8 Best Iceland Helicopter Tours in 2024 [w/ Prices]

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Taking a helicopter trip in Iceland is one of the most incredible experiences in the Land of Ice and Fire. By soaring over glacial rivers, lava fields, immense ice masses, and volcanic cones, you’ll be able to appreciate the majesty of Iceland’s landscapes. Not only that, but recent volcanic activity means you can enjoy a helicopter tour over an erupting volcano in Iceland! It’ll leave you speechless, and I highly recommend it.

In addition to our annual photography trips to Iceland, we escape to this magical country whenever we can. On one of our last trips, we took this private tour, which flew us over the Fagradalsfjall Volcano, which is the one that is currently erupting.

For something cheaper, I suggest this excursion, which also flies over the volcano. On the other hand, if you want to witness the top attractions in Iceland from above, this scenic flight is just the ticket.

I know this is an expensive activity, but it’s a totally unique experience and 100% worth it. Plus, I’m here to help you find the best Iceland helicopter tour that suits your budget and preferences.

Best Iceland helicopter tours

If you’re interested in taking an Iceland air tour but need help figuring out where to start, don’t worry. Below, you’ll find the 8 best tour options:

• Option 1: Iceland volcano eruption helicopter tour
• Option 2: Heli-tour over geothermal areas in Iceland
• Option 3: Iceland helicopter trip over Reykjavik
• Option 4: Glacier and geothermal helicopter flight with landing in Iceland
• Option 5: Helicopter ride and tour inside a volcano
• Option 6: ATV and helicopter ride in Iceland
• Option 7: Helicopter trip over Iceland’s top sights
• Option 8: Private Iceland helicopter tour to photograph glacial rivers

I’ll share more about each tour below, including prices and other important details. Remember, these tours have very limited spots, so when you find one you like, book it as soon as you can.

1. Iceland volcano eruption helicopter tour

First, I must recommend a helicopter ride over an Icelandic volcano, particularly the Fagradalsfjall Volcano, which erupted in March 2021 and is still very active. You used to be able to hike along the trails leading to the lava flows, but new fissures and lava eruptions have moved towards the Grindavik area, so they can only be seen from the air.

That’s why I recommend this flight, which departs from Reykjavík Airport. During this Iceland heli-tour, you’ll get aerial views of the capital. Enjoy seeing some of the most famous places in Reykjavík, such as the Hallgrímskirkja Church and the Harpa Concert Hall.

1. Iceland volcano eruption helicopter tour

Then, head towards the Reykjanes Peninsula to see the still active crater of the Fagradalsfjall Volcano. Its boiling, volcanic activity forms a thick column of black smoke between rivers of molten rock and lava flows, creating one of the most impressive landscapes you’ll ever see.

Afterward, you’ll return to Reykjavik to enjoy beautiful views of other top sites on the Reykjanes Peninsula, such as Mount Esja and Faxafloi Bay. Hands down, this is one of the best excursions in the country, not only because it’s a helicopter tour over an active Icelandic volcano but because you get to capture the capital city from above.

• Price from: $595
• Duration: 35 min approx.
• Departs from: Reykjavík National Airport
• Highlights: Reykjavík, Fagradalsfjall Volcano, and Reykjanes Peninsula.

2. Geothermal tour, a popular heli-tour in Iceland

Iceland is known as the Land of Ice and Fire, and on this geothermal tour, you’ll see why. We took this excursion during one of our trips, and it was an amazing Iceland helicopter ride that I must recommend.

The tour begins at Reykjavík National Airport, where you’ll take off and immediately enjoy panoramic views of Iceland’s capital. Then, you’ll fly over lava fields, craters, and some of the most important power plants in the country. If you didn’t know, Icelanders are very proud of these plants since they generate clean energy from geothermal activity.

2. Geothermal tour, a popular heli-tour in Iceland

Before returning to Reykjavik, you’ll make a landing to see some of Iceland’s hot springs up close. That said, if you want to enjoy a relaxing soak, go to the Blue Lagoon, which you can learn all about in our dedicated guide.

Overall, this flight is the best helicopter tour of Icelandic glaciers, geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles.

• Price from: $440
• Duration: 60 min approx.
• Departs from: Reykjavík National Airport
• Highlights: Reykjavík, geothermal power plants, volcanic craters, and hot springs. Includes a landing to get a closer look at the hot springs.

3. Iceland helicopter trip in Reykjavik

The capital, Reykjavík, is one of the most popular cities in the country, so most travelers start their trip here or at least use it as a base camp for a few days. Either way, there are many interesting excursions from Reykjavík, so it’s worth coming here. You can even find one of the best helicopter tours in Iceland here, this panoramic flight, which lets you see the city from the air.

