Iceland : Volcano Explorer - Fire, Ice and Adventure

Who for? Suited to the more adventurous traveller, the itinerary includes driving on rough tracks with unbridged rivers, for which a four-wheel drive is essential. For those who want to explore in an active way, there are plenty of walking trails graded easy to challenging.

Sited on a geological hot spot, Iceland is one of the most volcanically active places on earth. On average, there's an eruption there every three or four years. Most last only a few days and cause little damage but occasionally a bigger one occurs with wider impacts.

Once it's all over and safe to visit, the eruption sites and their steaming craters and lava flows are an inspiring spectacle and this self-drive itinerary takes you to some of Iceland's best volcanic areas. Others of course are just too inaccessible or hidden under the icecaps. Each volcanic site is as varied as the eruption type that created it but common to many are incredible lunar landscapes of fissures and craters, ash falls and lava flows. Then there are eruptions that happen under the icecaps, causing flooding and dramatic changes to the landscape that can be witnessed for centuries afterwards.

The holiday also includes visits to geothermal areas, glaciers and waterfalls all of which combine to make Iceland an exciting and unusual holiday destination. 

Note high-clearance 4WD vehicles are subject to special rental conditions. No special fitness is needed to enjoy much of the scenery.

	GEOLOGY & VOLCANO GUIDE Find out more about Iceland's geological make-up and read our 'Iceland - Volcanoes & Geology Guide'.