Caves of Hella

Caves of Hella Guided daily tours in English at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 every day

This July, we’re offering guided cave tours in Icelandic! 🇮🇸Usually, our tours are only available in English (except for...
07/07/2025

This July, we’re offering guided cave tours in Icelandic! 🇮🇸

Usually, our tours are only available in English (except for the first Saturday of each month), but throughout July we’re inviting Icelanders, or anyone else wanting to learn the language, to enjoy an unforgettable experience in their native language – every Saturday at 2 PM.

Discover the fascinating history of these man-made caves with experienced guides.
The tour is perfect for families, groups of friends, and anyone looking to experience something truly unique and different this summer.

Join us for a one-of-a-kind adventure – whether it’s your first time or you want to experience the caves in a new way.

You’re all warmly welcome to be part of the adventure – everyone is invited! 🕯️

This is Lamb Shed Cave or Fjárhellir. The size and layout of this cave is typical of the more than 200 caves that are to...
03/07/2025

This is Lamb Shed Cave or Fjárhellir.

The size and layout of this cave is typical of the more than 200 caves that are to be found in the southern part of Iceland. It is built in the same style as the traditional Icelandic turf houses and most of the caves have an such an entry passage.

The cave was used as a lamb shed for centuries and were kept in it until the late 1960’s. The sheep have shaped the cave by rubbing against the soft sandstone walls.

How many sheeps could they fit in this cave? 🐑

📸: Jón Ragnar Jónsson

Let us introduce the caves to you! This is Barn Cave or Hlöðurhellir. This is the biggest man-made cave found in Iceland...
30/06/2025

Let us introduce the caves to you!

This is Barn Cave or Hlöðurhellir.

This is the biggest man-made cave found in Iceland so far. The caves were full of soil until it was dug out in 1913. The tunnel was used to carry hay from the barn to the sheep. In the late 60’s the cave was used to store potatoes but now we store barrels of whiskey. The temperature in the caves stay the same all year round so it’s the perfect temp for storing whiskey and beer.

There are all kinds of markings engraved in this one and they go from someone who carved their name not so many years ago to viking runes and drawings from many many many years ago. It’s so fun and interesting to take a flash light and just search for all of the different engravings 🔦

There is so much more to know about Hlöðuhellir and you can find out all about it in our guided tours that we have daily. So please come and check us out!

27/06/2025

Who would you take with you on our tour? Tag a friend below!

So this is our newest addition! A smokehouse for meat. There was a smokehouse on the grounds many years ago and we rebui...
24/06/2025

So this is our newest addition!

A smokehouse for meat. There was a smokehouse on the grounds many years ago and we rebuilt that memory. The meat is stored in the smokehouse to get that rich taste. We use the cave below it to store the oven for the fire and smoke which travels up to chimney to the meat.

But what gives the meat that different taste?
To keep with old traditions we use dung.

Yes you heard right we use dried sheeps dung. This Icelandic tradition dates back to many many centuries ago. The dung was collected and then dried out in the sun. It’s the perfect “fuel” because it burns really slowly and steadily, making it particularly suitable for smoking food. The slow-burning nature of dried dung produces a gentle, aromatic smoke and it gaves the hangikjöt and other smoked meats a distinct, earthy flavor. This method was considered both economical and practical, especially before modern fuel or smoking techniques were available.

Though less prominent than in other societies, dung was sometimes used as fertilizer for fields. However, due to Iceland’s thin, volcanic soils and short growing season, traditional farming was limited, so this use was not as widespread. You could say that Icelanders were kind of the entrepreneurs of their time!

Today, while dung is no longer a primary fuel source, its historical use is celebrated in heritage projects and traditional food production, such as the modern revival of dung-smoked hangikjöt. It’s considered a link to Iceland’s self-sufficient rural past.

Here is something for you to get to know us a little better! ☺️Our family has been taking care of the caves for nearly 2...
20/06/2025

Here is something for you to get to know us a little better! ☺️

Our family has been taking care of the caves for nearly 200 years. In 2019, four out of twelve caves were opened to the public. In 2024, we started excavating the fifth cave and our guests can now observe the archaeological remains in the cave. The family is committed to restoring the caves to their former glory and keeping their history alive. We tell stories, told by our forefathers, about mysterious caves and the settlement before the arrival of the Vikings.

The restoration project is under the supervision of the Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland. We focus on slow and sustainable tourism, working closely with the local community using local guides and local products. The main aim of the project is to continue the restoration of the caves, opening up more caves to the public.

We love getting guests from all over the world and tell them these interesting stories - we often get people who tell us stories which is even more incredible and exciting! ✨

It was a pleasure to offer foreign guests a delicious Icelandic “sandwich-cake” in celebration of the National Day, whil...
17/06/2025

It was a pleasure to offer foreign guests a delicious Icelandic “sandwich-cake” in celebration of the National Day, while also supporting the 10th grade class in the village Hella 🇮🇸 The cake caught the attention of the guests, who asked many questions about Icelandic food traditions on festive occasions. One question remains…Shall this be called a bread-cake or a sandwich-cake?

13/06/2025

This is Erlingur and Draumur - they are a father and son duo who will be staying with us for some time. Don’t forget to say hi to them when you come by! 🐴

We now have four tours daily!!! 👏🏼So, we have guided tours now daily at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 🕯️✨
06/06/2025

We now have four tours daily!!! 👏🏼

So, we have guided tours now daily at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 🕯️✨

Did you know that the caves are the oldest standing structures in Iceland? 🔎They were carved by human hands, but no one ...
04/06/2025

Did you know that the caves are the oldest standing structures in Iceland? 🔎

They were carved by human hands, but no one knows when. The caves are thus shrouded in mystery, and in many of them you can find wall carvings, initials, dates, crosses, brand marks and even runes.

The family of Ægissíða is working to restore and preserve the environment and history of the caves in collaboration with the local community and the Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland.

30/05/2025

Mysterious and magical - a tour about a story that dates over a 1000 years ago. Twelve man-made caves and a story about who may have build them and what they were or may have been used as. This fascinating history is something you don’t want to miss.

Address

Ægissíða 4
Hella
851

Opening Hours

Monday 09:30 - 16:15
Tuesday 09:30 - 16:15
Wednesday 09:30 - 16:15
Thursday 09:30 - 16:15
Friday 09:30 - 16:15
Saturday 09:30 - 16:15
Sunday 09:30 - 16:15

Telephone

+3546206100

Website

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