A travers cette excursion de 3 jours vous découvrez des lieux uniques en Islande. Le Cercle d‘Or, la côte Sud, le Parc National de Thingvellir ainsi que Jökulsárlón. Vous débutez votre aventure par la visite du Cercle d‘Or, qui regroupe quelques-uns des lieux les plus connus de la Terre de Glace. Il regroupe le Parc National de Thingvellir, Geysir ainsi que la Cascade de Gullfoss. Les deux jours suivants sont consacrés à la visite de la surprenante côte Sud de l’Islande, entre glaciers, volcans, champs de lave, rivières glaciaires et cascades puissantes. Votre visite la plus à l’Est n’est autre que le lagon d’icebergs de Jökulsárlón, ainsi que la plage de sable noir où s’échouent des blocs de glace millénaires : un environnement aussi surnaturel que contrasté.
L’un des moments forts de cette excursion est la randonnée glacier dans le Parc National de Skaftafell, sur une langue glaciaire de la plus grande calotte d’Europe : le Vatnajökull. Nos guides professionnels vous fournissent l’équipement et l’encadrement nécessaire à la marche sur glacier.
L’environnement sur un glacier offre un point de vue différent. Vous évoluez au cœur de crevasses, moulins et autres formations de glace.
Si votre objectif est de vous immerger au cœur des phénomènes uniques d’Islande, alors cette excursion est faite pour vous. Les disponibilités pour cette sortie sont limitées.
Bon à savoir
Informations sur l'excursion
Disponible: Mai. - Oct.
Durée:
3 jours
Activités: Randonnée sur glacier, Visite de sites naturels, Bateau
Difficulté: Facile
Âge minimum: 10 ans
Langues: English
Temps forts:
Jokulsarlon is a glacier lagoon in the south of Vatnajokull national park that is easily reached by the Ring Road.
Covered in thick glacial ice until the 1930’s when the glacier started retreating, the lagoon today measures 7 square miles (20 km2). More than 300 feet of ice still breaks away each year, reshaping the lagoon and filling it with icebergs - causing an alarmingly beautiful sight.
The water is freezing cold and contains a mixture of salt and freshwater giving it a blue-green color. There is plenty of fish and birdlife by the lagoon and the vast sand area of Breiðamerkursandur, and hundreds of seals stay there in winter.
Vatnajökull is the largest ice cap in Iceland and the third largest glacier in Europe, covering 8% of the island's landmass. Vatnajökull Glacier can be found in the south west of Iceland and is a popular spot for glacier hiking and ice caving tours.
Facts about Vatnajökull
Surface: 8,100 km2
Average thickness: 400 - 600 m
Maximum thickness: 1,000 m
Height: 1,400 - 1,800 m
Highest peak: 2,200 m (Hvannadalshnjúkur)
Information about Vatnajökull
Vatnajökull Glacier belongs to the greater Vatnajökull National Park, which encompasses the former national parks Skaftafell, in the southwest, and Jökulsárgljúfur, in the north. Vatnajökull's highest summit is Hvannadalshnjúkur which rests on top of a stratovolcano known as Öræfajökull.
Underneath the glacier rests some of the most active volcanoes in the country, the most notable being Grímsvötn, Öræfajökull and Bárðabunga. Volcanic activity in the region has occurred on and off throughout the centuries, and many geologists believe that such a period is overdue for immediate future. If their calculations are correct, it would mean significant volcanic activity for Vatnajökull over the scope of the next half century.
The glacier boasts of over 30 outlet glaciers, which are channels of ice that flow out of ice caps but remain constrained on the sides of the valley. The major outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull include Dyngjujökull in the north, Breiðamerkurjökull and Skeiðarárjökull to the south. To the west, one can find the outlet glaciers Síðujökull, Skaftárjökull and Tungnaárjökull.
Glaciers are in constant motion underneath their weight; as they form over the centuries, the accession of snow exceeds its melting, creating a constant "push" on the ice cap. Each year, due to the melting ice water, new ice caves form that disappear come spring.
