Bardarbunga

Bárðarbunga is a large subglacial stratovolcano located under the Vatnajökull ice cap in central Iceland, with a summit elevation around 2,009 meters. It is one of Iceland’s most prominent volcanic systems and contains a substantial caldera.

The surrounding highland landscape offers glacial scenery, volcanic moraine fields and views of the Vatnajökull ice cap from safe distances. Scientific visitors and guided tours focus on seismology, glaciology and recent lava-field formations produced by rifting events.

Bárðarbunga has produced repeated eruptions throughout the Holocene and is part of a rift zone where magma intrudes laterally as well as vertically. The 2014-2015 rifting event produced extensive lava flows at the Holuhraun fissure and drew global scientific attention because of its scale and gas emissions.

The volcano sits beneath central Iceland’s ice cap within the interior highlands, north of the main Vatnajökull dome and away from coastal settlements. Access is via highland routes and guided excursions from regional bases in northern and eastern Iceland.

• Summit and caldera: The volcano lies beneath the Vatnajökull ice cap and has a caldera; the summit elevation of Bárðarbunga is about 2,009 meters above sea level.
• Recent activity: A major 2014-2015 rifting event produced the Holuhraun fissure eruption, notable for large lava flows and high sulfur dioxide emissions rather than a large explosive ash cloud.