Thríhnúkagígur Volcano — Attraction in Kopavogur

It is just amazing going down to the magma chamber. Also went through the lava tunnels.

Þríhnúkagígur volcano is a dormant volcano and it last erupted over 4,000 years ago. Árni B. Stefánsson, was the first to explore the vault.This crater is about 20 km southeast of Reykjavík.

Iceland is a giant geological hotspot -most active volcanic regions in the world. At the top of this cone is opening, about 12×12 ft wide, the entrance of a huge 400 ft deep, bottle-shaped volcanic vault, measuring 160×220 ft at the bottom. Volcanic passages continue down to a depth of about 200 to 700m

The beauty of the crater is the various colours found inside it, and its enormous and intimidating size. The space inside is equivalent to almost three full-sized tennis courts next to each other and the height can fit a full-sized Statue of Liberty in the chamber. It is huge.

The magma chamber is the heart of a volcano and the liquid rock waits to find a way to the surface, causing a volcanic eruption. In most cases, the crater is usually closed after the eruption by cold, hard lava. Þríhnúkagígur volcano is a rare exception to this, because the magma in the chamber seems to have disappeared. It’s believed that the magma solidified in the walls or quite simply retreated to the depths...

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the only place on Earth to descend into an actual (dormant) volcano.

This is an amazing adventure! Descend into a volcano through the cone and see the magma cavity that has left behind a multitude of minerals that are displayed as different beautiful colors. You will see the archeological layers of thousands of years of volcanic eruptions on display in the walls.

Expect: about an hour drive from Reykjavík, a 3 kilometer hike across a lava field -possibly in the rain, a short hike up the side of the volcano, wearing a climbing harness and walking the gang plank to the scaffold elevator, descending 110 meters through the cone to the bottom deep inside the earth, spending about 25 minutes exploring the magma chamber, and then hiking back.

If you have a fear of heights or are claustrophobic, or have doubts about a 3 km hike out and back, then you may wish to reconsider. Raincoats are supplied.

Otherwise, this is a must-do. I would highly recommend seeing "The Lava Show" in Reykjavík first...

Highly recommended visit to inside the Thrihnukagigur volcano - however with caveats.

Both tour guides on our visit/slot neglected the safety of the group as a whole by walking into the distance beyond earshot. Subsequently, a couple got trapped inside a lava bridge on the trek back from the volcano and despite calling for help, the guides on the tour were too far away to hear the cries for help. Fortunately, my wife and I were just within hearing distance to pick up their voices shouting for help when they became lost and trapped. We doubled back to help them to safety.

However, both tour guides had disappeared beyond sight and sound beyond the horizon and couldn't be brought back. If this incident had resulted in injury or worse, the tour guides could not have been brought back for over 10 minutes to help. Poor duty of care for their clients and a warning for future clients to be wary of the perils of the lava field and blasé...