Most reviewed
From Reykjavik
Full day by coach, with Kerið
For the most reviewed tour here, on a morning departure: 20 minutes at Kerið.
Kerið crater, Iceland
A red crater with a lake, on the Golden Circle: what it costs, how long you need, how to get there, and which tours really stop.
- From
- €75
- Entry on your own
- 700 ISK
- Time to allow
- 30 to 60 min
- Tours compared
- 20
Do you have to pay to visit Kerið?
Yes: 700 ISK, with parking included.
It is on private land, which is why it charges when Gullfoss and Geysir do not.
What the fee covers
Entry, the paths around the crater, free parking and toilets.
How to pay
By card at the kiosk on site, or online in advance. Guide to Iceland suggests booking ahead in peak summer to skip the queue.
Opening hours
Kerið's own site says only that it is open when the sun is shining. Guide to Iceland says the hours follow the daylight and can shift with the seasons.
On a tour
11 of the 20 tours here that stop at Kerið list the entry as included. The others do not say, so check first or keep 700 ISK to hand.
How do you get to Kerið without a tour?
By car: about 75 km from Reykjavik, about 1 h 15.
Take Route 1 east towards Selfoss, then Route 35 north. The crater is in the Grímsnes area and is signposted from the road.
If you are driving the whole loop, the way past Þingvellir on Route 36 takes about 1 h 25 for about 90 km. Guide to Iceland puts Kerið about 30 km by road from both Þingvellir and Geysir.
Parking is free, and in summer it is busiest from 10:00 to 14:00.
How long do you need at Kerið?
30 to 60 minutes, for the rim and the way down to the lake.
The tours that publish the time stop for 15 to 30 minutes, so you may have to choose.
The rim
About 800 m
A gentle loop around the top, mostly flat. You get the view without going down.
The stairs
About 164 m each way
A gravel staircase goes down to the water. A wheelchair cannot use the trail, and it can be hard with limited mobility.
In winter
Snow and ice
Snow covers the red walls and the lake can freeze over. The paths get icy, and some visitors bring crampons.
What is Kerið?
A red volcanic crater, about 55 m deep, with a lake at the bottom.
It measures about 270 m across and 170 m wide. Its own site says it did not form in an explosion: a cone volcano emptied its magma, then collapsed into the chamber.
Its age depends on the source: 6,500 years on its own site, between 3,000 and 6,500 for Guide to Iceland.
The water sits at the level of the water table and does not come from rain, its own site says, and minerals in the soil give it its colour.
Which Golden Circle tours stop at Kerið?
20 of the 28 we compare, two of them only on some departures.
The most reviewed tour on this site is one of those two: its departures at noon or later skip the crater.
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Some departures only
Check the time before you book.
08:00 only
From Reykjavik
Full day by coach, Kerið at 8 am only
For a lower price than the tour above, on the 08:00 departure, the only one with Kerið.
On the itinerary
From €75.
Lowest price
From Reykjavik
Afternoon by coach, with Kerið
For the lowest price with Kerið here: 30 minutes there, on an afternoon start.
Entry included
From Reykjavik
Afternoon in a small group, with Kerið
For a group of 19 at most, with the entry included: 20 minutes at Kerið.
With a greenhouse
Pickup in Reykjavik
Minibus day with Kerið and Friðheimar
For Friðheimar as well, with the entry included: 25 minutes at Kerið.
With a bath
From Reykjavik
Golden Circle, Kerið and the Secret Lagoon
For Kerið and the Secret Lagoon in one day, with the entry to both included.
Compare in detail
Prices and ratings are read from GetYourGuide. Prices are rounded up. Last checked on 4 Nov.
