Caving & ATVs

by Arctic Adventures · Lava caves · ATV & buggy · Reykjavík

  • Fine on your own

from €227.5 per person

Next departure: Thu 22 Oct

  • Duration

    7 hours

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Guide

    Guided in English

  • Departs

    08:00

  • Minimum age

    8

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

Meeting point, in Arctic Adventures's words: Please send us your pickup location as soon as possible.

About this experience

Caving & ATV Tour

Trip difficulty: 2/5, easy.

Tour Highlights:- ATV's- Hafrafjall Mountain- Caving- Leiðarendi cave

You don´t need to travel far to experience an amazing view of Reykjavík and Esja from a 650 cc CanAm Outlander Max Quad bike.
Only after a 15-minute drive you will be on your bike, and then head out on a one hour ATV bike tour to the top of the Hafrafjall mountain.
This is an ideal activity to combine adventure and sightseeing with a bit of adrenaline as well.
After the ATV trip we will return to city center where you can have a light lunch and to prepare for the second adventure of the day.

You will then head to the Blue Mountains area where you will get to experience the underworld. Exploring a lava cave and discovering the shapes that the volcano created more then 2000 years ago is a trip that everyone will enjoy. The Leiðarendi cave is a perfect example of an Icelandic lava tube and it will allow you to climb, crawl and walk whilw learning about the geology of Iceland from your specially trained cave guide. 

Disclaimer: All adventure trips are undertaken on the responsibility of its participants. Arctic Adventures does not assume any responsibility for accidents that are caused by its customers or can be traced to there own actions. Participants have to sign a waiver before undertaking all trips stating that they realize that all outdoor activities carry an inherent risk.

Description from the operator, Arctic Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. ATV base camp
  2. Hafravatn Lake
  3. Hafrafell
  4. Leiðarendi Cave

Included

Transfer from and back to Reykjavík.
Guided 1 hour quad biking with two persons sharing a bike.
At our ATV base camp we provide warm coveralls, balaclavas, gloves and helmets. 
Guided cave tour to Leiðarendi cave and caving gear, including cave helmet and head torch.

Not included

Food and beverages are not included.

Good to know

Warm outdoor clothing, waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good hiking shoes are recommended (note: hiking shoes, waterproof jacket and pants can be rented online beforehand, only available for the caving part).

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 storm-force wind — rain and mud do not cancel it. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Arctic Adventures 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 →

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Day Hike to Helgafell: Lava Caves and Elves from Hikers of Iceland is €109 — €119 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Arctic Adventures · €228Hikers of Iceland · €109
How long it runs7 hours5 hours
Getting therePicks you upYou make your own way

The €119 buys you 2 more hours out and hotel pickup. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Who this is not for

  • Children under 8 cannot join this one.

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

Why we list it

Arctic Adventures 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 Arctic Adventures

Read all 5,195 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Kai Gilchrist

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    This was a phenomenal trip with AMAZING sights. Our tour guide was informative, friendly, and easy to listen to. You will learn a lot and see nature at its greatest. We absolutely loved this tour and would recommend it to anyone. The car ride is comfortable and there is wifi as well! Shout out to our tour guide, Magnus (I hope I’m spelling his name correctly), who told us some hilarious stories.

  • Tatjana Kultaniemi

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    I spent six days on a bus tour around Iceland with a professional guide. It was an excellent opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview of Iceland's breathtaking nature while also learning about the country's history and the everyday lives of its people. Iceland's landscape and animals are truly unique, featuring magnificent waterfalls, geysers, whales, seals, puffins, volcanoes, glaciers, and mountains. Every day brought new and unforgettable experiences. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our guide, Viko. He not only drove the bus safely but also shared fascinating stories about Icelandic history, culture, and way of life. He was willing to tailor the itinerary to our group's interests and wishes, making the experience even more enjoyable. I am very grateful for his professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm in interpreting Iceland's natural and cultural heritage. He played a key role in making this tour such a memorable experience.

  • Chloe Lamm

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    I did the Iceland South Coast Full Day Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik. Such an amazing tour and one of the highlights of my trip to Iceland! Our guide, Erik, was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much interesting information about Iceland throughout the day. We visited some of the country’s most beautiful sights, including stunning waterfalls, Vik, black sand beaches, and other breathtaking stops along the South Coast. The pickup process was simple and organized, making the day completely stress-free. The scenery was incredible from start to finish, and Erik helped make the experience even better with his knowledge, friendliness, and enthusiasm. If you’re visiting Iceland, the South Coast is a must-do, and I highly recommend taking this tour with Erik as your guide!

  • Nicole Y.

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    What a wonderful adventure! The 3 Day South Coast/Golden Circle tour included all of the sites we wanted to see and it did not disappoint. We were picked up at a bus stop in downtown Reykjavik and our journey began with about 16 other guests, a good group size. Our tour guide "Good" John did an excellent job teaching us about the history of Iceland and the sites we saw. The tour is well organized with just enough time at each site. He also made adjustments to the itinerary based on the weather as well as including sites not on the tour to give us more to see, which we loved! There were plenty of bathroom/food breaks as needed and we loved that we could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the views outside the window rather than worrying about driving and parking. Our multi-day tour included a 2 night stay at Adventure Hotel Geirland, which Arctic Adventures owns. Such a quiet hotel, convenient location with beautiful views. Our only complaints were that the shower leaked and made the floor wet, and that dinner at the restaurant was expensive with limited options. However the food was good and breakfast was included. The Katla Ice Cave was our favorite part, which was partnered with Southcoast Adventure, and our guide Inga was very friendly and knowledgeable. We did pay for a hiking boot rental for my husband but never received the boots. We did not ask our tour guide so we are not sure what happened with that. Overall we absolutely loved this tour and would highly recommend Arctic Adventures to anyone visiting Iceland for the first time!

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 →
  • One checkout, any number of operators

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Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €18 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

Arctic Rafting

Rafting & ATVs

from €367 per person4.90· 139 Google reviews of the operator

39% above the €264 typical for ATV & buggy tours

Moderate · from age 11 · pickup included

11 h 30 · from Reykjavík

  • Age 11+
  • Gear included
  • Family friendly
Check dates

from

€227.5 per person

Book Thu 22 Oct · €227.5