Top things to do in Iceland
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Get up close and personal with the icebergs on Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon with this fantastic Zodiac boat tour. Cruise around the serene lagoon, zigzag between the massive bergs and try and spot some resident seals that can often be found lounging about on the ice. Nature lovers looking to get a unique perspective of ‘The Crown Jewel of Iceland’ should grab this chance now.
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of the most beloved spots in the country. It is located in the realm of the great Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier. It is here where icebergs that have broken off outlet glacier Breiðamerkurjökull float on aquamarine waters as they make their way towards the Atlantic Ocean.
For this tour, you will meet your guide at the parking lot of Jökulsárlón, located just by Iceland’s road number 1, the Ring Road. After a short introduction and explanation of your upcoming adventure, you will be provided with a floatation suit and a lifejacket.
Then you will board the Zodiac boat and head on out to the lagoon. The boat is a speedy little vessel that can easily hold a number of people while navigating between the huge icebergs. You will also be able to get closer to the ice than on another vessel, providing you with a fantastic experience and great photo opportunities.
The icebergs on the lagoon are as varied as they are many. You will be able to watch as they drift by, sometimes bumping into each other or flipping over. Their electric blue and pure white colours are sure to mesmerise you, as well as the crackling sound they make as they move about in the water.
While you take in the beauty of the lagoon, your guide will tell you all about glaciers and this stunning area. You should also keep an eye out for some resident seals, as you could spot a few swimming in the water or resting upon the ice.
Immerse yourself in the beauty of Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon with this fantastic Zodiac Boat tour. Check availability by choosing a date.
Jökulsárlón is Iceland’s most famous glacier lagoon. Conveniently located in the southeast by Route 1, about halfway between the Skaftafell Nature Reserve and Höfn, it is a popular stop for those travelling along the South Coast or around the Ring Road of the country.
This beautiful location is the highlight of many self-drive tours and guided packages; both this 10-Day Summer Road Trip and 6-Day Summer Vacation feature it. Those renting a car can also access it in the south-east of the country. Alternatively, take a tour of Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
As a glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón is a lake that is filled with the meltwater from an outlet glacier. In this case, it is Breiðamerkurjökull, a tongue of Europe’s largest ice cap, Vatnajökull.
It stands out, however, due to the fact that it also fills with icebergs breaking from the glacier, some of which tower several stories high.
These icebergs, other than their scale, are notable for their colouration. Although they are, as expected, largely white, most are also dyed electric blue in part, with black streaks of ash from eruptions centuries past.
When the icebergs finally make it across the lagoon, they either drift out to sea or wash up on the nearby shore. Because of the way they glisten against the black sands of Breiðamerkursandur, this area has been nicknamed ‘the Diamond Beach’.
In spite of being a rather recent formation, Jökulsárlón is the deepest lake in the country, with depths of 248 metres (814 feet). With a surface area of 18 square kilometres (7 square miles), it is also growing to be one of the largest.
Jökulsárlón has not been around since Iceland’s settlement; it only formed around 1935. This was due to rapidly rising temperatures in the country from the turn of the twentieth century; since 1920, Breiðamerkurjökull has been shrinking at a dramatic rate, and the lagoon has begun to fill its space.
Today, the expansion of Jökulsárlón is accelerating. In 1975, it had less than half its current surface area.
In the relatively near future, it is expected that the lagoon will continue to grow until it becomes a large, deep fjord.
Though a dark omen for Iceland’s glaciers and ice caps in general, the retreat of Breiðamerkurjökull has resulted in an incredibly beautiful, if temporary, site. This has not been overlooked by Hollywood.
Jökulsárlón has been featured in the James Bond films A View to Kill in 1985 and Die Another Day in 2002, 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and 2005’s Batman Begins.
In 2017, Jökulsárlón was enveloped into the Vatnajökull National Park, thus it is now fully protected by Icelandic law.
Because of the wealth of herring and capelin that the tides bring into the lagoon, Jökulsárlón is somewhat of a hot-spot for Iceland’s wildlife.
In summer, it is a nesting site for Arctic Terns; stay well away from their nesting area, as these birds are notorious for the fierceness with which they protect their eggs, dive-bombing the heads of any they see as a threat. Skuas also nest on the lake’s shores in this season.
Seals can be reliably spotted here throughout the year, swimming amongst or else hauling out on the icebergs. Jökulsárlón provides them with a safe haven to rest and socialise, especially considering the waters of southeast Iceland are renowned for their population of orcas.
