What to know about visiting Langjökull
Where is the Langjökull glacier?
Langjökull is Iceland’s second-largest glacier—after the mighty Vatnajökull—and it’s the closest glacier to the city of Reykjavík. That makes it the ideal destination for visitors to Iceland if you’re basing yourself in the capital.
You’ll find the glacier northeast of the city. At its closest point, it’s about 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Reykjavík and it takes about two hours to get there by road. You have a couple of options of routes, which take you to the southeast or the northwest of the glacier respectively. Both are exceptionally scenic—so the drive is an experience in itself!
You may already know that the name Langjökull means “long glacier” in Icelandic. And that’s thanks to its remarkable length. The glacier is 64 kilometres (40 miles) long and 24 kilometres (15 miles) wide, covering a total area of roughly 1,025 square kilometres (395 square miles). At its highest point, it’s over 1,400 metres above sea level.
As with many glaciers in Iceland, if you were to venture beneath the ice, you’d find volcanoes (this country is known as the Land of Ice and Fire for good reason!). Even in this area of the country which isn’t particularly volcanically active, there are two volcanoes to be found beneath Langjökull.
To the east of Langjökull is Hveravellir, a geothermal field with a hot spring that’s very famous among Icelanders. The other is Arnarvatnsheiði, to the northwest of the glacier.
If you want to visit Langjökull, head to one of the base camps at the foot of the glacier. The one known as Klaki base camp is the easiest to reach from Reykjavík.
How to visit Langjökull?
One of the most common questions visitors to Iceland have is whether they can visit a glacier by themselves.
The simple answer is yes, but only if you are an experienced mountaineer with training in glacial navigation. If you’re not, you should only venture onto the ice with a guide. Glaciers are extreme environments that require specialist gear and skills to navigate safely. A guide can ensure that you stay safe and that you’re well prepared.
That said, there are plenty of wonderful ways to explore Langjökull. Whether you want to brave the elements on foot or discover this icy world on the back of a monster truck, there’s something here for everyone.
One of the most popular options is a glacier hike. You’ll be provided with crampons, a harness, and an icepick and you’ll venture onto the ice cap with a local expert. It’s a fascinating way to experience this environment up close—plus it’s a real education. You’ll learn the skills to use the gear and to navigate these rugged landscapes.
Alternatively, explore the ice on a specialist winter vehicle. One option is to ride on a monster truck, a powerful machine that will take you across this glacial world. Or drive yourself on a snowmobile. While you’ll need your own driving licence, it’s an awesome and thrilling way to visit the glacier.
Want a different perspective on the Langjökull ice cap? Head into the Langjökull Ice Cave, one of the most astonishing places you’ll see in Iceland. It’s an enormous tunnel—Iceland’s largest—that’s been carved out of the deep ice. In any season, you can explore this cold blue world.
However you like to travel, Langjökull offers something special. Explore our tours to discover more adventures.
Other sights around the Langjökull glacier
The Langjökull glacier is located in what is no doubt one of the most scenic areas in the world. It’s located between the Icelandic highlands, the south coast, and the Western Region, three of the most rewarding regions to visit in Iceland. Explore it all while you’re visiting Langjökull.
For example, close to Langjökull is the Golden Circle, a travel itinerary world-famous for its mix of astonishing landscapes and captivating history. You can visit Langjökull while exploring the area’s three main sights: Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and Geysir.
The Snæfellsnes peninsula—home of the Snæfellsjökull National Park—is only a short distance away too. Here, you can explore stunning coastlines, visit iconic mountains, and witness vast lava fields. It’s often called “Iceland in miniature” for its sheer variety of different sights.
Of course, the south coast of Iceland is just a stone’s throw from Langjökull too. This is a world of breathtaking waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and hiking opportunities.
With Icelandia, you can visit Langjökull alongside other sights that interest you most. Simply explore our tours to see what’s on offer.
Frequently asked questions
Langjökull sits north-east of the city of Reykjavík. It can be accessed from the city by two main routes.
One option is to take route 1 north from the city centre towards Borgarnes. You can then join route 50 towards Kleppjárnsreykir. From there, take route 518 east. This way, you’ll find the Langjökull glacier ice cave and, a little further on, the Langjökull Klaki base camp.
Alternatively, take route 36 through Þingvellir National Park, before joining route 37 northeast. You’ll join the unpaved road F35 to reach the base of the glacier.
If that sounds complicated, why not let a guide take you there instead? With a guided group tour you won’t have to worry about driving—you’ll simply enjoy the view.
