Visiting Iceland During a Volcano Eruption: Is It Safe? Can You Go?

You've likely seen it in the news and on social media several times in the last few years: a volcano has erupted in Iceland. It actually has happened 6 times in the last year alone!

In many of the recent Icelandic volcano eruptions, towns have been evacuated, and roads and attractions (including the Blue Lagoon) have been closed. Which leads many people to believe that all of Iceland is closed, or that it's dangerous to visit when a volcano is erupting.

So let's talk about whether this is true, and whether you can (or should) still visit Iceland during a volcanic eruption!

Volcanoes in Iceland

Iceland has been nicknamed the “Land of Fire and Ice” due to its high number of both volcanoes and glaciers. The island straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly being pulled apart – it's actually estimated that Iceland “grows” at a rate of about 2 cm (.8 inches) every year. (And you can even snorkel in between these plates, but that's a different discussion.)

As the plates pull apart, magma from the Earth's mantle rises up to fill in the gaps. And this is where some of Iceland's volcanoes come from.

There are an estimated 130 volcanoes in Iceland. Most of them are considered dormant (not having erupted in the last few centuries), while about 30 are considered active volcanic systems (you can learn more about them in the Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes).

Iceland has a mix of types of volcanoes, from stratovolcanoes (the pointy-topped ones that you picture when you think of a volcano) to volcanoes that are actually lying hidden beneath glaciers. If you've been to Iceland already, you've likely seen many volcanoes without even realizing it!

Famous Iceland volcanic eruptions

Iceland has had some major volcanic eruptions throughout its history, some of which have had worldwide consequences.

Laki eruption, 1780s

In 1783-84, the Laki eruption (also called Skaftáreldar) was perhaps one of the more devastating in modern history. The volcano exploded with a cataclysmic eruption that went on to last 8 months and cause devastation both in Iceland and abroad.

In Iceland, over half of the country's livestock died, crops failed, and a resulting famine killed about 20-25% of Iceland's population. The eruption also blasted ash and sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere that traveled in a haze over to mainland Europe, northern Africa, and further, resulting in crop failures, disrupted weather patterns, and even a drop in global temperature.

It's actually suggested that the crop failures in Europe that can be traced back to this eruption were one of the main catalysts for the French Revolution, which started in 1789.

Eldfell, 1973

The violent eruption of a previously-unknown volcano dubbed Eldfell (“Hill of Fire”) on January 23, 1973 may not have had worldwide effects, but it forever changed Heimaey Island in the Westman Islands. The eruption buried much of the town in ash and lava, but miraculously all of the island's 5,300 inhabitants were able to be safely evacuated. The story is incredible!

Eyjafjallajökull, 2010

You maybe remember this one (I know I do; I was working at a newspaper at the time, and we were running stories on it every day!). In April 2010, the Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted, sending a massive ash cloud more than 5.5 miles up into the sky. It was a huge safety risk for aircraft, and snarled air travel in Europe for weeks; more than 10 million travelers were affected.

(Interestingly, a similar eruption happened in 2011 when Grímsvötn erupted with a huge ash cloud, but since only travel in Iceland, the UK, Ireland, and Norway was affected, we didn't hear about it as much in the US.)

These eruptions were a stark reminder the Mother Nature can do whatever she wants, and that the consequences can be long-lasting and far-reaching.

Volcano tourism in Iceland

Interestingly, Iceland credits the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull for bringing interest to Iceland as a tourist destination. The country was crawling back from a complete financial meltdown, caused by all three of the country's major commercial banks defaulting in 2008. The boom of tourism that Iceland saw from 2010 onwards was hugely important to the country's economic recovery.

(I was part of this volcano-driven tourism surge! After reading so much about the country in 2010 while covering the story of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, I decided I wanted to go to Iceland, and ended up visiting for the first time in 2012!)

And volcanoes – both dormant and active – continue drawing people to the Land of Fire and Ice.

