Inside a volcano in Iceland

During a visit to Iceland in August 2014, I took a tour out of Reykjavik called “Inside the Volcano.” This tour of a hollow, dormant volcano has been operating for only about three years. I had read about it in ITN (July ’14, pg. 76) and was intrigued.

There are two ways to reach the volcano: (1) from the city center, ride a tour bus to a trail, then walk for 45 minutes over an uneven lava field or (2) from the domestic airport, take a 7-minute helicopter ride to the volcano.

Both choices can be booked on the website of Inside the Volcano (phone +354 863 6640, www.insidethevolcano.com). The walking tour costs ISK37,000 (near $305), and the helicopter tour costs ISK76,000 ($628). I opted for the helitour; it was easy and well worth the money.

The helicopter landed right next to the small lodge at the base camp, where, by the way, we were offered hot soup after the tour. 

At the camp, each person put on a safety harness and helmet and took a 5-minute guided walk (there are stairs with a rail alongside) to the entrance of the volcano’s hollow cone. There, we were hooked up to an elevator, much like window washers on a scaffold outside of a building. The elevator carried no more than six people at a time.

We descended about 390 feet. On the way down, at first the walls were close enough to touch, and then they opened up to a cavern that was enormous. 

The first look around the cavern was amazing. The colors and forms were otherworldly. Lights allowed us to see the floor and surrounding walls. They were a crayon box of colors — blue, red, yellow, purple, green and black.

Nothing inside the volcano was smooth. There were protrusions from the walls and floor and rocks at the bottom, making walking around difficult but doable. 

The ITN item mentioned passages at the bottom “that descend another 300 feet.” Past a barrier, we could see into the passage about 10 feet, but the entrance was very tight and you would have to crawl to get to the bottom.

A guide rode with us on the elevator and another guide was always on the floor of the volcano. We could walk around to both sides, touch, take photos or just sit on the rocks and look about. A light rain was coming off the walls. 

It was quiet, too. Looking around the cavern — with the serenity, the colors, the peace — I felt similar to the way I do when I’m at the beach and mesmerized by the waves and surf. 

We had an awesome 45 minutes before heading back up.

The walking tour takes five to six hours, but my tour took only two hours. I felt very safe the entire time. It was an exciting, unusual, not-to-be-missed experience.

I have two pieces of advice for anyone interested in taking this tour: (1) take a warm jacket, as the temperature in the cavern is around 39°F, and (2) book your trip ahead of time, as reservations are required.

DONNA PERELMAN

Narragansett, RI