Every tour here is free to cancel up to 24 hours before it starts.
| Tour | Duration | Starts | Min. age | Rating | From | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Some departures only | ||||||
Most reviewedFull day by coach, with KeriðBusTravel IcelandGroup size: Up to 65 peopleStops and time there: Kerið 20 min, Gullfoss 45 min, Geysir 80 min, Þingvellir 45 minKeep in mind: Departures at noon or later skip Kerið. Its page does not list the entry as included. What's includedIncluded
Not included
| 7 h | Bus Stop 12, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | 2 years | €83 | See dates: Full day by coach, with Kerið | |
Full day by coach, Kerið at 8 am onlyIcelandiaGroup size: Up to 60 peopleStops and time there: Þingvellir 30 min, Geysir, Gullfoss, KeriðKeep in mind: Its page does not list the entry as included. What's includedIncluded
Not included
| 6 h 30 | BSÍ bus terminal, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | €78 | See dates: Full day by coach, Kerið at 8 am only | ||
| On the itinerary | ||||||
Afternoon by coach, with KeriðBusTravel IcelandGroup size: Up to 65 peopleStops and time there: Þingvellir 40 min, Geysir 70 min, Gullfoss 40 min, Kerið 30 minKeep in mind: Its page does not list the entry as included. What's includedIncluded
| 7 h | Bus Stop 12, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | 2 years | €75 | See dates: Afternoon by coach, with Kerið | |
Afternoon in a small group, with KeriðArctic AdventuresGroup size: Up to 19 peopleStops and time there: Þingvellir 25 min, Gullfoss 20 min, Geysir 45 min, Kerið 20 minKeep in mind: The shortest of these days: 20 to 45 minutes per stop. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 6 h | Pickup in Reykjavik | 5 years | €98 | See dates: Afternoon in a small group, with Kerið | |
Minibus day with Kerið and FriðheimarBusTravel IcelandStops and time there: Kerið 25 min, Friðheimar 90 min, Geysir 40 min, Gullfoss 45 min, Þingvellir 45 minKeep in mind: Lunch is at your own cost, and the minimum age is 8. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 9 h | Pickup in Reykjavik | 8 years | €117 | See dates: Minibus day with Kerið and Friðheimar | |
Golden Circle, Kerið and the Secret LagoonBusTravel IcelandStops and time there: Secret Lagoon 90 min, Geysir, Gullfoss, Þingvellir, KeriðKeep in mind: Bring a swimsuit; a towel can be rented. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 10 h | Bus Stop 12, Reykjavik, or pickup as an option | 2 years | €121 | See dates: Golden Circle, Kerið and the Secret Lagoon | |
Compare all 28 toursEvery Golden Circle tour on GetYourGuide
Which tours skip Kerið?
Seven of the tours here list no stop there.
By coach
Three main stops by coach and Three stops by coach, audio guide in 10 languages stop at the three main sights only.
From the cruise port
Small group from the cruise port stops at Öxarárfoss instead.
With a bath or an activity
Golden Circle and 2 hours at the Secret Lagoon, Golden Circle and 1 hour by snowmobile on Langjökull and Golden Circle and snorkelling at Silfra do not list it.
With the northern lights
Golden Circle by day, northern lights at night does not list it. Golden Circle and northern lights, second try free publishes no list of stops, so ask first.
How deep is the water in Kerið?
Sources differ: shallow on its own site, 7 to 14 m for Guide to Iceland.
Where is Kerið?
In the Grímsnes area of south Iceland, about 75 km east of Reykjavik.
See the mapIs Kerið on the Golden Circle?
Its own site places it along the route, and many tours add it to Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. Past Kerið, the loop is about 242 km.
The itineraryCan you visit Kerið in winter?
Yes, but with little light: Reykjavik has about 4 hours of daylight around 21 December, and the hours here follow the daylight. The paths get icy.
The Golden Circle in winterWhy is the crater red?
Its own site says it is made of red volcanic rock. Guide to Iceland puts the colour down to iron in the rock.
Is Kerið an active volcano?
Guide to Iceland describes it as inactive, with no volcanic activity recorded since its last eruption.
What should you bring?
Clothes for the weather and comfortable hiking shoes, says its own site.
What next?
Add Kerið to your drive, or pick a tour that stops there.