ItsAllBee | Solo Travel & Adventure Tips

You are here: Home / Adventure / Iceland’s Eldhraun Lava Field – Unmissable Sights Of Moss Covered Iceland Lava Fields

Iceland’s Eldhraun Lava Field – Unmissable Sights Of Moss Covered Iceland Lava Fields

Last updated: by

Eldhraun Lava Fields in Iceland | Iceland Lava Fields

 

No itinerary is complete without visiting Iceland’s Eldhraun lava fields or Iceland lava fields as sometimes to. Eldhraun is the largest lava flow in the world. These moss covered lava fields in Iceland are a must see. Located near Kirkjubæjarklaustur village in South Iceland, this amazing must-see was created during the Laki eruption in the late 18th century.  The volcano which erupted between 1783 and 1784 releasing a total of 14.7 km3 of lava from a 25-km-long fissure now covers around 560 square kilometers of beautiful moss covered lava fields in Iceland. 

 

I wish I had taken my drone to really capture the vastness of the Iceland lava fields. I was going to wait until November to do a series on my trip to Iceland but each time I look at the pictures I get so excited and lose all patience with my planned schedule of posts so I thought I would get it out of my system and share the magical world Iceland’s Eldraun moss covered Lava Field.

 

Also See:

 
 
Iceland's Eldhraun Moss Lava Field
Iceland's Eldhraun Lava Field - Enter The Magical World of Iceland Lava Fields
 

Iceland’s Eldraun Lava Fields | Visiting Moss Covered Lava Fields In Iceland

 
 
Iceland is one of those countries or island that is just out of this world! You have water boiling in the earth right before you, pools elevated into the mountains, waterfalls cascading down the mountains and you are just in awe of what this tiny island has to offer. Exploring Iceland is like re-discovering a planet in some ways. What you experience and see in Iceland is nothing your eyes can ever prepare for. Once you have seen Skogafoss, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, remnants of volcanic explosions, the litli Geysir. Then you enter the magical world of Eldhraun Lava Field. Its mind blowing!
 
 
Iceland's Eldhraun Lava Field - Enter The Magical World of Iceland Lava Fields
 
 
Eldhraun Lava Fields in Iceland | Iceland Lava Fields
Eldhraun Iceland - Moss Lava Fields
 
 

Why A Visit To The Magical Iceland Lava Fields Is A Must

 
 
As soon as you set your eye on Iceland’s Eldhraun Lava Field, it’s like being transported into some sort of fairyland. I guess that explains my excitement in the pictures below because this place just felt surreal! Iceland lava fields are the biggest lava flow in the world that occurred during the Eldhraun eruption in the late 1700s. Having driven close to the pin I had saved on my google maps we pulled into one of the side roads and drove into what is part of a 565 square kilometers of this moss-covered lava field. The moss is thicker than some of the most expensive carpets I have ever come across and oh so soft. Stepping around the moss-covered lava with wondrous laughter at the sheer amazement of having the place to ourselves with moss as far as the eye can see.
 
 
It’s all so serene and scary at the same time as the eyes, feet and hands have never seen nor come into contact with anything like this before. As beautiful as the lava field is, it disguises what is one the most violent and devastating eruptions of our time. The Lakagigar eruption only comes second to the eruption of the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia. Lakagigar’s eruption or Laki as is sometimes referred to, in 1783, went on to kill 10, 000 people in Iceland when the island was populated with only 50,000 people at the time.
 
Eldhraun Lava Field Iceland
 

Eldhraun Lava Fields | From Lava to Moss in 8 Months

 

Within less than a year the area where the lava had settled began to dress the lava and cover the sins and violent past of Laki eruptions with moss.  Laki is the volcanic system in the same south-eastern part of Iceland where eruptions that brought flights to a standstill in 2010 is. Living people stranded around Europe as the ash clouds proved too dangerous to fly in. As deadly as the eruptions were, we now have this beautiful site as a reminder of the past.

 

The moss covers volcanic rocks some of which are immobile and sharp so you have to take great care when walking around on it as well as not to walk too far because you just don’t know what is underneath and whether there are any holes or gaps in the rocks.

 

 

 
Eldhraun Lava Field Iceland | Iceland Lava Fields
Eldhraun Lava Field Iceland | Iceland Lava Fields
 

Another interesting factor to the Iceland lava fields in that Apollo 11 crew trained in Iceland, on the “assumption was that on the Moon we would encounter tectonic formations principally, or remnants of volcanic and tectonic lava flows, that sort of thing.” Although Icelandic tourism websites say that they trained in Eldhraun or lava fields, I have yet to find any NASA online documents confirming specific areas where Apollo 11 crew trained.

 

 

Whether or not they did, this is one place you have to experience in Iceland. Well, that’s in addition to the crazy and out of this tiny world wonders that can be found on this small island.

For tours to Eldraun Lava fields and other tours in Iceland check out Get Your Guide.

 
Enter The Magical World of Iceland's Eldhraun Lava Field

 

 

How To Get To Iceland Lava Fields In South Iceland | Location Of The Lava Fields

 

Getting to Eldhraun lava field is a lot easier if you are self-driving as you can see these from the Ring Road (Route 1) and don’t necessarily have to make complicated plans and sat nav coordinations. You can see them right from the road. If you need something to aim for though, the nearest villages to the lava fields are Kirkjubæjarklaustur. To aim for a specific location for the lava fields in Iceland use GPS: 63.676944 N, -18.140833 W.
 
 

Eldhraun Parking For lava fields In Iceland

 

In terms of locating Eldhraun parking area, there aren’t parking spaces as you can see Edhraun moss covered lava fields in Iceland from the Ring Road. You have roads that lead away from the Ring Road. Things dont really have any markings or names on the roads but you can turn into them and explore around like we did.

 

You are able to park alongside the road and explore. These are dirt roads, bear in mind that they are single track so if you are going to park make sure you pick a spot that is wide so as not to block the road in any direction anyone that may be coming in or leaving the area.

 

 
Eldhraun Lava Field Iceland | Iceland Lava Fields
Enter The Magical World of Iceland's Eldhraun Lava Field
 

Can You Walk On Lava Fields In Iceland?

 
Why walking on the lava field is not allowed as Eldhraun lava field is fragile. At the time we didn’t know as this wasn’t even on our itinerary not that I even knew about it until we nearly drove past it on the Ring Road. They advise against walking on the lava fields not just because lave covered in moss take took decades to grow, but because the lava rocks beneath the ground are unsafe due to unstable ground.  In many of the photographs we took, we were only a few inches of meters from the road. You can see how close I was to the road in one of the shots so its not as if we were jumping around on the moss fields. You really cannot get very far anyway as you can feel just how sharp and unstable the rocks beneath you are as the area contains enormous crevices and fissures. 
 
 
Enter The Magical World of Iceland's Eldhraun Lava Field

 

Tours and Day Trips To Eldhraun From Reykjavik

If self-driving the Ring Road in Iceland is not an option for you then definitely look for tours that will also include a stop to explore the area with Eldhraun lava fields.

 

Enter The Magical World of Iceland's Eldhraun Lava Field
 
Enter The Magical World of Iceland's Eldhraun Lava Field
 

 

Where To Stay In Iceland | Places And Hotels Near Iceland I Lava Fields

 

The nearest places to stay nearby are Eldhraun Holiday Home, Eldhraun Guesthouse, HunKubakker Guesthouse and Hotel Laki. These are all about 5-7 miles away from the Eldhraun lava fields but bear in mind that the fields cover miles and miles so these properties may be closer to the starting points of the fields.

 

For the rest of the list of properties close click here.