Reykjavik: Lava Cave, Hot Springs, Horses & Waterfalls Tour

West Iceland rewards a full day. This $222 tour brings together the remarkable Viðgelmir Lava Cave, Hraunfossar waterfalls, Deildartunguhver hot spring, Reykholt, and a friendly Icelandic horse farm in one well-paced trip from Reykjavík. I especially like the small group size, capped at 19 people, and the mix of outdoor scenery, geology, food, animals, and Icelandic history.

I also like that the cave entrance, horse farm, transport, English-speaking guide, and onboard Wi-Fi are included. The main drawback is the price, which feels high if you only want waterfalls, but makes more sense if you value the cave admission and several distinct stops. The cave can also be cold, wet, and slippery, so sturdy shoes and warm clothing matter.

Key points to know before booking

• Viðgelmir is the star attraction: The nearly 1,600-meter lava cave has colorful rock, ice formations, and a wooden walkway with handrails in places.
• Hraunfossar is a wide waterfall series: Water spills from the Hallmundarhraun lava field across roughly 900 meters, making this more than a single viewpoint.
• The horse farm adds a personal touch: At Sturlureykir, you can meet Icelandic horses, try hot spring bread, and have coffee or cold water.
• Reykholt adds real cultural depth: Snorralaug links the day to Snorri Sturluson, medieval Iceland, and the famous sagas.
• The day lasts about 10 hours: Pickup is generally between 8:30 and 9:00 AM, with a return to Reykjavík later in the day.
• The cave requires some physical ability: This tour is not suitable for children under five, wheelchair users, or people with mobility impairments.

Why western Iceland makes a fine day trip

Many day trips from Reykjavík head toward the Golden Circle or the south coast. This tour takes you west, into Borgarfjörður, a region tied closely to Icelandic saga literature and some of the country’s most unusual geology.

I like the range here. You are not simply stopping at one waterfall after another. You move from a river gorge to a geothermal area, from living horses to a medieval site, then underground into a lava tube. That change of pace helps the long day feel varied.

The journey is also a good way to see how Iceland’s geology shapes everyday life. Lava fields control the course of waterfalls. Geothermal heat warms water and helps bake bread. Old settlement sites remain linked to hot springs and storytelling. The tour gives you those connections without requiring you to rent a car and plan a route through western Iceland yourself.

The group size matters, too. With no more than 19 passengers, you have a better chance of hearing the guide, asking questions, and getting on and off the vehicle without the delays of a large coach. Several guides have made a strong impression on this route, including Filip, Walter, Addi, Thor, Colin, David, and Cristina. The experience can depend on who leads your day, but the repeated praise for humor, stories, and care is a good sign.

Glanni Waterfall: a quiet opening stop

The first sightseeing stop is Glanni Waterfall, with about 30 minutes to look around. This is a useful introduction to the Borgarfjörður area before the bigger sights arrive.

You will have time for photographs and a short walk, though the exact viewing conditions depend on weather and the group’s pace. Iceland’s ground can be wet and uneven, so even brief stops are easier in shoes with decent grip.

Glanni is not the main reason to book the tour. Instead, think of it as a gentle start to the day, a chance to stretch your legs after pickup and begin seeing how rivers cut through the volcanic terrain.

Meeting Icelandic horses at Sturlureykir

The stop at Sturlureykir Horse Farm lasts about 45 minutes and is one of the most appealing parts of the day for people who want contact with local life.

Icelandic horses are small, sturdy, and famously friendly. At the farm, you can get close to them and pet them rather than simply photographing animals from a distance. That makes this stop feel more personal than a standard roadside viewpoint.

The food detail is especially nice. You can try homemade rugbrauð, a dark Icelandic rye bread traditionally baked with geothermal heat, along with coffee or cold water. Meals are not included in the tour price, but this snack gives you a taste of something distinctly Icelandic.

Do not mistake this for a full farm meal or a long lunch. It is a short visit, and the main meal stop comes later near Hraunfossar. Bring cash, since the tour information specifically advises you to do so for food and coffee breaks.

