The Eyjafjallajökull Glacier erupted on the 20th of March 2010 and is still going. The glacier last erupted in the year 1821-1823 in an eruption that lasted nearly two years. This eruption is not thought to cause any danger to nearby farms and towns as it is relatively stable and in a remote spot on the Fimmvörðuháls col. The Fimmvörðuháls col itself has not erupted for around 10.000 years, so the fresh new lava fields really stand out of the landscape.
Since the eruption in Fimmvörðuháls col, between the Eyjajallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull Glaciers, many Icelanders and tourists have witnessed this spectacular phenomena with their own eyes. Eruption sight-seeing tours have been extremely popular from day one and it has been a totally unforgettable experience for to see fire and molten lava rise from deep within the earth’s crust and sculpt the land with hot flowing lava and ash. Fortunately, the nearby surroundings have been declared safe to pass and National Rescue Teams are present at all times, for security reasons.
Iceland Rovers, the 4x4 Super Jeep part of Icelandic Mountain Guides offer various tours for those interested in seeing the eruption first-hand. The first tour, Eruption on Fimmvörðuháls – Volcano Super Jeep Tour is a tour set up to witness the eruption from the nearby Þórsmörk Glacier Valley where the lava is flowing into this beautiful valley only a few kilometers from the actual eruption. From Þórsmörk you get a good view of the eruption, as well as the beautifull Nature Reserve. The goal is to be on site in time for the late afternoon light and then wait for darkness to see the glowing colours of the flowing lava. You get to experience the volcano while in total safety.
There are two other Iceland Rovers tours that take you up close to the eruption, these are the Eruption via Mýrdalsjökull Glacier 4x4 Tour and the Volcano Bus and Super Jeep Tour. Both these tours go a similar route, taking you through the southern lowlands of Iceland up to the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. You will then cross the glacier on a 4x4 Super Jeep to get up close the erupting volcano for spectacular views. The main difference is that theEruption via Mýrdalsjökull Glacier 4x4 Tour takes you on a Super Jeep from Reykjavík in a small group while theVolcano Bus and Super Jeep Tour takes you by Bus from Reykjavík to the glacier where the super jeep awaits.
Take a look inside the tours for great pictures of the eruption.