Jökulsárlón 3-day itinerary

Start at the Skaftafell Visitor Centre in Vatnajökull National Park. Hike to Svartifoss (Black Falls) — a striking waterfall framed by dark hexagonal basalt columns that inspired the design of Hallgrímskirkja church. The 5.5km round trip trail gains 120 metres of elevation through birch woodland, taking about 90 minutes. Continue to the Sjónarnípa viewpoint for dramatic views across the vast glacial outwash plain.

Join a guided glacier walk on Skaftafellsjökull or Falljökull (12,990 ISK, 3–4 hours). Crampons and ice axes are provided as you trek across blue ice, crevasses, moulins, and ridges of volcanic ash. No experience necessary — guides teach you to walk confidently on ice. The glacier's surface is a frozen landscape of sculptures carved by meltwater, constantly shifting and cracking around you.

Set up camp at Skaftafell campsite (1,800 ISK per person) — one of Iceland's best-equipped sites with showers, cooking shelters, and stunning views of Öræfajökull, Iceland's highest peak. Take the evening trail to the Skaftafellsheiði viewpoint for golden-hour views of multiple glacier tongues descending from the ice cap. Cook dinner at camp using supplies from Höfn or Vík.

Drive 45 minutes east to Jökulsárlón. Walk the shoreline trails on both sides of the lagoon — the western bank gives the widest panorama while the eastern side gets you closer to where icebergs enter the lagoon. The bergs range from pristine white to deep blue, some with dramatic black ash stripes from volcanic eruptions trapped in the ice over centuries. Seals bob between the ice.

Take the zodiac boat tour (11,000 ISK) for an intimate journey between the icebergs. Guides crack off ancient ice so you can taste thousand-year-old glacier water. Then drive 10 minutes west to Fjallsárlón — a smaller, less-visited glacier lagoon with an equally dramatic glacier wall but far fewer tourists. The zodiac tour here (9,900 ISK) gets even closer to the calving ice face.

Cross Route 1 to Diamond Beach and spend the evening watching ice wash ashore. Each wave deposits new crystal-clear chunks that melt gradually over hours, creating an ever-changing gallery. The low-angle evening sun turns the ice into prisms of colour. This is one of the most photogenic spots in Iceland — bring a tripod for long-exposure shots of waves swirling around the glowing ice.

In winter (November–March), join an ice cave tour inside Vatnajökull glacier (19,990 ISK, 3–4 hours from Jökulsárlón). Walk inside cathedral-sized chambers of luminous blue ice — the colour intensifies with thicker ice and changes with the weather. In summer, substitute with a glacier hike on Breiðamerkurjökull or a kayaking tour on the lagoon (14,990 ISK) for a water-level perspective among the bergs.

Drive 80 minutes east to Stokksnes peninsula (900 ISK entry at the Viking Café). Vestrahorn mountain rises 454 metres in dramatic jagged peaks above a black sand dune landscape. At low tide, the wet sand creates mirror reflections of the mountain — one of Iceland's most iconic photography locations. Explore the abandoned Viking film set on the beach and walk the dunes beneath the towering peaks.

End in Höfn — a small fishing town famous for langoustine (Icelandic lobster). Dinner at Pakkhús in the old harbour warehouse (langoustine feast from 6,900 ISK) or Humarhöfnin for the classic langoustine soup (2,990 ISK). Walk along the harbour at sunset with views of Vatnajökull glacier dominating the skyline. The annual Humarhátíð (Lobster Festival) in late June is worth timing your visit for.