“Settlers sheltered in this Icelandic lava tube over a thousand years ago, and Viking-age artifacts have been found deep inside the tunnel left by a river of molten rock.”
About Vígelmir Lava Cave
Vidgelmir formed in an eruption around the year 900, close to the time of Iceland's settlement, when a lava flow drained out from beneath its hardened crust to leave a long hollow tube. Viking-age objects discovered within show the cave was used by early Icelanders. It is now managed for guided tours along a built walkway that protects the formations.
Vidgelmir Lava Cave in short
Vidgelmir is one of the largest lava tube caves in Iceland, a long underground tunnel in the west of the country left behind by a river of molten rock. Inside, visitors on guided tours pass colourful mineral-stained walls, lava stalactites and, in the colder sections, ice formations that build up where water seeps in and freezes.
Vidgelmir is one of the largest lava tube caves in Iceland, a long underground tunnel in the west of the country left behind by a river of molten rock.
Shelter in the Dark
The cave formed in an eruption around 1,100 years ago, not long after Iceland was settled. Remarkably, archaeologists have found Viking-age artifacts inside, evidence that early settlers used the cave for shelter or storage. A raised walkway now lets visitors explore deep into the tube safely, through chambers of strange lava textures and seasonal ice, in a guided trip into the inside of a lava flow.
The Experience
You descend into the lava tube and follow a raised path deep underground, headlamp lit, past walls streaked in red, orange and purple minerals, delicate lava stalactites and, in places, columns and floors of ice. The scale is the surprise: the tube is wide and tall, and the sense of standing inside a frozen river of stone is unforgettable. Guides explain how it formed and how settlers used it.
Why It Matters
Vidgelmir links Iceland's volcanic geology directly to its human history, a lava tube that records both an ancient eruption and the early settlers who sheltered in it. It is one of the most accessible and impressive lava caves in the country, a literal journey inside a lava flow.
Vidgelmir links Iceland's volcanic geology directly to its human history, a lava tube that records both an ancient eruption and the early settlers who sheltered in it.
Why Visit
Take a guided tour for one of Iceland's largest, most colourful lava tubes, with mineral-stained walls, ice formations and Viking-age history, deep underground in the west.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
Book a guided tour; independent entry is not allowed and the cave needs a guide.
- 2
Dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes; it is cold and uneven underground.
- 3
Winter visits show the most ice formations inside the tube.
- 4
Note the Viking-age history; settlers used this cave over a thousand years ago.
