Lava Show Vík
by LAVA SHOW · Volcanoes & lava · South Coast
- Fine on your own
- Luxury
- Suits older travellers
- Works in the rain
- Good with teenagers
- Eco-certified
from €48.38 per person
Next departure: Thu 22 Oct
1 / 14
Duration
50 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Vik
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Víkurbraut 5, Vík
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 …
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before
Our take on this one
The Vík branch of the same show, and the better one to choose if you are driving the south coast, because it sits in the village you were going to stop in anyway. They superheat lava from the 1918 Katla eruption — the volcano above you as you watch — and pour it into the showroom, with a host, a short film on the volcanoes nearby and a first-hand account of the eruption. Fifty minutes, seven shows a day from 09:00 to 21:00. Arrive ten minutes early, and shed a layer: the room heats fast when the lava comes in. €47, no minimum age, free cancellation to 24 hours before.
- Book it if
- Anyone overnighting in Vík or held up by weather on the south coast, particularly with children aboard.
- Skip it if
- Identical in substance to the Reykjavík show — book one or the other, and this one only if Vík is already on your route.
Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.
About this experience
Are you fascinated with lava, volcanoes, and geology? Would you like to see red-hot lava up close in a safe environment? Are you embarking on a journey through Iceland, the land of fire and ice? If the answer is YES, you need to experience LAVA SHOW Vík. It is the first and only live lava show in the world and has become one of the must-see experiences in Iceland. Just look at the incredible reviews.
An incredible and unique experience
In order to recreate a miniature volcano eruption, they superheat real lava from the 1918 Katla eruption and once molten, pour it into a showroom full of people. It is an incredible, unforgettable experience. In an instant, the showroom heats up to a toasty temperature. And as the audience sits safe in their seats yet only a few feet away from the flowing lava, it is mesmerizing to see, hear, smell and feel the incredible heat that radiates from it. It truly is a sensational experience.
The show begins with a short welcome by the host and then a short educational video about Icelandic volcanism, the volcanoes close by - with special emphasis on Katla volcano - and how the surrounding volcanoes have affected the locals throughout the ages. They even give you a personal story and tell you the evacuation plan in case Katla were to erupt right there and then.
Once the lava starts flowing into the showroom, the host literally starts PLAYING WITH THE LAVA. The host manipulates the lava with an iron rod, creating Pele's hair and tears, a miniature lava tunnel, a little lava cave and explains everything about what's happening as it goes. It is such an intimate, educational and entertaining experience and so different from everything else you've ever experienced, that you can't help feel in awe. And after the show, you truly see the rest of Iceland with different eyes and a newfound appreciation for nature. It really is a must see experience.
Description from the operator, LAVA SHOW. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- LAVA SHOW - feel the heat!
Included
A chance to get up close to real flowing lava.
The only live lava show in the world
Security goggles
A live host makes the show fun and personal
A short educational video about Icelandic volcanism
A true story from the 1918 Katla eruption
A sensory loaded experience - you feel the heat from the lava.
A Q&A session at the end of the show
A unique once-in-a-lifetime experience
Not included
- Handmade lava-related souvenirs made on location and from our own lava is available for purchase at location
Good to know
Your good mood, eagerness to learn and willingness to ask questions. The show is always the most fun when people interact with the host. And if you booked your tickets online, it's enough to show the electronic tickets at the counter, no need to print them out.
We advice people to get there at least 10 minutes before the show, get their bearings and check out our gift shop before the show.
It gets HOT in the showroom when the lava pours in so people are advised to remove some layers of clothing before the show starts. The show is a safe experience and the heat should not be an issue but pregnant women, people with infants, and people with cardiovascular diseases are recommended to sit in the second row and/or close to the exit just to be on the safe side.
Everyone is advised to to keep their safety goggles on at all times during the show when there is lava in the showroom - also and especially when it is cooling down and solidifying.
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.
- 1LAVA SHOW 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.
- 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.
- 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 →
Sold out on your date?
Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.
Why we list it
LAVA SHOW 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 LAVA SHOW
Read all 2,452 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.
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
An absolute must-see in Vík! We had an incredible time at the Lava Show! Our host, Louis, was phenomenal—he made the whole experience engaging, educational, and fun. The show is perfectly paced and consists of several stages. I especially loved the video segments about Iceland’s volcanic history; they provided such great context. But the real highlight was, of course, when the molten lava started flowing into the room. Feeling the heat and seeing it glow just a few meters away was breathtaking. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that I can’t recommend enough!
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Great fun, seats full up quick and is at the back of a nice restaurant, easy parking a d easy to walk to from anywhere in vik. We did the extended tour and pre purchased lava, the extended tour is good but short. It gets very hot quickly ensure you can de later.
★★★★★ · a month ago
This was by FAR the highlight of my trip, super awesome and informative show!! This wasn't on my bucket list before coming to Iceland but it's definitely an unforgettable experience. I never thought I would get to see lava so close up ever, but here I am! HIGHLY recommend. Thank you so much!! :)
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
Might sound overrated, but this is indeed a 'must-see' when in Iceland and the next best thing to seeing a fresh lavaflow 'in the wild' (which, let's be honest, one's unlikely as an average tourist, especially from a distance of a few meters and without the dangers involved)! It's a real clever idea and concept, well thought out and executed and is fascinating, mesmerising and hugely informative and memorable! Yes, it is expensive (like most things in Iceland), but well worth it! In Vík, it's probably a smaller venue and somehow feels less 'touristy' (compared to the Reykjavik venue) and our showman, András, was a phenomenal guy - funny, slick, entertaining and pleasant. And the bonus: you can have a selection of great, tasty soups (and other simple dishes) on site/in the same building!
Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026
Read before you book
- Lava Show: Reykjavík or Vík?Same molten lava, same €48 ticket, same 50-odd minutes. See it in Vík if you are driving the South Coast anyway, in Reykjavík on a wet day in town.
- Vík í Mýrdal: worth staying the night?A village of 750 people with the best-placed hotel beds on the South Coast. What Vík is actually for, what to book from it, and the beach that kills people.
- Hekla volcano tour: what you actually doMostly you drive: a super jeep up Hekla's lower slopes and lava fields, often with Landmannalaugar. Nobody we list guides you to the summit.
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.
Hotels
Where to stay for this tour
From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Vík í Mýrdal, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.
One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it
Pairs well with
Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €2 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.
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