Raufarhólshellir is a lava cave located near Reykjavik. With its length of 1,360 meters, it is the fourth longest lava cave in Iceland. It is also extremely spacious, ranging from 10 to 30 meters wide and up to 10 meters high.
For free and without any reservations, you can only view the cave from above – peeking into it through one of the holes in the collapsed ceiling.
In late 2016, the cave was closed to the public. This was because it was necessary to remove debris, install lighting and more passageways. A year later, it was reopened to the public.
Although exploring the cave does not require crawling and jumping, the ground is uneven. People with back or knee problems should think twice about going inside.
There are viewing platforms in the cave. There is also lighting, making it easier to move around and observe the unusual colors and distinctive lava formations.
Even in summer, there may be snow inside the cave. So make sure to wear appropriate clothing and shoes. You will be provided with a flashlight and helmet on site, before entering.
| Raufarholshellir Cave – details | |||
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| region | South Iceland | ||
| GPS coordinates | 63.93999006983043, -21.395541114793858 |
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| length | 1.36 km / 0.85 mile | ||
| opening hours | daily, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | ||
| entry cost | $61 (adults) $30 (teenagers) kids under 11 – free |
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| remarks | Guided tours only. Tour time: about 1 h. |
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| bookings | Raufarholshellir meet at location Raufarholshellir w. Reykjavik pick-up |
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You can get on a tour with Reykjavik pick-up through one of the links in the table above. If you’ve chosen the ‘meet on location’ tour (also available by links above), it’s not far from the capital and right on the Golden Circle route.
To get to Raufarhólshellir from Reykjavik, take Route 1 south. Then, at the fork, turn right onto road 39. This one will lead you to your destination – a little before the intersection with road 38. The trip by car takes about 40 minutes.
