Manage booking
105 km
About 1 h 40 min
Car 1–4 · Van 5–7
Free cancellation 24 h
Golden Circle · from KEF
About Kerið Crater and the drive
Kerið is a volcanic crater with steep red and rust-coloured slopes and a pool of blue-green water at the bottom. It sits right beside Route 35, the road that links the south coast with Geysir and Gullfoss, so it is often added to Golden Circle days or visited on the way to a hotel in the Grímsnes area.
A transfer from Keflavík Airport runs along Reykjanesbraut to the edge of Reykjavík, then east on Route 1 over the Hellisheiði plateau, down past the greenhouse town of Hveragerði and onto Route 35 shortly before Selfoss. The crater appears on the left after a short stretch through farmland and old lava.
The crater is privately owned and charges an entry fee, paid on site. A path runs around the rim and another leads down to the water, and most people spend 20 to 40 minutes there. Many travellers combine Kerið with a night in one of the summer houses and country hotels of Grímsnes, or continue straight on towards Laugarvatn, Flúðir or Geysir. If you want to stop at the crater on the way to your accommodation, tell us when you book so the driver can plan the extra time with you.
Seasons and roads
Hellisheiði is the one stretch that can close temporarily in winter storms; when that happens, traffic is usually sent over the lower Þrengsli road instead. In winter the crater paths can be slippery, so good shoes help.
