ヨークルスアゥルロゥン氷河湖日帰りバスツアー｜ボートツアー付き

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.

Geography

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.

History

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.

Wildlife

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.

Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s biggest and most beautiful waterfalls with an astounding width of 25 meters (82 feet) and a drop of 60 meters (197 feet).

Due to the amount of spray the cascade produces, at least one rainbow is present any time the sun emerges from behind the clouds.

Located on the Skógá river, this mighty cascade is clearly visible from Route 1 and is an excellent place to stop and stretch the legs while travelling Iceland’s South Coast. The river below Skógafoss holds a large char and salmon population and is thus a favourite spot for fishermen in the summer.

The land underneath the waterfall is very flat, allowing visitors to walk right up to the wall of water. This will get you drenched, although, on a summer’s day, it can be quite tempting.

Skógafoss can also be viewed from the top as a steep staircase leads to an observational platform above the cascade. Many nesting seabirds can be found on the route up.

Geography

Skógafoss is located near the small village of Skógar, south of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano. There you’ll find the Skógasafn folk museum, an open-air museum with both old wooden houses and turf houses, as well as a regional museum with various artefacts from this area.

A part of the Skógasafn Regional Museum is the Museum of Transportation, which showcases the history and evolution of transportation, communication and technologies in Iceland. There, you can see how this nation evolved from the age of the working horse to the digital communications of the 21st century.

The Skógasafn museum also includes a café and a museum shop, and in the village of Skógar, you will find both a hotel and a restaurant.

At the eastern side of Skógafoss, you will find one of Iceland’s most famed hiking routes; the Fimmvörðuháls pass. The 22 kilometre (14 miles) trail takes you along Skógá river, between two glaciers, Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull, before ending in the beautiful Þórsmörk valley.

Skógafoss is often visited alongside the waterfall Seljalandsfoss, which is just a little further along the South Coast. Both fall from cliffs of the same height, and while Skógafoss is much more powerful, Seljalandsfoss has a cave behind it, which means it can be fully encircled. It is also next to a much lesser known but still awe-inspiring waterfall, Gljúfrabúi.

Folklore

A gold ring is on display at the Skógasafn museum. According to legend, the ring is from a chest that was owned by Þrasi Þórólfsson, one of the first Viking settlers in the area, who by some accounts was a giant. Folklore states that before his death in 900 AD, Þrasi buried a chest filled with gold in a cave behind Skógafoss waterfall.

Many attempts were made to retrieve the chest after Þrasi’s death, and years later, locals managed to grasp a ring on the side of the chest. As they pulled, the ring broke off, and the treasure was lost forever. The ring was then given to the local church before it made its way to the museum.

Seljalandsfoss is a waterfall that can be fully encircled, situated on the South Coast of Iceland with a drop of 60 metres (200 feet).

Due to the waterfall’s close proximity to the Ring Road and impressive natural features, it is one the country's most famous and visited falls. Majestic and picturesque, it is one of the most photographed features in all of Iceland.

Geology and Surroundings

Seljalandsfoss waterfall, part of the river Seljalandsá, has its origins underneath the glacier Eyjafjallajökull. The volcano beneath this ice cap was the one that erupted in 2010 and caused havoc at airports across Europe.

The cascade of the falls is relatively narrow but falls from a tall cliff that once marked the country's coastline, the sea is now located across a stretch of lowlands and is visible from the site.

The most distinguishing feature of Seljalandsfoss is a pathway that stretches all the way around it. The cliffs behind the falls have a wide cavern, and rocks and paths allow guests to fully encircle it in summer.

Though a mesmerising opportunity, visitors should be prepared to get dampened due to the perpetual mist of the falls, which also tends to make the rocks of the pathway slippery. 

Floodlights have been set up on both sides of the waterfall, which impressively illuminate the scene during the night when the midnight sun is not out. The lights were installed in 2001 due to the growing popularity of the falls as a tourist destination.

After visiting Seljalandsfoss, it is common for visitors to continue north to the waterfall Gljúfrabúi, which is found partially hidden behind a rock face. Because of Seljalandsfoss extreme popularity, Gljúfrabúi is widely considered the hidden gem of the scene, as it is too often overlooked.

Seljalandsfoss is also usually visited alongside the nearby Skógafoss. The waterfall falls from the same height, and while it cannot be encircled, it is much more powerful and steeped in the legend of a giant’s hidden treasure.

Visitor Centre Controversy

In 2017, it was announced that a visitor’s centre was to be constructed near the falls. The design of the building indicated that it would be seven metres (23 feet) high and 2,000 square metres (21,500 square feet) in size. Landowners in the area opposed to the idea, proclaiming that the centre would greatly alter the natural appearance of the waterfall’s renowned scenery.

