Jökulsárgljúfur National Park

Introducing Jökulsárgljúfur National Park

One of Iceland’s best-loved national parks, Jökulsárgljúfur protects the 30km gorge carved out by the formidable Jökulsá á Fjöllum. The river is Iceland’s second longest, starting in the Vatnajökull icecap and flowing almost 200km to the Arctic Ocean at Öxarfjörður. Jökulhlaups (flooding from volcanic eruptions beneath the icecap), formed the canyon and have carved out a chasm that averages 100m deep and 500m wide. Minor floods occur roughly every 10 years and a major one once or twice in a century.

After the crowds at Mývatn and Krafla, the park feels incredibly remote, with limited access on rough roads and only basic facilities. A wonderful two-day hike, weaves along the canyon through and around birch forests, striking rock formations, lush valleys and commanding perpendicular cliffs, taking in all the major sights en route. If you’re not so keen on hiking, the big attractions, such as the waterfalls at the southern end of the park and horseshoe-shaped Ásbyrgi canyon at the northern end, are accessible by road in a leisurely day.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009