Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat ToursAn Independent Guide Check Availability
Striped icebergs and a yellow amphibian boat below Breiðamerkurjökull on a Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tours

Icebergs break off Breiðamerkurjökull and drift across Iceland's deepest lake toward the sea, and the amphibian and the Zodiac leave the same shore. What separates one Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour from another is how the boat gets into your day, whether the ticket sits inside a day trip 4.5 hours each way from Reykjavík, whether you paddle a kayak, or whether you take the quieter boat at Fjallsárlón.

30-40 min on the amphibian among the icebergs
1 h 15 min on the Zodiac, close to the glacier
4,030 reviews on the most reviewed day trip
Quick answer Amphibian or Zodiac, the pick and the way in

A Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour is a 30 to 40 minute amphibian ride (May to November) or a 1 hour 15 minute Zodiac ride (May to October), both sold at the lagoon shore. The amphibian costs 7,100 ISK (about $58) and the Zodiac 16,600 ISK (about $136) at about 122 ISK to the US dollar. Neither boat is sold on this site. What you can book here is the trip that carries the boat, a day trip from Reykjavík with the ticket inside the price, a kayak on the lagoon, or the Zodiac at Fjallsárlón 10 km west.

Key takeaways

  • The pick: the Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip, 4.7 from 310 reviews, $279 from Reykjavík with the boat ride in the price → see the card
  • The lowest price on the page is Fjallsárlón Ice Floating at $125.88, but it is ice floating in an immersion suit, not a boat
  • The lagoon operator runs an amphibian and a faster Zodiac from the same shore. The figures, seasons and age rules are set out in Amphibian or Zodiac
  • The boat also runs at Fjallsárlón, a quieter lagoon 10 km west of Jökulsárlón. The options sit in the Fjallsárlón guide

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tours Compared

Every price below starts with "from" because it is the lowest adult rate on the listing, and every price is per person. The Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip, the Glacier Lagoon Day Trip with Boat Tour and the two-day 2-Day South Coast with Boat and Hike put the boat ticket inside the fare. The other trips from Reykjavík treat the boat as an add-on you select at booking or pay for at the lagoon, and those listings do not state the add-on price. The kayak tours and the Fjallsárlón trips are meet-on-site, so you drive yourself or add them to your own road trip. Payment and booking run through the platforms, and every listing carries free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

Free cancellation to 24 hours before on every tour here
The boat ticket is already in the price of the pick
The platform handles changes, refunds and weather cancellations
Reserve now and pay later on the GetYourGuide listings

Glacier Lagoon Boat Tours: Price, Hours and the Boat

Every Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour side by side: the listing price per person, the whole trip, what you do on the water and where it starts. "Add-on" means the boat is sold on top of the trip.

Tour Price Total time On the water Starts Book
Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip $279 14 hours 30 min amphibian Reykjavík Check Availability Details
South Coast and Jökulsárlón Day Tour $223 14.5 hours Add-on Reykjavík Check Availability Details
Glacier Lagoon Day Trip with Boat Tour $328 14.5 hours Boat tour included Reykjavík Check Availability Details
Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach Day Trip $225 14-15 hours Add-on Reykjavík Check Availability Details
Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach Tour $203 14 hours Add-on Reykjavík Check Availability Details
Fjallsárlón Boat Tour and Glacier Hike $234 4 hours Zodiac both ways Fjallsárlón Check Availability Details
Fjallsárlón Ice Floating $125.88 1.5 hours Ice floating Fjallsárlón Check Availability Details
Jökulsárlón Kayaking Tour $154 1.5 hours Kayak 1.5 hours Jökulsárlón Check Availability Details
Small-Group Glacier Lagoon Kayaking $149 1.5 hours Kayak 1.5 hours Fjallsárlón (confirm) Check Availability Details
Glacier Lagoon Kayak and Hike $228.87 6 hours Kayak and glacier hike Jökulsárlón Check Availability Details
2-Day South Coast with Amphibian Boat $590 2 days Add-on Reykjavík Check Availability Details
2-Day South Coast with Boat and Hike $698.07 2 days Boat tour included Reykjavík Check Availability Details

The boat-included day trips cost more, the add-on trips leave the boat to you, and Fjallsárlón and the kayaks start at the water. Cancellation terms are on each card. Figures current in Q4 2026.

