Þakgil

The canyon walls close in, moss-covered and dripping, and at the far end, a natural cave has been fitted with picnic tables and a barbecue grate. Þakgil in south Iceland is a hidden campsite inside a slot canyon — a place where you eat dinner inside the mountain and sleep surrounded by spires of volcanic rock.

Þakgil — meaning 'Roof Canyon' — is a campsite tucked into a narrow glacial canyon behind Mýrdalsjökull glacier. The canyon's defining feature is a large natural cave converted into a communal dining area, where campers cook over open flames and eat at wooden tables surrounded by rock walls. The cave is supplemented by a few basic cabins and tent pitches wedged between the canyon's moss-covered hyaloclastite peaks. Hiking trails from the canyon lead to ridgelines with views over Mýrdalsjökull and the black sand outwash plains of the south coast. The access road is rough but passable for standard vehicles in dry conditions, though a 4x4 adds security. Þakgil is open only during the summer months, typically June through September, when the access road is clear of snow.