Iceland review - 2012, Page 56

54 ICELAND REVIEW
By jón Kaldal Photos By Páll StEfánSSon
Just 25 minutes by car from Reykjavík and around 45
minutes on foot lies one of Iceland’s most inspiring
places. This summer CNN ranked it as number 13 on its
list of 27 ‘must-sees on this incredible planet.’ Incidentally,
until a few months ago this place was completely out
of reach for all but the most seasoned mountain climbers and
daredevils.
The place in question is the volcanic crater Þríhnúkagígur, a
4,000-year-old volcano with a magnificent bottle-shaped dome
where the Statue of Liberty could stand in all its grandeur.
The Þríhnúkagígur crater is close to the mountain range
Bláfjöll, where the capital region’s ski resort lies. It was first
explored in 1972, when cave expeditioner Árni B. Stefánsson
was roped down with a single lamp mounted to his helmet.
Many years later this unique work of nature became a legend
among Iceland’s mountaineers and cave explorers who were
up to the task of lowering themselves down the small black
opening, through the bottleneck and all the 120 meters to the
bottom of the dome.
In June 2012, tourists were given the opportunity to partake
in such an expedition for the first time, with the Inside the
volcano tour, run by the tour operator 3H Travel. A specialized
lift was installed and travelers were lowered into the crater.
The company’s managing director Björn Ólafsson calls the
Heart of
Darkness
Þríhnúkagígur is a 4,000-year-old volcano by the
mountain range Bláfjöll close to Reykjavík. Its highly
unusual empty magma chamber makes it possible
to explore the heart of the volcano from the inside.