Numerous rivers run out of Vatnajökull, making up some of the greatest glacial rivers in Iceland:
Tungnaá (west)
Köldukvísl (west)
Þjórsá (west)
Jökulsá á Fjöllum (north)
Skjálfandafljót (north)
Jökulsá á Brú (north east)
Jökulsá í Fljótsdal (north east)
Jökulsá í Lóni (south)
Hornafjarðarfljót (south)
Jökulsá á Breiðamerkursandi (south)
Skeiðará (south)
Núpsvötn (south)
Hverfisfljót (south)
Skaftá (south)
Vatnajökull National Park
Vatnajökull National Park, in its current state, was established in June 2008. The park now covers an area of 14.141 km2, making it the second largest national park in Europe. Vatnajökull National Park has 14% coverage over the whole island of Iceland.
Rivers divide the highland plateau to the north of the park; an area that sees massive glacial flows in the summertime. The volcanic table mountain Herðubreið towers over this particular region, along with volcanoes Askja, Snæfell and Kverkfjöll.
The canyon Jökulsárgljúfur was carved out by glacial floods centuries ago. At the upper end of the canyon, you'll find Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Further north, the horseshoe-shaped canyon Ásbyrgi is believed to have formed when Óðinn's horse, Sleipnir, stepped his foot down from the heavens.
East around Snæfell, one can find wetlands and ranges, home to roaming herds of wild reindeer and abundant birdlife. Steep mountain ridges make up the south side of Vatnajökull, where outlet glaciers crawl in between the ridges onto the lowlands. The sandy plains of Skeiðarársandur also lie to the south as they reach out to sea. The glacial river Skeiðará runs through this vast desert.
One of Iceland's most visited landmarks is the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, which sits at the head of outlet glacier Breiðamerkurjökull. There, large icebergs that have broken off the glacier gather to float in the lake before ending up in the Atlantic Ocean, or on the nearby Diamond Beach.
The volume of Vatnajökull reached its peak around 1930 but has since been in a steady process of decline. Because of rising levels of global temperature, approximately over the last 15 years, Vatnajökull has on average lost about a metre of its thickness annually.
If temperature levels continue to rise, the glacier could be all but gone nearing the end of the next century, leaving only small ice caps on top of the highest mountain summits.
Skogafoss is one of the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls of the island with an astounding width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters.
This is one of the most popular waterfalls in Iceland for travellers to visit. It is located in South Iceland, not far from Skogar, which itself features a highly interesting regional museum. Due to the amount of spray the waterfall often produces a single or double rainbow on sunny days.
Seljalandsfoss in the river Seljalandsa in South Iceland is one of the most sought waterfalls in the country.
Seljalandsfoss has a narrow cascade but is one of Iceland's highest waterfalls, at 63 meters. The waterfall is highly picturesque and has the rare distinction that one can actually walk behind it.
Geysir is a famous hot spring in Haukadalur valley in South Iceland. Part of the ‘Golden Circle', Geysir gives its name to hot springs all over the world.
Though Geysir itself is hardly active anymore, the area features spectacular hot springs such as the powerful Strokkur, which spouts a vast amount of water every 10 minutes, around 15-20 meters into the air, Smidur and Litli-Strokkur.
North of Geysir are fumaroles, i.e. unlike the hot springs that emit hot water, only steam and gas emanate from these. You may be able to observe bright yellow stains at the fumaroles, this is native sulphur, which crystallizes from the steam. At the southern part of the geothermal area, called Thykkuhverir, you‘ll find various mud pots. Such mud pots are actually fumaroles that boil up through surface water/groundwater and may become steaming fumaroles during dry spells, rather than the usual boiling mud pots.
About 2 km from Geysir is an old preserved natural pool called Kúalaug. One can bathe in it and it has room for 3-5 people at a time, but care should be taken, as the area around the pool is very delicate. The temperature is 39-43°C, depending on how you are positioned in the pool. The water is slightly muddy, as the pool is built on soil, and the bottom is slippery due to algae, so caution is advised.
