Cars Campers

CaveWest Iceland

Vatnshellir

West Iceland, IcelandGuided tour requiredModeratehelmet, flashlight

Road loading…

Weather loading…

Navigate

DirectionsNavigate

Find Vatnshellir videos on YouTube

Open Vatnshellir on the map

CaveWest Iceland

Vatnshellir

West Iceland, IcelandGuided tour requiredModeratehelmet, flashlight

About

A cave in West Iceland. Formed by volcanic activity over centuries.

Bring a light and watch the shadows play on ancient rock walls. Iceland from the inside.

Formed during volcanic eruptions when lava flowed beneath a hardened crust. When the lava drained, it left behind these tunnels.

Some caves require booking tours in advance. Check before driving out to remote locations.

AI assistant

Plan your visit to Vatnshellir

Build an itinerary — full days, multi-stop routes, drive times, alternatives.

Map of Vatnshellir

Vatnshellir is in West Iceland at 64.7481°N, 23.8180°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.

Open Vatnshellir on the interactive map →

Plan your visit

Getting there: Road 574 (Hellnar-Helliss.)
Off the main road: 17.6 km from Route 54
Nearest town: Ólafsvík — 17 km away
Distance from Reykjavík: 112 km in a straight line
What else is close: 185 mapped places within 20 km

Vatnshellir weather and conditions

At Vatnshellir in West Iceland, conditions as of 1 September 2026, 07:15 (Iceland time): 5°C (feels like 2°C), partly cloudy, wind 3 m/s gusting to 7 m/s. Daylight today: 14 h 46 m (sunrise 06:13, sunset 20:59). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.

Data verified 1 September 2026, 07:15· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly

Driving conditions

—

Weather now

—

Wind

Check live

Road access

—

Daylight today

Visit now · Open year-round · 30 min stop · Visibility —

open map

Forecast

Today

—

Northern lights

Tonight

—/9

No data

—

Moon—

Aurora forecast for tonight

West Reykjavík South Coast North East Westfjords Reykjanes Highlands

Sun & light

Today

—

Today

—

Sunrise—

Golden hour AM—

Golden hour PM—

Sunset—

Blue hour—

Cars & campers

−12%exclusive discountFree cancellation

KEF airport pickup 24/74.8

SUV

Dacia Duster 4x4

Cheapest real 4WD in the fleet — gravel, the Westfjords and easy summer F-roads without truck prices.

VW Caravelle

Whole family or friend group in one car — gear in the back, room to stretch.

TransmissionAutomatic

12,750 kr15,000 kr/day

Reserve −12%

Camper

Key Camper Wild Duo

Sleep right by the trailhead, wake up at the falls — F-road ready from mid-June.

Tours near Vatnshellir

Free cancellation

Small groups

Hiking

Day Trek to Akrafjall: The Troll's Mountain

IF THIS ONE SHOWS UNAVAILABLE, CHECK OUR OTHER DAY TOURS as we run one tour per day.

Duration6 hours 30 minutes

HighlightsWest Iceland

From Grundarfjörður Port: Private Snaefellsness Tour

Step away from busy destinations like the Golden Circle and the South Coast with the tour.

Duration8 hours

HighlightsWest Iceland

Grundarfjordur Port: Small Group Snaefellsnes Peninsula from Cruise Terminal

Join a small group shore excursion from Grundarfjordur Port and explore the landscapes of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula often call

Duration5 hours

HighlightsWest Iceland

From

25.340 ISK

View tour →

Photos & videos

Vatnshellir — photo by Domenico Convertini from Zurich, Schweiz · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo: Domenico Convertini from Zurich, Schweiz · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

No verified videos yet — we only show footage confirmed to be Vatnshellir, no lookalikes. Search YouTube

Reviews

Frequently
asked
questions

Can I visit Vatnshellir without a guide?

No — Vatnshellir requires a guided tour to enter safely. Caves in Iceland are dark, cold and easy to get lost or injured in; book a tour with a licensed operator rather than going in alone.

How do I get to Vatnshellir?