The project has neither been fully approved nor wholly cancelled, with ideas surfacing of either significantly reducing the size of the construction, or moving the visitor centre’s location further away, for instance to the nearby farmstead Brekkuhorn.

Seljalandsfoss in Popular Culture

Along with a multitude of South Iceland’s most famous natural attractions, Seljalandsfoss can be seen in Justin Bieber’s music video for his song ‘I’ll Show You’. Please enjoy the video without emulating any antics that will endanger yourself or the environment.

The waterfall was also a featured waypoint during the first leg of the sixth season of The Amazing Race, an American reality TV series.

The South Coast of Iceland is one of the most popular parts of the country for travellers. South Iceland is lined with countless natural wonders including cascading waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers and black sand beaches.

This incredible South Shore of Iceland stretches from the greater Reykjavík area in the west to the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in the east. It’s possible to incorporate a trip to The Golden Circle before heading South. This is another popular area with visitors to Iceland. Here you can see Þingvellir (or Thingvellir) National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, a volcanic crater called Kerið, and one of Iceland's biggest waterfalls; Gulfoss.

Highlights of the South Coast of Iceland

The South Coast offers an array of natural wonders that draw thousands of visitors each day.

The whole area is geologically very young, formed during the last Ice Age by the lava flows from numerous volcanoes in the area. The lowlands are surrounded by volcanically active mountains, notably Eyjafjallajökull and Hekla. If you stop at Hveragerði, you can visit the Quake 2008 exhibition where you can witness the split in the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

In terms of culture in the South, it is rich and diverse. Most towns have amateur groups for theatre, poetry reading, and choir song. Community is a big part of an Icelander’s life and one of the key things that help them get through the winter months. The South was once home to the ancient bishop seat of Skálholt. Also, Iceland's most famous saga, Njal's Saga, takes place in the region.

When driving the South Coast route from Reykjavík city, the first major features are the two great waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. These falls which sit beneath the notorious subglacial volcano, Eyjafjallajökull. On clear days, the Westman Islands can be seen across the ocean from these beautiful cascades. Less than a kilometre from Seljalandsfoss is the hidden gem of Gljúfrabúi waterfall. 

Skógar, which is home to Skogafoss waterfall, has a very interesting museum that discusses some of the nation’s history and culture. One of Iceland’s most famous hiking trails, Fímmvörðuháls, cuts through the area and is worth the walk if you have time.

A little further down the route is the glacier Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which covers one of Iceland’s most explosive volcanoes, Katla. Many glacier hikes are taken here upon the glacier tongue, Sólheimajökull.

This landscape has also been shaped by volcanic eruptions, although these were much more recent. Vast expanses of the black sand stretch from the Highlands to the sea, part of several glacial outwash plains that flood during a volcanic eruption. One such sandplain, Sólheimasandur, is home to a crashed DC-3 Plane Wreck.

The Dyrhólaey cliffs are next, home to many seabirds. Jutting out to sea is an enormous rock arch of the same name, which you can marvel at from many angles.

Adjacent to the village of Vík is the famous black-sand beach, Reynisfjara, which is home to basalt columns and the Reynisdrangar rock formations. These pillars are said to be two trolls frozen by the light of the sun. 

Though beautiful, this area is notorious for its dangerous sneaker waves. Even on seemingly calm and still days, visitors should keep a distance from the shoreline. There are no landmasses between Reynisfjara beach and the continent of Antarctica, so you can imagine how the waves can build momentum.

After passing through Vík you will cross the glacial sandplain of Skeiðarársandur before entering Vatnajökull National Park. Here you can see Vatnajokull Glacier, Iceland’s largest glacier. Many ice cave tours take place in Vatnajokull in the winter months.

Move on to the dramatic Skaftafell Nature Reserve in the National Park. Here you can enjoy a diversity of landscapes and terrains. The area was considered a National Park in its own right because it was so beautiful.

Finally, you will approach the famous Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, a deep lake that fills with icebergs as the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier slowly breaks down. Here there are plenty of options for boat tours that take you around the lagoon and up close to icebergs. A short distance from Jökulsárlón you will find the Diamond Beach, where blue icebergs wash on the black-sand beach, and another glacier lagoon called Fjallsárlón.

Geography, Nature & Wildlife

The South Coast is the most easily accessible part of the country’s southern region, found along the Ring Road (Route 1), which encircles Iceland. The area is made up of diverse landscapes; marshlands, bays, cultivated pastures, estuaries and black sand deserts.

