Best Time to Visit Jokulsarlon Lagoon
The best time to visit Jokulsarlon Lagoon, in Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland, depends on what you want to do there. Different activities run in different months, so this page sets out the season for each one and shows where they overlap.
Seasons by activity
Amphibious boat tours run from May to November. Zodiac tours run from May to October. Kayaking runs from May to September. Ice cave tours run from October to April. Northern lights season runs from September to April.
May to September: the widest choice of tours
From May to September, amphibious boat tours, Zodiac tours and kayaking are all available. If you want the option of being out on the water in any of these ways, this is the period that covers all three. September also falls within northern lights season.
October and November: a change of season
In October, kayaking has finished for the year, but amphibious boat tours and Zodiac tours still run. Ice cave tours and the northern lights season are also under way, so October and November are the months when boat tours, ice caves and northern lights all overlap. In November, Zodiac tours stop, leaving amphibious boat tours, ice cave tours and the northern lights.
December to April: ice caves and northern lights
From December to April, the boat tours and kayaking are not running. Ice cave tours and the northern lights season continue through April. If either of these is your main reason for visiting, plan your trip within these months.
Choosing your dates
For kayaking, travel between May and September. For a Zodiac tour, travel between May and October. For an amphibious boat tour, travel between May and November. For an ice cave tour, travel between October and April. For the northern lights, travel between September and April. If you want to combine a boat tour with an ice cave tour, aim for October or November. If you want to combine a boat tour with the northern lights, aim for September to November.
Getting there
Hornafjordur Airport is about 5 km north of Hofn town. Flights from Reykjavik take about 55 minutes.