Where can you find hot springs, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, black sand beaches, unique species of animals, the Northern Lights, and fewer than 400,000 people, 60% of whom live in one metro area? That’s right, Iceland, and it needs to be on your travel list if you love adventure, the outdoors, and exclusive experiences.
Iceland is a volcano-lover’s dream and if you’re looking for the best Iceland volcano tour, we’ve got you covered. Sitting along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, it experiences frequent earthquakes and has gorgeous volcanic landscapes due to its unique location spanning two tectonic plates. The most recent series of eruptions started in 2021 in Fagradalsfjall, lasting through 2023.
In late 2023 through late 2024, the western side of Iceland has gotten involved, with seven new fissure eruptions near Grindavik. This most recent eruption hasn’t been as spectacular as the recent volcanic eruption at Fagradalsfjall, but they speak to Iceland’s ever-changing landscape and extreme volcanic activity.
If you want to get up close with recently-active volcanoes, Iceland gives you a few safe, fun ways to do it. The two main ways to take an Iceland volcano tour are on land or by air. There are benefits and drawbacks to each – read on to decide which is best for you.
When it comes to views, aerial active volcano tours will give you a birds-eye view of a volcano and the lava flow and let you see the vast scope and impact that the volcano has on the surrounding landscape. You’ll get views of lava formations impossible to see on land, but you’ll be observing rather than getting close to the volcano.
On land, your views will be limited to what you see around you, but the overall experience is more immersive, letting you touch and walk on new volcanic rock, something you just can’t do in most parts of the world.
You will also need to consider mobility. A helicopter tour is a great choice for those with limited mobility, as you will be seated while viewing the volcanic craters. There is still some mobility necessary to enter and exit the helicopter, but once inside, you won’t be expending much energy besides exclaiming over the insane views. A land-based tour is going to be much more physically involved, with hiking requirements on uneven terrain in Iceland’s notoriously unpredictable weather.
Finally, the best tour for you will depend on logistics – how much time and money you have for your tour. An aerial tour is going to have you to and from Reykjavik in under an hour, whereas a land tour is going to be a full day adventure, also seeing some of Iceland’s other top spots.
Now, on to the two best Iceland volcano tours.
Iceland Volcano Tour – Helicopter Option
This volcano tour gets you in and out in an hour with stunning views, a small group, and a possible volcano landing. It’s the perfect option for adventure travelers who don’t want to do a lot of work for their bucket list views.
Like all volcano helicopter tours, this tour can’t guarantee that you’ll see fresh lava, but if there is a recent eruption with steaming vents and fissures, this is the safest way to get super close to them.
Your helicopter holds just 6 passengers along with your expert guides and takes off from Reykjavik Domestic Airport before flying southwest to the Reykjanes Peninsula and the Fagradalsfjall Volcano. Though your tour is just under an hour long, Iceland packs so much geology into a small area that you’ll have gorgeous scenery from start to finish.
This tour is amazing for photographers, but you’ll want to avoid the dreaded middle seat on this helicopter or your vantage point will be limited. Another thing to note is that helicopters are loud! Travelers with sensory issues might want to avoid this one – we’re not talking about the smooth, quiet ride you’ll get in a large airplane.
There’s no guarantee that landing on the volcano will be possible, but previous passengers report this being a highlight of their trip. Even if that’s not possible, what I love about this tour is that it’s fast, it’s small, and it’s unique. It’s also refundable up to 24 hours in advance, so if your plans change, you’re not out any money.
Iconic Glacier Hike, Volcano, and South Coast Waterfalls Tour
This guided tour is the ultimate introduction to Iceland. Knowledgeable guides lead you to all the major sites in the south in one day, which makes great use of your time but also makes for a very long day. This tour clocks in around 12 hours, so it is best for energetic people with a lot of patience and stamina.
This ground-based tour starts at 8 am at a meeting point in Reykjavik and is limited to a small group of 15 participants. From Reykjavik, you will head south and see all the highlights that make Iceland and its unique experiences so incredible.
The tour includes stops at the black sand beach of Reynisfjara with its towering basalt sea stacks, the Skógafoss waterfall and the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where you can walk behind the waterfall for a unique viewpoint (yes, you will get wet!) Seljalandsfoss is at the base of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Eyjafljallajökull last erupted in 2010, when its vast ash plumes forced the cancelation of over 100,000 flights in only seven days.
