Explore the inner beauty of a volcano — Descending into an Icelandic crater is insanely thrilling!

Text and photos byEvan

(We did a lot of special activities during this trip to Iceland, which we’ll introduce one by one later.) When you think of Iceland, you probably think of geothermal energy, volcanoes, earthquakes, glaciers, or maybe even The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Evan and W both have one thing in common — they love thrill-seeking. So one of the highlights of our trip was descending into a volcanic crater. Yes, you heard that right — we were going to go inside an actual volcano. Most people who visit Iceland check out dormant craters or unique volcanic landforms, but Evan and W felt that wasn’t enough. We’d only seen the outside of volcanoes and knew about their fearsome reputation, but we’d never truly understood what lay within their cores. You can’t just judge by appearances, right? (←← Okay, getting off-topic.) So we signed up for this tour to get up close and personal with a volcano.

The night before the tour, I couldn’t sleep at all. It didn’t help that we were in Iceland during the midnight sun, so it never got dark, and the curtains couldn’t block out the sunlight. Add to that the fact that Evan’s melatonin levels weren’t quite where they should be.

Toss in the nerves, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t actually sleep that night. After all, Iceland is one of the most volcanically active countries in the world, with an average of one eruption every three years.

The adventure started with the guide picking us up from our respective hotels and driving us to the area near the crater. To get closer, we had to hike across some truly unique terrain. You could clearly see that the ground near the crater had been scorched by extreme heat — it was uneven, full of pits and cracks. Along the way, the guide shared stories from previous tours he’d led into the crater.

Here’s the story:Just as they were being lowered into the volcano, an earthquake suddenly struck Iceland. They couldn’t escape and had to wait quietly for it to end. Then the guide added: “The volcano we’re visiting today has erupted before, you know. Before. Before. Before.” I was completely stunned — I really hoped it was all just a dream. But honestly, that little scare actually made the trip way more exciting. All I can say is thank you, guide.

When we reached the crater, we were taken to a staging area to gear up. There, they also served incredibly delicious Icelandic lamb soup, along with hot drinks and desserts. I’m not usually a fan of lamb, but Icelandic lamb is simply amazing — no gaminess at all, and it even had a slightly sweet flavor. I think this soup played a big part in why I’d give this tour such a high rating, XDD (just kidding, sort of). But seriously, it was really tasty.

After drinking the soup, we put on our gear, and another instructor gave us a detailed introduction to the volcano we were about to enter — its name, height, and key characteristics (though to be honest, I was too nervous to take it all in properly, XDDD).

Actually, after hearing the instructor’s thorough explanation and enjoying that warm soup, my nerves settled and the fear subsided. You start to realize this is actually a very safe tour. Here’s the gist: the crater is 200 meters deep (about the height of a fifty-story building), and it takes a full six minutes to reach the bottom. The opening is small, but the interior is surprisingly spacious.

The volcano’s name is: Thrihnukagigur (the guide tried to teach us how to pronounce it at least ten times, but eventually gave up, XDD. Icelandic names are all like this — super long. Who even knows how to say them?!)

The hike to the crater.

Our gorgeous guide (she was in the middle of telling “that” story ~~)

The rest stop at the crater.

Getting ready to gear up.

Delicious lamb soup, hot drinks, and desserts.

The guide’s detailed explanation.

Time to head down.

The sign at the volcano entrance.

The balancing ladder leading to the descent platform.

The descent platform.

During the descent, you can clearly see the path of past lava flows — it matches exactly what’s drawn in geography textbooks. Seriously, the textbooks weren’t kidding. Going deep inside the volcano was truly eye-opening. I never imagined that something as serious and intimidating as a volcano could have such colorful rocks inside. These colors are all natural, with no artificial enhancement, yet they’re so vivid and warm. Is this what they mean by “cold outside, hot inside”? XD (Though it was seriously freezing inside the volcano — only around 5°C.)

The path of the lava flow.

The colorful rocks inside the volcano (they really are vibrant!)

After this unforgettable journey, we returned to the staging area to enjoy more delicious lamb soup while reflecting on the amazing experience. And let me tell you — I’ll never forget it.

While the view inside the volcano might not offer a sense of vastness, it delivers an incredible sense of awe. You’d never imagine that beneath its cold, stern exterior lies such a breathtaking natural wonder.

The cost of the tour we joined was 39,000 ISK per person (now 42,000 — approx. 10,500 TWD)
The company is:https://insidethevolcano.com/
Total TOUR duration: 6 hours (including a one-way hike to the crater taking 50 minutes)

Evangeline-Evan
Hello everyone, I’m Evan, someone who’s timid and easily scared,
but through independent travel, I’ve gradually found my courage,
and each independent journey has helped me discover a different side of myself.
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