SAIL A FANTASY WORLD
It’s one of the unique features of Iceland —one of those ‘must see’ spots. Located under the massive Vatnajökull glacier, the lagoon is one of the world’s natural wonders. Huge icebergs break off from the tongue flowing down from the glacier itself, plunging into the waters of the lagoon. The sunlight shining on and through the ice produces beautiful effects, while the multi-faceted blocks of ice form shapes that are just other-worldly.
A recent natural wonder
It hasn’t always been like this. The lagoon started to form in 1934, and has grown steadily larger since then as the Vatnajökull glacier began retreating and ice started moving slowly down towards the sea, breaking off in huge chunks in the lagoon. It is now the deepest lake in Iceland at around 260 metres.
It’s also a photographer’s dream, presenting many different photo opportunities to get unique shots. Since the volcanic eruptions of 2010 and before, some of the icebergs are stained with streaks of ash. Many are so huge that they dwarf the little Zodiac boat as it wends its way between them.
It’s not just peaceful on the lagoon, the silence is almost eerie, adding to the sense of awe. It’s not without life, however, as seals can frequently be seen basking on a chunk of ice or chasing after fish—or, quite often, just curiously observing those strange humans in their red jackets.
Tours that win Excellence Awards
Ice Lagoon–Zodiac Boat Tours has 7 scheduled tours daily. Each lasts an hour and the Ice Lagoon team takes you all the way up to the glacier edge, about 7 km away. The company focuses on personal service with a maximum of 10 passengers in each Zodiac boat and with professional guides who will point out the jewels and the secrets of the lagoon. This has earned them TripAdvisor’s 2013 Certificate of Excellence. It is worth reading TripAdvisor’s reviews to see why.
They have three kinds of tours: the Adventure Tour, the Evening Tour and private tours where you have the whole boat and the guide for yourself. Before starting a tour, one of the experienced guides will tell you about what you can expect to see and will make sure you have your floatation suits and lifejackets.
The Evening Tour is remarkable as the sun is lower in the west, casting beautiful colours over the entire area. With fewer visitors at that time, the silence is all the more profound. Jökulsárlón is easy to reach from Reykjavik, as it lies on the Ring road in the south, some 78 km before the fishing town of Höfn.
| Sunnuhlíð ◦ 781 Hornafjörður,[email protected] www.icelagoon.com,tel: +354 860 9996 |
