Guide · Katla

The Katla ice cave in Iceland, above a volcano

The Katla ice cave in Iceland is the natural cave you can reach from Vík in any month. Here is where it sits, what the volcano under it is, and how the tours from Vík and Reykjavík work.

Check availabilityfrom $195 · free to cancel

Editorial team, blue-ice-cave-iceland.comUpdated October 25, 20267 minutes to read46 sources

From Vik: Katla Ice Cave and Super Jeep Tour Bookable here: the tour From Vik: Katla Ice Cave and Super Jeep Tour 4.6 (2,395 reviews) 3 to 12 hours from$194per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hrs before

Katla in short

01Where
In Kötlujökull, an outlet glacier of Mýrdalsjökull, which covers the Katla volcano.1
02Season
Operators list the cave as open in every month, weather permitting.2
03From Vík
A super jeep drive of 45-60 minutes, then a short walk on the ice.3
04Last big eruption
The last Katla eruption to break through the ice was in 1918.4
05Price
The most reviewed Vík tour starts from $194.

Where the cave is, and why Vík is the base

The Katla ice cave in Iceland is not inside the volcano. It lies in Kötlujökull, an outlet glacier that flows from Mýrdalsjökull, the ice cap that covers Katla, and the tours reach it by super jeep from the village of Vík.1 Mýrdalsjökull is the fourth largest glacier in Iceland, about 535 km2 in area and 140 km3 in volume, according to the Katla Geopark.5

Vík is a natural base for this trip. Visit South Iceland describes it as Iceland's southernmost village, sitting in the center of the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark, and notes that it is the country's only seaside village with no harbor.67 Staying a night in or near Vík turns the cave into a relaxed morning or afternoon instead of the core of a very long day.

The geopark itself is large. Its own site gives an area of 9,542 km2, a little over 9% of Iceland, running from Hvolsvöllur in the west to Skeiðarársandur in the east.8 UNESCO lists Katla as a Global Geopark designated in 2015.9 The cave is one stop in a landscape shaped by the same volcano, from the black sand plain you cross on the way to the ice you walk into.

Katla through time

From Eldgjá to the geopark

  1. About 939 CE

    Eldgjá

    The latest large effusive eruption of the Katla system produced about 20 km3 of lava and tephra.10

  2. 1660

    A different coast

    The geopark thinks the Mýrdalssandur shoreline lay about 2.5 km further north than today.11

  3. 1918

    Through the ice

    The last Katla eruption to melt through the glacier.4

  4. 19 November 2010

    A geopark is born

    Katla Geopark was founded at a meeting in Vík.12

  5. 2015

    UNESCO

    Katla is designated a UNESCO Global Geopark.9

  6. 12 October 2018

    100 years quiet

    The Met Office marks the longest pause since a Katla eruption.13

The volcano under Mýrdalsjökull

Katla deserves its reputation. The Icelandic Meteorological Office describes an ice-filled caldera of 9 by 14 km with ice up to 700 m thick, and counts Katla as the fourth most active volcanic system in Iceland, with at least 21 eruptions in the last 1100 years.1415 UNESCO calls it one of Iceland's most dangerous and active volcanoes.16

The last eruption that melted through the glacier came in 1918, and the average gap between eruptions in historic times has been about 50 years.4 In 2018 the Met Office marked the 100-year anniversary of that eruption and called the current pause the longest since a Katla eruption.13 Ten seismic stations around the volcano stream their data in real time.17

An eruption here is also a flood. Magma melting the glacier on its way up causes jökulhlaups, glacial outburst floods, and the Katla Geopark puts the large historic ones at up to 100,000-300,000 m3 per second.1819 The black plain of Mýrdalssandur that the jeeps cross was built by those floods; the geopark thinks the shoreline there now lies about 2.5 km further south than in 1660.11

Heights

The domes of Mýrdalsjökull around the caldera

m
Goðabunga: 1,510 1,510 GoðabungaHábunga: 1,497 1,497 HábungaAustmannsbunga: 1,377 1,377 AustmannsbungaKötlukollar: 1,320 1,320 Kötlukollar
The highest points of Mýrdalsjökull, which outline the Katla caldera, as the Katla Geopark gives them.20

Katla tours side by side

Katla cave tours by start, length and price

TourStarts atLengthFrom
Katla cave & super jeepVík3 to 12 hoursfrom $194
Katla cave & super jeep, Troll.isVík Inn Hotel3 hoursfrom $276
Katla small-group tourVík3 hoursfrom $182
Katla fast trackVík3 hoursfrom $250
Katla & south coastReykjavík12 hoursfrom $288
South coast & Katla, small groupReykjavík10 hoursfrom $276

Start points and lengths from the Katla listings on GetYourGuide; read each price as an opening figure for the cheapest date.

