Most tours to Lofthellir set out from Akureyri, traveling by 4WD to Laxardalshraun then continuing on foot. To reach the cave, visitors have to hike across the lava fields (an easy, 30-minute hike over rough terrain), descend into the cave via rope ladder, and scramble (assisted by ropes) around the cave’s ice structures.
Inside the cave, the freezing microclimate and enveloping darkness only add to the experience, as you explore the honeycomb of underground chambers by flashlight, sliding down icy slopes and clambering around ice columns. It’s worth it for the magnificent scenery—glittering walls of ice, frozen stalactites and stalagmites, and gigantic ice sculptures carved out over thousands of years.