Vatnshellir is in West Iceland. Many Icelandic caves sit off highland tracks that need a 4WD — check live road and weather conditions on this page before you drive, especially in winter when routes close.

What should I bring to Vatnshellir?

A helmet and a proper head-torch or flashlight are the minimum — there is no daylight inside and the floor is broken lava rock. Add warm layers and sturdy boots; the cave stays near freezing year-round. Recommended gear: helmet, flashlight.

Does Vatnshellir cost anything to visit?

Visiting Vatnshellir involves a cost — either a paid guided tour or an access fee. Book ahead where a tour is required. Conditions change with weather, so plan around the forecast.

Nearby

km column = your drive

Waterfalls

#1.Rauðfeldsgjá

9.9 km·~12 min drive

A waterfall in West Iceland.

#2.Snekkjufoss

13 km·~16 min drive

A waterfall in West Iceland.

#3.Klukkufoss

13 km·~16 min drive

A waterfall in West Iceland.

#4.Rjúkandi

16 km·~20 min drive

A waterfall in West Iceland.

4 waterfalls near West Iceland

Hot Springs

#1.Geothermal hot spring near Snæfellsbær

30 km·~36 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#2.Natural hot pot near Grundarfjarðarbær

33 km·~39 min drive

Swimming_pool hot spring

#3.Geothermal hot spring near Grundarfjarðarbær

42 km·~50 min drive

Natural hot spring

#4.Geothermal hot spring near Stykkishólmur

63 km·~75 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

4 hot springs near West Iceland

Campsites

#1.Arnarstapi

8.9 km·~11 min drive

The camp site at Arnarstapi is in a beautiful location next to Stapafell mountain with a…

#2.Tjaldsvæðið á Arnastapa

9 km·~11 min drive

West Iceland camping. Access to Snæfellsnes peninsula and western attractions. Good…

#3.Tjaldstæðið í Ólafsvík

17 km·~20 min drive

West Iceland camping. Access to Snæfellsnes peninsula and western attractions. Good…

#4.Ólafsvík

17 km·~20 min drive

The camp site is located in the edge of town. There is a toilet, hot and cold water,…

4 campsites near West Iceland

Supermarkets

#1.Kassinn

17 km·~21 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#2.Kjörbúðin

33 km·~40 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#3.Bónus

63 km·~75 min drive

Bónus supermarket — supplies

#4.Nettó

94 km·~112 min drive

Nettó supermarket — supplies

4 supermarkets near West Iceland

Gas stations

#1.Arnarstapi

9 km·~11 min drive

ÓB · 308.7 kr/L petrol

#2.Ólafsvík

17 km·~20 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#3.Hellissandur

19 km·~23 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#4.Grundarfjörður

33 km·~39 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

4 gas stations near West Iceland

Tours

#1.Day Trek to Akrafjall: The Troll's Mountain

6 hours 30 minutes

IF THIS ONE SHOWS UNAVAILABLE, CHECK OUR OTHER DAY TOURS as we run one tour per day.

from 18.101 ISKView tour →

#2.From Grundarfjörður Port: Private Snaefellsness Tour

8 hours

Step away from busy destinations like the Golden Circle and the South Coast with the tour.

from 269.900 ISKView tour →

#3.Grundarfjordur Port: Small Group Snaefellsnes Peninsula from Cruise Terminal

5 hours

Join a small group shore excursion from Grundarfjordur Port and explore the landscapes of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula often call

from 25.340 ISKView tour →

3 tours near West Iceland

Data & sources

Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.

Wikimedia CommonsHero & gallery photography · Domenico Convertini from Zurich, Schweiz · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
VegagerðinVisitor access & practical facts
VegagerðinLive road status & cameras · Icelandic Road Administration
Open-MeteoWeather forecast · CC BY 4.0
NOAA SWPCAurora (planetary Kp) forecast · public domain
OpenStreetMapInteractive-map data · ODbL
Esri, Maxar & Earthstar GeographicsSatellite imagery for the 3D terrain render · GIS User Community