Jökulsarlon

Jökulsárlón: The Glacier Lagoon That Keeps Growing

The Jökulsárlón lagoon did not exist before 1934. It formed as the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier began retreating and meltwater pooled at the ice edge. In 1934 it covered roughly one square kilometre. By 2025 it covers approximately 18 square kilometres and is still growing as the glacier continues its retreat. The largest icebergs floating across it are 30 metres tall; the colours range from opaque white through translucent blue to near-black where glacial sediment concentrates in the ice. The photographs you have seen are accurate. This place looks exactly the way it looks in photographs, and standing at the edge of it is more affecting than the photographs suggest.

The lagoon sits roughly 380 kilometres from Reykjavik on the Ring Road, directly adjacent to the highway.

The Lagoon

You pull into the car park and the lagoon is immediately visible – icebergs drifting in the water, seals occasionally hauled out on the floes. Admission to the viewing areas is free. Boat tours run amphibious vehicles or Zodiacs among the icebergs from roughly April through October depending on ice conditions. The amphibious tour costs around 7,500 ISK for 40 minutes. The Zodiac brings you closer to the glacier face and is faster and considerably colder. Both are worth doing if the budget and schedule allow.

Seals are common in the lagoon. They are curious and will approach boats on their own schedule. Arctic terns nest nearby in summer and will dive-bomb anyone walking near their colony. They are accurate.

Diamond Beach

On the opposite side of the Ring Road, the Jökulsá river carries smaller icebergs out to sea. Many wash back onto the black volcanic sand beach to the east – the so-called Diamond Beach – where they sit glittering in various states of melt. The beach faces east and the combination of the dark volcanic sand with translucent ice fragments in morning light is one of the more photographically rewarding scenes in Iceland. Go before 8am for the best light and before the tour buses arrive.

Do not walk on the larger ice formations. They are slippery, cold, and they roll.

When to Go

Summer (June through August) gives long daylight hours and consistently accessible boat tours. March offers the possibility of Northern Lights reflected in the lagoon on clear nights, which is remarkable when it occurs and requires both luck and patience. The lagoon and Ring Road remain accessible year-round in all but the worst winter storms.

Practical Notes

The nearest fuel and food is at Hótel Skaftafell about 15 minutes west, or the lagoon’s own café, which is basic. There are no towns of any size within an hour. Fill up before leaving Vík (about 100 kilometres west) if driving east.

The Hotel Jökulsárlón is directly adjacent and books out far in advance for summer. Farmhouse accommodation is scattered along the Ring Road between the lagoon and Höfn. Most people visit as part of a multi-day Ring Road trip rather than a day trip from Reykjavik; the 4.5 to 5-hour drive is broken well by the South Coast sights at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, and Vík.