Lava Tunnel Iceland Discount Code + Our Review

Want to walk inside a 5,200 year old lava river, 30 minutes from Reykjavik? Then Raufarhólshellir, better known as The Lava Tunnel, is your place. And you can save 10% on their tours with our Lava Tunnel Iceland discount code: EPICLAVA.

The Lava Tunnel is the fourth longest lava tube in Iceland and one of the few places where you get properly underground with no climbing skills needed.

We’ll be honest from the start. The standard tour is easy and it is short. The tour that we would go for is the Lava Falls Adventure tour, which takes you past the lit walkway into the dark part of the cave.

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Why Lava Tunnel

Raufarhólshellir formed during the Leitahraun eruption, east of the Bláfjöll mountains, about 5,200 years ago. The lava crust hardened on top while molten rock kept running underneath. Once it drained out, the tunnel stayed.

The numbers are big: 1,360 m long, up to 30 m wide, headroom up to 10 m. If you’re claustrophobic, this is probably the friendliest cave in Iceland for you.

Near the entrance, the ceiling has collapsed in 3 places, which creates columns of daylight inside the cave. In winter, ice sculptures grow under these openings and that section stops looking like Earth.

There’s a sad part to the story. Until the 1950s the tunnel was full of lava stalactites. Then visitors came, and today almost none are left. The cave was closed in 2016 to remove tons of trash and build walkways, then reopened in 2017 as a guided-only site. So yes, you now pay for something that used to be free. After seeing what free access did here, we think that was the right call.

A few more reasons we like it:

• Open all year, unlike half of Iceland
• Helmets and headlamps included
• It works in bad weather, when your other plans get canceled
• 30 minutes from the city, so it fits any itinerary

It pairs well with the rest of our best day trips from Reykjavik.

Which Lava Tunnel tour to choose

There are 4 tours, but really 2 experiences: the easy walk and the real cave trip.

Tour	Duration	Difficulty	Group size	Min. age	Best for
Standard Lava Tunnel Tour	55-60 min in the cave	Easy	Up to 30	Kids welcome	First-timers, families, self-drivers
Standard Tour with Transport	3 hrs total	Easy	Up to 30	Kids welcome	Travelers without a car
Evening Lava Tunnel Tour	About 1 hr	Easy	Up to 30	Kids welcome	Combining with northern lights or a south coast dinner
The Lava Falls Adventure Tour	3-4 hrs (2.5-3.5 hrs inside)	Hard	Max 8-10	12	Anyone who actually wants to explore a cave

The standard tour walks you along a footbridge through the lit section. It’s comfortable, it’s well done, and it’s over quickly.

The Lava Falls Adventure tour goes to the bottom of the cave, to the lava falls at its source. No walkway, no lighting rigs, just head torches, big boulders and your own balance. Hiking boots with ankle support are required, it’s not recommended with back or knee problems, and you need to book at least 1 day ahead.

Lava Tunnel Discount Code

The Lava Tunnel discount code is EPICLAVA. It gives you 10% off Lava Tunnel tours booked directly at thelavatunnel.is.

What you need to know about it:

• The code is EPICLAVA, the discount is 10%
• It stacks on top of any other discount the Lava Tunnel is running, so during a seasonal offer you save even more
• It works on the standard (short) tour and the Lava Falls Adventure (long) tour
• If you want to book a tour with a Transport from Reykjavik, you can book it with 10% discount code: EPICICELAND24 with Arctic Adventures
• It does not work on combo tours (Lava Tunnel + Lava Show, Lava Tunnel + Perlan, and so on)

How to Use the Lava Tunnel Discount Code

1. Go to thelavatunnel.is and pick your tour.
2. Choose your date, time and number of people.
3. On the checkout page, find the promo code field.
4. Type EPICLAVA and apply it.
5. Check that 10% is subtracted from the total before you pay.

That’s it. The Lava Tunnel coupon code works year-round, winter and summer.

What to expect inside the tunnel

It’s cold. The temperature inside stays around 0 to 4 °C all year, so the “but it’s July” logic does not apply here.

Water drips from the ceiling, so bring a waterproof jacket. Wear shoes with grip: the floor is uneven volcanic rock, there are stairs, and in winter parts of the walkway get icy. Hiking poles are available on site. Helmet and headlamp are provided.