Deildartunguhver and the force of geothermal heat

At Deildartunguhver, you get about 20 minutes for a photo stop and a look at one of Iceland’s strongest hot springs. The water emerges at an extremely high temperature, so you should stay within marked viewing areas and follow your guide’s instructions.

The appeal here is not a bathing experience. This is a working geothermal site, where the heat rises from underground and helps supply hot water in the region. It gives you a clear sense of Iceland’s practical relationship with volcanoes and geothermal energy.

The stop is brief, so you will not have time for a long walk or a leisurely visit. Still, Deildartunguhver fits well between the horse farm and Reykholt, and the contrast is fun: one stop shows geothermal power in raw form, while the farm shows how local people have used the area’s natural heat.

Reykholt and Snorralaug: Icelandic stories in place

The visit to Reykholt lasts around 30 minutes. This historic site is linked to Snorri Sturluson, the medieval poet and politician whose writings helped preserve some of Iceland’s best-known saga material.

The focus here is Snorralaug, a small hot spring associated with Snorri and mentioned in medieval writing. You can see the spring and learn why Reykholt mattered in Iceland’s cultural and political life.

I like this stop because it gives the scenery a human setting. Without it, the day could become a parade of natural sights. At Reykholt, you get a short reminder that Iceland’s past is not locked away in a distant museum. It is connected to springs, farms, roads, and places you can still visit.

Thirty minutes is enough for an introduction, not a full historical study. If medieval Iceland is your main interest, you may want more time at Reykholt than this tour allows. For most people, though, it is a valuable pause before the waterfalls and cave.

Hraunfossar and Barnafoss: water from beneath the lava

The stop at Hraunfossar lasts about an hour and a half, including free time, lunch, photographs, and sightseeing. This is one of the most scenic and useful pauses of the day.

Hraunfossar is a series of small falls spread across roughly 900 meters. Rather than dropping from one high cliff, water streams out through the Hallmundarhraun lava field and runs toward the river. The effect is broad and unusual, with many rivulets appearing to come directly from the dark volcanic ground.

The lava field formed during a major eruption about 1,000 years ago, from a volcano beneath the Langjökull glacier. That detail helps explain why Hraunfossar looks so different from a typical waterfall. You are not just watching water plunge over rock. You are seeing water find its way through an old lava field.

A few meters away is Barnafoss, another waterfall with a different character. The river moves with more force through a narrower channel, making a strong contrast with the delicate spread of Hraunfossar.

This is likely your best chance to eat lunch. The meal itself is not included, and the details can vary, so bring money and use the stop to get food, visit the restroom, and take in the several viewpoints. You may hear about a buffet option, but do not assume lunch is part of the $222 price.

The 90-minute break is well judged. Hraunfossar deserves more than a quick photograph, and the extra time keeps the tour from feeling rushed. In poor weather, the paths and viewpoints can be wet, so a waterproof outer layer is useful even if the forecast looks mild.

Entering Viðgelmir Lava Cave

The main event is the guided visit to Viðgelmir, a lava cave just shy of 1,600 meters long. The cave tour itself takes about 90 minutes, with admission included.

Inside, you can expect a cold underground environment, lava formations, and changing colors in the rock. In winter, ice can form into striking shapes, including formations hanging from the ceiling and rising from the cave floor. One January visit was especially memorable for the ice sculptures created by dripping water.

The route includes a wooden walkway and handrails in sections. Those features make the cave more manageable, but they do not remove the need for care. The floor can be wet, and one person found a particularly slippery spot that could have been better protected. Wear shoes with good grip, take your time, and keep one hand free when possible.

This is not a simple walk into a dark hole. Your guide explains how the lava moved, cooled, and left behind the tunnel. Several cave guides have been praised for their geology knowledge and for taking safety seriously. The guide may come from the cave operator rather than the person who leads your full-day trip, so you get a second specialist voice during the most technical part of the day.

The cave is unsuitable for people with mobility impairments and wheelchair users. It is also not suitable for children under five. If an older family member has difficulty walking, the cave portion may be the limiting factor, even if they can enjoy the other stops. One family found that a relative who could not manage the cave was able to wait in the café and look out over the lava area, but you should confirm current arrangements before relying on that option.

