Visit the Skaftafell Ice Cave

Part of Iceland's famous Vatnajökull National Park is the wild beauty of the Skaftafell range which has enchanted thousands of visitors over the years. The area offers visitors a great choice of hiking trails, one of which leads to the beautiful Skaftafell Ice Cave, which is open to the public all year round. Other trails lead to Kristinartindar Mountain and to Svartifoss waterfall, which plunges a great distance over spectacular black basalt columns.

The national park also includes several glaciers, among them Skaftafellsjökull and Svinafellsjökull, and the volcano Öræfajökull, which lies in the east of the national park. Short and easy to manage trails lead to the two glaciers.

Several private companies offer guided hiking and climbing tours in the national park and Skaftafell even has its own camping ground, which is open all year round. A visitors center at Skaftafell provides information about hiking routes and the history of the Skaftafell National Park, which began in 1967. By 2008 the park had been incorporated into the newer Vatnajökull National Park, vastly enriching the experience for visitors. In summer park rangers offer visitors guided walks around the national park.

Skaftafell lies some 326 km distance from Reykjavik. It is possible to take a scheduled bus service which runs between Reykjavik and Höfn, taking in Skaftafell along the way. Höfn lies some 136 km distance to the west of the park.