Iceland Volcano TourKeilir Hike: Climbing Reykjanes' Most Recognisable Cone
The Keilir hike climbs the 378 m cone that stands alone out of the Reykjanes lava plain, the one every arriving passenger sees on the drive from Keflavik airport. One guided listing sells it: $200 for 5 hours, private, with transport from your hotel, water and snacks. This page covers what the climb involves, the 3 km approach from Hoskuldarvellir, the road you need to reach the trailhead on your own, and how the day compares with the eruption-site walks nearby. The full list is on Iceland volcano tour.
Quick answer Price, road access and the walk in
The guided Keilir hike is $200 for 5 hours, private, with hotel pickup, water and snacks. Keilir is 378 m high and Visit Reykjanes puts the walk at 3 km from Hoskuldarvellir, with parking at Oddafell reached by a 4x4 track. The slopes are steep but the regional tourist board calls the climb not too difficult, and there is a concrete table with a view-direction map at the top.
Key takeaways
- The listing is the Keilir climb, $200 for 5 hours including the lava approach.
- Short on time? The same company sells Helgafell at $169 for 3 hours in the capital area.
- Want the young lava instead of a summit? That is the Reykjanes eruption area, on the same peninsula.
The Keilir Hike Listing
One operator sells the climb as a private guided day. The mountain itself is open ground, so what you are buying is the vehicle that reaches the trailhead and someone who knows the route. Figures current in Q3 2026.
from $200
Cone you see from the plane Hike to Mount Keilir
A proper Reykjanes hike rather than a coach stop, with the walk in across lava before the climb. Private transport, water and snacks are included.
- Lava field walk followed by the climb
- The cone visible from every Keflavik approach
- Private transport, water and snacks
- Five hours in total
from $169
Closest summit to the city Hike to Mount Helgafell
The short volcano hike you can do on an arrival or departure day, since the whole thing runs three hours from your hotel door. It is a real climb, not a stroll, and the listing asks for moderate fitness.
- Guided climb of a volcano inside the capital area
- Private transport from your hotel to Kaldarsel
- Bottled water and snacks included
- Three hours door to door
Keilir Against the Short Version
Same operator, same private format, two different days. The table is the honest way to choose between them, since the difference is time and distance rather than quality.
| Hike | What you climb | Time | Book | Approach | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keilir | A 378 m cone on Reykjanes | 5 hours | Check Availability | 3 km across lava, then a steep climb | $200 |
| Helgafell | Hafnarfjordur's town mountain | 3 hours | Check Availability | Short walk from Kaldarsel | $169 |
What Keilir Is
A cone that looks volcanic from every angle, with a geology that explains the shape.
A Crater Plug From the Ice Age
Visit Reykjanes describes Keilir as a 378 m hyaloclastite mountain created by subglacial eruptions during the ice age, and says geologists take its distinctive cone to be a crater plug: the hardened throat of a volcano, left standing when the softer material around it eroded away.
That is why it looks manufactured. From the Keflavik road it reads as a perfect triangle on a flat plain, and it is the peninsula's landmark for exactly that reason. On the summit there is a concrete table with a view-direction map on a metal plate, which tells you what you are looking at on a clear day.
Steep, But Not Technical
The tourist board's own wording is that in spite of its steep slopes it is not too difficult to climb, and that the view from the top on a fine day is to be remembered. The tour listing is blunter about who should not come: it asks for moderate fitness and does not recommend the trip in pregnancy, with spinal injuries or with poor cardiovascular health.
The approach is the part people underestimate. Before the climb there is a 3 km walk in across lava from Hoskuldarvellir, which is uneven ground rather than a path, and it takes the day from a climb to an outing.
Source: Visit Reykjanes
Getting There and What the Tour Buys
The road decides whether you need the booking.
The Road In
Visit Reykjanes says 4x4 cars can drive Hoskuldarvegur, that there is parking at Oddafell, and that from Hoskuldarvellir it is only a 3 km walk to the mountain. The coordinates it publishes are N63 56.448, W22 10.050.
That sentence contains the whole decision. With a 4x4 and a dry forecast you can do this alone for the price of fuel. With a small rental car the track is not a good idea, and there is no public transport anywhere near the trailhead.
What the $200 Covers
The listing is $200 per person for 5 hours: private transport from your hotel, a guide, bottled water and snacks, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. Nobody sells a shorter Keilir option, so this is the whole market for a guided climb here.
If 5 hours is more day than you have, the same company's Helgafell climb is $169 for 3 hours and starts 20 minutes from the city. If you would rather spend the day on ground that erupted this decade, the Reykjanes eruption-site tours run from $114 and put you on lava that is a few years old rather than tens of thousands.
Keilir: Worth Booking?
What we genuinely like
- A real summit day, 5 hours, with a lava approach included
- A 378 m cone with a view-direction table on top
- Private group with hotel pickup at $200
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead
The honest downsides
- No crater to see and no recent lava on the route
- The trailhead needs a 4x4, which is why the tour exists
- Steep slopes and 3 km of uneven lava before them
- Not recommended in pregnancy or with spinal or cardiovascular problems
Who it's NOT for: Anyone whose picture of an Iceland volcano tour involves standing on ground that is still steaming.
Keilir Hike Questions
How high is Keilir?
378 m, and Visit Reykjanes calls it a hyaloclastite mountain formed by subglacial eruptions in the ice age, probably a crater plug. The guided climb is the Keilir listing.
How long is the walk to Keilir?
From Hoskuldarvellir it is 3 km to the foot of the mountain, then the climb itself. The guided day allows 5 hours in total, including the drive from Reykjavik on the listed tour.
Can you drive to Keilir?
A 4x4 can drive Hoskuldarvegur to parking at Oddafell. A small rental car should not attempt it, which is the main reason to book the guided climb.
Is Keilir an active volcano?
No. It is an ice-age structure, while the activity on this peninsula is at the Sundhnukur crater row and Fagradalsfjall, covered on the Reykjanes page.
Which is better, Keilir or Helgafell?
Keilir is the bigger day at $200 for 5 hours with a lava approach; Helgafell is $169 for 3 hours and closer to town. Pick by the time you have, not by the mountain.
What should I bring?
Boots with ankle support for the lava, a windproof layer and rain gear, since the summit is exposed. The operator supplies water and snacks. The full list is on what to wear on a volcano hike.