Breiðamerkurjökull is the glacial tongue that extends from southern Vatnajökull and into the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, creating the icebergs that define this beautiful landmark.
Breiðamerkurjökull is constantly retreating, breaking and melting, causing the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon to increase in size; it is less than a century old, but already the deepest lake in Iceland.
This glacier tongue provides the lagoon with all of its enormous icebergs, which perpetually break from off its tip and tumble into the waters. Here they float for about five years until they are small enough to make their way towards sea. When they finally do escape the lagoon, most join the countless smaller ice chunks that adorn the nearby Diamond Beach.
Breiðamerkurjökull is beset with enormous cracks and crevices, and since it's virtually impossible to tell exactly when the next big block of ice will break from it, people should admire this enormous glacier tongue from a great distance.
Please note that in case cancellation due to bad weather or strong winds, a full refund will be given.
We always try to help travellers fulfil their dream vacation. If you need to change the details of your trip, you can do so by pressing the ‘Click here to edit booking’ button that will be on your electronic voucher. This electronic voucher will arrive to you via email upon booking.
Please bear in mind that Iceland has limited service availability and the best services with the best price and highest ratings get fully booked quickly. Completing your booking will ensure the best availability and pricing for your trip. Please find a summary of our cancellation policy and terms of service below. For further information, please see our Terms and Conditions.
Cancellation Due to COVID-19 Related Reasons
If you purchase a day tour, multi-day tour or rent a car on Guide to Iceland, but test positive on arrival to Iceland or if your flight to Iceland is cancelled due to COVID-19, you will get a full refund. If you purchase a self-drive tour or guided tour package along with the cancellation insurance, you will also get a full refund. The cancellation insurance is available for purchase during the booking process while you book your trip.
Alternatively, you can choose to reschedule your trip to another date.
If you test positive on arrival, to get the full refund after arrival, please contact us via email with your booking details and your test result within 4 hours after you receive the test result.
If your flight gets cancelled due to COVID, to get the full refund, please contact us via email with your booking details and your flight cancellation confirmation prior to your scheduled flight departure time.
Cancellations of Day Tours, Combo Deals and Multi-Day tours from independent operators
Day Tours and Combo Deals which only include day tours booked on the Guide to Iceland webpage that are serviced by independent operators can be cancelled up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. This can be done via the ‘Edit Booking’ button in your electronic voucher email.
All tours, regardless of operator, which last for two days or more (Multi-Day tours and Combos that are inclusive of any Multi-Day tours) can be cancelled up to 7 days before departure date notice for an 85% refund. The 15% service fee is to cover the operator cost of planning and arrangement. Please note that changing the number of people in a booking to a smaller number is considered cancellation for the change in the number of pax. No refund is given if tours are cancelled within 7 days notice.
In case of partial cancellations, e.g. an activity portion of a multi-day tour is cancelled by the operator, or a tour layout is changed due to weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances, a partial refund is due. If an activity is changed, the price difference between activities will be refunded, or a percentage stated by the tour operator as the standard refund due to changes in the program of the tour.
Cancellations of car rentals
Car rentals reservations can be cancelled up to 24 hours before departure and receive a full refund. This can be done via the ‘Edit Booking’ button in your electronic voucher email.
Cancellations of accommodation
The details of available refunds are dealt with on an individual basis depending on the accommodation provider. To cancel accommodation, select the ‘Click here to edit booking’ button in your electronic voucher email. Please note that if your accommodation booking is a part of an All-In-One Self Drive or Holiday package serviced by Guide to Iceland, you will not be able to cancel it via the button in the electronic voucher, you will need to contact us via info@guidetoiceland.is with the relevant information.
Cancellations of flights
Scheduled international and domestic flights are non-refundable, be they a part of an All-In-One Self Drive or Holiday package, multi-day tour, or any other service purchasable on the Guide to Iceland website, unless the Cancellation insurance is purchased. If a cancellation insurance is purchased, a full refund is given.
If flights are a part of a tour listed as a Day-Tour, standard terms of cancellations of day tours apply to a full refund. For cancelling and refunding of private flights (flights specifically arranged and scheduled for you personally or your group in specific), please contact your service agent.
