Visiting Iceland soon and curious about its different glaciers? Perhaps you’re looking to book your glacier tours and wondering which one you should visit. In this post, we’ll cover everything there is to know about Iceland’s two most popular glaciers – Vatnajökull and Sólheimajökull.
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It may surprise you to learn that Europe’s largest glacier is located in Iceland! Who would want to miss experiencing that, am I right?
If you want to have the best possible time while in Iceland, you should make sure you have all of the facts on the two most popular glaciers before you decide which one to visit. You may even decide you want to visit both and that’s totally doable.
Whether you want to go ice climbing, glacier hiking, or ice cave exploring, here is all the information you need about Vatnajökull and Sólheimajökull glaciers to ensure you choose the best one.
About Iceland Glaciers
How Glaciers Are Formed
Glaciers are formed in cold areas where snowfall is common year-round. Snow accumulates over time, eventually turning into hard ice.
Each year, new layers of snow keep piling on to the point where the large, thick mass of ice starts to flow downward under the pressure of its own weight. This whole process often takes centuries to form.
How Many Glaciers Does Iceland Have?
There are about 269 recorded and named glaciers in Iceland. That is a bunch for the small size of the island. The glaciers cover about 11% of the country’s total land.
Iceland is known as the Land of Fire and Ice because of its glaciers and volcanoes. Now you know just how much of the land is made up of ice!
The Most Popular Glaciers in Iceland
This brings us to the most popular glaciers – Vatnajökull and Sólheimajökull. These two glaciers are where the majority of tours are offered.
First off, just to clarify – There are main glaciers, then there are outlet glaciers that extend from the main one. The outlet glaciers are like long tongues of ice where most of the excursions take place. Both the main glacier and the outlet tongues each have their own names.
For example, Vatnajökull is the name of the first main glacier we’ll cover, while Breiðamerkurjökull is the name of one of the many outlet glaciers that stem from Vatnajökull.
Similarly, Mýrdalsjökull is the name of the second main glacier, with Sólheimajökull being one of the outlet tongues to explore.
The names are used interchangeably at times which can be confusing. Hopefully, this clears up some of it for you because I know I was very confused when I first visited.
For some reason, Sólheimajökull (outlet glacier) is the name that has grown in popularity because you would think it would be referred to as Mýrdalsjökull. However, as long as you understand they are different, then I digress.
Vatnajökull Glacier
Vatnajökull is Europe’s largest glacier and definitely worth a visit. Remember that 11% coverage we talked about? Well, this glacier makes up over 8% of that total number. It’s a massive glacier indeed!
When booking tours, you will often see names such as Skaftafellsjökull (Skaftafell), Falljökull, or Breiðamerkurjökull. These are all popular outlets of Vatnajökull Glacier.
Location
Vatnajökull glacier is located in the southeast area of the island in the protected area also known as Vatnajökull National Park. It’s about a 4 to 5-hour drive from Reykjavik. It’s also conveniently located off of The Ring Road.
Types of Activities Available
There are all sorts of glacier activities available on Vatnajökull; ranging from ice climbing to exploring ice caves, boating out on the iceberg lagoon, and many more!
There are numerous tours available from the Vatnajökull meeting point or even full-day trips from Reykjavik with transportation included. You should not have difficulty finding a tour group that will cater to your needs/interests.
Below are just a few tour options I’d recommend –
- Skaftafell: Glacier Hike and Ice Climbing Guided Experience
- From Jökulsárlón: Crystal Ice Cave Day Tour (This is a similar ice cave tour to the one I took)
- Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Boat Tour
- Glacier Lagoon: Ice Exploration of Vatnajökull
Other Nearby Attractions
- Jökulsarlón Iceberg Lagoon is located right by the glacier’s main meeting point. Breiðamerkurjökull tongue actually leads into this lagoon. Ice breaks off from the tongue and makes for a gorgeous and picturesque lagoon. You can’t leave Iceland without seeing this!
