Due to the increased popularity for the ‘Inside The Volcano’ volcano tour this summer, tour operator 3H Travel has decided to extend its operation season until 20th August 2012, giving more travellers the opportunity to explore the interior of the Þríhnúkagígur volcano – a historical first.
The site is only 25 minutes’ drive from the capital Reykjavík, but once there visitors must trek for 40 minutes across a lava field to reach the volcano’s summit. They will then take an open cable lift 120 metres down to the bottom of the crater before beginning the hour-long tour with a team of expert guides.
The volcano is the only place on earth where the magma chamber is accessible and currently safe to explore. The size of its chamber is enormous; the ground space is roughly the size of a football pitch. The distance from top to bottom is about 150 meters (450 ft.).
Þríhnúkagígur last erupted over 4000 years ago and it‘s located approximately 30km/20miles from Reykjavík. The operation of this unique and exclusive tour, only available until August 20th this year, is a part of an ongoing environmental, geological, and marketing research on the volcano. Future plans include making the phenomenon accessible to the public by building a ground tunnel leading into the chamber, hence creating one of the most unique tourist attractions in the world.
The tour will be operating until 20th August 2012, with several confirmed departures each day during that period. The tour is operated in small groups and takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete, including up to one hour inside the volcano.
To find out more about this unique volcano tour in Iceland visit, www.InsideTheVolcano.com.