Non-active volcano sites in Iceland

Iceland was formed by volcanic activity, so it should be no surprise that there are lots of volcano-related things to do and see there. A few of the most popular include:

1. Climbing extinct calderas – There are remnants of volcanoes all over Iceland, and you can find several craters that you can hike around. The most famous is Kerið, which is a large water-filled crater just off the popular Golden Circle tourist route. You can also hike Eldfell on Heimaey in the Westman Islands, the Askja Caldera in the Highlands, Hverfell in North Iceland, and the extinct Saxhóll Crater on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
2. Going into ancient lava tubes – A lot of Iceland's volcanic activity happens below ground, and you can witness the evidence of it close-up by going on a tour into a lava tube carved out by (ancient, long-gone) molten magma. You can visit the Vatnshellir lava cave on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, the Raufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel near Reykjavik, or the Vídgelmir Cave (tour/guide required for all).
3. Walking through lava fields* – The remnants of prior volcanic eruptions can be found all over Iceland. You can go walking through lava fields all around the country. My favorites are Dimmuborgir near Lake Myvatn (it's all black and has towering lava formations) and Eldhraun on the South Coast (which was formed by the famous Laki eruption and is now covered in thick moss).
4. Soaking in thermal pools – Most of Iceland is heated by geothermal energy (thanks, volcanoes!), and that energy bubbles up to the surface in several places to form natural hot springs. The most popular natural sites you can visit include the Landmannalaugar hot spring and the Reykjadalur Thermal River. There are also lots of more commercial thermal baths, which are also geothermally heated. (Read my hot springs tips here!)

*Never ever under ANY circumstances walk on a “new” lava flow – and “new” can mean anything that was formed in the last few years. Lava cools extremely slowly, and even if a lava field looks solid and black on the surface, there could be pockets of molten lava underneath. There can also be air pockets that could cause you to fall through the top layer of cooled lava if you go walking over it. So stay away!

You can also visit many volcano-adjacent sites that have been formed by the same activity that fuels volcanoes, including geysers in the Golden Circle, geothermal areas like Hverir in North Iceland, black sand beaches all over the country, and several volcano museums.

Active volcano tourism in Iceland

Volcanoes – and active volcanoes especially – have been tourist draws around the world for centuries. There are many countries where you can hike to see active volcanoes or even get up close to lava.

And Iceland has become one of these countries in the last couple of years. In 2021, a period of volcanic activity began on the Reykjanes Peninsula in a volcano system that had been dormant for more than 800 years. This peninsula is home to towns and Iceland's main airport (and is not that far from the capital of Reykjavik), so of course it's been monitored closely.

The first eruption on the peninsula was in the Geldingadalur Valley, when the Fagradalsfjall Volcano erupted for 6 months. This eruption was not an explosive eruption with ash and debris. It was an effusive eruption, where lava slowly flowed and oozed out of fissures and then a crater in a more or less predictable way. Which meant that authorities in Iceland deemed it safe enough for people to visit.

In 2021 (and then also during subsequent eruptions in the same area in 2022 and 2023), Iceland actually had hiking trails built for safer viewing of the eruptions. After safety services surveyed the area, hiking routes were established and marked. When the volcano erupted again in 2022, the trails were extended to the new eruption site.

This might seem crazy, but Icelandic authorities knew tourists were going to try to access the volcano anyway. So by them building and maintaining the trails (and closing the parking areas and access points when weather made the hikes unsafe), they could control access to the site a bit and ensure peoples' safety as much as possible.

There have also been helicopter sightseeing tours offered over eruption sites when it's safe (like this one and this one). See more volcano tours here.

Hiking to Fagradalsfjall Volcano in 2022

When I was planning my Iceland road trip in 2022, no volcanoes were actively erupting, so there was no need to plan for any volcano hiking. (Guided hikes WERE being offered to the site of the 2021 eruption to see the newly-formed lava field, but there wasn't any lava flowing.)

