A Reykjavik helicopter tour takes you from the city\u2019s rooftops to a mountain summit, steaming geothermal ground or fresh black lava in well under an hour. You don\u2019t need a long drive or a full-day excursion for this Iceland helicopter tour: every flight leaves from Reykjavik Domestic Airport, a short taxi ride from the centre, and most include time standing on the landscape you came to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That is what makes flying from Reykjavik different. You aren\u2019t just looking down at Iceland \u2014 on most of these flights you land in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The shortest flight starts with the city itself: Harpa, Perlan and Hallgr\u00edmskirkja from the air. Then the helicopter heads for Mount Esja<\/a> or another nearby summit, and you step out on top for about 15 minutes. The pilot chooses the landing spot based on the weather that day. You get a mountain-top view without the hike, and the city you just flew over is laid out below you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n East of the city lies geothermal country. You fly over Hellishei\u00f0i<\/a> and see Nesjavallavirkjun and Hellishei\u00f0arvirkjun from the air, with Bl\u00e1fj\u00f6ll and Kristnit\u00f6kuhraun on the same run and Selt\u00fan lava as a view from above. Then you land in the Hengill<\/a> geothermal area \u2014 remote ground with no boardwalk, just hot springs and boiling mud around you. On the way home, the flight takes a scenic pass over Reykjavik<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n South-west, on the Reykjanes Peninsula<\/a>, you fly over the Sundhn\u00fakur eruption site near Grindav\u00edk and the new lava fields and craters left by the 2021\u20132024 eruptions. From the air you can follow where the lava ran across the landscape. Be clear on one thing: the eruption is not currently active, so flowing lava is not part of the promise. A landing is included when restrictions allow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fly Over The World\u2019s Reykjavik hub<\/a> lists three shared flights with Nor\u00f0urflug, all from the east hangar at Reykjavik Domestic Airport. Here is how they compare:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Put simply: choose the summit landing for a short, easy flight with a big view; Hengill<\/a> for the fullest hour and the most time among the geothermal features; and Reykjanes<\/a> for fresh lava. None of these flights overlaps much with the others, so if you have the time, two of them make a good pair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Weather in Iceland can cancel a slot at short notice, and shared seats sell, so book ahead and leave a day or two of slack in your plans if you can. Wear sturdy shoes: the summit and Hengill landings are on real mountain and geothermal ground, with no paths laid out for you. Dress for wind when you step out, even on a bright day.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHengill: hot springs and boiling mud<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reykjanes: new lava and craters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Which Iceland helicopter tour to pick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Tips for flying in Iceland<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Before you go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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