Vulkaanuitbarsting in IJsland | Icelandair
Pingdom Check
07/10/2023 | 7:00 AM

Icelands hottest natural wonder

Last updated: August 8, 2023

Note that after a few weeks of activity, the latest volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula has paused.

According to authorities, despite the decrease in activity it is too soon to say that the eruption is over. Stay tuned for any new developments!

The 2023 eruption

After a week of heavy earthquake activity concentrated around the site of last year's volcanic eruption, a new eruption started on the Reykjanes peninsula on July 10.

The location is close to Litli Hrútur peak, situated between Fagradalsfjall and Keilir mountains.

The Icelandic Meteorological Office and a group of geology experts continue to monitor the seismic activity and gas pollution, and members of ICE-SAR (the Icelandic search and rescue organization), rangers, and the police are on site.

Visiting the eruption site

The eruption area is open to hikers. However, the authorities may restrict access at any time for safety reasons (such as gas pollution, poor weather, or the risk of new fissures or craters opening up).

We strongly recommend you consult the Safetravel website before you set out, to check if the eruption is active, and if the site is open. It's important to read the recommendations for visiting the area.

When the area is open, Safetravel highlights the need to be cautious, and to only visit if you are well prepared and fit enough to undertake the hike.

Read more about the recommended preparation for the hike on the Safetravel site.

The recommended hiking route to view the 2023 eruption site is a 18km (11-mile) return trip, parking at the trail head on P2, on road 427 east of Grindavík. The hike takes 6 to 8 hours in total plus the time you spend at the site, so be sure that you’re fit for it before you head off.

Banner photo by Arni Sæberg from the 2023 eruption.

People and search-and-rescue volunteers walking to the volcanic eruption in 2022Eruption site, 2022 volcano. Photo by Chris Burkard.

Some recent volcano facts

  • The 2021 eruption was the first volcanic eruption in Iceland in 6 years and the first one in the Reykjanes peninsula in the last 800 years.
  • The 2021 eruption was situated in the Geldingadalir valley next to the mountain named Fagradalsfjall. The location has been compared to a massive bathtub that lava can slowly pour into. The eruption lasted for 6 months before ceasing in September 2021.
  • On August 3, 2022, the volcano restarted, erupting from a fissure in the Meradalir valley, not far from the crater that erupted the longest during the 2021 eruption. It ended on August 21, 2022.
  • On July 4, 2023, significant seismic activity resumed on Reykjanes, indicating that a new eruption might start in the area between the mountains Keilir and Fagradalsfjall.

Glowing lava and eruption from 2022 volcanoEruption site, 2022 volcano. Photo by Chris Burkard.

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Previous eruptions

We've kept a close eye on the 2021 and 2022 volcano eruptions and invite you to read about their magnetic appeal.