Katla is one of Iceland’s fiercest and most striking volcanoes. It's surrounded by a UNESCO World Heritage geopark that accounts for nearly 10% of the land in Iceland. Starting from Hvollsvollür in the west and spanning beyond Vík and Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Skeiðarársandur, it encompasses volcanoes, glaciers, ice caves and more...all excuses to get out of the car and play.
Go Glacier Hiking
Spend a half-day hiking on Sólheimajökull, a massive ice tongue coming off Iceland’s fourth-largest glacier Mýrdalsjökull and emerging between the volcanoes Katla and Eyjafjallajökull. It's a rare spot for sweeping views from a glacier. At about 8km long and 1.6km wide, with its shades of white, blue and black, this is one of the most popular spots in Iceland for glacier hiking.
These hikes are suitable for beginners and available year-round, but you must go with a guide, as the crevasses and dangers are real. Rte 221 leads 4.2km off the Ring Road to a small car park and the Arcanum base camp (parking 1000kr). Tour leaders will walk you 800m across a field of ash and sand from the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption to the ice. The glacier itself is retreating, and hiking it offers a fascinating geology lesson.
Journey into an Ice Cave
Head underground into the Katla Ice Cave to see black ash from centuries of eruptions encased in ice. Notice the older blue ice layers and trapped air bubbles as you move through this space beneath an offshoot of Mýrdalsjökull. The black-striped layers of ice you see are key for determining the age of glaciers like this one. A few steps have been carved into the ice to make it easier to navigate. Otherwise, this ice cave remains in its natural state. Tours depart from Vík or Reykjavík.
Snowmobile on a Glacier
Go snowmobiling on top of Mýrdalsjökull, the icecap that tops Katla, Iceland’s largest volcano. It's Iceland’s southernmost glacier and an estimated 250m deep. Full-day tours start with a briefing and include a monster truck ride to the snowmobile site. This experience has to be booked with a tour company and cannot be done independently. You will need a driver’s license to drive a snowmobile. Tour operators provide thermal suits and helmets.
Hike a Magical Canyon
There’s nothing like walking through a lush green fairy tale, and there may be no more fairy-tale place for a hike than Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, made early-Insta-famous by Justin Bieber's video. The canyon’s name translates to "feather," and as the crystal-clear Fjaðrá river twists through what looks like a hand-carved piece of Earth, you can see why.
Marvel at a Crater Row
It’s almost impossible to comprehend the immensity of the Laki eruptions, one of the most catastrophic volcanic events in human history. Nowadays the lava fields around Lakagígar belie the apocalypse that spawned it some 235 years ago. Its black, twisted lava formations are overgrown with soft green moss. It's a fascinating place to visit, and one that sees relatively few visitors.
Help do Science in the Park
A new initiative makes it possible to join expeditions in the Geopark furthering scientific research. Year-round, you can help map glaciers and the coastline of black-sand beaches. And for part of the year you can head to lesser-visited and retreating Tindfjallajökull . Trips are for two to six people – check the Geopark's website for what trips are available: some are day trips, others last 12 days, and prices vary accordingly.
Glacier & Ice Cave Tour Companies
Southcoast Adventure (southadventure.is) runs ice-climbing, glacier-hiking and snowmobile tours. Arcanum (arcanum.is) does glacier and snowmobiling tours. Katlatrack (katlatrack.is) runs ice-caving and glacier tours, plus tours of Vík. Icelandic Mountain Guides (mountainguides.is) has snowmobiling, some with Reykjavík departures. Troll Expeditions (troll.is) offers glacier and ice-cave tours from Vík. You'll find other companies selling tours, operated by these more local guides.
