{"id":1726,"date":"2026-11-13T16:39:09","date_gmt":"2026-11-13T16:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/kerid-crater-lake-guide\/"},"modified":"2026-11-13T16:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-11-13T16:39:09","slug":"kerid-crater-lake-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/kerid-crater-lake-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Keri\u00f0 Crater: The Red Volcano with the Turquoise Lake (Best Things to Do in Iceland #16)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Keri\u00f0 is the colour-clash crater: a 3,000-year-old volcanic explosion crater whose red-iron slopes drop 55 metres to a milky turquoise lake, in a country where craters are usually grey-on-grey. It sits 15 minutes off the Golden Circle\u2019s return leg, charges a modest entry (the land is private \u2014 one of the few paid nature stops in Iceland), and takes twenty minutes to walk the full rim. Trip.Best ranks it #16 with 4.9\/5 from verified visitors \u2014 one of the list\u2019s highest-rated stops.<\/p>\n<p>This is <strong>#16 of 39<\/strong> in our <a href=\"\/ko\/best-things-to-do-in-iceland\/\">Best Things to Do in Iceland<\/a> guide. Below: the crater\u2019s story (Bj\u00f6rk played it on a raft), the rim walk and the inner descent, the photography logic (the red-vs-turquoise contrast is the whole show), and how it slots into the Circle day.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"itg-post-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/kerid-crater-1.webp\" alt=\"Kerid Crater Iceland\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>Kerid Crater \u2014 ranked #16 of 39 in the Best Things to Do in Iceland guide (Trip.Best data, November 2026). Photo: Trip.com traveler imagery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"itg-keybox\">\n<p class=\"itg-keybox__t\">Key takeaways<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>3,000 years old:<\/strong> a collapse crater from an eruption that emptied its magma chamber \u2014 one of the youngest in the region\u2019s volcanic row.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The colour clash is the point:<\/strong> red iron-oxide slopes, black scree, and a turquoise mineral lake \u2014 three colours in one bowl.<\/li>\n<li><strong>55 m deep, ~270 m across:<\/strong> steep enough to feel; the rim path circles the whole crater in ~20 minutes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Modest entry fee:<\/strong> private land \u2014 one of Iceland\u2019s few paid nature stops (a few hundred ISK; from ~US$5 on Trip.com).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Bj\u00f6rk played here:<\/strong> the 1987 anniversary concert on a floating raft \u2014 the crater\u2019s pop-history footnote.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"itg-callout itg-callout--info\">\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> Drop in on the Golden Circle return (15 minutes off-route), pay the small entry, walk the rim clockwise (the best colour angles come first), then descend the inner slope to the lake shore if conditions allow. Twenty minutes minimum, forty with photos. It pairs with the Secret Lagoon (#32) soak to end the day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"itg-facts\">\n<div class=\"itg-fact\"><strong>~3,000 yrs<\/strong><span>the crater\u2019s age \u2014 geologically brand-new<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"itg-fact\"><strong>From US$5<\/strong><span>the entry fee seen on Trip.com (2026) \u2014 private land, cash\/card at the gate<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"itg-fact\"><strong>4.9\/5<\/strong><span>verified Trip.com rating \u2014 25 reviews<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"itg-fact\"><strong>55 m<\/strong><span>depth to the lake \u2014 the slopes are steep, the rim path is safe<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav class=\"itg-toc\" aria-label=\"In this guide\">\n<p class=\"itg-toc__t\">What&rsquo;s in this guide<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#experience\">The crater and its colours<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#photo\">Photographing the colour clash<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#practical\">Practical: entry, access and timing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#route\">How it fits an Iceland route<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h2 id=\"experience\"><span class=\"itg-ico-svg\"><svg class=\"ico\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 3.5l2.4 5.1 5.6.7-4.1 3.8 1.1 5.5L12 15.9l-5 2.7 1.1-5.5L4 9.3l5.6-.