If you are planning a trip to Iceland, I highly recommend you place Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon on your list. It’s a really popular tourist attraction, especially in the summer, and for good reason. Found in the southeastern region of Iceland, this spot is sought after by photographers and adventurers worldwide. Located about six hours from Reykjavik in Vatnajokull National Park, it’s easily accessible by bus or car. I suggest that you take a few days to get there, in order to make some sightseeing stops along the way.
So what makes this spot so unique, and why do I insist to every traveler that they make a stop here? Aside from it’s impressive beauty and presence in popular movies (James Bond and Tomb Raider to name a few), Jokulsarlon is an impressive example of global warming. It has been said that if you were to visit this place a hundred years ago, it would have been all ice. But, because of rising temperatures, the edges of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier break off, and flow into the lagoon and eventually out to the ocean.
Each time you visit will always yield a different experience and landscape, as it is constantly changing.
I could hear the cracking of the glaciers as I walked up to the lagoon. Each step I took towards the lagoon brought me more excitement, as I started to make out shapes of turquoise, deep blue, clear and black. The broken iceberg pieces were moving with the tide, creating new photo opportunities as they passed me by. I heard there was a lot of wildlife here, such as birds and seals, but it must have been a slow day, as I didn’t see any.
We decided it would be a great opportunity to view the lagoon from an amphibious boat, operated by Glacier Lagoon Tours. The boat ride allows you to view the icebergs from a completely different perspective, definitely not to be missed by photographers! They run year-round (weather dependent), and during the high season (when we went) run around forty tours a day.
Gliding slowly through the lagoon allowed plenty of time to take in the scenery and capture the details of each floating iceberg. The boat tour lasted just less than an hour, enough time to experience everything, but I was still left wanting more. It’s one of my goals to return to Iceland, and I will definitely return here, most likely to camp overnight to try and catch those pesky northern lights.
Some Advice:
– In Iceland, you can experience all four seasons in a day, as weather changes quickly (even in the summer). Make sure to bring layers.
– If you go during high season, make sure to get there around sunrise or sunset to avoid the larger crowds.
– Make sure to have plenty of space on your camera, as you will be taking lots of photos and videos! I recommend bringing extra batteries, as the cold can drain them pretty quickly.
– If you go in the winter, make sure to check out the nearby ice caves. We haven’t been, but we hear they are not to be missed!
– And, most importantly, enjoy yourself! Take in the scenery, stand in awe of he beauty of nature, and leave only footprints.
Founder and main contributor to This Adventure Life, Kirsten Alexis has passion for all things adventure and the outdoors. She is an avid participant in action sports, such as skydiving, paragliding, snowboarding, high-altitude trekking, mountain biking, surfing and more. She is passionate about inspiring others to live their wildest dreams as well as conserving the environment for others to enjoy for years to come.