Guide to the Grjotagja Cave Game of Thrones – Iceland

If you’re a fan of Game of Thrones (or even if you’re not, like me!), visiting the Grjotagja Cave Game of Thrones in northern Iceland should be on your Iceland itinerary. This is the cave where Jon Snow and Ygritte got to “know each other” (if you know what I mean) and you can easily add a visit to this famous and beautiful cave while on an Iceland Ring Road trip. In this guide, I’ll give you everything you need to know about visiting the Grjotagja Cave Game of Thrones filming location in Iceland.

Where is the Grjotagja Cave Game of Thrones?

Grjótagjá Cave is located in the Lake Mývatn area of northern Iceland. The nearest city is Akureyri, Iceland’s second-largest city, which is about an hour’s drive away.

Akureyri is a popular cruise port and the Game of Thrones Cave is a popular excursion found on lots of tour company’s itineraries, which also include Godafoss.

If you’re driving, the route here is straightforward—you just follow the Ring Road (Iceland Route 1) towards Myvatn, and then turn onto Road 860, which leads directly to the cave.

Tips for Visiting Grjotagja Cave in Iceland

• Wear Appropriate Footwear: The ground inside the cave can be wet and slippery. Wear sturdy shoes with good grip.
• No Swimming: Swimming has not allowed in the cave due to volcanic activity from decades ago that raised the water temperatures. Enjoy the beauty of the cave from the edges.
• Preserve the Natural Site: Help protect the Grjotagja Game of Thrones Cave by not leaving any trash behind and by not removing any stones from the cave. Due to such an influx of tourists, the cave actually closed for some time in 2018 due to misbehaving tourists. It has since reopened.
• Photography: Grjotagja is a fantastic place for photography. However, the low light inside the cave can be challenging, so consider bringing a tripod for better shots. I didn’t have my tripod with me, and it was definitely tough to get good shots inside the cave. To be honest, most of the photos I took here ended up getting deleted.
  • Due to the small size of the cave, it’s going to be difficult to navigate with a tripod. If chose to use a tripod here, I suggest bringing a small tripod (like a Gorilla Pod), or visit the cave very early or very late in the day.
• Best time to visit: You can visit this cave 24/7/365. We visited in early July.

Visiting Grjotagja Cave Game of Thrones

When driving here, you’ll see a sign and a large parking lot — and a crowd of people, and probably a few tour buses, of course. This attraction is free to visit and the cave itself is just steps away from the parking lot.

Though the cave is very close to the parking lot, if you want to actually get inside, you’re going to have to crawl around on some slippery rocks. Most people just wanted to peep in the cave, snap a photo and be on their way – if you want to do this, you can be in and out in a few minutes. We wanted to get inside and take photos, so we had to wait in a line. I highly recommend doing this as it’s absolutely stunning inside the cave — the water is a gorgeous blue color — it’s tough to believe that this is real!

You can also see how this looks from above by climbing up to the top of the cave, where you can see the cracks in the Earth.

If you do a tour here, you won’t have much time to see the cave. The tour buses where unloading tourists, telling them they had 5 minutes, and rounded them back up. While yes, this is a quick stop, as you can’t do much here other than look at it, if you want to go into the cave and take photos, you’ll likely need longer than that as you’ll have to wait in line.

Why can’t you swim in Grjotagja Game of Thrones Cave?

The simplest explanation is that at one point, in the 1970s, lava from the nearby Krafla Volcano was seeping into the cracks of the cave, causing the water temperatures to get way too hot for anyone to safely bathe. The water is usually around 113 degrees F; the maximum temperature legally allowed for a hot tub is 104 degrees F.

Other nearby areas to see

Visiting the Grjotagja Cave will not take more than 20-30 minutes, so you’ll want to check out other sights in the area. Nearby places include:

Viti Crater and the Krafla Shower: Viti Crater is a small crater lake filled with teal-colored water. And on the drive out there, you can check out the weird Krafla Shower — I wrote about it more in depth here if you’re interested.

Myvatn Nature Baths: One of the more popular hot springs in Iceland, and one of the top things to do in the area. I didn’t have a chance to visit this hot spring myself. Maybe next time!

Hverir Geothermal Area: Interesting geothermal area where you can see bubbling mud pots and hot springs.

Godafoss: A beautiful, powerful waterfall — a must-see in the area. I wrote about Godafoss in detail here.

Where to Stay near the Game of Thrones Cave?

There are lots of lodging options located in the Lake Myvatn area. We stayed at Hotel Sel, which I can recommend, as we enjoyed our stay there. You could also stay in Akureyri, which will have even more choices. When we were in Akureyri, we stayed at the K16 Apartments, which were wonderful (and they had a washer and dryer!).

Grjotagja Cave – FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Grjotagja Cave (Game of Thrones Cave) in Iceland.

Can you swim in Grjotagja cave?

No, swimming and bathing in the Grjotagja Cave is no longer allowed. The water is only for looks!

What is the Game of Thrones Cave scene episode?

If you’re looking to see the actual episode of Game of Thrones where this cave is filmed, it is in Season 7, episode 7. Here is a Youtube clip of the episode. You can also read more about the behind-the-scene drama from this Entertainment Weekly article.

Is the Grjotagja Cave Free?

Yes, the Grjotagja Cave (Game of Thrones Cave) is free to visit. Free parking too.

Grjotagja Cave in Iceland – Final Thoughts

Is the Game of Thrones Cave in Iceland worth visiting? I’d say yes – this is really quick stop and it’s completely free, so if you’re doing the whole Ring Road, definitely check it out. Just keep your expectations in check — this is a very busy spot, and even more crowded as it’s popular on the cruise ship circuit, and you can only look at it, not swim in it.

Photography here is really tough – I didn’t like any of the photos I took. You could haul a tripod here, but it’s going to be tough to get the shot you want with all the people here, plus trying to find a place to put it, if you visit mid day like we did. That said, it’s absolutely beautiful and worth seeing, even if the photos you take turn out like shit!