Located in South Iceland, the Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon Iceland is the little brother of the famous Jokulsarlon. When we think of Iceland, we imagine fjords or volcanoes, but Iceland is also covered by very large glaciers that create lagoons and produce icebergs. Below is my guide to help you plan your visit.
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Why visit the Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon in Iceland?
Fjallsárlón is a glacier lake, also called lagoon, from the glacier system of Vatnajökull. Located in South Iceland, it is not right along Road 1 thus people overlook it and rush to the famous Jökulsárlón. I think a stop here is really worth it as you are closer to the glacier, with interesting background mountains and surrounded by significantly less tourists. You can enjoy a quiet moment. It breathes peace and tranquility.
Fjallsarlon Lagoon Iceland
PLANNING TIPS - Fjallsarlon Iceland
How to get to Fjallsarlon - Location
- 10km west of Jökulsárlón, from Road 1, a road towards inland with a small sign leads to the glacier which you can see from far away (1.5 km North of Ring road)
- Vik to Fjallsarlon = 2h15 drive
- Jokulsarlon to Fjallsarlon = 15min drive
- Höfn to Fjallsarlon = 1h10 drive
- Fjallsarlon (with its GPS coordinates) is included in my eBooks to help you easily plan your road trip:
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2 Maps, 30 stops, 10 detours
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Visiting Fjallsarlon
- There is a large parking area
- You can walk up to a viewpoint area - it is quite impressive, and you can see the glacier wall very well
- Then you can walk down and along the glacier; Beware, there is no special path and it can get a bit slippery. But it is wide open, and you can choose where to walk.
- There can be big variances in the number and size of icebergs. But it is always nice. If there are none or little icebergs you can see the details of the glacier. If you have many icebergs well, you have those pictures below
- In Summer do not get too close to the big Seagulls which are protecting their nests
- You can find food at the Fjallsarlon Frost Restaurant nearby in Summer
- Glacier lagoon Boat tours are proposed to get closer to the glacier - Book your seat
- And Check out my complete article with detailed suggestions and tips on what to wear and pack for Iceland to stay warm and comfortable
Accommodation near Fjallsarlon
- There is no accommodation right at the lagoon
- You can stay West at the Fosshotel Glacier lagoon - Check out photos and availabilities
- You can head East (after Jokulsarlon) to the Skyrhusid Guest House - Check out photos and availabilities
- For more options and restaurants, you would have to stay either in the town Vik or in the town Höfn
View of Fjallsárlón lagoon from the viewpoint
Here are panoramas from the carpark. It looks small but don't be fooled by the photo, it is very impressive!
As you can see you are quite close to the glacier tongue.
This photo was taken on a day with a lot of icebergs.
Need to rent a car for your road trip in Iceland?
- You can choose from some great local companies - Iceland has a lot of specificities and their offerings are adapted - you can compare cars and prices of quality local brands on this expert Icelandic website
- Otherwise you can compare offers from international companies on RentalCars.com
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
The Icebergs of the Fjallsárlón glacial lagoon
It was for me the first time I was able to touch icebergs. What a crazy experience! Some of them have strange shapes. I was especially attracted to the one at the front on the second picture, trying to give a leading line to my photo 🙂
Glacier lagoon of Fjallsarlon in pictures
I took a lot of photos of the beautiful Fjallsarlon but it is very hard to render the beauty and charm of the place.
The Fjallsarlon lagoon is quieter than Jokulsarlon so you have more chances to get reflections.
A photographer's paradise
It was funny to watch all those tripods along the lagoon. This was truly a photographer's paradise
Fjallsarlon in Winter
In Winter the experience is different.
Compared to Jokulsarlon, the lagoon of Fjallsarlon freezes in Winter.
You won't enjoy icebergs, but it is still a fantastic stop. The views of the glacier tongue are much better than in Jokulsarlon.
Fjallsarlon in Winter
Fjallsarlon or Jokulsarlon?
I recommend visiting both Icelandic glacier lagoons, but if you have limited time the essential comparison points are:
- Crowds - Jokulsarlon is way more crowded than Fjallsarlon
- Views - At Fjallsarlon the glacial lagoon is not as wide, so you are closer to the mountains behind, and I preferred their shapes
- Icebergs - the advantage of Jokulsarlon is that the water flows to the sea, so there are a lot more movements for the icebergs than at Fjallsarlon
- Boat tours - you can join a boat tour at both lagoons to get up close to the glacier tongue - book your boat tour at Fjallsarlon
Jokulsarlon Iceland
Want to see more of Iceland's beauty?
Have you ever been that close to icebergs?