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span>The crater and its colours<\/h2>\n<p>Keri\u00f0 is a collapse crater: the eruption emptied the magma chamber, the cone collapsed inward, and the bowl filled with groundwater that sits turquoise from dissolved minerals. The red comes from iron oxide in the scoria slopes \u2014 a colour you do not see elsewhere in Icelandic craters at this intensity, which is why Keri\u00f0 photographs like nowhere else on the Circle. The lake\u2019s level changes seasonally (highest after wet periods); the turquoise holds either way.<\/p>\n<p>The visit is a rim walk plus an optional descent. The rim path circles the whole crater (~20 minutes, graded gravel, safe in most weather) with the colour angles rotating as you go \u2014 the east rim gives red-slope-plus-lake, the north rim the full-bowl view. The inner slope has a maintained descent path on one side to the lake shore: steep but short, muddy after rain, and worth it in calm light when the water mirrors the red walls.<\/p>\n<div class=\"itg-callout itg-callout--info\">\n<p><strong>The Bj\u00f6rk footnote:<\/strong> in 1987 the crater hosted an anniversary concert with the stage on a floating raft in the lake \u2014 the story every local tells, and the reason &#8220;the crater Bj\u00f6rk sang in&#8221; is a legitimate way to describe Keri\u00f0.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"photo\"><span class=\"itg-ico-svg\"><svg class=\"ico\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M3.5 8.5A2 2 0 0 1 5.5 6.5h2l1.6-2.2h5.8l1.6 2.2h2a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v9.5a2 2 0 0 1-2 2h-13a2 2 0 0 1-2-2z\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"13\" r=\"3.4\"\/><\/svg><\/span>Photographing the colour clash<\/h2>\n<p>The signature frame is red slope over turquoise water \u2014 shoot down-slope with the lake filling the lower third. Midday light saturates the colours best (no long shadows to mute the red); overcast works, rain kills the turquoise for a few hours. Wide lens for the bowl from the north rim; telephoto compresses the red-turquoise contact line from the east. Winter: the lake freezes and snow dusts the red \u2014 a different, quieter palette that our team rates as its favourite.<\/p>\n<p>Drone rules: private site, operator rules apply, and the bowl\u2019s small scale makes ground angles stronger anyway. The twenty-minute rim circuit produces a dozen distinct frames \u2014 it is the most photographically efficient paid stop in Iceland.<\/p>\n<div class=\"itg-callout itg-callout--tip\">\n<p><strong>The pair that works:<\/strong> Keri\u00f0\u2019s colours and the Secret Lagoon\u2019s steam (#32, 15 minutes south) make the Golden Circle\u2019s return leg a two-stop bonus afternoon: crater rim, then soak. Book the lagoon slot for 17:00\u201319:00 and the day ends in hot water.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"itg-post-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/kerid-crater-2.webp\" alt=\"Kerid Crater Iceland \u2014 view 2\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>On location at Kerid Crater \u2014 Trip.com traveler imagery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"practical\"><span class=\"itg-ico-svg\"><svg class=\"ico\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><rect x=\"3\" y=\"7\" width=\"18\" height=\"10\" rx=\"2\"\/><path d=\"M14.5 7v10\" stroke-dasharray=\"2.5 2.5\"\/><\/svg><\/span>Practical: entry, access and timing<\/h2>\n<p>Keri\u00f0 sits off Route 35 on the Golden Circle\u2019s return (Gr\u00edmsnes), 15 minutes from the Geysir\u2013Gullfoss axis, an hour from Reykjav\u00edk. Entry is paid at the gate (private land \u2014 card accepted); the fee maintains the paths and viewing areas. Hours run daylight-to-evening seasonally; the rim walk is stroller-hostile (gravel slopes) but the viewing platform near the entrance gives the bowl view without the circuit.<\/p>\n<p>Timing: twenty minutes minimum, forty with the descent and photos. Crowds follow the tour add-on schedules (late morning), but the crater\u2019s small size absorbs groups quickly \u2014 the rim rarely feels busy. Winter: the site stays open in daylight hours; the rim in ice wants studs like everywhere else.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"route\"><span class=\"itg-ico-svg\"><svg class=\"ico\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 21s-7-5.6-7-11.2A7 7 0 0 1 19 9.8C19 15.4 12 21 12 21z\"\/><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"9.8\" r=\"2.4\"\/><\/svg><\/span>How it fits an Iceland route<\/h2>\n<p>Keri\u00f0 is the Golden Circle\u2019s bonus stop (#11): it slots between Gullfoss (#13) and the capital on the return, or before the Secret Lagoon (#32) soak. Crater country repeats west (Sn\u00e6fellsnes\u2019s Saxh\u00f3ll) and north (Krafla\u2019s V\u00edti #39) \u2014 Keri\u00f0 is the convenient, colour-perfect introduction. Our Keri\u00f0 guide carries the full volcanic story, and the Circle post runs the route logic.