In Haukadalur there has also been tree planting in recent times and today the forest Haukadalsskógur is one of the largest in South Iceland. Aspen, various types of pine, and other plants have been tried out there and experiments and research continue. We also recommend visiting the tree museum, built in the memory of forester Gunnar Freysteinsson. There are good paths and roads in the forest and the wood is specially designed to accommodate wheelchairs.
Haukadalur has been a church site since ancient time. The current wooden church was last rebuilt in 1938 but the variety and appearance of the church dates back to 1842, making it one of the oldest of its kind in Iceland.
Haukadalur is indeed a historical place. It was settled during the age of settlement and scholar Ari “The Wise“ Thorgilsson grew up there. The first pastoral school in Iceland was also built there.
For accommodation, Hotel Gullfoss is about 7 km from the Geysir area, and closer still is the Hotel Geysir.
Skaftafell is a nature preserve in Oraefasveit. It used to be a national park of its own but joined the larger Vatnajokull National Park in 2008.
Skaftafell is notable for its rich flora, growing between sands and glaciers, and overall for its amazing and contrasting scenery. You can take short and easy trails to the waterfalls Svartifoss and Hundafoss, as well as Skaftafell glacier, with the mountain Kristinartindar and Morsardalur valley further off.
Skaftafell is also the perfect base camp for those seeking to climb Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnukur.
Vik in Myrdalur valley is the southernmost village on the Icelandic mainland, located 186 km from the capital Reykjavik.
Vik is important as a service centre for the inhabitants and visitors of the marvellous Reynisfjara beach.
Reynisfjara is widely considered one of the most beautiful beaches on earth (see for example Islands Magazine). This black pebble beach boasts an amazing cliff of regular basalt columns called Gardar, which resembles a rocky step pyramid and out in the sea are the spectaculary shaped basalt sea stacks Reynisdrangar. The area has rich birdlife, including puffins, fulmars and guillemots.
Kerið is a volcanic crater lake in Grímsnes in south Iceland. It is a popular stop when traveling the Golden Circle.
It is believed that Kerið was originally a cone volcano that erupted and and emptied its magma reserve. Once the magma was depleted, the weight of the cone collapsed into an empty magma chamber, later to be filled with water.
The Kerið caldera is composed of red volcanic rock and is around 55 m deep, 170 m wide and 270 m across. There is little vegetation in the steep-walled crater, save for one wall with a gentler slope which is covered with deep moss. This wall is fairly easy to descend.
The lake itself is fairly shallow and is striking in its beauty. Opaque and aquamarine, surrounded by the red crater walls, Kerið offers a great contrast of colours and a highly impressive scenery.
The acoustics of the crater are considered to be fairly good, and a number of concerts have been held inside Kerið. There is a small admission fee to visit Kerið, 400 ISK per person (as of 2017).
Reynisdrangar are rock formations situated near the shore of Reynisfjara beach by the coastal village Vík í Mýrdalur on the South Coast of Iceland.
The formations are large and impending sea cliffs, made up of the rock type basalt, that serve as a vital part of the area’s allure as they shoot dramatically out of the ocean under the looming cliffs of Mt. Reynisfjall.
The village of Vík only houses around 300 permanent inhabitants, but on a daily basis, travellers scouting the South Coast make their way there to visit what has been voted as one of the most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world. The beach of Reynisfjara, however, can be highly dangerous if proper caution is not taken. As is evident from how the waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash upon Reynisdrangar, the currents here are strong, and sneak waves can easily carry anyone that’s standing too close out to sea. The beach is not for wading, but for admiring, and especially the mighty surf bursting on the base of these rocky cliffs.
Folklore
There is an Icelandic folk tale that explains the origin of the pillars’ eerie appearance. According to legend, a couple of trolls were busy dragging a stranded three-masted ship to shore when the sunlight hit them and turned them into pillars of rock for all eternity. In fact, numerous rock formations in Iceland carry with them tales of trolls or elves, and one has only to look at them to fathom why.
