7 Unusual Ways to Travel Iceland
Iceland rewards curious travelers who venture past the standard Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon itinerary. This volcanic island offers things you can't do anywhere else, from descending into dormant volcano chambers to swimming between tectonic plates in crystal-clear glacial water. The seven below run from a magma chamber to a glacier's winter ice caves, with whales, puffins and a lava tube in between.
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Descend Into a Dormant Volcano's Magma Chamber
Thrihnukagigur volcano offers Earth's only opportunity to enter an intact magma chamber, where visitors ride an open cable lift 120 meters down into the chamber. The hollow chambers formed 4,000 years ago when magma mysteriously drained away instead of solidifying, leaving behind spaces large enough to contain the Statue of Liberty. Multicolored mineral deposits paint the walls in vivid reds, oranges, yellows, and blues.
The experience begins with a 45-minute hike across otherworldly lava fields before reaching the volcano's crater opening. After safety briefings and equipment checks, small groups board the specially designed elevator for the six-minute descent into darkness. Once inside, visitors spend 30 minutes exploring the chamber's floor while guides explain the rare geological processes that created this underground cathedral. Tours operate May through October when weather permits access to this remote Blue Mountains location.
Where can you go inside a volcano in Iceland? Thrihnukagigur, near Reykjavik, is the only magma chamber in the world open to visitors, with guided tours from May through October.
How deep is the Thrihnukagigur magma chamber? The chamber extends 213 meters deep with accessible areas at 120 meters, featuring 3,270 square meters of floor space surrounded by vibrantly colored ancient lava walls.
Is descending into Thrihnukagigur safe? Professional mountaineers operate all descents using certified equipment and strict safety protocols, and the site has run public tours since 2012.
Snorkel Between Two Continental Plates at Silfra
Silfra fissure in Thingvellir National Park lets swimmers float across the boundary between North American and Eurasian tectonic plates while floating in glacially filtered water offering visibility exceeding 100 meters. The underwater rift widens approximately 2 centimeters annually as plates diverge. Every rock formation, patch of algae and underwater canyon shows up in sharp detail.
Certified guides supply dry suits for water that holds at 2 to 4 degrees Celsius year-round. The 30- to 40-minute snorkel route progresses through four distinct sections: Big Crack's narrow passages where plates nearly touch, Silfra Hall's expansive chambers, Silfra Cathedral's deepest point at 23 meters, and Silfra Lagoon's shallow exit area. Post-snorkel hot chocolate and cookies help rewarm participants before they return to Reykjavik or continue Golden Circle sightseeing.
Do you need diving certification for Silfra snorkeling? No. Snorkeling Silfra needs no diving certification, though scuba diving the fissure requires dry suit certification and recent logged dives.
What's the best time to snorkel Silfra? Any season works: summer brings warmer air, and winter adds a chance of northern lights before or after the snorkel.
How cold is Silfra water? The water stays at 2 to 4 degrees Celsius year-round, so tour operators provide dry suits, thermal undergarments and safety equipment.
Shop for this frigid experience with these winter coats.
Experience Whale Watching in Iceland's Whale Capital
Husavik's Skjalfandi Bay hosts exceptional concentrations of humpback whales, minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and occasional blue whales feeding in nutrient-rich Arctic waters. Multiple operators offer varied experiences from traditional oak schooner sailings to high-speed RIB boat encounters. Tours here report sighting rates near 98 percent in summer, when long daylight allows evening departures.
Three-hour whale watching tours combine marine biology education with wildlife observation as guides explain cetacean behavior, migration patterns, and Iceland's shift from whaling to whale watching. Traditional wooden boats accommodate 50 passengers seeking relaxed experiences, while 12-passenger RIB speedboats offer a faster ride that can reach whales quickly when they surface. North Iceland's remote location and pristine waters support diverse species rarely encountered together elsewhere.
What whale species appear in Husavik waters? Humpback whales dominate summer sightings alongside minke whales and white-beaked dolphins, with occasional blue whales, orcas and harbor porpoises through the season.
When's the best time for whale watching in Husavik? April through October is the season, and June through August is the peak, when the midnight sun stretches viewing hours and the most whales are feeding.
Are whale sightings guaranteed in Husavik? While nature remains unpredictable, Husavik operators report sightings on close to 98 percent of summer trips, offering free return tours if no whales appear on original departures.
Navigate Massive Icebergs at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon showcases thousand-year-old ice formations calved from the Breidamerkurjokull outlet glacier, drifting toward the Atlantic Ocean. The lagoon's roughly 25 square kilometers contain constantly evolving icebergs displaying electric blue interiors where compressed ice eliminates air bubbles. Seal colonies rest on floating ice while Arctic terns and great skuas patrol overhead. Tours come in three styles.
Amphibian boats navigate among larger icebergs during 30- to 40-minute excursions with guides explaining glacial retreat processes and climate change impacts. Zodiac speedboats venture deeper into restricted areas approaching glacier walls where active calving creates dramatic ice collapses. Kayaking tours deliver intimate encounters paddling silently through narrow channels between sculptural ice formations. All options include opportunities to taste ancient glacier ice while photographing shapes and colors that transform daily as ice melts and repositions.
