The Beauty Of Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Iceland

Sometimes you get to a destination and it doesn't live up to your expectations. Well, Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon in Iceland smashed every expectation I had.

Mr W and I are massive fans of Iceland and have been lucky enough to visit twice in the last year. Iceland really captured my heart due to its amazing and futuristic volcanic landscape, ethereal stunning beauty, breathtaking shimmering waterfalls and natural geothermal spas. The people are super cool - stylish yet traditional, and the food is amazing, with lots of fresh fish, organic produce and independent restaurants rustling up exceptional cuisine.
Our trip to Jokulsarlon came about during our Iceland road trip in August, going from Reykjavik, in the south to Akeruryi in the north of the country.




We were lucky to see a couple having their wedding photos taken

Now Jokulsarlon is one of the wonders of the natural world. I had heard about this place and seen photos but nothing can prepare you for the beauty of this place. It is literally jaw-dropping.  Every year thousands of people flock to this beautiful glacier lagoon in the south-east of Iceland.  A filming location for the James Bond films, A View To A Kill and Die Another Day as well as Lara Croft, Tomb Raider and Batman Begins, the amazing landscape is also perfect for wedding photos and we were lucky to spot a couple having their photos taken!

Jokulsarlon is a naturally formed lagoon, being about a couple of hundred meters deep. What you see is the tips of the icebergs above the water. Although it seems like the lagoon has been there forever it is only about 80 years old. The icebergs come from Breidamerkurjokull, part of the Vatnajokull glacier, developing into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.







The icebergs vary in colour from bright blue to milky white due to the amount of air in the ice and the interplay of light. Every so often you can hear a whoosh and see the spectacles of icebergs breaking off. This is the reason why you should never climb on an iceberg. I'm sorry to say this but people really do and it is so dangerous, so please be safe.



If you like wildlife, be sure to go in the Winter where you will see a number of seals.

Boat tours operate between April and October and these need to be booked in advance in case they sell out, as they do. They offer Zodiac and Amphibian boat tours. The Amphibian tour is a larger boat whilst the Zodiac tour is smaller and you can get closer to the icebergs. 



If you drive over the road or walk over the bridge for a few hundred meters there is an area called Diamond Beach where large icebergs get washed up on the black volcanic sand. To see these large white chunks of ice against the contrast of the coarse black sand is really a sight to behold, you can tell why they call it Diamond Beach.


Facilities




There are restroom facilities, a small cafe and food trucks at the car park of Jokulsarlon. Prices are typical Iceland prices, so very expensive. If the price is an issue bring a flask of hot drink and snacks from a supermarket.


Boat tours leave from here are well as tours of an ice cave in the Vatnajokull Glacier. 

How to get there





pin for later

Jokulsarlon is a 5-hour drive from Reykjavik with no stops. It is just off the Route one ring road between Hofn and Skaftafell.

It is a good idea to split the journey, as there are lots to see along the way including the stunning waterfall of Seljalandsfoss which you can walk behind, Skogafoss waterfall, as seen in the film The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, the black beaches at Vik and Reynisfjara, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano and much more. In fact, I would recommend splitting up the journey into two days as the south of Iceland is great for exploring nature. We managed to even hike a glacier on our trip!




There are a small number of hotels and guest houses nearby including the Hali Country Hotel and the Skyrhusid Guest House. We stayed in Fosshotel Nupar just over an hour away and loved the minimalist design and excellent buffet breakfast. I highly recommend you book the accommodation in advance as especially in the Summer months it gets booked up.

A travel short from the Fly Drive Explore YouTube channel that I create with Mr W

Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon is an amazingly beautiful place and one which you must see if you are exploring Iceland's south coast. Don't forget to take your camera, wrap up warm and enjoy what nature has provided.

58 comments

  1. We visited Jokulsarlon during our trip to Iceland a few summers back and loved it, all the more so as we were lucky that there was a rainbow over it from the recent rain, but the sun was shining as we arrived. We took that boat trip around, which was fun. Is the married couple in the first shot you guys?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would have loved to visit when there was a rainbow. I forgot to mention the couple didn't I? It isn't us, we just stumbled upon them having their wedding photos taken which was so sweet.

      Delete
  2. what a stunning place! I am desperate to visit Iceland. Those wedding photos will be stunning for that couple, how special :) x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Iceland is really beautiful Rebecca, you must try and visit one day.