Amphibian or Zodiac: Which Boat Is Best

The amphibian and the Zodiac leave the same shore at Jökulsárlón, run by the lagoon operator. Both are sold at the lagoon and on the operator's own site, not here. Each boat has its own page: the Zodiac and the amphibian.

Passengers boarding a yellow amphibian boat on the shore for a Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour

The amphibian at the Jökulsárlón shore. Photo: Oskarp, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Rides Side by Side

The amphibian and the Zodiac set side by side, with the figures from the lagoon operator. These tickets are bought at the shore or on the operator's site, not on this one, so they are priced in Icelandic krona.

DetailAmphibianZodiac
Time on the water30 to 40 minutes1 hour 15 minutes
SeasonMay to NovemberMay to October
Price at the lagoon7,100 ISK (about $58) adult, 3,500 ISK (about $29) child 6 to 12, free under 616,600 ISK (about $136) adult, 8,300 ISK (about $68) child 10 to 12
Who can rideAll ages, no minimum ageAge 10 or older, or at least 130 cm tall
How close to the iceSails among the icebergsCovers large areas of the lagoon and gets closer to the icebergs, when conditions allow almost up to the glacier
DeparturesUsually at least every 30 minutes from June to AugustAbout 10 departures in high season, seats are limited

Which Ride Suits You

The amphibian is a wheeled boat that drives straight off the beach into the water, so you board without docks or climbing, which helps visitors with limited mobility. The 30 to 40 minute tour passes blue icebergs and seals resting on the ice, passengers can taste 1000 year old ice, and Diamond Beach is visible from the route. An English speaking guide and life jackets are included, and the view takes in Vatnajökull and the Breiðamerkurjökull tongue.

The Zodiac is a fast inflatable that runs 1 hour 15 minutes and reaches water the amphibian never sees. When conditions allow it goes almost all the way up to the glacier. Everyone wears a flotation suit and life jacket, and the ticket includes a truck transfer from the main parking area to the dock. Check in 30 minutes before departure.

So which glacier boat tour is the best? If you want speed, closeness to the ice and time near the glacier wall, the Zodiac is the stronger ride, and it costs more than twice as much. If you travel with small children, want the lower price or need easy boarding, the amphibian is the sensible pick. The operator refunds in full if you cancel 24 hours or more ahead, pays 50 percent back from 23 hours to 2 hours before, and rebooks or refunds in full when a tour is cancelled for safety.

Day Trips from Reykjavík

These listings take you from Reykjavík to the lagoon and back in one very long day. Here is how they differ on price, boat arrangements and time at the water.

The Day Trips at a Glance

The day trips from Reykjavík compared on price, the length of the day, the boat and the time at the lagoon. The figures come from the tour listings, and the boat column is the one that matters most.

TourPriceDayBoatTime at the lagoon
Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip$27914 hours30-minute amphibian included1 hour
Glacier Lagoon Day Trip with Boat Tour$32814.5 hoursAbout 30 minutes included, up to 45 peopleNot stated
South Coast and Jökulsárlón Day Tour$22314.5 hoursOptional in summer, paid on site1.5 hours
Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach Day Trip$22514-15 hours40-minute ride as an extra fee1.5 hours
Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach Tour$20314 hoursOptional from April to October, paid on site1.5 hours

What the Day Actually Looks Like

The lagoon sits 370 km from Reykjavík, about 4.5 hours each way on the coach, so the day runs 14 hours or more and most of it is on the road. The lagoon itself gets 1 to 1.5 hours. The stops named in the listings break up the drive: Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Vík for dinner, Kirkjubæjarklaustur for lunch, Hvolsvöllur, Skaftafell and Diamond Beach across the road from the lagoon.

The real choice is the boat. On the Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip and the Glacier Lagoon Day Trip with Boat Tour the ticket is in the fare, so there is nothing to pay at the shore. On the South Coast and Jökulsárlón Day Tour, the Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach Day Trip and the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach Tour the ride is an add-on, and none of those listings states its price. For scale, the amphibian ticket bought at the lagoon costs 7,100 ISK (about $58).

Lunch is not included on any of the five, food is bought at restaurant and gas station stops. Most of them do not take children under 6. A day trip makes sense if you have no car and only one day, but you give up the flexibility of driving yourself or spreading the South Coast over the two-day trips further down the page.

