Vatnajökull National Park

Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland

A low-angle view of Skaftafellsjökull glacier tongue at sunrise, with black sand and moss in the foreground and tiny hikers near the ice wall.

Go for ice you can walk on, canyons carved by glacial rivers and some of the wildest scenery in Europe, all within one national park.

The place

Vatnajökull National Park covers the great ice cap in south-east Iceland and much of the land around it. It is one of three national parks in the country and the largest of them. It was formed by bringing together older protected areas at Skaftafell in the south-west and Jökulsárgljúfur in the north, and it now reaches from the glacier's edges out to lava fields and river canyons. The landscape is varied for a single park. Outwash plains of black sand, volcanic craters, geothermal ground, waterfalls and high peaks sit within reach of one another. Most of the scenery is shaped by three forces working together: meltwater, moving ice and the volcanoes that lie beneath the glacier. Weather changes sharply with altitude. The lowland south gets very heavy rain, while the land north-east of the ice cap is among the driest in Iceland. Wind is almost constant on open ground, and the glacier needs respect as a place with its own dangers. Most people arrive along the Ring Road, which runs past the park's edge, and then split their time between a few base points: Skaftafell for walks and ice tours, Jökulsárlón for the lagoon, and the northern canyons for quieter ground.

Its story

The park was established on 7 June 2008, when it covered about 12,000 square kilometres. Its boundaries have grown since. Lakagígar, Langisjór, Krepputunga and Jökulsárlón, with the land around the lagoon, were added over the following years, and the park now covers 14,967 square kilometres. That is roughly 14 per cent of Iceland and makes it the second largest national park in Europe by area, after Yugyd Va in the Ural Mountains of Russia. A further extension to the north came in 2019, the same year the park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site on 5 July. The northern addition took in Herðubreið, a flat-topped volcanic peak surrounded by lava. It was not climbed until 1908 and has earned the nickname the Queen of Icelandic Mountains. The park's geology is layered. Beneath the ice lie mountains, valleys and plateaus, and several active central volcanoes, including Bárðarbunga, the largest, and Grímsvötn, the most active. Askja shows what volcanic collapse leaves behind. Its crater dropped after an eruption in 1875, and meltwater has since filled it to form a pool about 220 metres deep. Glacial rivers, meanwhile, cut the canyons near Ásbyrgi, and the meltwater that feeds them still drains to the sea.

What to see

Culture

Vatnajökull National Park is a protected landscape rather than a set of attractions, and that shapes how people behave here. Visitors are expected to keep to marked routes, carry rubbish out and leave huts and campsites as they found them. Icelanders tend to be reserved in public and direct in business, so a polite greeting and a plain answer are usually well received at guesthouses, petrol stations and eateries. Many people drive the Ring Road and pull over for photographs, and it is wise to stop only where the verge is wide and clear of traffic. The huts along the mountain tracks are shared, so keeping noise low after dark is expected, and cooking areas should be left clean for the next group. Park staff say the state of tracks and paths can change faster than their information suggests, so the most respectful habit is to check conditions on the day rather than trusting last week's reports. Stay on marked paths, keep off the glacier unless a licensed guide is leading you, and carry your rubbish back to the car.

What to wear

Traditional Icelandic dress at Vatnajökull is rooted in wool and practicality. The búningur, or national costume, is a fitted outfit worn for celebrations and national holidays, and its textiles are heavy, hard-wearing wool. The lopapeysa, the yoked sweater knitted from undyed lopi yarn, is the everyday garment most people associate with Iceland. Its natural greys, browns and creams come straight from the sheep, and its patterns are knitted by hand. Today most people in the park wear the same clothing as walkers anywhere in cold, wet and windy country: waterproof shell jackets, fleece or wool mid-layers, windproof trousers and sturdy boots. A lopapeysa is still common, both as an outdoor layer and as a souvenir. For a visit, dress for weather rather than season. Summer days are usually mild, with average highs of only about 6 to 9 °C from June to August, and wind chill can make that feel much colder, while winter can drop well below freezing. Pack a waterproof shell, a warm hat and gloves, a wool base layer, and boots with good ankle support for moraine and ice edges. Crampons and harnesses are supplied by guides on glacier tours, so you do not need to buy them.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. June to August gives the longest days, the easiest road access and the widest choice of guided ice tours. September is quieter, with clearer skies on many days and autumn colour on the lower slopes. Winter brings ice caves and guided ski touring, but roads and daylight are both limited.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly to Keflavík International Airport near Reykjavík, then drive the Ring Road east and south along the coast to reach the park. Public transport is limited, so a rental car or an organised tour is the practical option.

Budget. high

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources