<p><strong>Vatnajökull National Park encompasses an enormous area. It covers 12.000 square kilometres (4,600 square miles), almost 14% of Iceland.  In fact, you would need weeks to explore the park&#8217;s entire area!</strong></p>
<p>The park officially formed in 2008 by joining together Jökulsargljúfur and <span id="urn:local-text-annotation-i4n6zonq26fm388lxjj3sri9gb514f6o" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-place">Skaftafell National Parks and adding in additional wilderness areas</span>. In fact, it is the largest national park in Western Europe.</p>
<p>The uniqueness of <span id="urn:enhancement-b880d1f4-157b-7a8e-79d8-9523f5bf4166" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-place">Vatnajökull</span> National Park lies in its incredibly varied landscapes. Rivers, glaciers, and volcanoes and geothermal activity have created a surreal place.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.icelandtravel.is/attractions/vatnajokull/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span id="urn:local-text-annotation-6ynx8ljomvf8ybl9chfq1a31bsmn4n61" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-thing">Vatnajökull</span> glacier</a> dominates the area.  Actually, you can enjoy lovely views of <span id="urn:local-text-annotation-4q9c2y6futt2q9kvab8ioteif53r1igs" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-thing">Vatnajökull</span> and its many outlets from the Ring Road. These outlets stretch down from the glacier towards the ocean.</p>
<h2>What to see in Vatnajökull National Park?</h2>
<p>Towards the north, glacial rivers divide the vast <span id="urn:local-text-annotation-8cxny3sxrkg4ynz6lzq9e6m181zbpn5h" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-place">highlands</span>. The volcanoes Askja, <a href="https://www.icelandtravel.is/attractions/kverkfjoll/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span id="urn:enhancement-2663d4d5-6c97-95e6-0bec-80cbfb49f412" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-place">Kverkfjöll</span></a> and Snæfell tower over this region. Additionally, Herðubreið table mountain is particularly striking. Icelanders call it &#8220;the Queen of the Mountains.&#8221;</p>
<p>Long ago, huge glacial floods carved out Jökulsargljúfur canyon in the park&#8217;s northern area. The mighty <a href="http://icelandtravel.is/attractions/dettifoss/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dettifoss</a> waterfall thunders into this canyon. The park&#8217;s scenic <a href="http://icelandtravel.is/attractions/hljodaklettar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hljóðaklettar</a> formations and <a href="http://icelandtravel.is/attractions/asbyrgi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ásbyrgi</a> canyon lie farther north.</p>
<p>Broad wetlands and expansive mountain ranges distinguish the park&#8217;s eastern area around Snæfell mountain. These areas are an important habitat for reindeer and pink-footed geese.</p>
<p>Many high, majestic mountain ridges with outlet glaciers characterise the park&#8217;s southern area.  Vatnajökull glacier covers the Öræfajökull volcano and <a href="https://www.icelandtravel.is/attractions/hvannadalshnjukur/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span id="urn:local-text-annotation-51bugo3m2mr0qh3pgq07omq95vw78h8z" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-place">Hvannadalshnjúkur</span></a> (Iceland&#8217;s highest peak). Sheltered by the high ice, the forested <span id="urn:enhancement-6daa730e-7896-bc3b-a538-2827aee16b92" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-place">Skaftafell area</span> overlooks black sands deposited by the Skeiðará river .</p>
<p>Vatnajökull National Park offers you an up-close opportunity to experience how glaciers and volcanoes interact. You can enjoy a variety of hiking trails within the park. If you want more action, you might try guided activities like ice hiking and climbing, ice cave visits, and snowmobiling.</p>
<h2>Where are the Ice Caves in Vatnajökull?</h2>
<p>Ice caves form every winter, and their location differs from season to season.  We do not recommend that you go hunting for ice caves without a local expert guide. We are happy to book you on a guided ice cave tour!</p>
<h2>How old is the ice in Vatnajökull glacier?</h2>
<p>Scientists estimate that the oldest ice in Vatnajökull is about 1.000 years old.</p>
<h2>How thick is the ice in Vatnajökull glacier?</h2>
<p>It is approximately 400-700 metres (1.312 &#8211;  2.297 ft) thick. It covers about 3.200 square kilometres (1,988 miles). Moreover, if the ice were to spread evenly over the whole country, it would result in 30 metres (98 ft) of thick ice everywhere in Iceland. Imagine that!</p>
<h2>Why is the ice in Vatnajökull glacier often blue?</h2>
<p>The blue colour of thick ice is caused by ice reflecting the blue in the colour spectrum while absorbing the yellow and red colours. Actually, this is true for all ice. However, in Iceland you will often see dark lines in the ice, which are caused by ash from erupting volcanoes. Geologists use these lines to date the ice, and archaeologists use the ash to date their findings and discoveries.</p>


Vatnajökull National Park

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Follow the Icelandic road rules, and remember that off-roading is strictly forbidden as it damages natural landscapes.

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Vatnajökull National Park

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