{"id":7036703,"date":"2026-08-10T14:13:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T14:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/adventure\/glaciers-on-iceland-all-you-want-to-know\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T14:13:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T14:13:15","slug":"glaciers-on-iceland-all-you-want-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7036703","title":{"rendered":"Glaciers on Iceland: all you want to know"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Welcome to this article about the glaciers on Iceland. It\u2019s sometimes said that the names Iceland and Greenland should be reversed: although there are quite a few glaciers on Iceland, the country is not completely covered in ice as you might expect. Greenland is for the most part though. And Iceland is actually very green. Yet you will still find a large amount of ice and you can visit beautiful glaciers and even go inside one at the Into the Glacier attraction. You can view the glaciers from afar, walk on them, walk inside them and view the Icelandic glaciers from above. In this article I will tell you everything about the most beautiful glaciers on Iceland, enjoy reading!<\/p>\n

This article was published for the first time in 2021 and updated in 2026 after my most recent visit to Iceland in the fall of 2025. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Table of Contents | Inhoudsopgave<\/p>\n

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About the glaciers on Iceland<\/h5>\n

Just over 10% of Iceland\u2019s surface is covered by glaciers. In total, there are 13 glaciers on Iceland, five of which cover an area of more than 100 square kilometers. These are the Vatnaj\u00f6kull, Langj\u00f6kull, Hofsj\u00f6kull, M\u00fdrdalsj\u00f6kull and Drangaj\u00f6kull. <\/p>\n

Fun fact: the largest glacier in Iceland is Vatnaj\u00f6kull and it is almost ten times the size of Iceland\u2019s second glacier, Langj\u00f6kull. Most of Iceland\u2019s glaciers are located on the south coast<\/a> or inland. Sn\u00e6fellsj\u00f6kull is located on the Sn\u00e6fellsness peninsula and the earlier mentioned Drangaj\u00f6kull is located in the west fjords. Many of the glaciers lie under volcanoes, of which the Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull is probably the best known after its massive eruption a few years back, which caued a global stop in air traffic. <\/p>\n

\"Fjalls\u00e1rl\u00f3n
Fjalls\u00e1rl\u00f3n glacier lagoon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"glaciers
One of the glaciers from Vatnaj\u00f6kull<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The meaning of j\u00f6kull and j\u00f6kulhlaup<\/h5>\n

The Icelandic name for glacier is j\u00f6kull. We tend to say \u2018Vatnaj\u00f6kull glacier\u2019 but this is factually incorrect, because j\u00f6kull already means glacier. When a glacier in Iceland is melting and disappears due to global warming, a glacier officially loses the part \u2018j\u00f6kull\u2019 after its name. The Okj\u00f6kull in Borgarfj\u00f6r\u00f0ur lost its status as a glacier a few years ago because the ice is no longer thick enough to bear that name. The new name of the piece of ice left is now just Ok.
\u00a0
A j\u00f6kulhlaup is an Icelandic term that means a flood caused by the sudden release of gigantic amounts of melting water. This occurs, for example, in volcanic eruptions under the ice cap. These amounts of meltwater can cause a large area to flood or, for example, that roads and bridges are swept away. In Iceland, volcanic eruptions under the glacier are often followed for a j\u00f6kulhlaup and the Icelandic government is now well prepared for this, where possible. The term j\u00f6kulhlaup has meanwhile come into use worldwide when such a phenomenon occurs.<\/p>\n

\"gletsjers
A glacier gike on S\u00f3lheimaj\u00f6kull<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The biggest glacier in Iceland<\/h5>\n

The largest glacier in Iceland is Vatnaj\u00f6kull, which is also the largest glacier in Europe. It occupies about 8% of the area of Iceland, which means that the rest of Iceland\u2019s glaciers take up no more than 3% of the entire land of the country. The Vatnaj\u00f6kull is located in the south of Iceland and you will encounter it when you visit the iceberg lakes Fjalls\u00e1rl\u00f3n and J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n<\/a>. The glaciers of Skaftafell National Park also flow down the Vatnaj\u00f6kull. In 2011, the Vatnaj\u00f6kull was the setting for some recordings of the Game of Thrones television series. This ice cap is so immense that another 30 glacier tongues flow from it: all of these also bear the term j\u00f6kull. <\/p>\n