From Vík

Katla tours that start in the village

From Vik: Katla Ice Cave and Super Jeep Tour Up to 14

Katla & super jeep

Most reviewed

Rating
4.63
Reviews
2,395
Price
from $194
See this tour
From Vik: Katla Ice Cave & Super Jeep Tour 1 hour at the cave

Troll.is Katla tour

From the Vík Inn

Length
3 hours
Rating
4.68
Price
from $276
See this tour
From Vik: Katla Ice Cave Small-Group Tour Lowest price

Small-group Katla

Gravel Travel

In the cave
30 minutes
Rating
4.35
Price
from $182
See this tour

Decision helper

Katla or the lagoon caves?

Match the cave to your route and dates

Katla

Operators list the Katla cave as open every month, while lagoon cave tours run October to April.221

Katla day trip

The 12-hour south coast tour includes the cave and two waterfalls.

Ask about the lagoon caves

Ice Explorers describes bright blue, emerald green and black ice there.22

Katla

Several Katla tours set the minimum age at 6, this site's lagoon tour at 7.23

Think twice

Some Katla listings advise against the tour for claustrophobia or fear of the dark.

Katla ice cave is open every month of the year. As a natural formation, access may occasionally be limited due to weather or glacier conditions.

Extreme Iceland (Arctic Adventures)Source 2

Why the ice here is striped with black

The Katla cave is known for dark bands of volcanic ash in its ice. Researchers have detected tephra layers of known age inside the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, and they use the ash of the 1918 Katla eruption as a time marker within it.2425 Each eruption leaves its own layer, and the cave walls cut straight across them.

NSIDC describes the same effect in a cave on Breiðamerkurjökull, where the light changes between the blue of the pure ice, the white of fresh snow and the black of volcanic ash trapped by the glacier.26 At Katla the black is part of the attraction: expect walls of blue, grey and black rather than an all-blue tunnel.

Ash also changes how fast a glacier melts. Researchers working on Icelandic glaciers report that tephra and dust blown onto the surface enhance melting by lowering the albedo, the share of sunlight the surface reflects.27 So the same stripes that make the photos also tell the story of a glacier that is constantly being reshaped, and of a cave that looks a little different from week to week.

Map

Where Iceland's ice caves are

The lagoon, the glacier and Skaftafell on the south-east coast, then the other ice cave regions between Reykjavík, Vík and Langjökull.

Map of south-east Iceland with Jökulsárlón, Breiðamerkurjökull, Falljökull, Skaftafell and Höfn 1Jökulsárlón2Breiðamerkurjökull3Falljökull4Skaftafell5Höfn
Jökulsárlón to Skaftafell
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Map of Iceland with Reykjavík, Húsafell, Langjökull, Geysir, Vík, Mýrdalsjökull and Jökulsárlón 6Reykjavík7Húsafell8Langjökull9Geysir10Vík11Mýrdalsjökull12Jökulsárlón
Ice cave regions of Iceland
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
  1. 1
    Jökulsárlón

    The ice cave tours meet at the lagoon cafeteria, which Ice Explorers places around 370 km east of Reykjavík and around 90 km west of Höfn.28

    In Google Maps ↗
  2. 2
    Breiðamerkurjökull

    The outlet glacier where the caves of this site form; the national park rangers of Breiðamerkursandur are responsible for its ice caves.29

    In Google Maps ↗
  3. 3
    Falljökull

    The Skaftafell hikes climb this outlet glacier of Vatnajökull; one listing spends 2.5 hours on it.

    In Google Maps ↗
  4. 4
    Skaftafell

    A national park since 1967, part of Vatnajökull National Park since 2008, with Kirkjubæjarklaustur 70 km to the west.3031

    In Google Maps ↗
  5. 5
    Höfn

    The nearest town to the east; Skaftafell lies 130 km from it.31

  6. 6
    Reykjavík

    Long day tours to the Katla cave leave from here with 27 pickup location options.

  7. 7
    Húsafell

    The meeting point for the ice tunnel in Langjökull, about 2 hours from Reykjavík.

  8. 8
    Langjökull

    About 953 km2, the second-largest glacier in Iceland, with a man-made tunnel 500 metres long.3233

    In Google Maps ↗
  9. 9
    Geysir

    Snowmobile tours to a natural ice cave on Langjökull meet behind the visitor centre.