Fjallsárlón: The Quieter Lagoon Next Door

Fjallsárlón sits about 10 km west of Jökulsárlón on Route 1, below the steep Fjallsjökull glacier tongue, and it runs its own boat. Here are the ways onto this water. The lagoon itself, parking included, is on Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon.

Icebergs below the Fjallsjökull glacier tongue at Fjallsárlón, the quieter alternative to a Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour

Fjallsárlón below Fjallsjökull. Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Boat, Float or Boat and Hike

The Fjallsárlón options side by side. The first two are tours sold on this site at their listing prices. The third is the standalone boat the Fjallsárlón operator sells at the lagoon, which is not sold here, so it is priced in krona.

OptionPriceTimeWho
Fjallsárlón Boat Tour and Glacier Hike$2344 hoursAge 14 and up, group of up to 10
Fjallsárlón Ice Floating$125.881.5 hoursAges 15 to 75, group of up to 8
Fjallsárlón Iceberg Boat Tour (at the lagoon)11,300 ISK (about $93)75 minutesApril to November, not sold on this site

On Site at Fjallsárlón

The lagoon lies at the southern edge of Vatnajökull and is often a quieter alternative to Jökulsárlón. The tour base sits behind the Frost restaurant, which seats up to 90 guests and opens 10:00 to 16:00 with a self service buffet of hot meals, salads, soups, sandwiches and cakes. Check in at the tour reception behind Frost, then follow a 10-minute gravel walk to the dock.

The Fjallsárlón Boat Tour and Glacier Hike crosses the lagoon by Zodiac in a 25-minute ride each way, then puts crampons, a helmet and a harness on you for about 2 hours on Fjallsjökull. The Fjallsárlón Ice Floating uses no boat at all, you float among the icebergs in an immersion suit under a professional instructor for 90 minutes, and a hot drink at Frost is included afterwards. It is the lowest priced option on this page at $125.88. Passengers on the Zodiac here can also taste ice from the lagoon.

Kayaking on the Lagoon

These tours put you in a kayak on the ice-filled water. They start at the lagoon, so you need your own way there.

The Kayak Tours Compared

A kayak puts you on the water without a motor, in a group far smaller than any boat tour. The figures below are the per person catalog prices, durations, group caps and minimum ages taken from the listings.

TourPriceTimeGroupMinimum age
Jökulsárlón Kayaking Tour$1541.5 hoursNot stated14 and up
Small-Group Glacier Lagoon Kayaking$1491.5 hoursUp to 612 in the booking data
Glacier Lagoon Kayak and Hike$228.876 hoursUp to 914 and up

How Kayaking Works and Who It Suits

Kayaking runs roughly from mid May to September. The tours use sit-on-top kayaks and a drysuit and life vest are provided. You meet on site and transport is not included, so these suit travellers with their own car or a day trip with a long lagoon stop.

The Jökulsárlón Kayaking Tour meets at the lagoon parking lot and asks you to arrive 20 minutes early. You must be able to swim. If you also want to walk on the ice, the kayak and glacier hike combo Glacier Lagoon Kayak and Hike adds a super jeep ride to Breiðamerkurjökull for 6 hours in total.

A kayak suits you better than a boat if you want quiet, paddling and a small group. One reviewer of the IceGuide tour says it felt calmer than the busier boat trips on the lagoon.

Two Days on the South Coast

Two trips from Reykjavík split the South Coast over two days with a hotel night, so the lagoon is not squeezed into a 14-hour day.

The Two-day Tours Compared

A night in between takes the 9-hour round trip out of a single day and puts the lagoon on a rested morning. The table compares the price, the night, and which activities are in the fare or sold as an option.

TourPriceNightBoatHike
2-Day South Coast with Amphibian Boat$590Ensuite room with breakfastAmphibian option, paid extraGlacier hike option, paid extra
2-Day South Coast with Boat and Hike$698.07Accommodation and breakfast includedIncludedIncluded, with safety gear

Why the Night Matters

Reykjavík to Jökulsárlón is about 4.5 hours each way, so every day trip is 14 hours or more on a coach. Splitting it over two days gives you the lagoon on day 2 without a same-day return, and the 2-Day South Coast with Boat and Hike folds the boat ride and a glacier hike into a group of up to 18. The 2-Day South Coast with Amphibian Boat covers Reynisfjara, Hofskirkja and the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon and lets you select the amphibian boat at booking.

