Jokulsarlon in Winter: Everything You Need to Know

Planning on visiting Jokulsarlon in winter? Here’s everything you need to know about seeing the epic glacier lagoon. 

Of all the places we’ve visited in Iceland, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is one of our favourites. This place is epic; honestly one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever travelled to. 

Our most recent visit was in March – still well and truly winter in Iceland. In my opinion, it’s much better to visit Jokulsarlon in winter because there’s a more magical atmosphere, and often more icebergs. 

Plus, if you visit during the summer months, you’ll have a lot of crowds to contend with around the lagoon and on the nearby Diamond Beach. 

So, if you’re planning to visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon in winter, here’s everything you need to know and all of our top tips.

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❤️Don’t miss these things at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon: Vatnajokull Blue Ice Cave Tour and Skaftafell Glacier Hike.

Where is Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon?

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is located along Iceland’s famous south coast. It’s on the far eastern side of the coastline, about an hour from the village of Hofn and 5 hours from the capital of Reykjavik. 

It’s right underneath the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajokull, which also covers more than 8% of Iceland. The lagoon was formed when the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier tongue started retreating. Now, it’s become Iceland’s deepest lake. 

It’s pretty impressive and if it isn’t on your Iceland bucket list, boy do you need to add it!

How to get to Jokulsarlon in Winter

There are several ways to get to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. The most popular ways are by hiring a car and driving yourself or going on a guided tour. 

Obviously, a hire car gives you much more freedom and is cheaper. Although fuel is expensive in Iceland, I seriously doubt it will ever cost you over £100 per person for a day! 

Is a guided tour from Reykjavik worth it?

I would personally advise against a day tour to Jokulsarlon from Reykjavik. If you only have a few days in Iceland, it might seem like a good idea, and there are plenty of companies that offer these day tours. But I’m really not a fan. Here’s why

First, it’s a 5-hour drive from the capital. And that’s on a good day.

In winter especially Icelandic weather can be very unpredictable, and the road between Reykjavik and the lagoon can be especially hairy once you pass Vik. We experienced exactly this on our South Coast road trip.

Our drive from Reykjavik to Vik was perfectly fine, but as soon as we got past Kirkjubæjarklaustur, the wind became super strong. It was buffeting the car so much that we had to slow down considerably.

In bad weather, that 5-hour drive can easily turn into a 6-hour drive or longer.

And that’s just ONE WAY!

So, if you leave Reykjavik at 4am, you’ll likely be getting back at 10pm, and you’ll be spending 12 hours of that day in a minivan… Not my idea of fun. 

Secondly, there’s so much to see in the area besides just the Glacier Lagoon! You’ll have Diamond Beach, the nearby Svínafellsjökull Glacier tongue that you can walk to, and the beautiful Svartifoss waterfall, one of the most stunning waterfalls in Iceland.

Not to mention, all the glacier hikes and ice cave experiences in the area. 

What to Expect When Visiting Jokulsarlon in Winter

So, once you’ve arrived at the lagoon, what can you expect? Here’s a little breakdown of everything we experienced there.

Lots of ice and snow

This might be a given, but the whole area can be very icy in winter.

We got quite lucky in March that there wasn’t too much ice on the ground, and we didn’t have to wear crampons, but I highly recommend them if you’re visiting any earlier than March.

We visited Iceland in December and also spent January in Iceland, and it was much colder and snowier during these times.

👉 Check out our suggested winter packing list here.

Busy car park

When we visited Jokulsarlon, we drove up in the morning from our cute little rental on the south coast just before Vik. The drive was around 3 hours, so it was still a long drive, and we arrived just before midday. 

The car park was rammed. We had to drive around for about 15 minutes before we could find a space, and got lucky that someone was leaving.

So, we parked up and had a quick coffee before getting out and exploring. But several people arrived shortly after us who were still looking for space once we’d finished our drinks. 

So, if you want a good space, have a busy winter itinerary, or don’t want to wait, I strongly suggest getting there before midday. 

Wildlife sightings

This is a great place to see wildlife in Iceland. We were lucky enough to see wild seals in the lagoon, and you can sometimes see wild reindeer as well. 

The best time to see these is actually the colder months, as they come down from the mountains, so if you’re visiting Jokulsarlon in winter, you might just get lucky!

You can also see a lot of wild birds around the lagoon, and there are plaques you can read which tell you about the different species. 

No boat tours

Unfortunately, the one thing you should definitely know if you plan on visiting Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon in winter is that the boat tours won’t be running. 

They typically only run from June to September when the weather is a little warmer, so if you’re planning on getting out amongst the icebergs, you’ll want to visit in summer.

👉Check out our full guide to the best time to visit Iceland for all our tips.

Practical Tips for Visiting Jokulsarlon in Winter

There aren’t a lot of things I’d say to do differently here than what I’d recommend for visiting the rest of Iceland in winter. 