Underneath the soil rests a vast lava field, known as Þjórsárhraun. Reaching several hundred metres offshore, it provides a protective factor to the lowland as ocean waves crash upon it. This results in the South Shore being unusually lacking in the deep fjords that so distinctly characterise the rest of Iceland's shoreline.

Unlike most early Icelandic settlements, few of the communities in the south were based on fishing. The only town with a significant harbour in the south is Þorlákshöfn, where the ferry to the Westman Islands leaves. Some agriculture is found here, with farms nestled in the mountains, but because of the glacial floods, they are few and far between.

There are, however, plenty of hot springs in the area. The most famous is the Blue Lagoon Spa which is close to Keflavik airport. The lagoon formed as a result of the overflow from a nearby power plant.

However, there are lots of natural geothermal hot springs in more remote locations, where you can avoid the crowds and have a more natural experience. Some of the spots travellers recommend are Seljavallalaug, which is close to Skogar, and Reykjadalur, the Valley of Steam, which is close to Hveragerði.

The South region boasts vibrant bird life during all seasons. Freshwater birds nest in the marshlands and around the estuaries, while seabirds flock around the cliffs of Reynisdrangar and Dyrhólaey. 

You may be able to spot North Atlantic puffins nesting on the cliffs between May and August. In summer there are 2-3 times as many Arctic Tern as Icelanders so you are bound to spot some of them on your travels. Some species stay throughout the harsh Icelandic winter, including the northern diver, the loom and various species of gulls and ducks.  

Seals are often found along the shore, particularly around the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. As with everywhere in Iceland, you should always keep an eye out to sea, as whales and dolphins reside all along its coastline.

In terms of sports; horse riding is popular, as is fishing, hiking, snorkelling, sightseeing and river rafting.

The Diamond Beach is a strip of black sand belonging to the greater Breiðamerkursandur glacial plain, located by Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon on the South Coast of Iceland.

Here, the icebergs which fill Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon wash up on shore, standing dazzling and defiant in stark contrast to the black sand beach. It is, therefore, a favourite amongst photographers, nature-lovers, and wildlife-enthusiasts. Many seals call this beach home, and it is one of the best places in the country to see orcas from the shore.

Breiðamerkursandur

Breiðamerkursandur is a glacial outwash plain located in the municipality of Hornafjörður. The sand stretches approximately 18 kilometres along Iceland’s South Coast, more specifically from the foot of Kvíárjökull Glacier to the famed glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, that nests by the foot of Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier.

Both glaciers make up part of the 30 outlets of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap and the central feature of the Vatnajökull National Park. Many of these are seen en route to the Diamond Beach as you travel along the South Coast.

The outwash plain was formed when three of Vatnajökull’s outlet glaciers, Breiðamerkurjökull, Hrútárjökull and Fjallsjökull, flowed forward due to volcanic activity and ground the rocks of the underlying surface, creating and pushing forward the glacial sediments.

Such sand plains are a common part of the Icelandic landscape, due to the island being volcanically active as well as boasting numerous ice caps. The terminus (the tip of a given glacier) also dug deep into the ground and left what is now the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Although now the deepest lake in all of Iceland, it only began to form in 1935.

The glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach are fantastical sites, however, the rate of their expansion is, unfortunately, a consequence of climate change. With the rate that the glaciers are melting, there may be no ice left at either site within decades.

Jökulsárlón Icebergs

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of the most famed and visited attractions in Iceland. Floating on the lagoon are enumerable icebergs that have broken off the resident glacier, creating an ever-changing scenery of incredible allure.

The river Jökulsá connects the lagoon to the Atlantic Ocean, meaning that these icebergs eventually drift out to sea where they are polished by the waves before floating back to the black sands of Breiðamerkursandur. The name ‘Diamond Beach’ thus comes from the white ice on the black sand appearing like gemstones or diamonds, as they often glisten in the sun and sharply contrast their jet black surroundings.  

Safety at the Diamond Beach

The Diamond Beach is a safe place for any responsible traveller; unlike at Reynisfjara, another South Coast black-sand-beach, sneaker waves and rip currents are not notorious for whisking unwitting tourists out to sea. However, there are still dangers to consider.

The main one of these is the icebergs themselves. Under no circumstance should you climb upon an iceberg, due to their slippery surfaces and sharp edges.

This is especially the case if the iceberg is at all in the water, as it could flip and trap you underneath, or else be pulled out to sea by a current with you on it.

The risk of injury and illness in the form of hypothermia is so great that extortionate fines exist to deter any ‘rebels’ looking for a thrill-seek. These have only come about due to serious incidents, to protect not only tourists at the lagoon but guides and staff who may feel obligated to embark on a dangerous rescue if they see someone at risk.