How deep is Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon? Iceland's deepest lake reaches 284 meters at maximum depth, with average depths accommodating various watercraft from kayaks to amphibian boats navigating between icebergs.
Can you swim in Jokulsarlon? Swimming is prohibited due to frigid temperatures and dangerous currents, though guided boat tours and kayaking provide safe iceberg encounters throughout summer and autumn.
What's the best time to visit Jokulsarlon? Summer offers warmer weather and midnight sun photography opportunities, while winter provides ice cave access and potential northern lights reflections on lagoon surfaces.
Encounter Europe's Largest Puffin Colony
Westman Islands' Storhofdi cliffs host over 1 million puffin pairs creating Europe's largest Atlantic puffin colony during May through August nesting season. The windswept cape enables close-range observation as thousands of colorful seabirds waddle across clifftops, perform clumsy flights, and burrow into hillside nesting areas. Local guides share insider knowledge about puffin biology, conservation challenges, and unique rescue traditions during puffling season.
Tours combine puffin viewing with explorations of 1973 volcanic eruption landscapes, Viking settlement replicas, and traditional island culture experiences. The dramatic scenery includes Elephant Rock's natural basalt formation, Mount Eldfell's lava-covered slopes, and Eldheimar Museum's preserved volcanic disaster exhibits. Ferry access from mainland Iceland's south coast makes day trips feasible, though an overnight stay shows the island after the day-trippers leave.
When can you see puffins in Westman Islands? Puffins nest in Westman Islands from late April through early September, with peak viewing opportunities during May through July before fledgling pufflings depart.
How do you reach Westman Islands? Ferry service from Landeyjahofn takes 35 minutes, or winter-season flights from Reykjavik's domestic airport take about 20 minutes, both worth booking ahead, and both subject to weather.
Are puffins endangered in Iceland? Iceland's puffin population has fallen by more than half since the late 1990s, and the 2018 Icelandic Red List classed the species as critically endangered, largely because climate change has hit the sand eels puffins depend on.
Explore Ancient Lava Tubes at Vidgelmir Cave
Vidgelmir lava tube stretches 1,585 meters beneath West Iceland's Hallmundarhraun lava field, forming when exterior lava solidified while molten interiors continued flowing during 930 AD eruptions. The cave's massive chambers feature rainbow-colored mineral deposits, delicate lava stalactites, seasonal ice formations, and Viking-era artifacts discovered by archaeologists. Modern walkways and strategic lighting enable family-friendly exploration without specialized caving equipment.
Guided tours of about 90 minutes descend through narrow entrance tunnels into vast underground halls where a lights-out moment shows what total darkness looks like. Guides explain volcanic formation processes, Icelandic mythology connections, and why fragile lava features, which never grow back once broken, need protecting. The easily accessible cave contrasts sharply with Iceland's challenging wilderness caves, making Vidgelmir ideal for visitors seeking underground adventures without extreme physical demands or claustrophobia concerns.
How difficult is Vidgelmir cave tour? Easy difficulty rating suits most fitness levels with built wooden walkways, handrails, installed lighting, and no stooping required in spacious chambers spanning 16 meters wide.
What temperature is Vidgelmir cave? Year-round 2 degrees Celsius requires warm layered clothing including thermal underwear, fleeces, and waterproof outer shells provided by most tour operators.
Can you visit Vidgelmir independently? No independent access permitted; all visits require guided tours ensuring visitor safety and protecting irreplaceable geological formations from accidental damage.
Witness Natural Ice Caves in Vatnajokull Glacier
Winter-only ice caves form annually when summer meltwater carves tunnels through Vatnajokull glacier that freeze solid during cold months, creating temporary crystal blue chambers beneath Europe's largest ice cap. Each winter produces different cave locations as glacial movements and water patterns shift. Compressed ancient ice glows vivid blue where density eliminates air bubbles, with sunlight filtering through translucent walls creating otherworldly illumination effects.
Super jeeps leave from Jokulsarlon for whichever caves certified guides judge safest that day. Three-hour tours include glacier hiking, ice formation photography, and educational commentary explaining glacial processes and climate change impacts visible in rapid ice retreat. Longer tours add more glacier hiking and more time in the caves.
When are Iceland ice caves accessible? Natural ice caves remain safely explorable only November through March when frozen conditions stabilize meltwater tunnels, though year-round man-made ice tunnels exist.
Are ice caves dangerous? Professional guides monitor the caves' stability, pick safe ones each day and supply safety equipment.
Do ice caves look the same each winter? New caves form in different locations annually as glacier dynamics shift, with colors varying from deep blue to white depending on ice density and weather conditions.
Plan Your Iceland Adventure Collection with Miimu
These seven are a start, not the full list. From volcanic descents to glacial explorations, each one shows a side of Iceland most itineraries skip. Don't let these carefully researched links disappear when you close your browser. Sign up for Miimu to save and organize this Iceland guide into a living collection you can update anytime. Add new discoveries, group experiences by region, and keep everything ready for planning the trip.
Want to try more things in Iceland? Check out: Sled Dog Experiences
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