Should you cancel your upcoming trip to Iceland?

Heading to Iceland soon? You might have to reconsider!

I’m just back from a trip to Iceland, and with all the news of an impending eruption, is it safe to travel to Iceland right now?

I’ve got the answer for you. Because even though it would be pretty cool to see a volcano erupt, no one wants to be stuck with no way of getting home, right?

Not to mention safety concerns if and when the volcano erupts. So, should you cancel your trip to Iceland?

Is it safe to visit Iceland right now?

I’ll start by saying: don’t cancel your trip to Iceland!

Travelling to Iceland right now is in fact safe.

Even with the fact that the eruption could be “any minute now”, Iceland is still safe to visit.

There are so many people who have cancelled their trip and they could have been to Iceland and back already. The wait for the eruption seems to be going on longer than expected.

I’m sure everyone will remember when all flights around Europe and beyond were cancelled in 2010 thanks to the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland. This was because of all the ash clouds created by the volcano.

But the good news about Fagradsafjall, the volcano about to erupt in Iceland now, is that it doesn’t produce ash.

So there aren’t likely to be any huge continent-wide disruptions caused by the eruption of the volcano.

Most people seem to not know that this exact volcano has already erupted this year. Fagradsafjall erupted in July 2023 and lasted until August. There wasn’t any mass panic then.

There are only really 3 minor inconveniences which this eruption will have on your trip to Iceland.

Firstly, some of the roads are damaged, so you might have to take detours when you are taking any tours.

Secondly, the Blue Lagoon is closed. Which is a shame, I know. It’s really relaxing. But don’t worry- there are lots of geothermally-heated lagoons in Iceland, I recommend the Sky Lagoon as the best alternative.

Thirdly, you won’t be able to go on a volcano tour of the Reykjanes like I did. It’s important to avoid any of the areas which will be affected by the volcano.

Just three weeks ago I was right here, looking at Fagradalsfjall, the volcano about to erupt. As much as I know how unsafe it would be, I can’t help but imagine how amazing standing here as the volcano erupts would be. What a sight that’d be!

And I was even in Grindavik, the town that’s been evacuated. It was actually a really nice town so I hope there is no devastating damage. I’m not sure how I’d feel if a town I was standing in not too long ago was wiped out.

But the general consensus about travelling to Iceland right now is that you can travel to Iceland as usual, you just can’t go to one small part of the country.

Which is good news as Iceland is an amazing country. I absolutely loved my time there, and as much as I did enjoy the volcanic side of things, I much preferred seeing all of the waterfalls along the South Coast.

You also get to see Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that did erupt in 2010 causing all of the disruption in a south coast tour of Iceland.

So to summarise, yes Iceland is still safe to visit. You just won’t be able to go anywhere near the volcano that’s about to erupt, obviously.

The answer is no, you shouldn’t cancel your trip to Iceland.

Iceland is a beautiful country, and you should still look forward to your trip. It’s one of my favourite trips I have ever taken.

Final Thoughts: Travelling to Iceland

So even though there is about to be an eruption in Iceland, it’s still safe to visit.

The volcano is unlikely to produce any ash causing disruptions to air traffic, and there is only one part of Iceland out of bounds which is the small fishing village of Grindavik.

Don’t cancel your trip to Iceland- go and have an amazing time. It’s an extraordinary place to visit!