      Delete
  3. This is utterly breathtaking - what an incredible vista!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The photos are beautiful and it sounds as if it was a wonderful trip. A funny thing I noticed is that the snow by the bride looks like a tail. Regardless, I am sure that 99% of her photos are perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow what a gorgeous place to visit. This looks like a place I need to add to my visit list. Great post thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow what an absolutely stunning place the blue in the ice is just stunning. No wonder people decide to have wedding photos there.

    ReplyDelete
  7. My goodness such a beautiful place to visit! I need to go here one day

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would just love to listen to you say all the places you visited! Iceland is a beautiful place and it would quite fun to see it in person.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Id love to vist Iceland your photos are stunning and makes me want to be able to visit even more.

    ReplyDelete
  10. How amazing that you got to see a couple get married by the Jokulsarlon glacier! Aren't the glaciers beautiful in the way that they keep changing colours?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The light in Iceland is amazing and it helps when you are taking photos.

      Delete
  11. OMG! I am blown away by the beauty of this place. Adding this place to my bucket list.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That place looks absolutely amazing! I'd love to visit this place someday. All of the photos are great and imagine being here during sunset or at night full of stars.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...Or being here and seeing the northern lights!

      Delete
  13. What an amazing trip and great photos. As a photographer Iceland is high up on my list! Hiking on a glacier must have been amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We saw a group of photographers at one of the hotels. Iceland is so special.

      Delete
  14. Wow this looks like a lovely place to have your wedding photos taken, it looks like you've taken some great snaps of Iceland :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Looks amazing but far too cold for the kids as they can barely handle October without complaining that they are freezing lol. Maybe a place to visit when they have grown and flown the nest x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's actually not too cold believe it or not. I mean it doesn't have extremes of temperature that New York has! It's generally not that warm and can be windy but not as cold as some people think.

      Delete
  16. A completely breathtaking place and it's so hard to imagine being able to visit somewhere this beautiful. It makes for a lovely location for a wedding for sure x

    ReplyDelete
  17. It's an amazing landscape and what a place to have your wedding photos. It makes Cardiff Bay look decidedly tame!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I would love to visit Iceland! It sounds like a dream place, totally surreal! Hopefully I will be able to visit one day! :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wow! I really want to go to Iceland. My parents are heading there in a few weeks and I'm so envious.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Iceland is high on my list of places I have to visit. It looks absolutely stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is such a cool place to visit. Such a memorable place to get a wedding photo taken.

    ReplyDelete
  22. This place looks absolutely stunning! I'll have to show my partner later as I'd love to visit there

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a spectactular place - I love the look of Jokulsarlon - and those wedding photos are just going to be stunning! You wouldn't catch me climbing an iceberg - but it's amazing how daft some people are!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is amazing how silly some people can be. Safety should be a priority.

      Delete
  24. I am so jealous that you have been there twice. I am desperate to go but sadly got out-voted by the kids - hopefully next year

    ReplyDelete
  25. What an amazing trip! We'd love to visit Jokulsarlon some day. The colours of blue are almost magical!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wow, those photos are beautiful! I'd love to visit Iceland, it looks amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This post makes me miss Iceland so much. It's such a beautiful country and I can't wait to see more of it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is such beautiful place, I fell in love with it when I went in February and had to go back as soon as possible.

      Delete
  28. What a beautiful place and wonderful pictures

    ReplyDelete
  29. What an absolutely stunning landscape, Iceland is somewhere I've always wanted to visit but never quite made it there. What a beautiful country!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is an amazing country and so full of natural beauty, it just took my breath away.

      Delete
  30. Oh man, that looks like an absolutely beautiful landscape to experience!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh my goodness what an incredible place to visit, The shots really capture the beauty. Definitely on the list of places that i would love to visit some day :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Wow it looks absolutely stunning - almost like a painting. What a great experience. I would love to visit one day!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Jokulsarlon seems so charming and astonishing, Mel! I fell in love with the place from your pictures! How many days would you recommend staying there?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There isn't much around Jokulsarlon so I would recommend planning to stop there on your way to the east of the country.

      Delete
  34. Iceland is totally beautiful and I agree so spectacular in scenery. I would definitely love to visit it one day.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Oh wow! This looks totally amazing! I've never considered going there but we might re-think it.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Such a wonderful and beautiful country. The more I see of it, the more I long to go. Love the wedding photo, isn't that just perfection!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! I would have loved to have gotten married there.

      Delete
  37. Iceland is very much on my destination bucket list. I spent five hours there once in the airport, but that doesn't count, lol!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a shame, hopefully you will get the chance to explore one day

      Delete
  38. Carolyn99@candcthai15 February 2018 at 10:26

    Breathtaking photography and scenery. Now I really have to go!!!

    ReplyDelete