Cancellations due to weather conditions
If your tour is cancelled by the tour provider due to weather conditions or any other environmental circumstances you will always receive a full refund. Exempt from this are any rescheduled second tries of tours which already have been serviced as a first departure. In the case of a volcanic eruption taking place on Icelandic soil stopping you from getting to Iceland, you will also receive a full refund on All products booked on Guide to Iceland.
Cancellation of All-In-One Self Drives and Holiday Packages arranged by Guide to Iceland
You can cancel your All-In-One Self Drive or Holiday package arranged by Guide to Iceland up to 7 days before departure and receive an 85% refund. The 15% service fee is to cover our cost of planning and arrangement. No refund is issued if there are less than 7 days to the starting date of the All-In-One Self Drive or Holiday package.
If a cancellation is made less than 24 hours after booking, Guide to Iceland will refund the tour fully, unless non-refundable separate booking has been made for said All-In-One Self Drive or Holiday package. In such cases, an amount to cover said object will be held, while the remaining amount will be refunded.
It is not possible to cancel or alter any individual services within a package within 7 days of Self Drive or package starting date. Please note that this includes reducing the number of participants within a self-drive or a package.
In cases where an All-In-One Self Drive or a Holiday Package is disrupted due to official road closure or Act of God, Guide to Iceland will reroute and or rearrange to the best of their abilities and assist with cancellations, making partial refunds when applicable and full refunds when applicable.
Clients who have purchased a Cancellation Insurance to accompany their Self Drive or Holiday package can request a full refund up to 48 hours before arrival. Please note that a Cancellation Insurance can only be purchased upon the time of booking or added to a product within 24 hours of booking. Please see Terms and Conditions for further information.
How to cancel or change a booking
All cancellations and changes must be made through the voucher that you receive on your email after booking. It will have an edit booking button that allows you to modify and cancel your bookings. After clicking the button you will be taken to a modification page where you can amend your booking details. There will be buttons available both to confirm changes and to cancel your booking. If you can not cancel or modify your booking then the time to do so has expired.
Refunds of past services need to be submitted within 15 days after the completion of the tour/package services. All refund requests must be made through email to booking@guidetoiceland.is with the email subject as: Refund Request - [Order number]. We do not charge anything for helping you change or make simple rearrangements to your booking for day tours, multi-day tours serviced by independent operators, and car rentals as long as they are requested within the window allowed for changes to a product, but costs can change accordingly with your new details. Please be advised that though we always try our best, due to high demand and low availability, rearrangements are not always possible.
For All-In-One Self-drives and Holiday Packages arranged by Guide to Iceland, please contact your travel planner for any changes needed. We do not charge anything for helping you change or make simple rearrangements to your All-In-One Self drive or Holiday Package, but please note that costs can change accordingly, depending on hotel rates, car rentals, change of included products etc. In that case, we will either notify you about the increased costs or refund you the difference. In cases where changes reach a form that require rebookings and tailoring of travel, a service fee of 15% of total tour price might apply. Please see full Terms and Conditions for further details.
Please note that changing the number of people in a booking to a smaller number is considered cancellation for the change in the number of pax.
Terms for accommodation in All-In-One Holiday packages and Self-Drives booked with Guide to Iceland
If you are booking an All-In-One Holiday Package or Self-Drive with Guide to Iceland, accommodation will be arranged as follows:
Super Budget level accommodation is set in hostel dormitories or rooms with shared facilities, regardless of the number of participants.
Budget, Comfort and Quality level accommodation will be arranged as follows: A single traveller will receive a single bedroom. Even number groups will receive twin/double rooms and odd-numbered groups of travellers will be booked into triple rooms.
Accommodation for children and teens is arranged so that they lodge with their guardians, either in a baby cot or on an additional bed in the room. Should the number of children and teens exceed the number of adults travelling with them, the exceeding number of children/teens will be subject to full adult prices.
Please note that you can contact us at any time to make changes to your accommodation level. Additional charges may apply.
Pickups
During the booking process you will be able to choose a pickup location and starting time. If you do not show up for the scheduled pickup time and location stated on your booking, your reservation is non-refundable.
If you do not know your pickup location at the time of booking, you can choose to update your pickup location later, up to 24 hours before tour departure. Click on the link in your voucher email to update your pickup location and other details. Please call the number listed on your voucher if you do not receive a confirmation of your pickup location update.