  10. 10
    Vík

    The start of the Katla cave tours, and Iceland's southernmost village.6

    In Google Maps ↗
  11. 11
    Mýrdalsjökull

    The ice cap over the Katla volcano, about 535 km2; the cave sits in its outlet glacier Kötlujökull.51

  12. 12
    Jökulsárlón lagoon

    At 248 metres deep, NASA calls it the deepest lake in Iceland.34

    In Google Maps ↗
Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

Before a Katla tour

01

Book and plan

  • Check the departure time and meeting point in Vík
  • Allow for the drive along Route 1 in winter light
  • Check the minimum age for your listing
02

Bring and wear

  • Warm layers and a waterproof shell
  • Boots that grip on uneven ground
  • Gloves and a hat for the cold, damp cave

Calculator

Price a Katla trip for your group

Choose a tour and enter how many people are going

People 2

Total from$387

per participant from $194

Check availabilityfree cancellation

We take the cheapest GetYourGuide price of the ice cave tour you choose, multiply it by your group and convert it with the ECB daily rate; checkout on GetYourGuide has the final figure.

Video

Inside the Katla ice cave: a full walkthrough

No video data loads before you press play.

Tours from Vík compared

Several companies run a Katla ice cave tour from Vík, and they differ mostly in group size, time at the cave and price. The most reviewed listing starts from $194, is rated 4.63 from 2,395 reviews and is limited to 14 participants. Troll.is meets at the Vík Inn Hotel on Víkurbraut 26 and spends 1 hour at the cave.

Gravel Travel drives 1 hour each way by super jeep, then gives 30 minutes in the cave after a short walk of 2-8 minutes. On its own page, Katlatrack lists a Fast Track tour of 2.5-3 hours with a super jeep drive of 45-60 minutes and a hike of around 1 km.233 Extreme Iceland gives the walk from the outlet glacier to the cave as about 1-2 km over uneven ground.35

Equipment is part of every tour. Katlatrack includes crampons, a helmet and a headlamp, and Troll.is includes crampons and helmets and gives a safety briefing.36 Age limits are lower than on the lagoon tours: Katlatrack and Extreme Iceland both give 6 years as the minimum age for their standard Katla tours.2337

Going in a day from Reykjavík

Most visitors who do not sleep on the south coast book a Katla ice cave tour from Reykjavík. The most reviewed long version lasts 12 hours, has 27 pickup location options and is limited to 14 participants, starting from $288. It is rated 4.68 from 1,331 reviews.

The day is mostly road and waterfalls around a core of ice. Its itinerary runs 1.5 hours by coach to Hvolsvöllur, then stops at Skógafoss for 30 minutes, continues to Vík and spends 2.5 hours on Mýrdalsjökull by super jeep with the cave, before Seljalandsfoss for 25 minutes and a 2-hour coach ride back. Another small-group version of the same idea lasts 10 hours.

Is that worth it? If your only base is the capital and your dates fall outside the lagoon cave season, it is a realistic way to stand in a natural ice cave. If you have a night to spare on the south coast, a short tour from Vík leaves more energy for the cave itself and more daylight for everything else.

Pairing the cave with the rest of Mýrdalsjökull

Mýrdalsjökull offers more than the cave. Visit South Iceland lists guided snow scooter, snowmobile, super jeep and ice climbing tours on the ice cap, and the geopark names Sólheimajökull, Entujökull and Kötlujökull as its best-known outlet glaciers.3839 If you have a full day near Vík, a cave in the morning and a different outlet glacier in the afternoon makes a coherent plan.

Sólheimajökull is the easy companion, right by the main road west of Vík. The geopark describes it as an outlet glacier about 11 km long, flowing from about 1350 m above sea level down to about 100 m.40 It has retreated every year since 1996, a total of 1312 m by 2019, and a lagoon that began to appear in front of its snout around 2011 is now about 60 meters deep.4142

Seeing both glaciers in one trip puts the cave in context. The ice you walk through at Kötlujökull and the lagoon growing below Sólheimajökull are parts of the same story: ice caps that keep moving, melting and changing shape. Keep the time on the road in mind in winter, when daylight on the south coast is short, and let the guides decide what is safe on the day.

Season, safety and what to expect

Katla is sold as a year-round natural cave. Extreme Iceland says the cave is open every month of the year, and Visit South Iceland lists year-round ice cave explorations on Mýrdalsjökull.243 The same operator adds that access can occasionally be limited by weather or glacier conditions and that the cave's size and appearance cannot be guaranteed.2

Summer has its own quirk. The Met Office notes that seismicity at Katla is often elevated in June, July and August, an effect it considers probably unrelated to volcanic processes, and that summertime unrest is almost annual, often with minor floods in glacial rivers.4445

Some listings warn that the tour is not recommended for people afraid of the dark or prone to claustrophobia, and that the terrain is rugged. Wear warm layers and boots you can walk in on uneven ground, and expect cold, wet ice under the crampons. Visit South Iceland also points out that weather conditions on Mýrdalsjökull shift rapidly all year round.38

This winter's cave

Next winter's caves will look different.