3. Iceland helicopter trip in Reykjavik

During the tour, you’ll soar over several top attractions in Reykjavik, such as the Hallgrímskirkja Church, the Harpa Concert Hall, and the port. You’ll also land on one of the nearby mountains, where you’ll be granted beautiful 360° views of the city and its surroundings.

This is undoubtedly one of the best Iceland heli-tours, especially if you want to capture incredible photographs of the capital from a unique perspective.

• Price from: $295
• Duration: 40 min approx.
• Departs from: Reykjavík National Airport
• Highlights: Reykjavík

4. Glacier and geothermal helicopter flight with landing in Iceland

If this is your first time in Iceland and you want to see why it’s called the Land of Ice and Fire, you should take this heli-tour with two landings. This comprehensive air tour through Iceland takes you over volcanic areas where you can witness geothermal activity; and over glaciers where you can appreciate impressive waterfalls and glacial rivers.

It all starts at Reykjavík National Airport, where you’ll take off and head towards the Þórisjökull Glacier. Along the way, you’ll pass over the Glymur Waterfall, one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland, before landing at Þórisjökull.

4. Glacier and geothermal helicopter flight with landing in Iceland

Then, you’ll soar over Þingvellir National Park in the Golden Circle of Iceland. Finally, head to the Hengill Geothermal Area, which is characterized by its numerous hot springs, boiling clay pots, and the Hengill Volcano. You’ll make your second landing on Mount Hengill, where you’ll have the perfect vantage point to take fantastic photos.

In addition to being a complete excursion, this is one of the few Iceland helicopter tours with a volcano landing, so I highly recommend it.

• Price from: $972
• Duration: 2 hours approx.
• Departs from: Reykjavík National Airport
• Highlights: Glymur Waterfall, Þórisjökull Glacier, Þingvellir National Park, and Hengill Geothermal Area. It includes two landings, one on the Þórisjökull Glacier and another on Mount Hengill.

5. Iceland helicopter ride and tour inside a volcano

If you’re interested in flying over a volcano in Iceland, this tour is another excellent option. In addition to enjoying incredible aerial views, you’ll delve into the depths of the Þríhnúkagígur Volcano. It all begins at Reykjavík Airport, where you can appreciate the capital from above.

5. Iceland helicopter ride and tour inside a volcano

Then, you’ll fly over lava fields and the Blue Mountains towards the Þríhnúkagígur Volcano. You’ll land next to the volcano, where you’ll have the chance to go inside and see the colorful walls of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue tones for yourself. Your guide will tell you all about the history and geology of the volcano. Don’t worry; the volcano is inactive, and you’ll have a safety harness and helmet.

After your Iceland helicopter tour with volcano landing, you’ll take to the skies again to return to Reykjavik.

• Price from: $798
• Duration: 2.5 hours approx.
• Departs from: Reykjavík National Airport
• Highlights: Þríhnúkagígur Volcano

6. ATV and helicopter ride, one of the coolest Iceland helicopter tours

For something a little different, check out this helicopter and quad excursion. This helicopter tour from Reykjavik, Iceland, gives you several different perspectives of the country in just a few hours.

To begin the excursion, you’ll climb onto an ATV and explore Reykjavik’s mountainous area, specifically the trails leading to Lake Hafravatn and Reykjavik Peak. From there, you’ll get breathtaking views of the city, Faxaflói Bay, and Mount Esja. On clear days, you can also spot the volcanoes on the Reykjanes Peninsula, with the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the Snæfellsjökull Glacier in the background.

6. ATV and helicopter ride, one of the coolest Iceland helicopter tours

After your ATV tour, you’ll take a helicopter ride over Iceland to see Reykjavík and the surrounding mountain ranges. You’ll even get to land on top of a mountain, so make sure you bring your camera.

• Price from: $484
• Duration: 5 hours approx.
• Departs from: Your accommodation in Reykjavík
• Highlights: ATV excursion and helicopter flight over Reykjavík and the surrounding areas. Includes landing on top of a mountain.

7. Helicopter trip over Iceland’s top sights

Another Iceland helicopter trip I must recommend is this essentials tour package. This way, you’ll be able to appreciate the most notable landscapes and places in the country, such as Reykjavík, the Golden Circle, and the Icelandic Highlands.

