Vatnajokull Glacier Lagoon Day Trip from Reykjavík

★★★★★ 4.7 (669 traveller ratings)

Views the ice, no walk on itReykjavík pickupAbout 1.5 hours at the lagoonReykjavík transfer included

You leave Reykjavík by coach early in the morning and see the icebergs of Jökulsárlón in the middle of the day. Diamond Beach and two waterfalls fill the rest, and you are back in the city late at night. You look at Vatnajökull from the shore; you do not walk on it.

Hours, prices and access verified by the Vatnajokull Tours team — last checked 2026-09-23.

More photos →

The lagoon and the beach, with nothing to drive

What fourteen and a half hours from Reykjavík buys

Jökulsárlón is about 370 km from Reykjavík, and the only road east is Route 1. This day drives there and back. Your fare buys the seat, a professional guide who talks you along the road, pickup in the city, and a guided visit to the lagoon and the beach. It does not buy a walk on the glacier, and there is no boat trip in the fare.

That is the honest trade. Olivia_L noted there is a lot of time on the bus, but for anyone without a car it is the only way to reach these places in a day, and the guide’s stories filled the hours. Andrew_b called it a 14-plus-hour day with many short stops, and preferred it that way. Annette_M thought the lagoon and the falls could be seen faster by car. If you have one, the lagoon is a better base than a day trip.

The lagoon, the beach and the stops on the way

Going east, the coach stops at Skógafoss for about 25 minutes, passes the volcano Eyjafjallajökull, and breaks for 40 minutes at Freysnes. As you cross the black sands near Skaftafell, look up for Hvannadalshnjúkur, the highest peak in Iceland. At the lagoon you spend about an hour and 20 minutes with the guide among the icebergs, then about 15 minutes at Diamond Beach, where lumps of ice wash up on black sand.

On the way back there is a 45-minute stop at Vík, then Seljalandsfoss, the waterfall with a path behind it, and a last break at Hvolsvöllur. Kathleen_M reached Seljalandsfoss in the dark and rain and found the path behind it unsafe. In the shorter days of autumn and winter, expect the same. Things to do describes the lagoon and its trails, and the weather page gives the light and rain by month.

The boat and the glacier, if you want them

Anja_J was offered a boat on the lagoon as an add-on at the start of the day, and found it worth the money. That extra is sold on the day, not in this fare, so budget for it separately if you want it. Standing on the ice is a different trip altogether: it needs a guide, crampons and a base near the glacier, which is why the hike from Skaftafell starts from there. The northern lights may show on the drive home, but they are not promised.

Your fourteen and a half hours, stop by stop

1. Pickup from 07:00. Collection can take up to 30 minutes; the coach leaves BSÍ at 07:30.
2. Skógafoss, 25 minutes. The first waterfall of the day, on the way east.
3. Freysnes, 40 minutes. A longer break before the last leg to the lagoon.
4. The lagoon, about 1 hour 20. A guided visit among the icebergs from the shore.
5. Diamond Beach, 15 minutes. Ice on black sand, across the road from the lagoon.
6. Vík, 45 minutes. The longest stop on the way back west.
7. Seljalandsfoss, then Reykjavík. The last waterfall, a break at Hvolsvöllur, and the drive back.

Who this suits: travellers based in Reykjavík without a car

What’s included

Food is the thing to plan. Several stops sell snacks and meals, but the evening stop can feel rushed: JamesSteven_P found supper hurried. Christine_A packed morning snacks and bought coffee before pickup. Dress for cold, wet weather in warm layers with a hat, gloves and rain gear, because much of the day is spent outside at the stops.

BSÍ, or a pickup stop in central Reykjavík

The coach leaves from the BSÍ bus terminal, a short walk from the city centre; be there at least 15 minutes before departure. Pickup from central Reykjavík is in the fare and starts at 07:00. Big coaches cannot reach most hotel doors, so you are collected at a designated stop nearby, and it can take up to 30 minutes to collect everyone. JamesSteven_P had to walk a fair way to the stop.

If you arrive by ship, a cruise-port pickup is a booking option. The day ends back in Reykjavík late in the evening. How to get there compares this day with driving yourself, and the visitor guide covers what you pay if you do.

Know before you go

• Be at the stop from 07:00. Pickup can take up to 30 minutes, so wait even if the coach is late.
• Pack food for the morning. Buy coffee before pickup and carry snacks for the first leg.
• Dress for the stops, not the coach. Warm layers, a hat, gloves and rain gear.
• Expect the road to set the pace. Margit_S sat in a closure after an accident on the one road east.
• Budget for any lagoon extra. A boat is an add-on sold on the day, not part of this fare.
• Cancel a day ahead and pay nothing. The full fare comes back up to 24 hours before the start.

What passengers say about the long day

Read all reviews →

Questions about the lagoon day