Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Jökulsárlón is a glacier lagoon on Iceland's south coast, roughly 380 km east of Reykjavík along the Ring Road. It sits at the edge of Vatnajökull National Park, where the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier -- an outlet glacier of the Vatnajökull ice cap -- meets the sea. As the glacier retreats, the meltwater collects in the lagoon, carrying with it the icebergs that calve from the glacier face and drift slowly toward the Atlantic.

The lagoon has expanded significantly over the past century. In the early 20th century this was a narrow strip of coast; today it is one of the largest glacier lagoons in Iceland, and it continues to grow. The icebergs that float here range from car-sized fragments to formations several storeys high. Some carry dark bands of volcanic ash, compressed within the ice over centuries. The water shifts between blue and grey depending on the light, the weather, and the volume of suspended glacial sediment.

The lagoon itself is free to visit and the car park is directly on Route 1. Most people spend time walking the shore, watching the icebergs drift, and looking for seals -- the lagoon is home to a small but regular population of harbour seals that can often be seen resting on the ice or swimming between the bergs. In summer, Arctic terns nest in the area and dive for fish over the water.

Between May and October, licensed local operators run boat tours on the lagoon. Amphibian boat tours carry larger groups in a stable, enclosed vessel and last around 30 to 40 minutes. Zodiac tours operate with smaller groups on open inflatable boats, getting closer to the ice faces and moving further into the lagoon. Both give a completely different perspective on the scale of the icebergs than you get from shore.

Directly across Route 1 from the lagoon, the icebergs that reach the lagoon's outlet channel are carried by the current out to sea, and many wash up on Breiðamerkursandur -- known as Diamond Beach -- where they sit on black volcanic sand before melting. The visual contrast of white and blue ice against the dark sand is one of the most photographed scenes in Iceland. It is a short walk from the road and is accessible year-round, though the specific pieces of ice on the beach change with every tide.

About ten minutes west along Route 1, Fjallsárlón is a smaller glacier lagoon with fewer visitors and a different character. The mountains are closer, the scale more intimate. It is worth the short detour if you are spending time in this part of the south coast.

The lagoon is about 4.5 to 5 hours from Reykjavík on a clear day, which makes it a long but doable day trip -- though you will not have much time there. Most self-drive itineraries that include Jökulsárlón build in at least one overnight stop in the area, either at Höfn í Hornafirði to the east or somewhere along the south coast the previous night.

On our Ring Road self-drives, Jökulsárlón is a scheduled stop on the clockwise route as you head east along the south coast, typically on the second or third day. Our 5-day Jökulsárlón and Northern Lights self-drive focuses specifically on the south coast and builds in enough time at the lagoon to take a boat tour. Winter visitors will find that boat tours are not running, but the lagoon is still accessible and the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights reflected in the water is a reasonable draw in its own right.

Jökulsárlón is on Route 1, well signposted, with a large free car park on the north side of the road and access to Diamond Beach on the south side. The road is paved and maintained year-round. Fuel up in Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur before heading further east -- services become sparse in this stretch.

Most Iceland Tours self-drive and guided group packages that follow the Ring Road include a stop at Jökulsárlón. If you want to make the most of your time at the lagoon, look for itineraries that include an overnight stay nearby. Höfn í Hornafirði is the closest town with accommodation and allows you to visit the lagoon in the evening light or early morning when visitor numbers are lower.