Private Silver Circle & Vidgelmir Lava Cave

by Your Friend in Reykjavik · Lava caves · Volcanoes & lava · West Iceland

4.90· 1,779 Google reviews of the operator
  • Eco-certified

from €1,849.07 per vehicle

Next departure: Thu 22 Oct

Book Thu 22 Oct · €1,849.07 the vehicleOther dates
Private Silver Circle & Vidgelmir Lava Cave — Your Friend in Reykjavik
Visitors inside Víðgelmir lava cave in Iceland, exploring the spacious lava tunnel with visible rock formations and guided lighting
Aerial view of Hraunfossar waterfalls in autumn, with multiple cascades emerging from rust-colored and black lava rock into a vivid turquois
Interior of Vidgelmir lava cave in winter, showing a dramatic arched entrance chamber with ice stalagmites rising from the floor, icicles ha
Dramatic dusk view of Hraunfossar waterfalls with deep green vegetation and dark lava rock, a small red-roofed farm visible on the highland
Steam rising from Deildartunguhver hot spring, with boiling water bubbling up between moss-covered volcanic rocks and yellow wildflowers vis
Close aerial view of Deildartunguhver geothermal hot spring, with boiling water splashing over rust-colored volcanic rock surrounded by vivi
Small group of visitors in helmets standing inside the illuminated Vidgelmir lava tube, dwarfed by towering walls of layered grey and deep r
View looking upward through a collapsed opening in the roof of Vidgelmir lava cave, framed by ice-encrusted volcanic rock, with the northern

1 / 9

  • Duration

    10 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Guide

    Guided in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish

  • Departs

    08:30

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Iceland’s largest lava cave is 10 minutes from Hraunfossar. Most visitors drive straight past it. This tour doesn’t.

The Silver Circle follows the base route — a brief stop in Borgarnes for fjord views, then Deildartunguhver, Reykholt, Hraunfossar — before adding a guided walk through Vidgelmir, a lava tube stretching over 1,500 metres. The cave was formed in the same Hallmundarhraun eruption that created the lava field at Hraunfossar. Your guide makes the connection explicit: you see what the lava did above ground, then you descend into the tube it left behind.

The cave is professionally lit and guided by a specialist cave guide who handles the underground section. Stalactites, ice formations (in winter), lava pillars, and chambers where the ceiling reaches 10 metres. The walk takes about an hour. The temperature inside is cold year-round (approximately 4°C) — bring a warm layer even in summer.

Helmets and headlamps are provided on-site.

The Silver Circle gives you Iceland above ground. Vidgelmir gives you Iceland below it.

Highlights:
  • Full Silver Circle base route: Borgarnes, Deildartunguhver, Reykholt, Hraunfossar, Husafell
  • Vidgelmir lava cave — Iceland's largest, over 1,500 metres long
  • Specialist cave guide inside — stalactites, pillars, ice formations
  • Geological connection: same eruption that created Hraunfossar above ground
  • Helmet and headlamp provided on-site
  • Private YFIR guide throughout — hotel pickup included

Description from the operator, Your Friend in Reykjavik. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Deildartunguhver Hot Spring
  2. Reykholt
  3. Hraunfossar & Barnafoss
  4. Vidgelmir Lava Cave

Included

  • Private vehicle + YFIR guide
  • Hotel pickup (Reykjavik)
  • Vidgelmir lava cave entry (guided tour)
  • Helmet and headlamp on-site
  • All transport

Not included

  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
  • Warm clothing (bring your own — cave is 4°C)

Good to know

  • Cave temperature is approximately 4°C year-round. A warm layer is essential even in July.
  • Sturdy, closed-toe footwear is required. No open-toe shoes or heels.
  • Cave temperature is approximately 4°C year-round. A warm layer is essential even in July.
  • Sturdy, closed-toe footwear is required. No open-toe shoes or heels.
  • Vidgelmir tours run at fixed entry times. YFIR pre-books the slot — itinerary timing is built around it.
  • Moderate fitness required for the cave walk — uneven terrain in places, but no climbing.
  • Not suitable for guests with severe claustrophobia.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is wind on the ridge or a change in eruption activity — civil protection decides, not the operator. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Your Friend in Reykjavik decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
  2. 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
  3. 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Who this is not for

