Things to Do in Skaftafell

Skaftafell sits within Vatnajökull National Park, home to Europe's largest glacier by volume, Vatnajökull ice cap.

The area was devastated by the 1996 Gjálp eruption beneath the Vatnajökull glacier, which triggered a massive jökulhlaup (glacial outburst flood) that reshaped the landscape.

Skaftafell's name means 'shelf mountain' in Icelandic, referring to the distinctive flat-topped mountain formations visible from the area.

The Skaftafell region has Iceland's most accessible hiking trails to glaciers, including routes to Svartifoss waterfall and the Skaftafellsjökull outlet glacier.

The landscape around Skaftafell features dramatic black sand plains created by glacial meltwater and volcanic debris from multiple eruptions over centuries.