That’s as close as you will get to a volcano on this tour, as it is focused on showing you multiple sites in one day. Think of it more like a long-distance view rather than an up-close look at a more recently active volcano. Though you don’t get too close to Iceland’s volcanoes, this tour is the best way to see a variety of Iceland’s landscapes in a short time.
You will end your tour with a once-in-a-lifetime experience – strapping on crampons and glacier hiking on the Sólheimajökull Glacier’s 1,000 year old ice. The hidden gem on this tour, though, is all the driving time. You are just getting from one location to the next, but as you get there, you’ll be surrounded by breathtaking scenery. You will see lava fields, Icelandic horses, glaciers, volcanoes, and geothermal vents.
Though I didn’t take this exact tour, I did a similar private tour of southern Iceland and it was absolutely the highlight of our stay. This one stops at the same places and is equally as well-regarded. Note that it does not allow children under 8, and with an itinerary this full, I would not recommend it for children younger than teens.
Similar to the helicopter tour, this one has a very flexible cancelation policy, letting you change plans up to 24 hours before the tour. I love that about GetYourGuide because it means that whatever happens during your travels, you aren’t out money when things inevitably need to be adjusted.
Which Iceland Volcano Tour Should You Choose?
The best Iceland volcano tour is going to depend on your preferences travel styles, but there are some easy comparisons to make that should help you decide.
The helicopter tour is best for you if:
- You want a high-adrenaline adventure without a lot of physical effort
- You have limited time and need to keep your tour short
- You want to see an active volcano from an exclusive vantage point
- You care about photographing the volcano from a safe distance more than seeing the lava tunnels from the ground
- You have children younger than teenagers
- You do not have sensory issues that would make a noisy, bumpy flight a challenge
- Your budget is high and you prioritize exclusive experiences with very small groups or private tours
The full day tour is best for you if:
- You want to see a number of Iceland’s best sites, not just a volcano
- You have a high level of physical fitness and are comfortable with hiking on uneven terrain and a glacier
- You have a full day to devote to a tour
- You are comfortable being in the car for stretches of up to 1.5 hours at a time
- You are traveling with teenagers or adults (the youngest allowed age is 8 but our recommendation is 13 or above)
- You are on a budget and need an affordable way to see the best of Iceland’s natural wonders
- You care more about getting an introduction to Iceland rather than getting up close to an eruption site
Tips for Booking and What to Pack
Though it’s never possible to predict when a volcanic eruption will occur, you will want to keep track of the official volcano activity page for the latest information on seismic activity. If you are doing the helicopter volcano tour, of course it is best to go when the volcano has an ongoing eruption! Aside from that, this enclosed adventure is good year-round.
The hiking and waterfall tour is best in summer for its weather, but you will also encounter the biggest crowds at that time. I visited in September and while there were crowds, particularly at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, it didn’t deter from our day. The weather was cold and wet, and I would recommend packing for winter rather than autumn with an emphasis on waterproof gear and sturdy, close-toed shoes.
For the glacier hike and full-day tour, you will also want to bring a water bottle, a waterproof jacket and gloves, and a lightweight bag for carrying your valuables. My go-to in Iceland was this anti-theft purse, which holds a ton and offers great security features without screaming that I’m a tourist. It is one of the most-purchased items that I recommend to readers, and they love it as much as I do!
For the helicopter tour, your space is limited, so leave all but the essentials at the hotel. Make sure to bring sunglasses to help with glare, and don’t leave without your camera to capture those incredible aerial shots.
Remember that while you are booking through GetYourGuide, each tour is run by an independent operator. Look out for tour updates, cancelation information, and logistics instructions from the actual tour guide. If you need to change or cancel, you will do this directly through GetYourGuide to take advantage of their 24-hour cancelation policy.
These tours are both very popular and will fill up in busy months – if you are considering a tour, make sure to book early so you don’t miss out. These are both small group experiences, and space is limited.
Finally, don’t be late! Tours will not wait for you, so make sure you arrive early to receive instructions and get settled before departure.
Which is the Best Iceland Volcano Tour?
If seeing the volcano is your top priority and you have the money, choose the helicopter tour. If you are visiting Iceland for the first time and want to get a taste of its incredible scenery and natural beauty, including a volcano, choose the land-based tour. If I were to go again, having seen all the highlights of the waterfalls and glacier tour, I would pick the helicopter…but only if my kids weren’t joining me. Though they can take this tour, I think the noise and bumpiness would be too much for them.
If you can swing both, that is undoubtedly the right choice, so you can truly get a sense of Iceland’s fire-and-ice reputation!
