Iceland is a country where adventure is always just around the corner. It's also, as you can imagine, a country with loads of ice. Therefore, places like the massive Mýrdalsjökull Glacier invite visitors to come and explore its frozen terrain in a myriad of exciting ways.
If you’re looking for the ultimate icy adventure on one of Iceland’s most famous natural wonders, Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is the place for you. In this article, we give you the hot take on one of the country’s most notorious icy giants. So, read on and start planning your visit!
Mýrdalsjökull Glacier: An Overview
The Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is located close to the Icelandic South Coast, not far from the small town of Vík i Mýrdal. The glacier lies on top of the still-active Katla Volcano, the central volcano in the Katla Volcanic System. This volcano and glacier combo makes it abundantly clear why it is known as the Land of Fire and Ice.
The Katla Volcano underneath the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is notorious for putting the Icelanders on edge. This restless volcano has typically erupted at intervals of 20-80 years, which is concerning given that it hasn’t erupted in over 100 years. The reason for worry is that Katla has a history of explosive and violent eruptions, unlike many other Icelandic Volcanos that normally have calm and manageable eruptions. The last major eruption, in 1918, was large enough to extend the Icelandic South Coast by a whole 5 kilometers.
Despite this, there are no signs of Katla erupting anytime soon. The rumbling volcano underneath the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is closely monitored, and any sign will be swiftly reported to protect the people in the area. There is no reason to get cold feet.
When we talk about glaciers in Iceland, it’s often hard to give a fair picture of just how massive these behemoths are. The Mýrdalsjökull Glacier, for example, is up to 700 meters thick, which means that you could easily fit two Eiffel Towers on top of each other inside the ice. The ice sheet is 596 square kilometers and sits at a maximum height of 1,480 meters above sea level. It’s almost unimaginably large.
What to Do at the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
Despite the rumbling volcano underneath the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier, there are plenty of safe things to do on top of the ice. The most popular activities are listed below:
Snowmobiling
Few things will get the blood pumping like snowmobiling in Iceland. Thundering over the thick ice cap on top of a dormant volcano with a 150-horsepower engine rumbling underneath you is the experience of a lifetime. These tours allow you to cover a lot of ground and see much of the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. This will suit visitors who prefer some fast-paced exploration over a calm and harmonic hike.
Ice Caving
Being on top of the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is cool and all, but there are opportunities to explore its inner parts. If you want to see something truly mesmerizing, join an ice cave tour and visit one of the ice caves in Iceland that is open throughout the year. The Katla Ice Cave allows you to see long stripes of volcanic ash from previous volcanic eruptions.
Glacier Hiking
If you would rather take a relaxed approach to exploring the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Park, you would probably enjoy a glacier hike. This way, you’ll have plenty of time to stop at ice formations, crevasses, and other cool things you’ll find along the route. Just remember to do this with a guide since the glacier cap can be dangerous if you don’t know the area.
How to Get to the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
To experience the thrills of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, you won’t have to navigate any difficult routes. The glacier is very close to the Ring Road, and the activities will either start in Vík i Myrdal, a nearby farm, or at the campgrounds at the base of the glacier. Vík is the most common destination, and to get there, you can either join a tour, take the bus, or drive yourself.
Drive Yourself
The best way to explore Iceland is to rent your own vehicle and hit the road. Driving to the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier from Reykjavik is as easy as it gets. All you have to do is drive the Ring Road, heading east, and continue for roughly 150 to 180 kilometers.
If you want to get to the west side of the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier, you turn left on Road 221 towards Solheimajökull after 150 kilometers. If you're going to visit the Katla Ice Cave, you’ll turn left on Kerlingadalsvegur towards Katla Geopark after 180 kilometers. Vík will be somewhere around the 155-kilometer mark, smack-dab in the middle of the Ring Road.
Take the Bus
If you don’t want to pay for a tour but are also not in the mood to drive yourself, taking the bus using Straetó is a convenient option. From Reykjavik, simply take the bus from the Mjódd bus station to Selfoss. From there, you take another bus with the same number to Vík.
This trip takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes and will cost 8,400 ISK ($) for an adult. It’s important to remember that taking the bus back and forth will turn this Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Adventure into a 2-day trip.
Join a Tour
The tours from Reykjavik will either be direct tours to any of the activities listed above or a multi-day tour of Southern Iceland. If you join a day tour from Reykjavik, it will take roughly 11 hours from departure to arrival back in the capital since it is a minimum of 150 kilometers one-way. If you join one of the tours from Vík, on the other hand, the tour will normally take between 3 and 5 hours.
Where to Stay Close to the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
If you want to stay near Mýrdalsjökull Glacier in Iceland and explore the area, one of the following accommodation options will probably fit you well:
Visiting the Stunning Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
The Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is one of the must-visit spots when traveling along the Icelandic South Coast. It is the epitome of what makes Iceland such a unique place with active volcanoes and majestic glaciers.
Making the most of your Icelandic Holiday is best done if you rent a campervan in Iceland and pilot your own adventure. With a campervan, you can sleep at the foot of glaciers, mountains, waterfalls, and lakes. There is no better way to experience Iceland than to be as close to nature as possible.