If you drive yourself instead, the Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Höfn stretch is about 205 kilometres with few fuel stops. Fill up at Freysnes or Fagurholsmýri before you go on.

What You See from the Boat

The boats leave from the same shore and cross a lagoon fed by Breiðamerkurjökull. Here is what you actually look at from the water. The glacier behind the lagoon has its own page.

A striped iceberg of white and blue ice reflected in still water on a Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour About 5 years afloat

The Icebergs

Icebergs float in the deep lagoon for about 5 years before they leave for the sea. They come in two main colours, milky white and bright blue, and the black stripes are volcanic ash. The Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip puts you among them on the amphibian.

A Zodiac crossing the lagoon toward the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier tongue on a Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour Recedes about 200 m a year

Breiðamerkurjökull

The lagoon formed in the 1930s after this glacier tongue began to recede. It retreated about 5.6 kilometres during the 20th century and still pulls back roughly 200 metres a year. The Zodiac, when conditions allow, goes almost all the way up to the glacier, which you can read about in the Zodiac section.

Seals resting on a floe below a blue ice wall, seen on a Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour Best in winter

Seals on the Ice

Common seals gather in large numbers at the lagoon, and more come in winter to feed. Large seal colonies live where the rivers meet the sea. The Jökulsárlón Kayaking Tour lists seals and birds as possible sightings on the water.

Ice on the black sand of Diamond Beach under the northern lights, across the road from the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tours 30 to 60 minutes for most visitors

Diamond Beach

The black sand beach sits just across Route 1 from the lagoon, a 5 to 10 minute walk away. The ice there comes from icebergs that drift out to sea and wash ashore, polished smooth by the waves. Most day trips, such as Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip, include a stop on the beach.

The Route 1 suspension bridge over the outlet of the lagoon, passed on every Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour from Reykjavík Built in 1967

The Route 1 Bridge

The bridge over the lagoon outlet was built in 1967 and is about 90 metres long, and the river that drains the lagoon is about 500 metres long today. Icebergs pass under it on their way to the Atlantic. The bridge area is also one of the three northern lights viewing spots named in the seasons section.

Fjallsjökull glacier above the icebergs of Fjallsárlón, next door to the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tours 10 km west of Jökulsárlón

Fjallsjökull

Fjallsjökull is a steep glacier tongue from Vatnajökull that feeds the smaller lagoon Fjallsárlón. Fjallsárlón Boat Tour and Glacier Hike takes a Zodiac across that lagoon and then about 2 hours on the glacier itself.

Photos via Wikimedia Commons: The Icebergs, Snowolf, CC BY-SA 4.0. Breiðamerkurjökull, rheins, CC BY 3.0. Seals on the Ice, Karel Stipek Austria, CC BY-SA 4.0. Diamond Beach, Richard Banton, CC BY 2.0. The Route 1 Bridge, rheins, CC BY 3.0. Fjallsjökull, Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0.

Driving to the Lagoon Yourself

Jökulsárlón sits right on Route 1, so driving yourself is simple in summer. These are the distances, the fees and what is on site. The bases nearby are on hotels near Jökulsárlón.

The Route 1 bridge at the lagoon outlet, where you park for a Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour

The Route 1 bridge over the lagoon outlet. Photo: rheins, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Distances and Drive Times

Distances and drive times to the lagoon along Route 1, the Ring Road, from published driving guides. Route 1 is 1,309 kilometres long in total and gets the highest priority for snow removal in winter.

FromDistanceDrive
Reykjavík370 kmAbout 4.5 hours
Vík187 km from ReykjavíkAbout 2.5 hours from Reykjavík
Kirkjubæjarklaustur257 km from ReykjavíkAbout 3 hours 15 minutes from Reykjavík
Skaftafell43 km from JökulsárlónAbout 45 minutes west of the lagoon
Höfn80 km east of the lagoonNot stated

Parking, Facilities and the Road

Parking at the lagoon costs 1,110 ISK (about $9) for a car with 5 seats or fewer, at about 122 ISK to the US dollar. The fee is valid until midnight, allows unlimited exit and entry that day, and the same Jökulsárlón fee covers Diamond Beach. You pay at machines in the lot or through the Parka app, and you get 50 percent off if you already paid at another park fee area that day.

Public toilets, a café, a souvenir shop and accessible parking are on site. The café serves lobster soup, sandwiches, cakes and drinks, and opens 09:00 to 19:00 from June to September and 09:00 to 17:00 from December to February. Viewing areas, paths and the café are accessible for visitors with disabilities.

