A Guide to Iceland Glacier Lagoons and Hidden Gems
Iceland glacier lagoons (yes, there are more than one) are visitable even in the middle of summer. And, they are absolutely stunning. Imagine a giant ice-cold lake, with floating aqua blue ice in the shapes of mushrooms and rocks. Or, better yet, go check it out yourself.
Since it’s Iceland, the glacier lagoons are a must-see on any trip to the land of fire and ice. We recommend seeing them on Day 4 of our Ultimate Iceland Itinerary: 9 Day Road Trip.
Planning Your Trip
Which Iceland Glacier Lagoons to Visit
Did you know Iceland has over 260 named glaciers? When we drove around the ring road, it honestly felt like the whole country was just melting and creating a ring of magnificent waterfalls (no wonder there are so many). Contrary to a glacier, a glacier lagoon is a lake where ice has broken off from a glacier and now floats in the lagoon.
Of the Iceland glacier lagoons to visit, we recommend visiting Fjallsรกrlรณn and Jรถkulsรกrlรณn because:
- They are the most popular lagoons, which means they are built out for visitors and have guided boat tours that take you out on the lake.
- Fjallsรกrlรณn and Jรถkulsรกrlรณn are a 16 minute drive from each other. This means you can see both easily in one day. We recommend doing a boat tour on one and walking around the other.
- Fjallsรกrlรณn is less popular than Jรถkulsรกrlรณn, which means if you prefer a more private experience, you can pick one over the other.
- Even in peak season of July, if you time it right, you can visit either lagoon without an overwhelming number of tourists.
- Diamond Beach is nearby (more on that below).
How to Get to the Lagoons
The lagoons are easily accessed along the ring road, a little under 5 hours from the capitol of Reykjavik. We recommend driving to the lagoons and ideally making a road trip of it. The lagoons aren’t too far from the Vik area and could easily be added onto a short road trip. Check out our Vik post: Unforgettable Road Trip to the Vik, Iceland. The locations of both lagoons are bookmarked on our Travel Map of Iceland.
We recommend renting a car for your trip. For your convenience, here’s everything you need to know about Renting a Car in Iceland.
How Many Days to Spend in the Lagoons
To visit the lagoons, we recommend half a day, plus drive time to/from. The lagoons themselves only take a few hours to visit. Budget about an hour if you want to walk around the lake for pictures, and 1.5-2 hours if you plan on taking a boat tour.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Iceland glacier lagoons is during the summer. Reason being, the boat tours are offered only during June through August, with a few on the shoulder seasons of April – November. Tours during shoulder and winter seasons are scarcer or unavailable, especially with the limited amount of sunlight and weather.
Another reason we love visiting the glaciers during the summer, is if you want to avoid crowds and don’t mind skipping the boat tours, you can enjoy a very peaceful site of the lagoons in the early morning or late evening. Iceland’s midnight sun gives enough daylight to visit the lagoons even at 10 pm in July (which is when we went).
If you’re not able to visit in the summer, instead of visiting the lagoons, consider visiting an ice cave instead. Ice cave tours are available from September through April, the opposite season of the boat tours.
Full Itinerary for Iceland Glacier Lagoons
Since visiting the glaciers only takes half a day, we recommend making a full trip out of it. There are a ton of beautiful famous and hidden stops on the way to the lagoons. All of these destinations our bookmarked in our Iceland Google travel map below. For a full list of all of our maps, visit our Travel Map page.
To make the most of your trip, we highly recommend following the itinerary we’ve outlined on Day 4 of our Ultimate Iceland Itinerary: 9 Day Road Trip.
Things to Do at the Glaciers
Visit the Glaciers
Much if Iceland is best explored by foot, as are the glacier lagoons. We recommend just walking around the lagoons and taking pictures. The walks are pretty easy, and you can get your hands on some ice just chilling on the shore. Depending on how much time you want to spend at each lagoon, budget 30 minutes to 1 hour to explore each. Bring layers! It was pretty chilly when we went in July (but it was also 10pm at night).
Do a Boat Tour
Depending on when you plan on arriving at the glaciers, book your guided boat tour in advance. We recommend picking one boat tour out of the two lagoons, but visiting both if you have time. Tickets can be purchased here:
- Fjallsรกrlรณn: Lasts 90 minutes and costs ~$57 USD/adult.
- Jรถkulsรกrlรณn: The Zodiac Tour gets you closer to the icebergs (recommended) but has limited availability – so book early! Lasts about 1 hour and costs ~$77 USD/adult.
See Diamond Beach
The other secret reason to visit Fjallsรกrlรณn and Jรถkulsรกrlรณn lagoons is because of their proximity to Diamond Beach, which is one of the most peculiar beaches we have ever seen. You’ll get a glimpse of the “diamonds” when you visit Jรถkulsรกrlรณn, but not quite as great. The “Diamonds” on Diamond beach are actually small ice chunks that have fallen off the glaciers. Some are crystal clear and some are dirtied with black sand. This beach is a must-see in Iceland! Plus, it only takes 30 minutes or so to see.
Things to Do Near the Glaciers
If you’re going to make the trek out to Iceland’s famous glacier lagoons, then there are a few more must-sees and hidden gems along the way.
Must-Sees Near Iceland Glacier Lagoons
Svartifoss: The Magnificent Hexagonal Rock Waterfall
Skaftafell, the nature reserve home to the famous Svartifoss waterfall, is only a 50 minute drive from the glacier lagoons. If you have the time, we would definitely recommend stopping here before or after your visit of the glaciers.
The hike to Svartifoss is pretty easy, only 2.0 miles and 439 ft of elevation. Most people can complete it in about 1 hour. The hike is pretty boring, but there will be plenty of spots to see the waterfall from afar and upclose. Read more about the trail on AllTrails. Budget 1.5-2 hours for this destination to account for the hike, parking, and pictures. Note, it costs about $5 USD for parking.
Fjaรฐrรกrgljรบfur Canyon
This canyon is actually a stop we missed on our roadtrip through Iceland, but wish we had seen. For any Justin Bieber fans out there, this canyon was features in his music video for I’ll Show You.
You can spend 1 hour up to 5 hours in this canyon. If you park in the main lot, there’s a 20 minute hike to the main viewpoint. Or, you can park in the “Laki” parking lot (turn off before the main lot). This lot allows you to walk upriver and even inside the canyon.
Eldhraun Lava Fields
We put this on our must-see list because it’s an easy stop along the ring road. If you’re up for a hike, there are trails that go through the lava fields. But if you’re limited on time, there are a ton of lava fields all over Iceland. Our favorite lava field trails were in Mรฝvatn, so save the adventure for there! We spent maybe 20 minutes here.
Hidden Gems Near Iceland Glacier Lagoons
Kirkjugรณlf
Kirkjugรณlf is famous because it’s a cluster of basalt columns that have been eroded down to resemble a church floor. And, it’s in the middle of a giant green meadow. We loved this stop as a hidden gem because we were the only ones there, and honestly, it was pretty cool. From the parking lot, it’s a 10 minute walk. Budget about 30 minutes for this stop.
Stjรณrnarfoss
While this small waterfall can’t compare to the great Skogafoss or Godafoss, it’s definitely a cute waterfall that you can enjoy in private on your road trip. And, it’s a short drive from Kirkjugรณlf. Part of the fun of visiting Iceland is all the short but beautiful stops you can make along the ring road. This is another one you can do in 30 minutes.
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