Pick a date between October and April and see the ice as it is this season.

See datesfrom $195 · free to cancel 4.6 · 961 confirmed reviews

You ask,we answer.

Is the Katla ice cave open in summer?

Yes, operators list it all year. Extreme Iceland says it is open every month, though weather or glacier conditions can occasionally limit access.2

How far is the cave from Vík?

About 45-60 minutes by super jeep. Katlatrack gives that drive, then a hike of around 1 km to the cave.3

When did Katla last erupt?

In 1918, through the ice. The Icelandic Meteorological Office names 1918 as the last eruption to break through the glacier.4

Is the Katla cave inside the volcano?

No, it is in a glacier. It sits in Kötlujökull, an outlet glacier of Mýrdalsjökull, which covers the Katla volcano.1

What is the minimum age?

6 on several Katla tours. Katlatrack and Extreme Iceland both give 6 years for their standard tours; Katlatrack's private tour has no minimum age.233746

Why is there black ice in the cave?

Volcanic ash. Tephra layers of known age lie inside Mýrdalsjökull, and researchers use the 1918 Katla ash as a time marker.2425

Can I go from Reykjavík in a day?

Yes, on a long tour. A south coast tour from the capital lasts 12 hours and offers 27 pickup locations.

Sources

The sources for this guide

  1. 1
    Extreme Iceland (Arctic Adventures)Katla Ice Cave Tour 2026
    ↩
  2. 2
    Extreme Iceland (Arctic Adventures)Katla Ice Cave Tour 2026
    ↩
  3. 3↩
  4. 4
    Icelandic Meteorological OfficeKatla
    ↩
  5. 5
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkMýrdalsjökull (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  6. 6
    Visit South IcelandVÍK
    ↩
  7. 7
    Visit South IcelandVÍK
    ↩
  8. 8
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkKatla Jarðvangur - Um Jarðvanginn
    ↩
  9. 9
    UNESCO International Geoscience and Geoparks ProgrammeKatla UNESCO Global Geopark - International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme
    ↩
  10. 10
    Icelandic Meteorological OfficeKatla
    ↩
  11. 11
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkMýrdalssandur (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  12. 12
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkKatla Jarðvangur - Um Jarðvanginn
    ↩
  13. 13
    Icelandic Meteorological Office100 years since Katla erupted
    ↩
  14. 14
    Icelandic Meteorological Office100 years since Katla erupted
    ↩
  15. 15
    Icelandic Meteorological OfficeKatla
    ↩
  16. 16
    UNESCO International Geoscience and Geoparks ProgrammeKatla UNESCO Global Geopark - International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme
    ↩
  17. 17
    Icelandic Meteorological Office100 years since Katla erupted
    ↩
  18. 18
    Icelandic Meteorological OfficeKatla
    ↩
  19. 19
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkKatla (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  20. 20
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkMýrdalsjökull (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  21. 21↩
  22. 22↩
  23. 23↩
  24. 24↩
  25. 25↩
  26. 26
    National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)Science of Glaciers
    ↩
  27. 27
    Frontiers in Earth Science (Aðalgeirsdóttir et al., University of Iceland and Icelandic Meteorological Office)Glacier Changes in Iceland From ~1890 to 2019
    ↩
  28. 28↩
  29. 29↩
  30. 30
    Vatnajökull National ParkSkaftafell - Vatnajökull National Park
    ↩
  31. 31
    Vatnajökull National ParkSkaftafell - Vatnajökull National Park
    ↩
  32. 32↩
  33. 33↩
  34. 34
    NASA Earth ObservatoryIceland’s Glacial Lagoon
    ↩
  35. 35
    Extreme Iceland (Arctic Adventures)Katla Ice Cave Tour 2026
    ↩
  36. 36↩
  37. 37
    Extreme Iceland (Arctic Adventures)Katla Ice Cave Tour 2026
    ↩
  38. 38↩
  39. 39
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkMýrdalsjökull (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  40. 40
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkSólheimajökull (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  41. 41
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkSólheimajökull (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  42. 42
    Katla UNESCO Global GeoparkSólheimajökull (jarðvætti)
    ↩
  43. 43
    Visit South IcelandVÍK
    ↩
  44. 44
    Icelandic Meteorological Office100 years since Katla erupted
    ↩
  45. 45
    Icelandic Meteorological OfficeKatla and Mýrdalsjökull
    ↩
  46. 46↩

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