During these last months, there was a murmur in the air. The “Yoda Cave in Iceland” started to appear in every single Iceland guide book and in every instagram feed. But unfortunately there is still a lack of information about this amazing and scenic place…UNTIL NOW! Find in this following post all the information you need to know about this place.
The Yoda Cave from Iceland
Before starting, don’t forget to check from time to time our adventures in Iceland and our microadventures (daytours). We have recently joined the Clean&Safe project from the Icelandic Tourist Board with which we intend to guarantee the safety of our travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic situation, committing to receive our customers in a responsible way so that they feel safe while creating good memories of their trip.
What is Hjörleifshöfði?
The Yoda Cave is located in the Hjörleifshöfði mountain, in the South Coast of Iceland. This mountain is kind of a special geologic formation: an inselberg or monadnock. This means that is a mountain that suddenly rises in the middle of a sandy plain. But why?
At the time of its creation, the Hjörleifshöfði surroundings were possibly covered by seawater. At that time the inselberg was an island in the middle of the sea. Slowly, with the retreat of the ocean, it turned to be connected to the mainland with fjords at both sides, one of those fjords was called Kerlingarfjörður in the settlement era. Later, the sand & gravel coming from the volcanic eruptions filled up those large fjords and left the landscape we can find today.
Where is the Yoda cave located?
The Yoda Cave is located in the southern part of Hjörleifshöfði mountain, in the South Coast of Iceland. It is just about 15km away from Vík. For finding it you will need to drive east from Vík, and after 12km driving, you will need to turn left for getting to the area. There’s a gravel road for getting close to the cave. You will pass the parking space for following the trail up to top of the mountain, where Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson grave is.
Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson, who was this guy?
The Hjörleifshöfði mountain was named after Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson, Ingólfur Arnarson’s stepbrother, and one of the first settlers of Iceland. They sailed in pairs on their way to Iceland but Ingólfur spent the winter at Ingólfshöfði and his stepbrother at Hjörleifshöfði. Hjörleifur was murdered along with his men by his Irish slaves who accompanied them to the island of ice & fire. They fled to the Westman Islands with the women, where later Ingólfur found them and avenged his brother. On the top of the mountain, it is possible to find the grave where Hjörleifur Hróðmarsson is considered to be buried.
Are there other things to visit?
Indeed! If you are travelling to this place, you shouldn’t miss the amazing rock formations that are standing in this area. Almost like if they came out from a science fiction movie. From the yoda cave, drive a bit further East along the cliffs and you will discover these amazing rock formations as well as the Kötlubjarg, the enormous boulder that was dragged by the last Katla flood.
