Ride volcanic trails in the Hengill area just outside Reykjavík

Start your journey at Litla Kaffistofan, only 20 minutes from Reykjavík. After a quick safety briefing and getting suited up in warm overalls and helmets, you’ll set off on an exciting ride through one of Iceland’s most dramatic volcanic landscapes.

This tour takes you across the Hellisheiði plateau into the heart of the Hengill volcanic region, where natural forces, history, and sustainability initiatives come together. Traverse the dark lava flows of Svínahraun, also known as Kristnitökuhraun, while passing several cutting-edge geothermal and climate projects along the way.

Hengill, rising 803 meters above sea level, sits atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates slowly drift apart, making it one of Iceland’s most geothermal-rich zones. Steam vents and bubbling geothermal formations emerge as the journey continues with views stretching far and wide on clear days, over mountain ranges, lava fields and the city of Reykjavik.

Pause near an active geothermal borehole and witness the raw power of steam shooting from deep underground, a unique experience that showcases Iceland’s living landscape. You’ll also ride past the Hellisheiði Power Plant, one of the largest geothermal facilities in the world, supplying electricity and hot water to Reykjavík and surrounding areas.

Your final stop in the adventure is at Skíðaskálinn in Hveradalir, a historic mountain lodge from 1934 nestled in a steaming geothermal valley. Here, savor traditional hverabrauð, Iceland’s “hot spring bread,” slow-cooked underground using natural geothermal heat for a truly authentic taste of Iceland and marvel at the mud baths, hot springs and geothermal landscapes in this area.