Surroundings & Wildlife
An alternative view of the bewitching cliffs and their surrounding sea can be enjoyed by venturing up Mt. Reynisfjall, by a road to the west of the village. The mountain furthermore functions as a puffin colony every summer, from April to September, meaning guests can enjoy the view in good company. Other birds can be seen gliding around the cliffs such as Arctic terns, fulmars and seagulls.
Randonnée glacier guidée avec l'équipement nécessaire
2 nuits en hébergement en chambre double, avec salle de bain partagée et petit-déjeuner
Tour en bateau à Jökulsárlón
Wi-fi disponible dans le minibus
Frais d'entrée pour le cratère de Kerid
Déjeuner et dîner
A emporter avec vous:
Vêtement chauds et bonnes chaussures de randonnée, essayez d'apporter avec vous un baggage léger si possible
Bonnes chaussures de randonnée pour la rando sur glacier. Vous pouvez en louer en option
Appareil photo
Bon à savoir:
Meals other than breakfast are not included but we do make lunch and dinner stops where guests can buy meals. The maximum number of passengers are 15 which gives a better atmosphere while travelling A Single Room supplement of 15.000 ISK is mandatory for single travleres. IMPORTANT: It can happen that the glacier hike is cancelled because of weather and/or safety reasons. Then we will find other activities when possible or make a partial refund.
Itinéraire quotidien
Jour 1 - Le Cercle d’or et le cratère Kerid
Le Cercle d’Or regroupe les sites les plus populaires d’Islande. Gullfoss, Geysir et le Parc National de Thingvellir sont des classiques à visiter pour tout voyageur sur notre île.
Afin d’ajouter quelque chose d’unique à votre expérience, vous découvrez aujourd’hui le grand cratère de Kerid. Large de 270 mètres et profond de 55 mètres, ce cratère est en partie comblé par un lac profond de 14 mètres offrant une pointe de magie à ce lieu.
Le Parc National de Thingvellir est un haut-lieu pour les islandais. Il se trouve à cheval entre les plaques tectoniques américaine et eurasienne, au cœur de la ceinture volcanique et de fissures qui parcourent l’Islande. Le sentiment de se trouver entre deux continents est une expérience unique.
Geysir est situé dans le champ géothermique d’Haukadalur où vous pouvez admirer les geysers de Strokkur et de Geysir lui-même, qui a donné son nom au terme international « geyser ». Strokkur entre en éruption toutes les 5 à 10 minutes environ, faisant jaillir une colonne d’eau et de vapeur à une hauteur variant entre 20 et 30 mètres.
La « Cascade d’or » Gullfoss, est une chute très impressionnante en Islande.
Vous passez la nuit dans une charmante guesthouse proche de la grande cascade de Seljalandsfoss.
Jour 2 - Côte Sud, cascades et randonnée sur glacier
Aujourd’hui vous découvrez 5 cascades de la côte Sud de l’Islande, qui sont Gljufrabui, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Irafoss et la cascade secrète de Kvernufoss.
Dans l'après-midi, vous rejoignez une randonnée sur glacier au Solheimajokull durant 1h30. Vous découvrez ensuite la plage de sable noir Reynisfjara et ses colonnes de basalte. Vous passez la nuit à Nicehostel Seljalandsfoss, tout près de la chute du même nom.
Jour 3 - Lagune glaciaire de Jökulsárlón et parc national Skaftafell
Aujourd’hui est la journée de la glace et des lagons. Après un arrêt au village de Vik, cap vers l'Est où vous découvrez la cascade Foss á Sidu et le parc national Skaftafell. Pause déjeuner au parc.
Vous découvrez ensuite la lagune glaciaire de Jökulsárlón et réalisez un tour en bateau au milieu des icebergs et des phoques, avec comme toile de fond les imposants glaciers.
Retour vers Reykjavik avec quelques arrêts sur votre route de retour vers Reykjavik. Arrivée vers 21h00 à la capitale.
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