Difficulty: 4 out of 5

The lava tube cave known as Buri, is situated in Leitahraun-lava field on Reykjanes peninsula. The eruption that formed the Leitahraun-lava field was massive and therefore the lava tube cave Buri is massive.

Buri is probably the most prized of all the Icelandic lava tube caves. Bjorn Hroarsson vulcanospeleologist discovered Buri the 7th of may 2005 and that find was considered one of the more remarkable discoveries in Speleology in Iceland for the last 1000 years. Buri is over one kilometer long and has a great width but is difficult to trek.

Buri has some spectacular lava formations and it’s size is unrivaled in Iceland, for it runs about 10 meters in height and 10 meters wide in the largest chambers. The last 400 meters of the cave are said to be unrivaled by other similar caves in the world, at the innermost section of the cave, there is a 17 meter high vertical pit made from a lava fall, and is known to be the deepest lava pit on earth.

The route to Buri lava tube cave isn’t the easiest one. Starts with an hour drive from Reykjavik which is followed by about an hour walk to the cave’s entrance. The entrance is very narrow, but when inside you stand in a great chamber filled with ice sculptures and formations of all sizes. Those ice formations are most spectacular in the late winter, but tours to the Buri lava tube cave are offered at any season of the year. Going through the chamber of ice and up the ice slope in the back of the chamber isn’t a trek for everybody, especially not for those that have any kind of health issues.

After the ice slope has been climbed, follows a wide and rocky tunnel, the rocky part of the tunnel is almost 700 meters long, but after that the floor is almost completely flat and all the way to the lava pit. There are probably few man made structures that can rival the beauty of Buri lava cave visually, so travelers are given enough time to zip in this extraordinary beauty deep inside the Icelandic landscape, after that we trek back to the clean and crisp air of the Icelandic wilderness.

Please note that the cave is at times difficult to trek and is therefore not a trek for everyone, especially not those that have any kind of health issues.

Itinerary Details:

Guaranteed departures:
Mondays and Thursdays at 09:30 from 1 May to 30 September with a minimum 2 people per departure.

- Daily 1 January - 30 April at 09:30 with a minimum of 4 people per departure.

- Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 May - 30 September at 09:30 with a minimum of 4 people per departure.

- Daily 1 October - 31 December at 09:30 with a minimum of 4 people per departure. 

 

The price per person given above applies to the guaranteed departures on Mondays and Thursdays from 1 May to 30 September.  

All bookings for dates that fall into the "additional departures" time periods have a minimum of 4 people per departure and if less than 4 people are being booked for an additional departure date the price for 4 passengers will be charged for the booking being made.

 

About 8 hours

Pickup:

Reykjavik hotel pickup between 09:00 - 09:30.

Included in price:

Guide

bus

hotel pickup

flash light, gloves and a helmet

Bring with you:
Warm clothes and good hiking shoes.

Guidance:

English