• Make sure you’re dressed appropriately with lots of layers and sturdy footwear. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer and add insulating layers and a waterproof and windproof outer layer.
• Be aware that daylight can be very different in the winter months, and I’d recommend planning your visit between 9am – 4pm.
• Check the weather forecast before you head out, especially if you’re planning on driving in winter. Use the safe.is app to check the weather and road conditions.
• If you’re planning on bringing a camera, bring spare batteries. Cold weather drains camera batteries faster. 
• The facilities are limited near the lagoon. Bring any snacks, drinks, and other essentials that you might need. 
• Explore other attractions in the area, such as Diamond Beach, Skaftafell National Park, and Vatnajökull Glacier.
• Stay on the paths, respect nature, and keep a respectful distance from wildlife such as seals and reindeer.

How to Avoid the Crowds at Jokulsarlon

The simple answer to avoiding the crowds at the lagoon is to visit in the early morning or in the evening. However, if you’re visiting Jokulsarlon in winter, this isn’t always that simple because of the daylight. 

Daylight in Iceland is limited in the winter months. In Iceland in December, you only get between 4-5 hours of daylight and the sun usually sets at about 3pm. So, yes, you will experience fewer crowds around this time, but you’ll also be seeing the lagoon in the dark. 

My recommendation for avoiding the crowds is to visit before 10am in either late February, March, or April.

This way, you’ll be able to see but also will be arriving before the tour buses from Reykjavik do. If you arrive before 9am, you’ll have even fewer people.

TOP TIP: Diamond Beach is a very popular place to watch the sunrise because the sun rises directly over the ocean. It’s utterly beautiful but can get surprisingly busy with photographers at the crack of dawn.

Where to Stay Near Jokulsarlon

We have a whole article on the best places to stay near Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. There are some fantastic hotels and self-catering options in the area for those who are after luxury and those preferring to travel on a budget. 

Here are a few of our favourites:

• Hótel Jökulsárlón: A luxury stays a stone’s throw from the lagoon, this place is beautiful with freestanding bathtubs in the glacier view rooms. 
• The Potato Storage: Located between the glacier lagoon and Skaftafell National Park, this hotel is great for a more affordable luxury stay.
• Hali Country Hotel: If you’re looking for a budget stay, this place is fantastic. The rooms are comfortable and clean and it’s located just 12 minutes from the lagoon.]

👉 For more options, check out our favourite places to stay near Jokulsarlon. 

FAQ

Still have questions about visiting Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon in winter? Here are some of the most popular questions we get asked about the destination.

What facilities are there at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon?

In the car park, you’ll find several food trucks, a block of toilets, and a small cafe. There’s not much else there

How much is the parking at Jokulsarlon?

This is actually dependent on the type of vehicle you have. If you have a normal car, the charge is 1000 ISK for all day. If you have a van that rises to 1300 ISK for the day, this needs to be paid online via the Parka.is app. 

Diamond Beach, which has parking across the road, has the same parking charge, but you can just walk between the two. 

How much time do you need to visit Jokulsarlon in winter?

I’d recommend allowing a full day to explore the lagoon and the surrounding area. We spent 2 hours at the glacier lagoon but could’ve spent longer there as there’s a walk you can do around the lagoon that we missed out on. 

We then spent a further 2 hours exploring Diamond Beach.

It surprised me how much time we wanted to spend there because I thought half a day would be enough, but there’s so much to do in the area, you can easily spend a lot of time exploring. 

❤️Don’t miss these things at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon: Vatnajokull Blue Ice Cave Tour and Skaftafell Glacier Hike.

How do you get from Jokulsarlon to Diamond Beach?

You can either walk or drive. If you walk, it takes around 15 minutes and you have to cross a small single-lane car bridge. If you drive, you just head over that same bridge, and it’s literally 2 minutes across the road. 

The issue we had was the parking charge, as we couldn’t work out whether we had to pay twice. There’s usually a QR code to scan to pay for parking or a location that shows up on the Parka.is app where you can pay. 

While these showed up for the lagoon parking, neither were visible for the parking at Diamond Beach. So we weren’t sure if we had to pay twice or if it was one payment for both. 

To this day, we still aren’t sure, but we paid twice to be safe!

So, is it Worth Visiting Jokulsarlon in Winter?

Heck, yes! It remains to this day one of our favourite places to visit in Iceland. 

It’s so beautiful and you can lose yourself watching the seals play in the waves, the water carries the icebergs along, and the waves crash amongst the icebergs on Diamond Beach. 

If you want to visit somewhere in Iceland that’s almost guaranteed to take your breath away, visit Jokulsarlon in winter and you won’t be disappointed.

👉Planning on visiting Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon? Here are our favourite hotels in the area and our favourite hotels in Vik.

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