- Further down from the Iceberg Lagoon, parts of the iceberg flow directly into the ocean. The chunks of ice actually wash up on shore and look like diamonds, giving the beach its name – Diamond Beach.
- Skaftafell Nature Preserve is located in Vatnajökull National Park. Inside this preserve is the Svartifoss waterfall. Getting to this beautiful waterfall surrounded by basalt columns is a short and moderate hike.
Sólheimajökull Glacier
Sólheimajökull glacier is the most popular tongue of the main glacier – Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s fourth largest glacier. Although it’s significantly smaller than the former, it’s still just as beautiful and maybe even easier to access.
This glacier covers one of Iceland’s largest active volcanoes, called Katla. You can even see volcanic ash spread all over the glacier. That’s what the dark, black stuff is when you look at photos!
Location
Sólheimajökull is located in the southern central region of the country. It’s a little over a 2-hour drive from Reykjavik making it the perfect glacier to visit on a day trip. This glacier is also located right off The Ring Road as most attractions are in Iceland.
Types of Activities Available
Similarly to Vatnajökull, there are a ton of tour options and activities to choose from. You can go snowmobiling on the glacier or kayaking around Sólheimajökull’s glacier lagoon. The options are truly endless!
Below are some tour options to give you a better idea –
- Sólheimajökull: Guided Glacier Hike
- Vik: Mýrdalsjökull Snowmobile Adventure
- Sólheimajökull: Kayaking by the Glacier
- Katla Ice Cave (Under the Volcano) Tour
- Sólheimajökull Ice Climb and Glacier Hike (This is a similar ice climbing tour I did)
Other Nearby Attractions
- The town of Vik is very close to the Sólheimajökull glacier. The village in itself can be a lovely place to stop and explore. However, right next to it is the famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. This beach has a dramatic basalt column backdrop which contrasts quite well with the black sand. Another must-see place in Iceland!
- Also relatively close to Sólheimajökull, is Skógafoss Waterfall. This waterfall is located right off The Ring Road and can easily be visited either before or after you explore the glacier.
Vatnajökull Glacier vs Sólheimajökull Glacier
Which one is better?
Having been to both, I would have to say Vatnajökull is better only because of the Iceberg Lagoon and Diamond Beach. Two attractions you will miss out on as well as the glacier if you choose Sólheimajökull.
Ultimately this depends on your travel plans while in Iceland, your budget, how you plan to get around the island, and overall, your interests and abilities.
As we’ve talked about, Sólheimajökull Glacier is going to be the easiest glacier to access and the closest to Reykjavik. So for example, if you’re planning on making Reykjavik your base camp and taking day trips and tours, then Sólheimajökull may be best for you.
However, if you’re traveling in a campervan or renting a vehicle, then you have the ability and time to drive to Vatnajökull Glacier. Here you could spend a day or two trying out all the possible tours if you’re budget allows for it.
I traveled around Iceland in a campervan for about a week and I was able to visit both. I started with a glacier hike and ice climbing tour in Sólheimajökull then did a blue ice cave tour in Vatnajökull the next day.
Hopefully, this blog post has helped you understand the differences between the two most popular glaciers in Iceland. You should have some more information now to properly choose the right glacier and tour for you. Whether you choose Sólheimajökull or Vatnajökull, you are certain to have an incredible time!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you hike Sólheimajökull Glacier without a guide?
No, absolutely under no circumstances should you hike ANY glacier in Iceland without a guide. This is for your own safety as special equipment is needed to safely access the glacier. You must opt for a tour instead!
What is the easiest glacier to get to in Iceland?
Sólheimajökull, part of the larger Mýrdalsjökull glacier is going to be the closest and easiest glacier to access from Reykjavik. It’s only about a 2-hour drive from the capital city and can easily be explored on a day trip.
For more Iceland information, you may also like:
- Easy, Epic, & Best Iceland Ring Road 5 Day Itinerary
- What To Wear In Iceland In October: Essential & Important Packing Guide
- Iceland F-Roads: How to Avoid Closures & Getting Stuck