Driving there is simple. From Reykjavik take road 1 east for about 18 km, then turn right onto road 39 towards Þorlákshöfn and continue 12 km. Fun detail: part of the cave runs under that same road, so you drive over the tunnel before you walk through it.

The site is open every day, 09:00-17:00, and standard tours run every hour. Walk-ins are accepted if there’s space, but book ahead. No car? See our thoughts on guided tours vs renting a car in Iceland, or use one of our car rental discount codes. Before you drive anywhere in Iceland, check the conditions on SafeTravel.

Lava Tunnel Reviews

The Lava Tunnel is one of the highest rated paid attractions near Reykjavik. On TripAdvisor, the standard tour sits at about 4.8 stars from over 2,200 reviews.

What people praise again and again: the guides (half the reviews name them), the lights-off moment when all the lighting is switched off, and the winter ice formations with the red, orange and black colors in the rock.

The criticism is consistent too, and worth reading before you book:

• The standard tour feels short. It’s 1 hour, and part of that is walking in and out.
• Value for money, mostly from people who booked the version with the bus transfer.
• The ground is uneven and there are stairs, so it’s not suitable for anyone with serious mobility issues, even though the tour is rated easy.

Our Experience with Lava Tunnel

What surprised us most was the scale. You expect a crack in the ground and you walk into something the size of a church nave. Photos don’t prepare you for it.

The lights-off moment is the one you’ll remember. The guide switches everything off and you get darkness your eyes never adjust to. No shapes, no outlines, nothing. It’s the closest we’ve come to understanding what total darkness actually means, and it lasts just long enough to feel a bit uncomfortable. In a good way.

The guiding is good. Nobody is reading a script. You learn how the tube formed, why the rock is red here and yellow there, and about the microbes living in the walls, which have caught the interest of scientists studying life on Mars.

We agree with one of the complaints: the standard tour ends too soon (at least for us). If you have any fitness at all, take the Lava Falls Adventure tour instead. Same cave, but you reach the parts with no lights, no walkway and no crowds.

One practical note: don’t underdress. We were fine in a fleece and a waterproof shell, and we saw people in thin jackets who spent the last 20 minutes wishing they hadn’t.

Is the Lava Tunnel worth it?

Yes, with a condition.

For families, first-timers, or a half day in Reykjavik with terrible weather, the standard tour is one of the safest bets near the capital. It’s a strong winter activity, because the cave doesn’t care about the storm outside.

If you came to Iceland for the raw stuff, the standard tour alone may leave you flat. Take the Lava Falls Adventure tour, or pair the short one with something bigger the same day, like one of the volcano tours.

Lava Tunnel FAQ

What is the Lava Tunnel discount code?

The Lava Tunnel discount code is EPICLAVA. It gives you 10% off when you book at thelavatunnel.is, and it stacks on top of any other discount they’re running.

How do I use the Lava Tunnel Iceland promo code?

Enter EPICLAVA in the promo code field at checkout on thelavatunnel.is and apply it. The 10% comes off your total before you pay. The coupon code works on the standard tour and the Lava Falls Adventure tour, but not on combo tours.

How long is the Lava Tunnel tour?

The standard tour is about 55 to 60 minutes inside the tunnel. The Lava Falls Adventure tour spends roughly 2.5 to 3.5 hours in the cave, 3 to 4 hours in total.

How cold is it inside the Lava Tunnel?

Around 0 to 4 °C all year. Bring a warm layer and a waterproof jacket, because water drips from the ceiling in some parts.

What should I wear and bring?

Hiking shoes with grip and a waterproof jacket. The Lava Falls Adventure tour requires hiking boots with ankle support. Helmets and headlamps are provided, and hiking poles are available on site.

Is the Lava Tunnel suitable for kids?

Yes, the standard tour is fine for children who can handle stairs and uneven ground. The Lava Falls Adventure tour has a minimum age of 12 and needs good fitness and balance.

Do I need to book the Lava Tunnel in advance?

We recommend it. Walk-ins are accepted when there’s space, but capacity is limited. The Lava Falls Adventure tour must be booked at least 1 day ahead.

How do I get to the Lava Tunnel from Reykjavik?

About a 30 minute drive. Take road 1 east for around 18 km, turn right onto road 39 towards Þorlákshöfn and drive another 12 km. The car park is by the road. If you don’t drive, book the standard tour with transport from Reykjavik.