We hiked to the newly erupting volcano at Fagradalsfjall on May 15, 2021 before starting our self-drive tour around Iceland. This was the biggest highlight of the entire trip and is a very special reason to visit Iceland right now.
We were planning the possibility of visiting Iceland when it was just earthquakes indicating something was coming. The ability to visit the new eruption is what made this vacation choice a must. It was a 50 minute drive from Reykjavik to the new parking area. It's a 3-4 hour hike round-trip covering 5 km or 3.1 miles each way. There's hills to slow us down but they've made a good path to the higher ground next to the volcano to get close.
Here's two videos of the eruption followed by pictures of the journey.
There was a lower viewing area farther away. Hiking continues closer to the lava flow on the right and then up to the hill closest to the volcano. Edit: news on June 1st says they're closing off this hill from hikers. We made it to that closer observation point in the nick of time!
The quiet and dormant look doesn't last too long before lava bubbles and flows out of the side which meant another eruption show was about to start. Was it 10 minutes between eruptions? We lost track of time as we were mesmerized by each eruption. We didn't want to leave and didn't count how many eruptions we watched. It begins again...
streaks of lava slowly ooze down the walls after being blasted up
Easily over a hundred people were around while we there. More cars of people arrived as we left to start a later evening hike. More light as the clouds parted meant I needed more pictures.
different light and a different angle
Passing the fresh lava field on the way back to the car. The lava was getting closer and closer to the path and a low point between the hills with lava on either side.
back at the first viewpoint and we have to catch one last eruption
heading back to the car around 9pm and the volcano smoke in the sky is amazingly beautiful!
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