7. Helicopter trip over Iceland’s top sights

This is the best helicopter tour in Iceland if you’re short on time but want to ensure you see all of the country’s highlights. During the excursion, you’ll see Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, the Strokkur Geyser, the Gullfoss Waterfall, and several active volcanoes, including Hekla, Eyjafjallajökull, and Katla. You’ll also have the chance to fly over black sand beaches and the Þórsmörk Valley before seeing Landmannalaugar, one of the most beautiful areas in Iceland.

• Price from: $1,420
• Duration: 4 hours approx.
• Departs from: Reykjavík National Airport
• Highlights: Golden Circle and Icelandic Highlands

8. Private Iceland helicopter tour to photograph glacial rivers

Finally, if you’re looking for something more exclusive and personalized, you can book a private helicopter tour.

This helicopter tour of Iceland is designed with photographers in mind, as it follows a specific route over the most scenic landscapes. For example, during the flight, you’ll see the Ölfusá River, the braids of the Þjórsá River and the Hengill hot springs. If there is a particular spot you want to see from the air, you can ask the pilot, and they’ll determine whether they can include it in the itinerary.

8. Private Iceland helicopter tour to photograph glacial rivers

Moreover, the tour is conducted on a door-off helicopter, so you can take the best photos possible. Of course, all proper safety measures are taken care of, so you have nothing to worry about.

• Price from: $4,199
• Duration: 1 hour and 45 min approx.
• Departs from: Reykjavík National Airport
• Highlights: Ölfusá River, Þjórsá River, and Hengill Hot Springs

Iceland helicopter tour price comparison

As you can see, an Iceland air tour is costly. That said, each of these excursions has different durations and characteristics, so the cost can vary quite a bit. To help you choose, I’m sharing this chart with all the Iceland helicopter tour prices:

Once you find the tour you want, book your spot well in advance, as this type of excursion has very limited availability.

Tips for flying over Iceland by helicopter

Now that you know about the best helicopter trips in Iceland, here are some additional tips to help you make the most of your time:

• Iceland air tours are very popular, and the few available seats fill up fast, so book well in advance.

• Choose the best time to travel to Iceland and always check the weather beforehand. If your Iceland helicopter ride is canceled due to weather conditions, contact the tour company to reschedule.

• Book the tour for the first or second day of your trip. This way, if you have to postpone it due to weather conditions, you can fit the rescheduled tour into your itinerary.

• It can get cold in the aircraft, so bring comfortable, warm clothing. It’s best to dress in layers so you can adapt to the changing temperatures, especially if you’re flying over a geothermal area.

• Follow the pilot’s instructions at all times, for your safety and that of the other passengers.

• These tour companies have years of experience and adhere to the highest safety standards, so relax and enjoy the ride!

• Bring your camera and make sure it’s charged and ready to take fantastic photos from the helicopter.

Finally, remember that this type of activity isn’t recommended for people with heart problems, serious medical conditions, or reduced mobility.

Iceland volcano helicopter tour review – My experience

We had photographed the island countless times, but when we took our first helicopter tour of Iceland, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Now, every time we travel to this country, we try to take a scenic heli-tour.

The best part of flying over Iceland’s volcanoes, glaciers, and waterfalls is that you get a totally different perspective. It’s impossible to replicate these views from the ground, so taking one of these helicopter tours is worth every penny.

Iceland volcano helicopter tour review

So far, our favorite helicopter tour in Iceland is this private excursion. We asked the pilot to change the itinerary a bit so we could fly over the active Fagradalsfjall Volcano. We also wanted to capture some of the top attractions on the island, so we asked for a mix of this flight and this tour. It was incredible and something I’d gladly do again and again!

We booked the tour for the first day of our trip, but bad weather forced us to postpone. We took the tour on the last day of our journey, about 15 days later. Luckily, the weather was perfect, and we took some astounding photos. So, take it from me and schedule your tour for the start of your trip, just in case you need to push it back.

If you choose any of the excursions in this guide, you’ll be able to learn a lot from the knowledgeable pilots. They’re super helpful and will point out all the landmasses and points of interest so you know exactly what you’re looking at.

Of course, this is a pricey activity, but I wholeheartedly recommend it if it fits your budget. You won’t regret it!

FAQs – Iceland helicopter trips

If you still have doubts or concerns about taking a helicopter ride through Iceland, here are the answers to some common questions:

That’s it from me! Taking a helicopter trip through Iceland is a magical experience and one of the best ways to fully appreciate the Land of Ice and Fire. Of course, if you have any other questions, comment below. I’d also love to hear about your Iceland helicopter ride!

Enjoy your flight!