Dimmuborgir is an area of lava pillars, caves and hollow chambers east of Mývatn in northeast Iceland. It formed about 2,300 years ago, when a lava lake spread over marshy ground and the crust later collapsed. What is left are standing hollow tubes, arches and cell-like hollows, set below the level of the surrounding lava plain. Waymarked trails cross the field, and several of the chambers are large enough to stand inside.
Dimmuborgir Lava Field
Local name: Dimmuborgir
The pillars are hollow: steam from a boiled marsh rose through a lava lake at least 10 metres deep, and the tubes stayed standing when the crust collapsed.
- Entrance
- Free (donations welcome)
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair-accessible car park and entrance.
- Parking
- Free car park at the site; street parking is free as well.
- Difficulty
- A network of waymarked trails: the yellow route is the shorter option, longer hikes run to 10 km and more.
- Transport
- Self-drive (Route 848 around the lake)
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- Route 848, 660 Skútustaðir
What makes it special
The pillars here are casts of steam. Lava from the Þrengslaborgir and Lúdentsborgir crater row pooled over a marsh east of Mývatn, the trapped water boiled, and the vapour pushed up through the molten rock. The lava then drained on to lower ground and the crust fell in, leaving the hardened tubes standing. They run from drainpipe width to several metres across. Some chambers and pillar bases are wide enough to stand inside, which is where the name comes from — dimmu, dark, and borgir, castles or forts. The field sits below the surrounding lava surface, so you walk down into it rather than across it. Caves and arches open off the trails, and away from the entrance it goes quiet enough to hear air moving through the cavities in the rock.
Good to know
- Plan the time: routes run from one waymarked loop to hikes of 10 km and more, and covering the whole network takes more than a day.
- It repeats: past the first loop the formations are much the same. A longer route adds distance rather than new scenery.
- Silence is further out: the ground near the entrance carries people. Walk beyond it and the field goes quiet.
- Winter: the trails are walked in snow, and the mountains around the field stay in view from them.
Getting there
Access is by car, and the site has its own car park. The trails begin at the entrance, and from there the whole area is on foot. Dimmuborgir lies below the level of the surrounding lava surface, so the paths lead down into it rather than across it. Waymarked routes of different lengths branch from the same point near the entrance, so how far to go can be decided on the spot rather than in advance.
Best time to visit
Better: winter, after fresh snow. The black formations hold their shape under it, and the mountains around the field come into view from the trails.
Avoid: stopping at the entrance loop if you came for quiet.
The reason to walk further is the noise, not the geology: the formations change little, but away from the entrance the field is close to silent, and in the right wind air moves audibly through the cavities in the lava.
Sun & daylight
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Dimmuborgir Lava Field on the map
The lava paths are uneven and it is easy to wander off the loop — stay on the marked trails, and take extra care from October to April when the rock ices over.
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Frequently asked questions
How was Dimmuborgir formed?
About 2,300 years ago lava from the Þrengslaborgir and Lúdentsborgir crater row flowed over a marsh east of Mývatn. The trapped water boiled, and steam rising through the lava built hollow pillars. The lava then drained on to lower ground and the top crust collapsed, leaving the pillars standing.How long does it take to walk?
That depends on the route. Waymarked trails branch near the entrance; the yellow route is the shorter option, and longer hikes run to 10 km and more. Covering the whole network takes more than a day.What does the name mean?
Dimmu means dark and borgir means cities, forts or castles. The chambers and pillar bases are big enough to hold people, and the field reads as a collapsed citadel. In Icelandic folklore Dimmuborgir connects the earth with the infernal regions.Was Game of Thrones filmed at Dimmuborgir?
Yes. The lava field forms the background of Mance Rayder's wildling camp in the HBO series. The Norwegian black metal band Dimmu Borgir also takes its name from the place.Are there caves you can go inside?
The field is made up of volcanic caves, arches and chamber-like hollows formed around bubbles of vapour. Several of the chambers and pillar bases are large enough to hold people.