Manage booking
419 km
About 6 h 35 min
Car 1–4 · Van 5–7
Free cancellation 24 h
South-east · from KEF
About Jökulsárlón and the drive
Jökulsárlón is the glacier lagoon at the foot of Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet of Vatnajökull, where icebergs break off, drift across the water and slowly float out to sea under the Route 1 bridge. On the other side of the road, pieces of ice wash up on the black sand of what everyone calls Diamond Beach. In summer, operators run boat trips among the icebergs; in winter the area is a starting point for ice cave tours.
From Keflavík Airport this is one of the longest transfers we drive, following Route 1 along the entire south coast through Vík, across the lava fields to Kirkjubæjarklaustur and past Skaftafell. It is a full day on the road, so think about whether you really want to make the whole journey straight after an overnight flight. Plenty of travellers stop a night halfway, or treat the drive itself as a sightseeing day with a few well-chosen stops.
Accommodation close to the lagoon is limited to a few hotels and farms along the main road, so book early in summer. If you only want to see the lagoon rather than stay nearby, our Jökulsárlón private tour from Reykjavík may suit you better.
Seasons and roads
In December and January you have only a few hours of light, and the coast east of Vík is exposed to storms. We may advise adjusting the timing or splitting the journey when the forecast is poor.