\"gletsjers
Glaciers from Vatnaj\u00f6kull<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
M\u00fdrdalsj\u00f6kull<\/h5>\n

M\u00fdrdalsj\u00f6kull is another large glacier that you will encounter during your road trip on the ring road on the south coast. This glacier is the fourth largest in Iceland and what makes it so special is that the Katla volcano is under the ice. The story goes that when this volcano erupts again, there will be a big problem because it is one of the largest volcanoes in the country. <\/p>\n

Katla last erupted in 1918 and another eruption has been feared for years, but has yet to happen. Due to this last eruption, large parts of the glaciers of M\u00fdrdalsj\u00f6kull are black. The black parts of the glaciers may not be the most beautiful, but they are among the most impressive. I made a glacier walk here on the S\u00f3lheimaj\u00f6kull<\/a>, but you can also walk independently to the ice, but not on it.<\/p>\n

Warning: going onto the ice independently is extremely dangerous. Our guide had to pull several people off the ice in 2025. Do not do it!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"glaciers
At S\u00f3lheimaj\u00f6kull in 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Myrdalsjo\u0308kull
Myrdalsjo\u0308kull in 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Into the Glacier and Langj\u00f6kull<\/h5>\n

Another important glacier is the Langj\u00f6kull, the second largest glacier in Iceland. This one is located in the Icelandic interior and offers \u2018Into the Glacier\u2019 as an attraction. Icelanders love special things and a few years ago dug a tunnel into the glacier, so you can literally enter the glacier. I did this excursion several years ago and wow, that was bizarre! The idea that you literally have tons of ice over your head is a bit bizarre, but also very special. If you want to make this excursion, look here for prices and possibilities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Begin
The entrance to Into the Glacier<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Into
Into the Glacier<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Ice ice baby<\/h5>\n

A visit to Iceland is not complete without a visit to a glacier. When you take a drive along the south coast, you will automatically encounter the ice. Keep in mind that the ice is always moving and photos featured in this blog post may not reflect current reality. I\u2019ve been to Iceland more than 10 times now, but the ice looks different every time. For example, J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n iceberg lake can sometimes be almost empty, but sometimes it can also be completely filled with icebergs. It really depends on the circumstances.<\/p>\n

In addition, it\u2019s useful to know that there are often warning signs and ropes to ensure your safety. So never go off the beaten track and follow the rules because you don\u2019t want to accidentally fall into a crevasse. Climbing on the ice is only possible with a certified guide. There are numerous companies that offer glacier walks and climbs<\/a> all over Iceland\u2019s South Coast and interior.<\/p>\n

\"Een
One of the glaciers in Skaftafell National Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
One last piece of advice<\/h5>\n

When traveling by plane to Iceland, it is best to sit on the right side of the plane on the way there, because then, with clear weather, you can already see the glaciers from the air. It\u2019s very impressive! I flew over the Sn\u00e6fellsj\u00f6kull once when I traveled to Alaska, that was also super cool. Unfortunately it is often cloudy upon arrival at Keflav\u00edk but in 2025 I was extremely lucky and I could see all the glaciers upon arrival in Iceland. <\/p>\n

\"Vatnajo\u0308kull
Vatnajo\u0308kull from the airplane<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Snaefellsj\u00f6kull
Sn\u00e6fellsj\u00f6kull<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Book your Iceland trip<\/h5>\n

Do you want to travel to Iceland? Find the best options to book your trip below:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Conclusion and disclaimer<\/h5>\n

Hopefully you found this article about the most beautiful glaciers in Iceland useful. If you have any questions and\/or comments, be sure to leave them in the comments. If you want to read more about Iceland, visit one of the articles below:<\/p>\n

This article contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase and\/or reservation via such a link, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for considering! <\/sub><\/sub><\/p>\n

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