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Iceland
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Selfoss
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Kerid Crater
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Kerid Crater

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Kerid Crater
4
About
Located along the Golden Circle route, Kerid Crater is an otherworldly volcanic crater lake that is known for its blueish-green waters, surrounded by striking red rock and lush vegetation. Enjoy a scenic stroll around the crater and venture down the trail into the crater itself. There's a small bench for you to sit and take in the view, which is exceptionally stunning at sunset. In winter, the lake freezes over and becomes a popular spot for ice skating. A small fee is required to visit the crater, though the entry is typically included in tour packages of the Golden Circle. – Tripadvisor
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The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
31 within 5 kms
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1.1 km€€ - €€€ • European
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2.3 km€ • Quick Bites • Fast food
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145
2.4 km€€ - €€€ • International • European • Vegetarian Friendly
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68
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Isbuð Huppu
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2.3 km€ • Dessert
Riverside Restaurant
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2.2 km€€ - €€€ • European • Scandinavian • Vegetarian Friendly
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Attractions
12 within 10 kms
Skyrland
11
2.4 kmSpeciality Museums • History Museums
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23
2.6 kmSports Complexes
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21
2.5 kmReligious Sites
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2.4 kmSpeciality Museums
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2.6 kmCaverns & Caves
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2.7 kmChurches & Cathedrals
Hengifoss
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Sports Complexes
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5
Churches & Cathedrals
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.0
2,527 reviews
Excellent
962
Very good
1,053
Average
412
Poor
81
Terrible
19
Jason
Camberley, UK2 contributions
Underwhelming
Mar 2023 • Couples
Ridiculous to have to pay 450 per person to enter. Much more worthwhile and free attractions to see. No overheads other than the car park attendant guy taking the money!

It’s a nice walk around the edge of the crater but nothing spectacular and not worth paying for.
Written 28 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kim E
Oslo, Norway16 contributions
Nature costs money???
Mar 2023 • Couples
Got here with my group and it's a 3000 year old crater. We saw a box and people paying, though it was for parking sense it has happened on other places like natural waterfalls here in Island.
BUT!
They take payment to Enter 450isk per person and I asked where the money goes and asked if it was for a good cause.
The man in the box says: Boss says take payment.

And by principal I Said this is nature. And he refused to let us in.

I hope more people will have my approach for the cause, that nature is and will always be free. Personally I was to frustrated to even see it and left.
Written 18 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Tim J
Cardiff, UK58 contributions
A snowy Golden Circle self guided tour
Feb 2023 • Couples
We arrived before the mass of crowds as the sun came up over the crater, in February it is very icy so ice grips are needed, it costs about £2 each for admission, good views all around although the lake was frozen, next we travelled to Geysir hot springs, A good place to get something to eat, with souvenir shop and toilet facilities. The Geysir erupts every couple of minutes, amazing to see. Next a trip to Gulfoss waterfall an amazing force of water to be viewed from various points.To finish off the day a Waterfall walk to Bruarfoss, parking is easy to find, the walk will take upto 3hours but it is worth it, the force and volume of crystal blue water cascading over the falls was mesmerising. On our way back to selfoss we stopped at Prastalunder for dinner
Written 15 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
fluffievelluto
Henlow, UK427 contributions
It's certainly rugged
Mar 2023
First stop on our Golden Circle tour with BusTravel Iceland so the entrance fee was included.

Limited amount of time allocated to view the place. I guess they expect most people to just walk to the viewpoint, take a photo and get back on the bus.

However, we trekked it round the perimeter and down to the water level, although it wasn't a leisurely experience.

It's also far from suitable for anyone with walking or mobility issues. Even without snow on the ground, the paths (if you can call them that) are simply rocks. The steps down are frequently missing their wood blocks. In many places it would be classed as a health and safety disaster zone. I however enjoyed that rugged aspect.

I was however annoyed to see people ignoring all the signs and still walking onto the ice!
Written 14 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Roger P
Crewe, UK50 contributions
Fascinating place
Mar 2023
Visited as part of Golden Circle Tour. Almost completely frozen solid when we visited so hard to imagine the open air concerts that take place here! Interesting place surrounded by beautiful countryside.
Written 14 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Erling Ø
Oslo, Norway24 contributions
Out of the ordinary volcanic crater
May 2022 • Couples
Kerið (Icelandic pronunciation: ​[ˈcʰɛːrɪθ]; also Kerith or Kerid) is a volcanic crater lake located in the Grímsnes area in south Iceland, along the Golden Circle. It is one of several crater lakes in the area, known as Iceland's Western Volcanic Zone, which includes the Reykjanes peninsula and the Langjökull Glacier, created as the land moved over a localized hotspot, but it is the one that has the most visually recognizable caldera still intact.

A spectacular view from top of the crater. Take the full walk around it. Intense green colours. It’s as nothing you’ve seen before! Only an hour drive from Reykjavik.
Written 9 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mdc979
Boston, MA43 contributions
Take the time to walk the perimeter
Mar 2023
I'm so glad we were able to stop here during our Golden Circle drive. Me, my husband, and two boys (13 and 9) were able to hike the perimeter of the crater. We had on our winter boots and were fine. No additional gear (e.g., yak traks) was needed, although it was a little muddy at times. There is no fee to park, but you can't see anything unless you pay a small fee to walk up a very small hill to see the crater. From there, you can hike the perimeter. It took us about 30 minutes to make it around, with plenty of stops for pictures. There are also steps to get down to the lake, but it was late in the day at that point and I also wasn't sure whether the steps would be slippery so we didn't do that.
Written 5 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Chris L
Northampton, UK392 contributions
You have to pay but it’s good value
Feb 2023 • Couples
Planned a brief stop on route to South, was surprised to see you can get down to crater. We went in Feb so was iced over but a really cool effect and good to step down into crater of an extinct volcano.

You can also do a walk around the top, can cover within an hour easily - beware steps to crater slippy!
Written 26 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kristin S
Storebo, Norway8 contributions
Safety hazard
Feb 2023 • Friends
The first thing I reacted to was having to pay for entrance as both Gullfoss, Thingvellir and Geysir has free entrance.

The stairs down to the lake was slippery, and shuld have been sprinkeled with sand.
Halfway down I slipped and fell, but when I tried to get up I was stuck. To my horror I realize my pants are stuck to one of two metal bars sticking a couple of cm up off the ground resulting in a hole in my pants. Had I landed two cm further up the hole would have been in my body…

Taking a closer look I realize the metal bars are supposed to fixate a missing step. Going further down I found two other places where metal bars where poking up in the middle of the slippery trail.

I reported this at the desk but was offered no compensation, neither for my ticket, nor my pants.

A clear safety hazard, and it put a damper to the whole Kerid experience :/
Written 21 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
dselvan
Warrington, UK2,726 contributions
Great place for views, shame the path and stairs were not maintained properly despite the fee to get in
Feb 2023
We went in February and so didn't get to see the vivid colours but it was still spectacular.
You have to pay to get in but the car parking is free.
It was a bit disappointing that despite paying, the path around the top that you can walk around and the steps going down to the crater were not maintained for winter since they were very slippery and the stairs were like walking on glass and not safe and so couldn't walk down to the bottom.
Views otherwise are very beautiful but you will need sturdy snow boots with slip on crampons and despite that you will still not be able to go down the stairs when it is icy.
Written 16 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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KERID CRATER (Selfoss) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about Kerid Crater
We recommend booking Kerid Crater tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 99 Kerid Crater tours on Tripadvisor