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"itg-post-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/kerid-crater-3.webp\" alt=\"Kerid Crater Iceland \u2014 view 3\" loading=\"lazy\"><figcaption>On location at Kerid Crater \u2014 Trip.com traveler imagery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"faq\"><span class=\"itg-ico-svg\"><svg class=\"ico\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"1.8\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"12\" r=\"8.5\"\/><path d=\"M12 11.2v5\"\/><path d=\"M12 8.1v.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details class=\"itg-faq\">\n<summary>Why does Keri\u00f0 cost money when other craters are free?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"itg-faq__a\">\n<p>The crater is on private farmland \u2014 the family maintains the paths, viewing areas and descent route from the entry fee. It is one of Iceland\u2019s few paid nature stops, and the price is modest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"itg-faq\">\n<summary>Can you walk down to the lake?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"itg-faq__a\">\n<p>Yes \u2014 a maintained path descends the inner slope on one side to the shore. It is steep and muddy after rain; the rim walk is the safer circuit for mixed groups.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"itg-faq\">\n<summary>How long should I spend at Keri\u00f0?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"itg-faq__a\">\n<p>Twenty minutes covers the rim walk; forty adds the lake-shore descent and unhurried photos. It is a stop, not a hike \u2014 pair it with the Circle\u2019s headline stops.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"itg-faq\">\n<summary>Is Keri\u00f0 part of the Golden Circle?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"itg-faq__a\">\n<p>Fifteen minutes off the classic loop\u2019s return leg \u2014 tours include it on some schedules, self-drivers slot it in freely. It is the Circle\u2019s best-kept colour secret.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<div class=\"itg-cta-inline\">\n<p class=\"itg-cta-inline__t\">Where this ranks \u2014 and what is next<\/p>\n<p>Kerid Crater is #16 of 39 in our Best Things to Do in Iceland guide \u2014 the full ranked list, built from Trip.Best traveler data, lives in one place.<\/p>\n<div class=\"itg-cta-inline__btns\"><a class=\"itg-btn itg-btn--accent\" href=\"\/ko\/best-things-to-do-in-iceland\/\">The 39-stop ranked guide<\/a><a class=\"itg-btn itg-btn--ghost\" href=\"\/ko\/reynisfjara-basalt-columns-visit\/\">Next: Reynisfjara Beach (#17)<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Go deeper: <a href=\"\/ko\/kerid-crater-volcanic-craters-guide\/\">Keri\u00f0 crater \u2014 the volcanic craters guide<\/a>, <a href=\"\/ko\/golden-circle-classic-loop\/\">The Golden Circle route logic (#11)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"itg-sources\">\n<p class=\"itg-sources__t\">Sources &amp; official references<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Trip.com listing for Kerid Crater: entry price, hours, 4.9\/5 rating (checked November 2026).<\/li>\n<li>Trip.Best ranking data: #16 of 39 (November 2026).<\/li>\n<li>Site operator information: entry, path maintenance, seasonal hours (checked 2026).<\/li>\n<li>The 1987 Bj\u00f6rk anniversary concert records.<\/li>\n<li>Editorial visits across seasons including the winter frozen-lake state, 2023\u20132026.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 3,000-year-old explosion crater on the Golden Circle: the rim walk, the red-slope vs turquoise-lake colour clash, entry price and the 20-minute visit that upgrades the loop.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1608,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[94],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1726","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1726","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1726"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1726\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1608"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1726"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1726"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/icelandtravelguides.com\/ko\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1726"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}