A Glimpse into the Earth’s Heart: Thrihnukagigur Volcano Adventure (2024)

While planning for the activities to do in Reykjavik, I stumbled upon a tour where I could go inside a volcano called Thrihnukagigur volcano. ‘How cool is that!’ I thought and I immediately booked the tour, without thinking for a second. And it is one of the most beautiful and amazing adventures I have ever done in my life. In this post, you will find the details on the tour that takes you inside Thrihnukagigur volcano.

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About the Thrihnukagigur Volcano

Located about 20 kilometres from the capital city of Reykjavik in Iceland, Thrihnukagigur, literally translates to “Three peaks crater”. The volcano was discovered in the year 1974 and is the only volcano in the world where visitors are allowed to take an elevator into a magma chamber.

One Day Tour to Thrihnukagigur Volcano

The name of the tour that organises the tour is called “Inside the volcano”. I booked the tour with the help of my hostel accommodation staff at the reception but you can also book the adventure on Viator website. The booking process was quite easy and it costed 42000 ISK which is approximately 400 USD.

Thrihnukagigur Volcano Itinerary and my experience of the tour

On the day of the tour, I was picked up from my accommodation (hostel) in Reykjavik and was driven to a meeting point, where the actual tour started. This drive was about an hour from Reykjavik city centre.

If you want to see the spectacular landscapes of Iceland, do not forget to take the Golden Circle Route.

The duration of the tour was about 5 – 6 hours and it was divided into two parts:

Part 1: The hike

The hike is from the meeting point/ visitor centre to the base camp of the volcano. It is through the beautiful lava fields and the distance is about 3 kilometers one way (takes around 40 to 50 minutes one way). The hike requires a moderate level of fitness as the last 10 minutes of the hike is very challenging with an elevation of around 350 feet.

Unfortunately on the day of my tour, the weather was very bad. It was freezing cold and it was constantly raining with the wind gushing at 35 kilometres per hour. In spite of this bad weather, the tour went ahead and we hiked in the rain. We were given the rain coats so we can protect ourselves from the rain.

Also Read | Snorkeling between tectonic plates

Part 2: The tour of the volcano

At the base camp of the volcano, we were provided with the harness and the helmet. From the base camp, we were escorted to the top of the crater. There was an open cable lift waiting for us to be taken down inside the magma chamber. The descend was about 120 meters. This was the most exciting part of the entire tour. The colours of the chamber were amazingly beautiful.

Inside the volcano, we spent half an hour, which was a good amount of time to take pictures. The highlight of the chamber was the discoloured rock that looked like an evil eye.

The staff and the tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and patient. They answered and explained each and every aspect of the volcano. Many thanks to the staff for working during extreme bad weather, with smiling faces.

Did you know that you can also walk behind a waterfall in Iceland? Yes, you can walk behind the spectacular Seljalandsfoss waterfall.

Safety for solo female travelers

This tour is extremely safe for solo female travelers. I traveled solo and felt very safe. The tour agency was very organised and the safety was the number one priority for the staff. I did not have any issues and in fact loved it. The only thing that I would say is be a bit cautious of the weather and be prepared for heavy rains and strong winds. When I visited the volcano, it was raining constantly and it was extremely cold.

Closing Notes

It was indeed a memorable experience and was totally worth every penny I spent. I would definitely recommend this tour as one of the must-do things in Iceland. It is for every traveller and adventure seeker. Going inside a volcano is one of it kinds activity that can be done only in Iceland and is unique for this country.

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