But then, a little over a week before I was due to fly to Iceland, the Fagradalsfjall Volcano began erupting again. After the first couple days of the site being closed so experts and safety teams could assess the threat of the eruption and the air quality, it was deemed safe enough for people to visit. And, since the last eruption in this area had lasted for 6 months, teams were immediately sent out to start extending the hiking trails to this new eruption site.

My friend Kate and I decided that if the volcano was still erupting when we arrived in Iceland, we would shuffle our plans around and head out to hike to it on our first full day in the country. It was, and so we did.

The 2022 Fagradalsfjall eruption took place in the Meradalir Valley, a little further away from the road than the 2021 eruption site. There were 3 hiking trails to choose from, with the one bringing you closest to the new eruption being roughly 13 km (8 miles) round-trip. Since we wanted to get as close to the lava as possible, we opted for this route.

We left Reykjavik early in the morning, and started our hike around 9:30 a.m. There were designated parking lots near the start of all the hiking trails along Road 427, and we did pay to park (payment was online).

The hike was gradually uphill on a developed trail for the first 1.5 hours, and then we spent another hour picking our way across an uneven lava field with big blocks of ancient lava; going was slow!

It took us about 2.5 hours to reach the new volcano, and I will never ever forget the feeling of cresting the last ridge and seeing an erupting volcano right in front of me!

A hill overlooking the fledgling lava crater was the designated viewing area for hikers, and we sat there for an hour watching the lava churn. (It also SOUNDS so cool; like a giant lava washing machine.) We had a perfect day for the hike, and I'm SO glad we went.

By the time we left Iceland 2 weeks later, the eruption at Fagradalsfjall had already ended. Which goes to show how unpredictable eruptions like this can be! Even the Icelandic authorities assumed the eruption would last longer than it did.

Reykjanes volcanic activity

Volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula has continued since 2021, ramping up in a different area in late 2023. The eruption timeline looks like this:

• Fagradalsfjall Volcano in the Geldingadalur Valley – March 19-September 18, 2021
• Fagradalsfjall Volcano in the Meradalir Valley – August 3-21, 2022
• Litli-Hrutur Volcano – July 10-August 3, 2023
• Sundhnukagigar eruption near Grindavik – December 18-21, 2023
• Sundhnukagigar eruption – Januay 14-16, 2024
• Sundhnukagigar eruption – February 8-9, 2024
• Sundhnukagigar eruption – March 16-May 9, 2024
• Sundhnukagigar eruption – May 29-June 22, 2024
• Sundhnukagigar eruption – August 22-?, 2024

The more recent and frequent Sundhnukagigar eruptions have NOT been accessible to tourists or hikers. These quick and short-lived eruptions around the town of Grindavik have closed down roads and even the Blue Lagoon, and have forced local evacuations. These have not been deemed safe or accessible for people to get up close to due to both the lava flows and dangerous air quality.

Visiting Iceland during a volcanic eruption

So now let's go back to the question of… “Can you visit Iceland during a volcano eruption?” The answer is: for now, yes!

The eruptions that have taken place on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the last few years have been non-explosive eruptions that have not threatened the international airport in Keflavik; in fact, no flights have even been canceled.

This could of course change in the future, especially if this active volcanic system triggers another one in Iceland. But for now, you don't need to change your plans to visit Iceland.

Here are a few things to know about visiting Iceland during this new period of volcanic activity:

