Bucket List Iceland: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Reaching the Southern Iceland was like breaking ground on a whole new world, one filled with icy excitement.

Without a doubt, Jökulsárlón is the crown jewel of the region and may very well be Iceland’s top bucket list destination.

Translating to glacial river lagoon, this place of raw beauty is located right on the Ring Road just steps away from the free parking lot.

The lagoon was formed as recently as the 1930s after warmer temperatures in the 1920s caused Breiðamerkurjökull glacier to rapidly retreat. Since the 1970s the lagoon has quadrupled in size, it is the deepest lake in the country with a depth of 814 feet. Blocks of ice one thousand years old and one hundred feet tall calve from the edge of the glacier, swirling around the surface.

Each of these natural sculptures are completely unique, varying in design and color.

Bluer icebergs are older, made of heavily compacted ice and a large concentration of microorganisms.

Some are so deeply colorful they look electrified, and are dubbed ‘blue diamonds.’ Younger icebergs are whiter, both can be streaked in dark ash from volcanic eruptions.

Wildlife flock to the scene and seals can be seen hunting and playing amongst the ice, even lying on it.

Birds are plentiful looking for fish to catch and resting atop the icebergs, often nesting nearby on the shore.

Sometimes a brick of ice gently makes its way to shore to melt after a millennium of solidity.

I had to pick up this piece of history, but boy did it freeze my hands!

To get a different perspective and potentially away from the crowds, there are three additional interconnected viewpoints on the other side of the lagoon.

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If you want a more intimate experience, many boat tours depart from the shore to get a closer look of the icebergs.

Fun Facts: Many movies have used the lagoon as a film location including Die Another Day, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Batman Begins. Iceland has a postage stamp of Jökulsárlón.

Good to know:

+Diamond Beach is located right across the street