Skaftafellsjökull glacier path

From the visitor centre take the paved path east along the foot of the wooded slopes of Austurbrekkur. After about 1.3 km the paving ends and a gravel path carries on over old moraines to a viewpoint above the lagoon at the snout of Skaftafellsjökull, and a little further to the end of the path. Come back south and west over the moraine ridge, past a second viewpoint, to the visitor centre. Numbered posts explain the moraines, kettle holes and the plants on newly bare ground.

It is 4.6 km round with 38 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy: paved and firm gravel paths, among the easiest in the national park.

There is no glacier travel on this walk. The ice front can collapse and break off into the lagoon, and the ground at its margin can be soft and unstable: follow the warning sign at the end of the path, and never go onto the glacier without a guide and the right equipment. The path can be icy in winter.

Vatnajökull National Park charges a day fee for parking at Skaftafell, 1,110 ISK for a car, paid through Parka or at the machines. Strætó route 52 between Reykjavík and Höfn stops here on some days of the week.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.