Eldgjá, or “fire canyon“ in Icelandic, and the nearby Laki craters are part of the same volcanic system as Katla in southern Iceland.

Situated between Landmannalaugar and Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Eldgjá is the largest volcanic canyon in the world, measuring 270 metres-deep and 600 metres-wide at its greatest.

Discovered by Þorvaldur Thoroddsen in 1893, the first documented eruption here in 934 poured a phenomenal amount of lava out of vents in the earth over a span of six years. This area is only accessible with a 4x4 vehicle.