You can walk on Langjökull glacier with a local guide. They’ll provide you with the gear you need, show you how to use it, and ensure that you navigate the ice safely.
We do not recommend that you take a Langjökull glacier walk without a guide. Glaciers are ever-changing and potentially treacherous environments, which you should treat with the utmost respect! If you have never walked or navigated across a glacier before, go with a guide.
You can drive to Langjökull, but it’s not always the easiest way to get there. For example, you will need to drive on unpaved roads. These are quite common in the Icelandic highlands, and you’ll need a vehicle that can handle them. Not all of them can.
Instead, a more convenient way to visit Langjökull is with a guided tour. They’ll provide transport from Reykjavík, so you don’t have to worry about the road.
You can visit the Langjökull base camps by yourself, no problem. However, we wouldn’t recommend you visit the glacier itself without a guide.
That’s because glaciers are complex, challenging, and potentially treacherous landscapes. If you don’t have any experience walking or navigating on glaciers, you definitely shouldn’t visit by yourself.
Instead, organise a guide in Reykjavík. It’ll make getting to Langjökull a lot easier too.
A Langjökull tour is perfectly safe if you’re led by a local guide. They’ll provide all of the gear you need—such as an icepick, a harness, and crampons—and show you how to use them correctly. They’ll also lead you through the safest areas of the ice cap.
That said, if you’re going alone, we can’t guarantee your safety. Glaciers are complex and hazardous environments for the inexperienced.
Glaciers are challenging environments. You’ll be walking on ice at potentially quite a high altitude. That means it’s likely to be cold, even in summer. So, when hiking, it’s best to be prepared for all conditions.
We recommend dressing in layers, so that you can add or take one off if you get too warm or cold. Bring along a hat, gloves, and a waterproof jacket too. And, while your tour will provide the crampons, you need to wear sturdy boots that are adequate for the outdoors.
Langjökull is not typically included in the Golden Circle.
The Golden Circle is Iceland’s best-known visitor itinerary, taking in three of the country’s most spectacular sights: Þingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and Geysir. However, many Golden Circle packages add extra destinations, including the Blue Lagoon and Langjökull.
For example, you can add a monster truck tour of Langjökull, or a glacier hike, to your Golden Circle experience.
Like many other Icelandic place names, Langjökull can seem a little difficult to pronounce. But the truth is that Icelanders will understand you even if you don’t get it exactly right. You can pronounce it how it’s written in English: lang-jo-kull.
But if you want to get it right, Langjökull can be broken down into three parts:
- “Lang” is pronounced a little more like the English “lung”
- “Jö” is a soft “j” sound, more like a “y”, followed by a long vowel similar to that in the French word “coeur”
- “Kull” is pronounced like the English, but watch out for that double L. In Icelandic, it’s more like a “tl” sound, with a very soft T.
We do not recommend that you hike on Langjökull glacier—or indeed any glacier—without a guide. Glaciers are volatile environments that come with multiple hazards. It takes real experience and local knowledge to navigate these places safely.
Much of the ice of Langjökull is thousands of years old. When snow accumulates, it gets compacted into the ice of the glacier, which then flows downhill due to gravity. The very oldest ice will be that at the deepest points of the glacier, which was fresh snow many thousands of years ago.
The Langjökull glacier is an incredible destination at any time of year. In summer, you can enjoy higher temperatures and more stable conditions. But in winter you’ll see the glacier at its snow-covered best. Ultimately, the choice is yours!
Langjökull is the second-largest glacier in Iceland, after Vatnajökull. The glacier is 64 kilometres (40 miles) long and 24 kilometres (15 miles) wide and it covers an area of roughly 1,025 square km (395 square miles).
So, it’s pretty big. In fact, in Icelandic, Langjökull means “long glacier”, thanks to its impressive length.
The quickest route to Langjökull from Reykjavík takes you to the west side of the glacier. You can expect the drive to take about two hours. This is the closest major glacier to Reykjavík.
The Langjökull Ice Cave is the largest ice cave in Iceland. It’s a breathtaking sight, deep beneath the surface of the glacier. And it’s also an impressive feat of engineering, as the whole thing is man-made.
If you want to explore the magical blue world beneath the ice—in any season—the Langjökull glacier ice cave is one of the best places to do it.
There are two volcano systems beneath the Langjökull glacier. East of Langjökull you’ll find Hveravellir, which has hot springs you can visit. To the northwest, there’s Arnarvatnsheiði.
While this is not a particularly volcanically active area of the country, you’re never too far from a volcano in Iceland.
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