Arriving at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
I scramble up the hill. Small black stones and rocks are loose beneath my feet. I almost trip. With each step forward my excitement grows. I’m nearly there. Just a few more steps.
I’ve made it.
I stand mesmerised from the top at the view below of Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Icebergs lie in a pool of sunlight. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I’m speechless, yet inside I’m screaming with excitement to the high Gods.
I want to jump and dance and kiss the ground but I contain myself. My smile, however, cannot be tamed. I’m grinning like a lunatic released from a mental asylum.
This is how I feel when I’m far North, the fresh air does something to my brain, I feel high. It’s more than just exhilaration. Mother Nature is truly intoxicating isn’t she?
This feeling of intoxication is always intensified in Iceland. The best I can find to describe her beauty is otherworldly, a lunar landscape filled with cracked black rocks interspersed with florescent moss, orange and red surface fissures, pools of bubbling mud pots, erupting geysers, rainbows, basalt pillars, black beaches, waterfall after waterfall, glaciers and icebergs. It’s a natural world, but a trippy and beautiful one.
I yell to my colleague that I’m in heaven, and he nods in agreement. He’s taken me to a stop-off point just before the main part of Jokularlon Glacier Lagoon which has less visitors, and the ice appears to be more like ice floes instead of icebergs.
He tells me the ice seems to have retreated since he was last here. Perhaps it’s down to climate change or it could just be the natural movement of the ice, I’m not sure. It makes me wonder. A place like this cannot disappear.
After walking around with my jaw on the floor, my colleague said it was time to head over to see the ‘daddies’. We head back to the car and 5 minutes later, after driving over a bridge, we enter the official entrance of Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. I see what he means by the ‘daddies’ – the icebergs – they’re much bigger, some are huge.
In this section, the space is more restricted, so I wouldn’t say the view is more impressive than the first one – they’re equally amazing so I recommend stopping at both.
However, I spot some seals bobbing up and down which sets off another bout of euphoria. I’m hoping that they’ll move closer to the land but it’s clear to see they prefer lounging around on the ice like a Rubenesque figure on a Chaise Longue.
It’s difficult to put the size of these icebergs into perspective, but some are the size of houses, whilst others appear like flat, thick ice-sheets. As I’m standing and staring my colleague comes up next to me and says,
“These are tiny compared to the ones in Greenland’.
“Oh cheers, you trying to piss on my bonfire?” I reply.
“I’m just educating you.” He says in a tone of humour.
“You remind me of a woman I had a conversation with from Denmark. I told her how much I loved Svalbard, and her exact words were, “Svalbard is peanuts compared to Greenland”.
“That’s not true. Svalbard is special. And she would say that – she’s from Denmark ” he said.
“Hah! That is true.” I reply.
I walk around the area, exploring its different facets. I bend down to look for pretty stones, and examine the clusters of ice broken away from the icebergs; they look like huge crystals dazzling under the sunlight against the black sand. I pick one up and lift it to my mouth and take a big slurp – it’s as fresh and cool as a mountain spring.
A suggestion for anyone travelling here is bring your own bottle so you can refill at the nearest stream or waterfall. The opportunities to do this are aplenty. Iceland has some of the cleanest water in the world so experience it.
It’s unnecessary to keep buying plastic bottles, and when you’re in a country that strives for a more eco lifestyle, it’s a good idea to follow that example. I promise if you do, you’ll go home and think twice about how some of your actions impact the environment and how they can be easily changed.
Diamond Beach
For the last spot we go across the road to Diamond Beach, and oh boy, it was the perfect way to finish my Jökulsárlón experience.
We were greeted with a spectacle of ice floes that have washed onto the beach like a cluster of a thousand diamonds. Spectacular doesn’t even come close to describing it.
I relax to the sound of the waves leaping over the glacial boulders and clashing onto the beach.
No wave is the same, and that’s what makes it so compelling to watch. With each waves, I hope the next one will be bigger than the last.
Watching the sunset over Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
And the timing couldn’t have been any more perfect. The sun is beginning to set and the sky is turning pink. I’ve got nothing else to wish for. Except… maybe a trip to Greenland next…
Book a Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon boat tour
If you’re looking to heighten your experience of visiting Jökulsárlón, you have the catch to embark on a small group boat tour. I haven’t done this trip yet, but it looks amazing.
Alternatively, if you’re not hiring a car whilst you’re in Iceland, you can join a day trip that takes you to the glacial lagoons while also stopping off at Vík and Seljalandsfoss waterfall. See more details below.
Nearby Accommodation
I recommend staying at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon. It’s modern, comfortable and stylish. The rooms aren’t super big but everything has been well thought out and the beds are super comfy.