  • Priced per vehicle, so it is poor value for one or two people and good value for four or more sharing.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Your Friend in Reykjavik is one of 204 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Your Friend in Reykjavik

Read all 1,779 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Sanket Das

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Your Friend in Reykjavik is the best tour company in Reykjavik . I took Walk with a Viking Tour , Snaefellsnes Peninsula day tour and 6 days around Iceland Adventure tour . I spent 8 Nights in Iceland . I stayed 2 nights at Hotel Reykjavik Grand , 1 night at Hotel Geirland , 1 night at Hotel Hofn , 1 night at Wilderness Center , 1 night at Akureyri Berjaya Iceland Hotels , 1 night at Hotel Laugarbakki , 1 night at Hotel Keflavik . It was an amazing tour . My experience in Iceland was magical and heavenly . I also visited Blue Lagoon and it was a nice experience. I enjoyed my every second in Iceland . Iceland is one of the most beautiful country on our planet . I would keep visiting Iceland in the future . Thank you for making my Iceland journey special and memorable .

  • Wendy Uhlig

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We had a great time on our Iceland Folklore tour. Our guide was Einar. He was a fantastic storyteller!! Hidden people/elves, trolls and ghost stories - and a lot of Icelandic history. Thank you Einar!!

  • Nanci Ritter

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Petra was an incredible guide. We asked her to show us as much as she could before taking our crazy family of 10 to the airport for our flights to three different cities ! First stop was the beautiful church in downtown Reykjavik that had just opened with an organ recital. Next stop a lovely spot and observation sight overlooking the city by the Pearl. Cold and wet she found us a lovely coffee shop with the best pastries for a welcome mid morning rest next to the sea. Back in the van we drove for a bit before having the opportunity to explore a geothermal field on our way to the airport. A perfect day and ending to our time in Iceland. Petra shared alot of history and information from the perspective of a local which we all appreciated and enjoyed!

  • Vincent Damas

    ★★★★★ · 4 months ago

    Nice walking trip in Reykjavik city centre with our local guide Hrafn, very friendly and knowledgeable. A good introduction to Iceland on the very first day of our 2 weeks road-trip around the island 👍

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Lava caves — questions people ask

Which lava cave near Reykjavík is the easiest to visit?

Raufarhólshellir, sold as The Lava Tunnel, thirty minutes east of the city. It has a lit walkway and a one-hour guided walk (/experience/32545/ meet on location, or /experience/222055/ with pickup), so no crawling and no head torches. It runs all year. Viðgelmir in West Iceland is longer and quieter, an hour and a half away, and Leiðarendi is a proper caving trip with helmets and scrambling.

What is the difference between a lava cave and an ice cave?

A lava cave is a tunnel left when a lava flow drained out thousands of years ago; it is rock, permanent and open all year. An ice cave is a meltwater tunnel in a glacier, usually only safe November to March, and rebuilt by nature every year. Lava caves show colours in the rock, ice stalactites in winter and total darkness. Ice caves show blue light. If you are here in summer and someone offers a natural ice cave, ask which one.

Is lava caving suitable for children and older people?

The Lava Tunnel, yes. The main walk is on a flat walkway with lights and handrails, and children of most ages manage it. Viðgelmir has a good path too. Leiðarendi and the caving combos (/experience/268/) involve crouching, uneven floors and some scrambling, so the operator sets a minimum age; check the tour page. Anyone with a bad back or knees should stick to the walkway caves.

What do I wear in a lava cave?

It is around zero to four degrees inside, whatever the weather outside, and floors drip. Wear a warm jacket, closed shoes with grip and long trousers. The operator provides a helmet with a head torch where needed. For caving trips, wear clothes you do not mind scraping on rock; gloves help. The Lava Tunnel is easier on clothing, but it is still a cold, wet cave, not a museum.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →

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Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

Your Friend in Reykjavik

Private Silver Circle Day Tour

from €1,573 per vehicle4.90· 1,779 Google reviews of the operator

pickup included

8 h · from Reykjavík

  • Family friendly
  • Free cancellation 24 h
  • Private
Check dates

from

€1,849.07 per vehicle

Book Thu 22 Oct · €1,849.07 the vehicle