1 active Vatnajökull alert
- ClosureFosshvammur permanently closed at DettifossFosshvammur at Dettifoss is permanently closed to all traffic; do not enter.Official details
Parkwolf’s Vatnajökull ranking
Top sights in Vatnajökull
1SightDettifossEurope’s most powerful falls, an easy walk with epic spray
2SightJökulsárlónIceberg‑filled glacier lagoon with seals and Diamond Beach next door
3SightDettifoss West ViewpointEasiest access to Europe’s most powerful waterfall
4BeachDiamond Beach (Breiðamerkursandur)Black sand strewn with glacier ice shards from Jökulsárlón
5SightMúlagljúfurGlacial canyon with twin falls and jaw-dropping ridge views
6SightBreidamerkurjökull GlacierCalving glacier feeding Iceland’s famous iceberg lagoon and ice caves
7BeachBreiðamerkursandur - FellsfjaraBlack sand dotted with glacier ice, magical at sunrise and sunset
8SightSvartifossBasalt-column waterfall via a short, rewarding Skaftafell hike
9SightAskja CalderaA remote caldera of crater lakes, lunar lava, and real adventureHiking
Top trails in Vatnajökull
- 5 easy
- 8 moderate
- 3 challenging
ModerateDettifoss–Selfoss Trail (East)4 km · 1.5 hrEast-side scramble to Iceland’s powerhouse falls with less spray.EasyDettifoss–Selfoss Trail (West)4.2 km · 1.5 hrShort west-side loop linking Dettifoss and Selfoss waterfalls
EasyAskja Víti Crater Trail5.1 km · 1.8 hrLunar walk from Vikraborgir to warm Víti crater viewsModerateMúlagljúfur Canyon5.8 km · 2.5 hrWild, mossy canyon to Hangandifoss, Múlafoss and glacier-rim views
ModerateSjónarnípa Viewpoint Trail (S6)7.5 km · 2.8 hrSvartifoss and a cliff-top glacier overlook in one challenging loop.
ChallengingKristínartindar Trail (S4)17.9 km · 7 hrA demanding 17.9 km loop from Skaftafellsstofa to Kristínartindar’s steep summit ridge, with glacier views throughout.
ModerateSvartifoss Waterfall (Skaftafell)3.9 km · 1.5 hrA short, sustained climb from Skaftafell Visitor Centre to Iceland’s basalt-framed waterfall.
ModerateSvartifoss–Sjónarsker–Sel (S2)5.8 km · 2 hrBasalt falls, big views, and turf houses in one tidy loop
EasyAskja Víti Crater Trail5.1 km · 1.8 hrLunar walk from Vikraborgir to warm Víti crater viewsModerateMúlagljúfur Canyon5.8 km · 2.5 hrWild, mossy canyon to Hangandifoss, Múlafoss and glacier-rim viewsModerateSjónarnípa Viewpoint Trail (S6)7.5 km · 2.8 hrSvartifoss and a cliff-top glacier overlook in one challenging loop.ChallengingKristínartindar Trail (S4)17.9 km · 7 hrA demanding 17.9 km loop from Skaftafellsstofa to Kristínartindar’s steep summit ridge, with glacier views throughout.ModerateSvartifoss Waterfall (Skaftafell)3.9 km · 1.5 hrA short, sustained climb from Skaftafell Visitor Centre to Iceland’s basalt-framed waterfall.ModerateSvartifoss–Sjónarsker–Sel (S2)5.8 km · 2 hrBasalt falls, big views, and turf houses in one tidy loop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Vatnajökull Tour Guide
Vatnajökull, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Vatnajökull National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond BeachListen
“Alright, get ready, because you're about to arrive at Jökulsárlón, the famous glacier lagoon. This is where giant icebergs break off the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier and float in a deep lake before drifting out to sea.”
Plays as you drive up to Jökulsárlón in the Parkwolf Vatnajökull Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Ice Moves Both Ways
- Diamond Beach on the Black Sand
- The Two Sides of Diamond Beach
- 102 audio storiesacross Vatnajökull’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Seal, Harbor Seal, Caribou, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 16 trails, 72 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
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Wildlife in Vatnajökull
22 sightingsGrey SealMost seen around 5 AMSighting map
258 sightingsHarbor SealMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
184 sightingsCaribouMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
62 sightingsArctic FoxMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
168 sightingsWhooper SwanMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
68 sightingsAtlantic PuffinMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Vatnajökull. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.