Terms of payment
When you reserve online a full payment is charged to your credit card. To reserve for group bookings and packages of more than 15 people, you can also contact us by email and make a 15% down payment. We will then start reserving your trip to secure you the best price. The rest of your payment must reach us 30 days before your arrival. Please contact info@guidetoiceland.is for this service.
All charges are made in Icelandic krona. On our website you can view an estimate of prices in a number of currencies. This is only to help you understand the approximate price in your preferred currency. Final payment is always conducted in ISK. We also refund in ISK. As Guide to Iceland does not charge any booking or transaction fees we can not be held liable to any loss in currency exchange during transactions, nor any third party transaction fees that may occur at the time of payment and/or refund.
Car rental terms
All drivers must be a minimum of 20 years of age and have had a driver’s license for at least 1 year. For certain vehicles, the minimum age might be 23 or higher. It is the responsibility of the client to understand and honour the driver minimum age. Please note that rentals are not obliged to honour a rental should the driver not meet the age requirements. Upon receiving the rental vehicle, a valid driver's license in the Latin alphabet and a credit card must be presented. You will be asked to sign a contract with the car rental. We advise you read this contract carefully and make sure that you are aware of the different insurances that you choose; what you are insured for, self-risk and more. Please note that security deposit from a valid credit card of attending traveller might be required upon pick up. The amount may vary depending on car rental and car model. Please contact the rental agency directly for further information. Upon return of the car, the deposit will be returned to you, provided the conditions of the car is the same as when picked-up. Please note that the car rental agreement will be between the renter and the car rental agency, and any disputes regarding damages etc. will need to be resolved between the two parties. Guide to Iceland cannot be liable for what you have agreed upon with the car rental company.
Guide to Iceland cannot be liable to any loss, damages, injuries, accidents, death or sickness during your stay in Iceland. All matters related to damages to the car are dealt with directly with the car rental. If you have any complaints about one of our car rental partners please send us an email to info@guidetoiceland.is and we will help you protect your rights.
General terms
Guide to Iceland cannot be liable to any loss, damage, accidents, injuries, death or sickness during your tour. The same applies for any changes in tour schedule due to weather, strikes or any other force majeure. Tour operators reserve the right to change routes, schedules and itineraries if needed because of weather, road conditions or should the necessity arise because of unforeseen reasons or circumstances.
We advise all travellers to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance to minimize possible losses due to unforeseeable situations during your travel. Guide to Iceland does not offer any travel insurance, so please contact your preferred private travel insurance company.
If you have a complaint about any of our partners please contact us at info@guidetoiceland.is and we will protect your rights.
Amazing i Will remember it everytine
I was asked to write in German. Ideal zum Einstieg und Überblick. Mehrere Anbieter von Zodiac- und anderen Touren auf dem Parkplatz, der blaue Truck war es. Relativ viel Betrieb trotz Corona. Sobald man aber auf dem Schlauchboot ist, wird es schön. Wir waren überrascht, dass man mit dem Zodiac an den Gletscher über 7 km fährt. Nach kurzer Fahrzeit ist man nah an den Eisbergen und kann auch die Gletscherkante viel besser sehen. Natürlich mit gehörigem Sicherheitsabstand. Kaum waren wir da, kalbte der Gletscher auch schon. Bei den Stopps kann man jeweils aufstehen und gute Fotos machen. Unser Guide hat sogar ein Stück Gletscher-Eis für unser Foto-Motiv rausgefischt und konnte über viel Informatives berichten.
Our guide is a witty man, he gave us a brief talk on history of glacier in the area. We also encountered glacier collapsing on the way. I really enjoy the trip.
this trip was amazing, absolutely stunning views and experience! our guide Andrew was fantastic an ensured everyone was well informed and looked after. thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone
It was too windy that day, we were not able to made it.
It was an amazing and extraordinary tour! Definitely recommended!!
This was great but a little uncomfortable too. We were dressed in oversized very bulky one piece suit and felt like a snowman. We didn’t have seats so had to sit on side of boat holding ropes. Very hard to turn to view in these suits in this position. We did some stops & could stand up at these times. Guide was good & we saw plenty. Weather was great
This was an amazing experience! Our guide, Adam was very knowledgable and I learned a lot about the area. He was also funny...keeping us entertained. The glacier was incredible and I am so glad we went out on the water to get closer to it. The scenery is breathtaking! Definitely a highlight of our trip to Iceland!!!
Amazing experience and totally worthy, very nice tour guide
The trip is awesome, and the staff are super friendly.