The walk to Diamond Beach takes 2 to 5 minutes from the parking areas, or 5 to 10 minutes from the lagoon. On the road itself, fuel on the eastern stretch is limited to Freysnes and Fagurholsmýri, road conditions are on umferdin.is and the traffic phone is 1777, and the emergency number is 112.

Sources: Vatnajökull National Park, icelagoon.is, Guide to Iceland driving guide

When the Boats Run

Month by month figures are on Jökulsárlón weather.

Season Calendar by Month

The table combines the operator's own season dates for the amphibian and Zodiac, the mid May to September kayaking window, and the ice cave season of roughly October or November to March or April. Winter has no boats at all.

MonthAmphibianZodiacKayakIce caves
JanuaryNoNoNoYes
FebruaryNoNoNoYes
MarchNoNoNoYes
AprilNoNoNoPartly
MayYesYesPartlyPartly
JuneYesYesYesNo
JulyYesYesYesNo
AugustYesYesYesNo
SeptemberYesYesYesPartly
OctoberYesYesNoPartly
NovemberPartly, ends 15 NovemberNoNoYes
DecemberNoNoNoYes

Hours, Crowds and Daylight

Both boats run 10:00 to 17:00 in May, 09:00 to 19:00 from June to September and 10:00 to 17:00 in October, and the amphibian ends 15 November. From June to August amphibian departures run at least every 30 minutes. Crowds peak at midday, and August is the busiest month at about 2,330 vehicles a day on the nearby counter, with July at about 2,225.

June has up to 21 hours of daylight and December about 4. Northern lights season runs late September to early April, and the boats do not run in winter, so a cold season visit is about the shore, the beach and ice caves instead.

Before You Book a Glacier Lagoon Boat Tour

Do

  • Do bring warm layers, a hat, gloves and waterproof outerwear even in summer, because the operator advises exactly that.
  • Do book the Zodiac ahead, because departures have limited seats and the operator recommends online advance booking.
  • Do check road conditions on umferdin.is or by calling 1777 in winter, because four wheel drive gives better traction and closures are possible.
  • Do save the emergency number 112 before you go, and share a travel plan with a trusted person as SafeTravel recommends.
  • Do look at a two-day trip such as 2-Day South Coast with Boat and Hike if a 14-hour day sounds too long.

Don't

  • Don't climb the icebergs on Diamond Beach, because it risks injury, drowning or hypothermia and substantial fines are used to deter it.
  • Don't stand closer than 30 metres to the water at the beach, because the waves are dangerous and you should never turn your back on the ocean.
  • Don't get too close to the lagoon edge, because icebergs can shift suddenly.
  • Don't plan a boat ride between mid November and April, because the boats do not run in winter.

Is a Jökulsárlón Boat Tour Worth It

The honest case, based on what the operator charges and what the day trips cost.

What we genuinely like

  • You get among the icebergs, close to the glacier tongue that feeds the lagoon, which you cannot do from the shore.
  • Seals rest on the ice, and the amphibian tour shows blue icebergs with a view of Vatnajökull.
  • The amphibian takes any age, costs 7,100 ISK (about $58) and needs no minimum age, so families with small children can ride.
  • The Zodiac covers large areas of the lagoon and, when conditions allow, goes almost all the way up to the glacier.
  • Commercial boat tours have run here since 1985, with about 900,000 passengers since.

The honest downsides

  • Reykjavík is about 4.5 hours away each way, so the lagoon means a very long day.
  • On a day trip the boat ride is often 30 minutes inside a 14-hour itinerary.
  • The boats do not run in winter at all.
  • The Zodiac can be cancelled by weather, and weather can affect availability.
  • The optional boat on add-on day trips is paid extra on site, which adds to the fare.

Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who cannot face a long coach day, who are visiting in winter, or who want a guaranteed departure in any weather.

Which Jökulsárlón Boat Tour Should You Book

If You want the boat ride already paid for in a day trip from Reykjavík.

Book Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip, the pick, at $279 with the 30-minute amphibian ticket included.

If You want the cheapest day trip and are happy to pay for the boat at the lagoon.

Book Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach Tour at $203, the most reviewed listing here.

If You want more time on the water than 30 minutes.

