Sólheimajökull Glacier
Sólheimajökull
A glacier tongue extending from the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, only a few kilometers from Route 1. It is Iceland's most convenient spot for glacier hiking.
Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. The parking area is about 1 kilometer from the glacier's front, and you can walk to the glacial lake for free to watch. To go on the ice you must join a licensed guided tour, with crampons, an ice axe and a helmet provided. A standard hike takes about 3 hours, and you can see crevasses, moulins and layers of volcanic ash trapped in the ice. The glacier has retreated noticeably in recent years, and the lake in front of the glacier tongue grows larger every year. There is a fee for parking, and there is a food truck and toilets. It is about 35 kilometers from Vík.
Opening hours
Open all day (glacier tours require reservation)
Nearby sights
- Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
- Kvernufoss
- Skógar Museum
- Fimmvörðuháls Trail
- Skógafoss
- Þórsmörk
- Seljavallalaug
- Dyrhólaey