Jökulsárlón

The Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon lies in south-east Iceland on the Ring Road, about 80 km west of Höfn and roughly 380 km from Reykjavík. It is fed by Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, and formed from the 1930s onwards as the glacier retreated. Today it covers about 25 km² (as of October 2026) and is more than 200 m deep, making it the deepest lake in Iceland. Icebergs break off the glacier and drift out to sea through the short outlet channel. On the shore a gravel mound gives the best view; with luck you will see seals resting on the edges of the ice.

Many icebergs wash up on Diamond Beach, a black-sand beach on the other side of the road, a walk of about 5 to 10 minutes. One car park serves both the lagoon and the beach; it is charged, with payment by app (as of October 2026). Summer brings long days and boat tours, while in winter there is particularly a lot of ice to see. Allow at least one to two hours. Zodiac boats take visitors out among the icebergs, and on dark nights outside summer the lagoon is a popular spot for the northern lights.