The view from the hotel is gorgeous and it’s well appointed to explore other areas of South Iceland, including Skaftafell Nature Reserve. I recommend doing the short hike to Svartifoss, which is one of the most beautiful and unusual waterfalls in Iceland.
More Iceland blogs
If you’re planning a trip to Iceland and would like more information and inspiration to fuel your planning, these blogs will do the trick!
29 Responses
My jaw dropped!! Those photos are absolutely stunning!! Before I forget, I love when you include the short videos and even more so with no people in them. It makes your post literally come to life, Shing! Keep up the great work!! I would love to drink some of that water and to think that those icebergs are thousands of years old! I always light up when I see your email post notification in my Inbox as I think to myself – oh my gosh where has she been off to now?! Your adventures, photography and writing make me smile always my friend 🙂
I am going to try and incorporate more videos (in spite of my sheer lack of skill!) and I haven’t forgotten what you said about Vblogging Mike!
Rain and snow that fell thousands of years ago – I love thinking about that too Mike, it’s a great part of the attraction for me, it’s a landscape that make me feel really connected to the earth.
Oh my oh my oh my it looks IN-credible! Like something completely out of this world! I would also LOVE to visit Greenland (maybe a tiny bit inspired by watching the Secret Life of Walter Mitty).
Haha I actually watched Walter Mitty on the plane to Iceland which was a great way to start the trip!! Did you know that most of the shots that were supposed to be in Greenland were actually in Iceland, as well as the scenes in the Himalayas and Afghanistan ?! This was mainly for production reasons. But yes. Greenland is my dream… hopefully I’ll make it happen over the next couple of years!
Posing with a natural ice-sculpture, you’re tweeted 😉
They call me the ice queen 😉
How can a place of cold cold ice warm the heart so so much? ❄️
I ask myself the same poetic question! Oh how, oh how, oh how.
Oh wow! This sounds amazing! Your video is so nice too!
Hi Eleanor! I see you’re from Norway, that’s awesome! You need to visit your neighbour for sure!
An indescribable lunar landscape. These are the places to live for! Even though this is the kind of place that is hard to describe, and the feelings it elicits even harder to describe, you’ve done a beautiful job. Love this. Photos are stunning. You have a gift.
‘These are the places to live for’
Amen.
I am really happy to read you think I managed to convey the impact this place has on me, and I’m sure others. When I read your writings I am always left thinking the same thing. I’ve told you that before.
That looks absolutely incredible! I would LOVE to go there! The sunset photos are stunning! x
You must! You must! If you manage to get there at sunset it’s pure magic!
Is it possible to take a bad photo there?
If you do you must be a pretty shitty photographer Richard 😉
I cannot even imagine how it feels to be in such beautiful place surrounded by ice. I don’t particularly like cold, but this place looks stunning and I’d definitely make an exception to visit, it’s one of these experiences that happen once in a life time, at least for me 🙂
Yes you must make an exception for this place Franca! If you go in the summer it’s not cold, very similar to English weather but with longer hours of sunshine! You can’t go wrong!
I’m surprised you didn’t crack a piece of ice over your colleague’s head for taking a piss on your bondfire 😀
Haha. Maybe a little one 🙂
Stunning photos as always, Shing! And I love your little interjection about refilling plastic water bottles 😉 sound advice.
Thanks Charlie, I thought of you when I wrote that actually…
Beautiful pictures and great storytelling. I was there in the Summer and it looked completely different. It was so hot one day that whole clouds of steam were just streaming off of the lake. It was stunning and a little sad (global warming) but I’ll never forget it.
Hi Danni! Glad to hear you thought this place was stunning too, saying that, it’s impossible not to! Iceland seems to change from one minute to the next, huh? Especially the weather which can change in the blink of an eye!
In regards to global warming, going so some of the northerly places does make you feel much more connected to the nature and the effects of it, so hopefully we go home thinking about the ways our actions can reduce it. If we all make small changes, collectively they make a big difference!
Just wanted to say your blog is great. I’m going to Iceland in March and so far your blog has been the most helpful so far in learning about the various places to visit. We’re renting a car as well, so your information is really useful! Your pictures are beautiful as well! Thank you!
So glad to hear that you’ve found my blog useful Genevieve! If you have any questions to ask whilst you’re planning your Iceland adventure don’t hesitate to ask! I hope you love it there as much as I do!!
WOW, I love those pictures.
On which month did you go to in Iceland?
Thanks for inspiring to travel.
Hi Frank! These were taken towards the end of September, which is a great time to go as the days are still a little bit longer. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Is july a good date to go to that place? will i still see ice on the beach?