Reykjanes Peninsula: Volcano Hike & Hot Springs Day Trip

4.73

(148 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We rolled out of Reykjavik just after sunrise, still half-awake, and I remember the bus windows fogging up as we left the city behind. Our guide, Jón, had this way of telling stories that made even the quiet stretches feel alive—he pointed out where the moss was just starting to grow back after last year’s eruption near Fagradalsfjall. The air smelled like wet stone and something faintly sulfurous, which Jón joked was “Icelandic perfume.” I didn’t expect the hike to feel so… lunar? The ground was warm in spots, still smoldering here and there. We stopped for a minute just to listen—no birds, just wind and a distant hissing from cooling lava. I touched one of the black rocks; it was rougher than I thought.

The walk itself wasn’t easy but not too bad—moderate is fair. At one point I slipped a bit on loose gravel (no shame), but everyone laughed it off. There were people from all over in our group; Li from Singapore tried to teach me how to say “volcano” in Mandarin but gave up after my third attempt. When we finally reached the main eruption site, Jón let us stand quietly for a while—just taking in that weird mix of silence and steam. It’s hard to describe how new everything looked, like the earth was still figuring itself out.

After that, we drove around the Reykjanes Peninsula—stopping at Gunnuhver Hot Springs first. The mud pots bubbled louder than I expected and sent up these clouds that smelled like boiled eggs (not my favorite). The Reykjanesviti Lighthouse stood out against this gray sky; waves crashing below made it feel even more remote. We crossed that little Bridge Between Continents too—I mean, it’s only 15 meters but Jón made us all pause halfway and said “Now you’re standing between Europe and America,” which got a few laughs. By then my boots were caked with mud but honestly, I didn’t care.

I still think about Lake Kleifarvatn—the water so dark it almost looked blue-black—and how quiet it was except for someone skipping stones nearby. On the way back to Reykjavik, everyone kind of dozed off or stared out at those endless moss fields. It felt like we’d seen something raw and unfinished—not polished for tourists. If you’re into landscapes that make you feel small (in a good way), this day trip from Reykjavik is worth it.