The 3 Most Important National Parks in Iceland

Iceland is all about rugged natural beauty. And the best landscapes exist in its vast national parks that offer a diverse range of activities. These national parks also offer stunning scenery, ethereal lava fields, beautiful waterfalls, vast glaciers, giant canyons, black sand beaches, and more.

There are three main national parks in Iceland: Vatnajokull is the largest, Thingvellir is the oldest, and Snaefellsjokull is picturesque.

National Parks in Iceland – Vatnajokull National Park

Vatnajökull National Park is a Unesco World Heritage site. It is also the largest of Iceland’s National Parks. Vatnajokull National Park was established in 2008 and has slowly grown to include more areas. This national park now includes Skaftafell Reserve and Jökulsárgljúfur Park within its region. It covers about 14% of the Icelandic territory. Yes, Vatnajokull National Park is definitely large! So here are some of the best activities you can try in the two park areas within Vatnajokull.

Best Things to Do in Skaftafell Reserve

Skaftafell is now a part of Vatnajokull National Park and is in South Iceland. You can easily visit this even if you only have 5 days in Iceland. Skaftafell has a large visitor center with all possible facilities including an on-site restaurant, shower and toilet facilities, as well as a car park. Most tours within Vatnajokull National Park start at the Skaftafell visitor center. Here are some of the top things to do in Skaftafell Reserve.

1. Glacier hiking

Vatnajokull is the largest glacier in all of Europe. One of the best tours to take from Skaftafell is to hike a part of this glacier. You are taken by a bus or a super jeep closer to the glacier. The guide gives you some information about Vatnajokull, why the ice is blue in some parts, dangers to avoid, and explains how to use equipment like crampons and an ice pick. You then start the ascent on the glacier in a single file.

For the more fit and adventurous, you can combine the glacier hike with an ice climbing tour. This would take you much deeper into the glacier. You will have more equipment to deal with.

2. Boat tour to Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon

Jokulsarlon is a lake that is filled with water from the Vatnajokull glacier. It also has icebergs that break away from the glacier and float in the lake. One of the beautiful experiences on Iceland’s south coast is to take a boat tour to Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon.

The fit and adventurous can opt for a kayaking tour in this lagoon during the summer months.

Some of these icebergs melt and drift out to the ocean, while smaller pieces also get washed up on a black sand beach. These ice chunks glistening against the black sand is what made the ‘Diamond Beach’ so famous. It is worth a visit!

4. Hike to Svartifoss

Iceland has over 10,000 waterfalls, so how many can you visit? But Svartifoss is unique due to the basalt columns that surround it. The waterfall is beautiful with a 20-meter drop with black basalt columns all around.

The only way to access Svartifoss is to take a hike on a well-marked trail from the Skaftafell visitor center. The hike is short but moderately difficult in some parts. It is about 2 hours round trip.

5. Ice Cave Tour (in winter)

Iceland has several glacier ice caves accessible in winter (October end until March). These natural ice caves can be myriad colors: blue, black, and white. You need to book a guide/tour to visit an ice cave.

There is only one ice cave in Vatnajokull that is accessible all through the year. We visited Iceland in June, and one of our memorable experiences was the Katla Ice Cave Tour.

Best Things to Do in Jökulsárgljúfur

Jökulsárgljúfur is a canyon in North Iceland that is now part of the greater Vatnajökull National Park. Here are some of the top attractions to visit in Jökulsárgljúfur.

1. View the mighty Dettifoss

Jökulsárgljúfur is best known for the mighty Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Dettifoss is also a popular stop on the Diamond Circle route in North Iceland. The Diamond Circle, besides Dettifoss, includes Asbyrgi, Lake Myvatn, and Husavik (the whale-watching capital of Iceland).

Dettifoss is impressive in terms of its scale. The waterfall is about 100 metres wide, and 44 metres high. It is easy to drive down to Dettifoss from either Myvatn or Akureyri.

The waterfall can be accessed from both the west and the east side. The west side is much easier. It has a car park and then a marked path with railings and steps to reach the falls. The east side gets you closer, so it is more thrilling. But this site is not meant for all: you need to be extremely careful on the large boulders. There is no railing to hold on to and absolutely nothing between the boulders and the falls.

