Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon

About this place

Fjallsárlón is a glacier lagoon at the southern end of the Vatnajökull ice cap in Iceland, about 63 km west of Höfn in a straight line and close to the better-known Jökulsárlón. The Öræfajökull volcano looms above it. The Fjallsjökull glacier, part of Vatnajökull, reaches down to the water, and icebergs break off and drift on the surface. The glacier is part of Vatnajökull National Park, and a small river flows in from the neighbouring Breiðárlón lagoon. In summer great skuas nest on the ground around the lake, so take care. A cracked white and blue ice wall stretches behind the lagoon, with strangely shaped icebergs of clear blue floating in front, and mountains and clouds mirrored on the calm grey water. It is usually quieter than Jökulsárlón, with the ice closer to the shore. Visitors walk from the car park to the shore to watch, and some take small rubber-boat tours among the icebergs in season. It is cold and windy near the ice, and you should not climb onto floating ice.