Songhellir Cave is a group of small caves in a mountain slope in West Iceland, reached on the F570, an unsurfaced 4x4 road that runs directly above them. Five openings sit in the rock, and each one echoes; the name means singing cave. You can walk a fair way inside, though the rock is wet. The caves are seen in minutes, and much of the reason to stop is the view down to the shore.
Songhellir Cave
Local name: Sönghellir
Five caves are set in the slope, all of them echo, and nothing marks which one is the singing cave.
- Entrance
- Free
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible: no accessible parking or entrance, and the approach is a steep unsurfaced mountain road.
- Parking
- Free gravel car park about 140 m from the cave; a second area about 860 m away.
- Difficulty
- Short, steep approach on loose ground from the road above. Roughly 4 km there and back on foot if the access road is washed out. Wet underfoot inside.
- Transport
- No service to the cave. The nearest stops are Arnarstapi, about 2.9 km away, and Hellnar, about 3.9 km.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, seven days a week.
- Address
- F570, 356 (near Arnarstapi)
What makes it special
Five caves sit in the slope, and all of them echo. Nothing marks which one is the singing cave, so the name stays unsettled on the ground. The caves themselves are small and quickly walked. You can go a fair way in, but expect to get wet.
The other half of the stop is the view. The F570 crosses the mountain directly above the caves, and the ground falls away to the shore below. That view is the better part of the visit, and in cloud it is gone.
Good to know
- Road: The cave lies on the F570, a steep unsurfaced mountain track. It is a 4x4 road.
- Washouts: The access road has washed out partway up. Cars without 4x4 stop there, and the rest is on foot — about 4 km there and back.
- Inside: You can walk quite far in, but expect to get wet.
- Which cave: Five caves, all of them echoing, none signposted. The singing cave is not marked on the ground.
- Scale: The caves are small. Set aside minutes, not an afternoon.
Getting there
Access is by car on the F570, an unsurfaced mountain road, steep and passable only in a 4x4. The road runs directly above the caves, so the last leg is a short walk down the slope from the car park, about 140 m away. When the access road is washed out partway up, leave the car at that point and walk the rest. That has worked out at roughly 4 km there and back. Nothing stops at the cave itself.
Best time to visit
Better: dry, clear weather.
Avoid: rain and the days after it.
The view over the shore is the main reason to stop, and cloud removes it — the caves alone are small and seen in minutes. Dry ground also makes the F570 and the climb up simpler, and the access road has washed out partway before.
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Songhellir Cave on the map
The F570 up to the caves is steep and unsurfaced, and only 4x4 cars get up it. The road has washed out partway up. Do not attempt the climb in a two-wheel-drive car.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you need a 4x4 to reach Songhellir Cave?
Yes. The F570 up to the caves is steep and unsurfaced, and only 4x4 cars manage it. The road has also washed out partway up, leaving the rest on foot.How much is there to see inside?
Not much. The caves are small and walked in minutes. The view down to the shore is the better part of the stop.Can you go into the cave?
Yes, quite far in. The cave is wet, so expect to come out damp.Which of the caves is the singing one?
There is no marker. Five caves are set in the slope and every one of them echoes.What if the access road is washed out?
Leave the car where the road becomes impassable and walk up. That has meant about 4 km there and back.