How to Visit the Active Volcanic Eruption in Iceland
Here is all the info you need to see the current active volcano
Hiking to the Volcano
If you plan on hiking all the way to the current active volcanic eruption in Iceland it is best to stop at Geldingadalir Parking P1
and from there hike Path B Highlighted here in blue
The hike is on a fairly well maintained private road and is just under 5km one way. It is mostly flat all the way but at the end you can hike up a hill to get a better view of the active crater.
Good hiking shoes are recommended.
Parts of the path may be muddy after rain, please stay on the path even if it is muddy and do not walk on the moss next to the path.
About half way through the hike you will come to a junction where two paths meet, you want to keep to the left as seen on the map below.
You can take a closer look at this map from VisitReykjanes Here it is interactive and also contains multiple other viewpoints for those who want to take a quick look at the eruption without doing the full hike.
It is also possible to bike there if you hava a mountain bike, xc bike, gravel bike, or any electric version of those types of bikes.
Things to keep in mind when hiking to the Volcano:
Keep an eye on the weather and dress accordingly! you will probably be out there for a few hours so it's better to over-prepare than under-prepare, bring a rain layer just in case.
The best websites for checking the forecast are Veður and Windy
Toxic gas can be an issue. The volcano gives off a lot of smoke and gas, if you have asthma or other health issues and if you are a child or elderly keep in mind that the fumes can have dangerous affects on your health.
It is not recommended to do the hike if the wind is blowing towards it.
You can use this map at Veður to see the gas forecast, and this site Loftgæði to see the real time air quality readings.
Do Not step on the fresh lava rocks! you would think that this does not need to be said but every time I go out there I see people walking on fresh lava rocks that sometimes cooled down just a few hours ago. The problem with this is that there can still be extremely hot lava right under the thin layer of cooled down rock and the fresh rock is very brittle so if you step in the wrong spot you can fall right through in to the lava.
You can easily tell the difference between old and new lava just by the colour and texture, if it looks very black and has no vegitation on it then it is fresh lava rock and you should not step on it.
Webcams are a good way to check how the conditions look before you start your hike, here are links to a few live cams:
How close to the lava can you get?
As you can see in these photos you can get very close to the lava flow, I have even seen a few people going all the way up to it and cooking marshmallows.
The active crater it self is about 1km away from the main viewpoint.
Can I still see it if I don't have time to do the hike?
Yes! if the weather is good enough then you can see the volcano just driving from the airport to the capital of Reykjavík.
There are even a few really nice viewpoints along the way where you can stop and see the volcano from a distance here are the best spots to stop:
How big is the newest eruption?
The total volume of new lava in the Sundhnúkur area is now estimated at 26.8 million cubic meters, covering an area of about 3.3 square kilometers. New data shows that the volume of the lava increased by 5.1 million cubic meters in five days, from July 18 to 23. This equates to an average lava flow rate of about 12 cubic meters per second.
Looking for things to do?
Go check out my guide for the best free things to do as well as itineraries and travel tips to make your trip unforgettable.