Vatnshellir Cave
National Park, Ice Caves, Nature
Vatnshellir, Snæfellsjökull National Park, West Iceland
Víti (‘Hell’) is an explosion crater at the Krafla volcano in North Iceland, created by a powerful phreatomagmatic eruption in 1724 that heralded the beginning of the ‘Mývatn Fires’ — decades of intermittent volcanic activity in the region. Today the deep circular crater is filled with brilliant, milky-blue geothermal water of a striking and almost artificial-looking hue.
A short walk from the car park leads to the crater rim where you look down into the bowl of opaque blue-green water, with steam occasionally rising from the surface and the sulphurous smell of geothermal activity in the air. The contrast between the vivid water and the surrounding ochre and black volcanic rock is one of Iceland’s most memorable visual sights.
Víti is located at the Krafla caldera, about 7 km north of Lake Mývatn via a paved road, easily accessible by regular car. The car park has information boards. The crater is fenced for safety and viewing from the rim is the standard experience. Combine with the Leirhnjúkur lava trail nearby for a full half-day in the Krafla area.