1. Some attractions could close – Depending on where the current eruption is, it IS possible that certain attractions could close if authorities deem it necessary. For example, with the new Sundhnukagigar eruptions, the Blue Lagoon has closed down several times. So if that's part of your plan and there's an active eruption happening on the Reykjanes Peninsula, it's a good idea to confirm whether the Blue Lagoon is open or not!
2. Eruptions are not constant – While eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula have been frequent in recent years, that doesn't mean there will always be an active lava flow when you visit. Don't just assume you'll be able to see lava.
3. The eruption sites are not always accessible – Whether for safety reasons or difficulty in accessing the eruption site, it may not always be possible to get close to a new volcano in Iceland. The Fagradalsfjall eruptions had less dangerous gases and were also easier to hike to, while the more recent Sundhnukagigar eruptions have not been safe to get close to.
4. Beware hiking tours – If you go online and look for tours to see Iceland's “new” volcanoes, make sure you read the descriptions carefully. Many of these tours were launched during the active eruptions of Fagradalsfjall and Litli-Hrutur in 2021-2023, when hiking to see them was possible. Today, some of those tours still run when it's safe to do so, but note that there is no fresh-flowing lava at these sites any longer. A hiking tour to Fagradalsfjall today will just get you up close to cooling “new” lava fields from 2021/22. This is still neat to see, but you won't see any bubbling orange lava.
5. Be extra prepared – If a new eruption begins before your trip or while you're in Iceland and it's deemed safe to visit, you need to be prepared! Hiking in Iceland can be dangerous even when lava isn't involved. Make sure you have good hiking boots, warm and waterproof layers (you never know when the weather might change), and plenty of water and snacks.

Is seeing a volcano in Iceland safe?

Look, when molten lava and a grumbly Mother Nature are involved, nothing is going to be 100% safe. There will always be a slight risk.

But, having said that, Iceland is very used to dealing with volcanic activity, and they do a very good job of tracking it and its potential dangers. Every single one of the recent volcano eruptions in Iceland was predicted and expected, thanks to various bodies in Iceland tracking earthquakes, magma buildups, and more.

In the first days after the start of a new eruption, different bodies across Iceland assess the situation. The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management determines whether life or property is likely to be at risk; the Icelandic Meteorological Office keeps an eye on air quality, as well as lava flows; and Safe Travel shares updates on road and hiking trail closures.

Things to be concerned about during a volcanic eruption in Iceland include the actual eruption itself if it's a blast, ash and gas affecting air quality, lava flows and potential resulting fires, and floods that could be caused by an eruption melting ice or glaciers.

If a volcanic eruption site is deemed safe for tourists to visit by the combined experts from all these organizations, than I would feel confident in going. (When I visited in 2022, I was further reassured by the fact that the Icelandic government was spending money to develop and maintain hiking trails to the eruption sites.)

Having said that, you always need to be prepared and informed in case something changes. A few sites to bookmark if you plan to visit Iceland during a volcanic eruption:

• SafeTravel.is – Check for info on road closures, hiking trail closures, and other alerts. (These could be due to weather, volcanoes, or other events.) When I was in Iceland, conditions at the eruption site were updated on here (and in their app) daily.
• Icelandic Met Office – Check for general weather forecasts, but this page specifically for volcanic gas readings. (And visit this page to see recent volcanic activity warnings.)
• Loftgaedi – Check air quality readings as they relate to recent volcanic activity.
• Visit Reykjanes – For the most recent eruption news on the Reykjanes Peninsula (which will likely remain active for quite a while), check this local website.

And do not ignore safety advice or go out on a closed trail. The area around a volcano can be deemed unsafe for a variety of reasons, some of which (like dangerous gases in the air) may not be visible to the naked eye.

Getting up close to an erupting volcano is only “safe” if local experts and authorities deem it to be so, and even then you need to accept that there will be a bit of risk.

Will Iceland have more eruptions?

On the Reykjanes Peninsula alone, recent studies have suggested that the volcanic activity could continue on and off for years or even decades. So yes, it's likely Iceland will have more eruptions like the ones we've seen in the last few years.

And it's possible that those eruptions might eventually force the permanent evacuation of the town of Grindavik, and/or potentially affect Keflavik International Airport.

There's also a chance that renewed activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula might trigger other volcanic systems around Iceland – including ones that are known for being more destructive, or that are considered “due” for an eruption.

However, as of right now, there's no reason to avoid traveling to Iceland due to volcanic activity. The airport remains safe, the Ring Road remains open, and the frequent eruptions have been affecting a very small area in one part of Iceland.

So definitely still plan that trip to Iceland! Maybe you'll get lucky enough like me and be able to see some lava for yourself.

Would you want to see an erupting volcano in Iceland?

Amanda Williams

Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!

www.dangerous-business.com