2. Hike the Asbyrgi Canyon

The remote Asbyrgi Canyon is accessible from Akureyri and Husavik. The canyon formation resulted of the eruption of one of the Vatnajokull volcanoes. You will information and pictures on how the canyon was shaped by geological forces in the visitor center here.

The staff at the visitor center will also explain all the hiking options at Asbyrgi. Or you can even drive on the canyon floor on the one road that cuts through it. But the best views are offered via hiking the rim of Asbyrgi Canyon.

Thingvellir National Park

Thingvellir National Park is the best stop on the famous Golden Circle route in Iceland. That’s mainly because of its unique geology and historical importance. There is no other place on earth where you can see the rift between 2 continental plates so clearly.

Thingvellir National Park is about an hour away from Reykjavik. You can explore most of Reykjavik’s attractions in a day and then head to the Golden Circle the next day. 

Thingvellir was the first national park established in Iceland in 1930. Here are some of the things you can do at Thingvellir:

1. Walk the Almannagja Gorge

From the visitor center at Thingvellir, the first thing you see is the continental rift and a path that takes you through it. That’s Almannagja Gorge. You can go down to the gorge and walk its entire length. One side of the Almannagja Gorge forms the North American continental plate. The initial part of this walk is amidst large crowds that thin out as you go further.

2. View Oxarafoss

This is a beautiful waterfall in Thingvellir. You can walk the path on Almannagja Gorge to reach the waterfall. Oxarafoss drops in 2 stages over the cliffs of this gorge. The falls have a height of about 13 meters.

3. See the Parliament buildings

Thingvellir also has an important place in the political history of Iceland. The first parliament was made here to govern the country. The site has the distinction of being the longest-running parliament before it was shifted to the capital city. You can stroll around the park area and visit the old buildings.

4. Snorkel or dive between 2 continental plates

There is no other place on the planet where you can snorkel or dive between two continental plates. The freshwater is filtered naturally through lava rocks and has visibility of up to 100 m. For scuba diving, you need to be certified for a dry suit. Booking a tour for this is a must.

Snaefellsjokull National Park

This national park was established in 2001 and on Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It is named after the famous sub-volcano glacier Snaefellsjokull. Here are some of the things to do in Snaefellsjokull Park:

1. View the stunning Snaefellsjokull glacier

Snaefellsnes Peninsula has been nicknamed ‘Iceland in miniature’ because of its rugged wild landscape. One of the best ways to explore West Iceland is to drive down it is scenic coastal routes. You will get a chance to view Snaefellsjokull glacier from many spots on your road drive. What is a unique feature is the Buðahraun lava field, which encircles the glacier.

2. Black Sand beach at Djupalonssandur

One of the cool things to do in Snaefellsjokull National Park is to visit the Black Lava Pearl Beach. At Djupalonssandur, you will see interesting rock formations and freshwater lagoons. You continue to walk down a marked path to reach the black sand beach.

3. Go down the Vatnashellir Lace Cave (during summer)

Vatnshellir is one of Iceland’s older lava tubes that can be explored in the summer months via a tour. This lava cave was formed in a volcanic eruption about 8,000 years ago. You can still find minerals of this lava in Vatnshellir these days.

Lava caving is only possible in Vatnshellir with a guided tour.

Snæfellsjökull National Park is adjacent to historic fishing villages. You can stay the night here and visit more interesting attractions in and around these villages including the most photographed mountain in all of Iceland, Kirkjufell.

Iceland National Parks Summary

To summarise, Iceland has established 3 main national parks. Vatnajökull National Park encompasses Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajökull and extensive surrounding areas. Iceland’s first national park was established at Thingvellir which is important both for historic and geological reasons. And finally, there is Snaefellsjokull National Park is named after the glacier Snæfellsjökull, the crown jewel of this national park.

Do you want to read more about Iceland? Head to my post about some of the must-see hidden gems in Iceland.

Author bio

Shweta has always been passionate about travel and immersing in new experiences. Having been to over 45 countries, she blogs at Zest In A Tote to bring family-friendly itineraries and tips, destinations, and luxury stays to her readers. Her belief in family travel needn’t be boring and one can do a mix of local culture & food, adventure activities, and relaxation, all with family.