Skaftafell National Park in Iceland: Made from Fire and Ice

Skaftafell National Park, one of Iceland's national parks, is truly a landscape forged from fire and ice over centuries with many volcanic eruptions, glaciers and rivers. Like much of Iceland’s beautifully unchanged scenery, the terrain of Skaftafell National Park continues to instill a sense of awe and wonderment in all who travel there. Now included in the southern part of Vatnajökull National Park, Skaftafell National Park has been enlarged twice since it was officially founded in 1967.

The protected area of Skaftafell accounts for 4807 km² of the total terrain of Vatnajökull National Park (13,600 km²). A mountainous landscape that is home to volcanoes, waterfalls, rivers, glaciers and woods, Skaftafell’s creation took place over thousands of years. The result is a stunningly wild sweep of Nordic vistas carved by eruptions and erosion.

Highlights

• Skaftafell benefits from a pleasant climate. Visit in summer and experience the natural phenomenon of the midnight sun.
• Sightseeing flights are available from the small Skaftafell runway. Get a true bird’s eye view of the vast terrain.
• Get a new perspective on life by coming face-to-face with the awesome magnitude of a glacier.  
• Get up close and personal with the local wildlife including puffins and arctic foxes.
• Witness water cascading from a jet black basalt lava wall at Svartifoss waterfall.

Lowlights 

• Tourism has doubled in the last few years. During peak seasons, Skaftafell will be crowded with thousands of visitors. 
• Skaftafell National Park receives little snow. However, rain, harsh wind and ice can make trails hazardous during winter.
• Winter is a popular time to visit Skaftafell as the landscape changes completely. However, fewer daylight hours also set a limit on the activity.