Read the amphibian and Zodiac comparison, because the Zodiac runs 1 hour 15 minutes and goes close to the glacier.

If You want a small group and a glacier walk instead of a long coach day.

Book Fjallsárlón Boat Tour and Glacier Hike, 4 hours with a Zodiac crossing and about 2 hours on the ice.

If You want the lowest price and no boat at all.

Book Fjallsárlón Ice Floating at $125.88, floating among the icebergs in a thermal suit.

If You are driving yourself and want to know the fees and the seasons first.

Read driving to the lagoon yourself and when the boats run.

What Travelers Said After the Lagoon

★★★★★ ★★★★★
It is a long drive but well worth it and a comfortable journey. Glacier lagoon and diamond beach, both unique experiences.
Mark · Thailand · October 2026 · GetYourGuide review
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Amazing! To experience the tour was way much better than what we have expected! We were able to walk behind of a waterfall. Seeing the glacier lagoon (Jokulsarlon) and walk, touch and sit on an iceberg in diamond beach is something I never thought I was going to be able to do in mi life. I highly recommend this company and tour.
Juan · United States · October 2026 · GetYourGuide review
★★★★★ ★★★★★
This was a huge highlight of our trip. I’m glad we chose the morning hike because weather could have affected the afternoon hikes. You are the only small group on this glacier which you do not get with the other hikes in the area !
Elyse · United States · September 2026 · GetYourGuide review
★★★★★ ★★★★★
My father and I had a great time. He is 71 and it was his first time in a kayak! It went great and our guide was knowledgeable. Magical place! It was also cool to do something a bit more in harmony with nature instead of the other packed boat trips we saw out there! Felt the freedom and rawness of Iceland who could ask for anything more!
Ivy · United States · October 2026 · GetYourGuide review
★★★★★ ★★★★★
It was truly amazing experience. Our guide (Gudjon Jes) was knowledgeable, inspiring and carrying person. He knew so much about everything around (from geothermal energy plants to nature to history). He also shared some folk/fairy stories. I definitely learn a lot about Iceland. Thank you! It was one of the highlights of my trip in Iceland.
Paulina · Lithuania · October 2026 · GetYourGuide review
★★★★★ ★★★★★
The tour was perfectly organized. Our guide David not only took us to the planned locations, he also arranged some additional stops at other great places. The route, timing and also the hotel were optimal - I can only recommend the two-day tour and especially guide David.
Hubert · Austria · August 2026 · GetYourGuide review

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Boat Tour: Your Questions

Which glacier boat tour is the best?

The best Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon boat tour for most visitors is the amphibian ride, 30 to 40 minutes among the icebergs for 7,100 ISK (about $58) and open to any age. As a full day trip the pick is Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip, which puts that ticket inside a $279 coach day from Reykjavík.

Is Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon worth it?

Yes, if a long day does not put you off. The lagoon holds icebergs with ice about 1,000 years old, seals on the ice and a view of Breiðamerkurjökull, and the worth-it section lists the honest downsides too, such as 4.5 hours each way from Reykjavík and no boats in winter.

Can you walk from the glacier lagoon to Diamond Beach?

Yes. Diamond Beach sits just across Route 1 and the walk from the lagoon takes 5 to 10 minutes, or 2 to 5 minutes from the parking areas. Most day trips such as Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip stop there too.

What is the Zodiac boat tour at the glacier lagoon?

The Zodiac is a fast inflatable that runs 1 hour 15 minutes, costs 16,600 ISK (about $136) and takes passengers aged 10 and up or at least 130 centimetres tall. It covers large areas of the lagoon and, when conditions allow, goes almost all the way up to the glacier, as described in the amphibian and Zodiac comparison.

How much does a Jökulsárlón boat tour cost?

At the shore the amphibian costs 7,100 ISK (about $58) and the Zodiac 16,600 ISK (about $136). A full day trip from Reykjavík with the ride included costs $279 on Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip, or $328 on Glacier Lagoon Day Trip with Boat Tour.

Can you do Jökulsárlón as a day trip from Reykjavík?

Yes, but it is a long one. The lagoon is 370 kilometres away, about 4.5 hours each way, so the day trips run 14 hours or more. If that sounds too much, 2-Day South Coast with Boat and Hike splits the coast over two days with a night in between.

The 30-minute amphibian ride among the icebergs is already inside the $279 price of the Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride Day Trip.

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.

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