Vatnajokull

The largest glacier in Europe, an unforgettable experience. The glacier can be visited accompanied by a guide and special additional equipment. At the meeting point with the guide there is a large parking lot, toilets.

Vatnajökull and its surrounding Vatnajökull National Park are among Iceland’s most awe-inspiring natural treasures, blending glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls, and wilderness into one epic landscape What Is Vatnajökull? Vatnajökull (meaning “Glacier of Lakes” in Icelandic) is the largest glacier in Europe by volume and area Covers about 8,100 km², roughly 8% of Iceland’s landmass Average ice thickness: 380 meters, with peaks reaching 950 meters Home to Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland’s highest peak at 2,110 meters Beneath the ice lie active volcanoes, including Grímsvötn, Bárðarbunga, and Öræfajökull What Vatnajökull National Park Contains Established in 2008, the park spans over 14,000 km², making it Europe’s largest national park. It’s divided into four territories: Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western — each with unique features. Here’s what you’ll find: Vatnajökull Glacier itself, with over 30 outlet glaciers like Svínafellsjökull, Skaftafellsjökull, and Falljökull Ice Caves: Seasonal formations like the Crystal Cave, glowing with surreal blue hues Glacial Lagoons: Including Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón, where icebergs drift peacefully Waterfalls: Such as Svartifoss, framed by black basalt columns, and Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall Volcanoes: Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga erupt beneath the ice, causing dramatic glacial floods Canyons & Highlands: Like Jökulsárgljúfur and Askja, shaped by ancient eruptions Wildlife: Arctic foxes, seals, reindeer, and over 75 bird species Historic Sites: Old shepherd huts, outlaw hideouts, and ancient travel routes Why Vatnajökull Is Famous Vatnajökull is celebrated for its “dynamic nature of fire and ice”, a phrase that captures its geological drama and visual splendor: UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 2019) for its unique volcanic-glacial interactions⁽¹⁾ Movie Star: Featured in James Bond, Batman Begins, Tomb Raider, Game of Thrones, and more⁽²⁾ Photographic Icon: Ice caves, lagoons, and glacier hikes make it a dream for photographers Adventure Hub: Glacier hiking, ice climbing, snowmobiling, kayaking, and boat tours Geological Marvel: Located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where tectonic plates diverge Climate Symbol: A living example of glacial retreat due to global warming

Vatnajökull is the largest ice cap in Iceland and the second largest in Europe. The glacier covers is roughly 7,700 sq. km and covers nearly 10% of the entire landmass of Iceland and provides numerous natural attractions and endless scenery for visitors to the south and southeast of the country. We recently spent a few days in the Vatnajökull National Park area enjoying the glacier lakes with floating icebergs, black sand and diamond beaches, impressive waterfalls, lava fields and also participated in a snow mobile experience up the Skalafellsjökull tongue of the Vatnajökull glacier with Glacier Journey, a tour operator out of Hofn where we drove around probably 15-20km through snow on the glacier. The scale of Vatnajökull is unbelievable, being able to spend tome on the glacier safely was priceless. Would love to do so again in the future.

We had a really nice tour up the glacier here. The tour guide, Maja, took us through two beautiful crevasses that the company had created a walking path inside of.

This place is mesmerizing. Was absolutely speechless looking at this place.We were lucky to have an awesome guided tour . This is an inside glacier tour called ice caving where you get all the equipments from the guide to walk on this glacier and go ice caving. They have big wheeled cars to carry people on the snow. Normal cars don’t run there. It is recommended to book your tickets prior for fast and comfortable journeys.They show the glacier where the famous james bond movie shooting was done. An experience to remember and a must go.

Lovely experience, everything look like ice castle ! All the shades of blue are incredible, it doesn’t feel real to be honest! Amazing hike on the glacier, this is an unique arctic experience! Absolutely recommend!

Massive glacier with endless fields of snow. Very impressive, biggest glacier of Europe and 10% of the total size of Iceland. Nice to explore with a snowmobile. We could drive ourselves.

Skaftafell Ice Cave is located in Skaftafell National Park, Iceland. The cave was formed by the Vatnajökull Glacier that flows through the area Its formation process involves years of compressing snow and ice to form K formations