when hot lava met the lake’s water thousands of years ago.
There are easy walking trails here allowing you to see the craters from above, the Mývatn lake, or the inside of some craters.
Walk: 2 trails available, one is 1,5km, the other is 3km, but either way you can just follow the path to see 2-3 craters and head back. We stayed there for 45 minutes and saw a good overview of the site.
Parking fee: Free
I’ve added this little bonus, because it truly is a hidden gem compared to the overly famous Blue Lagoon. Mývatn Nature Baths is a geothermal lagoon with beautiful lake views and wayyy fewer crowds. You have two main geothermal pools with different temperature and a smaller one (on picture 3) which is hotter. There are also two saunas facing the lake, allowing you to enjoy the view from inside. There is also a bar in the main pool if you want to enjoy a cocktail in this stunning setting!
Entrance fee: 7400 ISK (50€) for adults, 4800 ISK for students and seniors (32€), free for children under 12.
Opening hours: Open everyday from noon to 10pm.
And that wraps up the best geothermal and volcanic areas to see in Iceland !
Make sure to visit some of these sites (if not all!) as it is an unforgettable experience and remarkable landscape.
It was truly a magical and wonderful trip, if you plan on going there check out my article about the 10 best waterfalls or this one about the 4 best glaciers in Iceland.
If you need a personalized itinerary, you can fill this form and I’ll find you the best accommodations, flights and itinerary !
