Holuhraun Eruption Tour in Iceland - Bárðarbunga Eruption Sightseeing Flight

10:25 Iceland - LATEST NEWS


There was a nervous atmosphere as we travelled in silence to Mývatn. The Iceland24 team had just been informed that, for security reasons the volcanic eruption site around Holahraun was inaccessible by jeep.



After waiting almost a week to get a permit from the Icelandic authorities it was disappointing to discover we could not get there by car. However we were determined not to miss the opportunity to be in the “eye of the storm”.

The only way to reach the site of the eruption has been to take a small plane and fly over it. From this vantage point one gets to truly appreciate the real size of the fissure eruption that the whole world has been keeping an eye on. After a long day, we can finally give you a first hand account of it .


To experience the lava fountains spewing magma more than 100 metres into the air next to the largest glacier in Europe is a difficult to feeling to describe. It was almost like witnessing Earth “giving birth”. This felt particularly true when we saw the vivid colours of the so called “curtain of fire”.



The smouldering lava field was moving at about 40 metres per hour, engulfing everything in its path. Latest developments indicate that there is an explosive encounter between the lava and the Jökulsá glacial river that flows from the glacial tongue of Dyngjujökull. 


Volcanic activity in the area has remained stable over the past few days, although seismic activity has decreased slightly.


Islandia24 will continue to report from the site. Our commitment is not only to our followers but also to discovering the truth behind the stories, leaving us no choice but to see the eruption for ourselves.


How to get there?

Those of you wishing to travel to the area and take a flight can contact these companies:

- Flight from Reykjavík (from 670€)
- Helicopter from Reykjavík (from 1.180€)
- Flight from lake Mývatn (from 250€) Most popular: Recommended
- Super Jeep Tour from lake Mývatn (from 220€)
- Flight from Akureyri (from 360€)
- Helicopter from Akureyri (780€)

The cost per person is €250 from Mývatn, and the truth is this one is highly recommended (do not overpaid for this!).


Iceland24 Team
September 2014

New eruption: 60 m high lava fountains

The effusive eruption in Holuhraun that started early this morning is producing 50 - 60 meter high lava fountains, according to a volcanologist at the site. The active fissure is 1500 - 1800 meter long, considerably larger than the fissure that opened Friday morning.

According to Armann Hoskuldsson, volcanologist at the University of Iceland´s Institute of Earth Sciences, who is at the site, the lava flow from the fissure is about 10-20 times more than Friday morning. The eruption is estimated to be 10 to 20 times bigger than the one Friday morning, and looks "robust" says Dr. Hoskuldsson. He says the highest lava fountains can be seen at the southern end of the fissure, but at the northern end, they are less powerful. The southern end of the fissure is about 4 kilometres north of the Dyngjujokull outlet glacier.

The Civil Protection Agency has maintained its level of preparedness at "danger", and previous road closures and area restrictions are in effect.

This effusive fissure eruption is the third one in the area since last weekend. On Aug. 23, a small subglacial eruption occurred near the Bardarbunga caldera in Vatnajokull. The eruption was shortlived, and did not break through the glacier, but did create calderas that were spotted a few days later. Early last friday, a small fissure opened in the Holuhraun lava field, north of the Dyngjujokull outlet glacer. That eruption lasted for 3 - 4 hours.

Seismic activity has been detected in the Bardarbunga region this morning, but less intense than in recent days. Today, the weather conditions are very unfavorable north of Vatnajokull, with high wind and rain forecast for today. Here is a webcam near the eruption site, but due to fog and rain, visibility is sometimes very limited.

Eldgos hófst í Holuhrauni, norðan Vatnajökuls, rétt fyrir klukkan sex í morgun. Þetta er þriðja gosið á Bárðarbungusvæðinu á rúmri viku. Gosið er hraungos, á sömu sprungu og opnaðist aðfaranótt föstudags, en gosið nú er 10-20 sinnum stærra, að sögn Ármanns Höskuldssonar eldfjallafræðings, sem skoðaði gosstöðvarnar í návígi í morgun. Hann segir að hæstu hraunstrókarnir séu allt að 50-60 metra háir, syðst á sprungunni, en mun lægri norðar. Suðurendi sprungunnar er á sama stað og aðfaranótt föstudags, um fjóra kílómetra frá sporði Dyngjujökuls.

Source: www.ruv.is
Iceland24