Bring warm clothing even in summer. The cave stays cold, and the temperature change can surprise you after a day outside. Gloves may be useful for people who feel the cold easily, though the listed requirements specifically call for warm clothing rather than particular equipment.

The guide and the feel of the ride

The guide can shape this tour as much as the scenery. Strong examples include Walter, who used humor and facts to keep the group comfortable, and Filip, whose stories and music made the long drive feel more relaxed. Addi was praised for keeping people engaged, while Colin handled difficult snowy weather calmly.

That does not mean every guide will have the same style. One account described a guide who acted more like a driver and gave less commentary than expected. If you want constant narration, make a point of asking questions. The smaller group makes that easier.

The bus includes free Wi-Fi, which is handy for checking messages during the long stretches between stops. Still, I would not choose this tour for internet access. Choose it for the route and the chance to ask a guide about the geology, stories, horses, and hot springs.

Pickup takes place from Reykjavík between 8:30 and 9:00 AM. Buses cannot enter some central streets, so you may be assigned a nearby bus stop instead of a hotel door. If you prefer to meet the vehicle directly, the meeting point is the Nicetravel office at Fiskislóð 45M, and you should arrive before 8:20 AM after notifying the company.

Is $222 a fair price?

At $222 per person, this is not a budget outing. The value depends on how you would otherwise see western Iceland.

A rental car could give you more freedom, but you would need to handle navigation, weather, parking, driving time, cave reservations, and the practical details of combining these stops. This tour bundles transport, the Viðgelmir entrance, the Sturlureykir admission, a guide, and Wi-Fi. It also saves you from driving after a long day in changing Icelandic conditions.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want waterfalls and photographs. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss are beautiful, but the tour becomes worthwhile because it adds the cave, horse farm, Reykholt, and Deildartunguhver. I see it as a convenience and variety purchase, not a cheap sightseeing shuttle.

Meals are extra, so budget for lunch and the coffee stop. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead and the reserve-now-pay-later option offer useful flexibility, especially when Icelandic weather can disrupt plans.

Who should book this West Iceland tour?

I would recommend it if you want one long day that combines nature and culture, especially if you prefer a guide to driving yourself. It suits first-time visitors who have already seen Reykjavík and want a less predictable route than the standard southern excursions.

It is also a good choice for photographers, geology fans, families with older children, and people who like animal visits but do not want an entire day built around one activity. The horse farm and rugbrauð give the route a local feel, while the cave supplies the strongest sense of adventure.

I would be cautious if you dislike full-day bus trips, need a flexible schedule, or have trouble walking on wet and uneven surfaces. You should also skip it if your priority is bathing in hot water. The tour visits geothermal areas and historic hot springs, but it is not presented as a spa day.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want to see western Iceland without renting a car and you care about more than postcard views. The standout combination is Viðgelmir Lava Cave plus Hraunfossar, with Reykholt and the horse farm giving the day extra character.

Skip it if $222 feels too steep for a scheduled day or if the cave’s cold, slippery conditions are a poor fit. For everyone else, the small group, strong guides, included cave admission, and unusual mix of stops make this one of the better organized ways to spend a day west of Reykjavík.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour takes up to 10 hours, including pickup from Reykjavík, sightseeing stops, the cave visit, lunch time, and the return journey.

What time is pickup in Reykjavík?

Pickup generally takes place between 8:30 and 9:00 AM. You should be ready at your assigned location from 8:30 AM.

Is admission to Viðgelmir Lava Cave included?

Yes. The ticket includes admission to the Viðgelmir Lava Cave and the guided cave tour.

Is the horse farm visit included?

Yes. Admission to Sturlureykir Horse Farm is included in the tour price.

Are meals included?

No. Meals are not included. Bring cash for the lunch stop and the afternoon coffee break. The horse farm visit includes homemade rugbrauð with coffee or cold water.

What should I bring?

Bring warm clothing, shoes with good grip, and cash. The lava cave can be very cold, and the underground walkway may be wet or slippery.

Is the tour suitable for wheelchair users or young children?

The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments, or children under five.