Vatnajokull covers around eight percent of Iceland. You do not see the ice cap itself from the road, you see its outlet glaciers pushing down between mountains, and the lagoons forming where they retreat.
Where to stand
Skaftafell gives you the walking access. Jokulsarlon gives you the lagoon and the icebergs. Between them, Fjallsarlon is smaller, quieter and closer to the glacier face.
Practical points
- Never walk on glacier ice without a guide and equipment
- Ice cave season runs roughly November to March and is guided only
- Weather closes the ring road here more often than elsewhere in winter
The national park visitor centre at Skaftafell is worth twenty minutes for the geology alone, and the staff give current trail conditions.
