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When you visit the land of fire and ice, it’s impossible to not look up at the snow-covered peaks and wonder how it would feel to stand there. Svínafellsjökull is one of the most popular glaciers to explore, and in this article, we take you through the seven stages of happiness as you get to learn more about the cool movie star of Iceland.
Svínafellsjökull: A Part of Something Bigger
Svínafellsjökull Glacier is nothing short of a wonder for those with an interest in adventure, photography, and/or glaciology. Even though we call this massive chunk of ice a glacier, it’s technically an outlet glacier, or glacial tongue, as it is also called. That means that it is attached to a larger glacier, but still large enough on its own to be seen as an individual glacier.
Svínafellsjökull is a part of the massive Vatnajökull glacier, the largest glacier in Europe. Just like we name different peaks on mountains, we also name different areas on a glacier, which is why Svínafellsjökull got a name of its own instead of just being called “a Vatnajökull glacial outlet”.
Despite not being able to measure up to its big brother Vatnajökull, Svínafellsjökull is still quite impressive with a length of 8 kilometers and a width of 800 meters. For the ones who make it to the 2,000-meter-high top, a stunning panoramic view of the national park invites you to take a few braggy photos to bring home.
Just make sure to stand steady on the ice and hold the camera firmly. Chasing a phone or camera down the icy slope is not recommended.
The Popular Glacier Competition
Svínafellsjökull is easy to access and has a long history of successful guided tours and adventures. However, it’s not the only glacier in the country with a good reputation and happy visitors.
Svínafellsjokull competes with glaciers like Langjökull and Sólheimajökull for first place in popularity, as both are closer to the capital and offer a wide range of activities. Svínafellsjökull, on the other hand, is the only one of the three that offers a panoramic view of the southern part of Vatnajökull National Park.
The History and Future of Svínafellsjökull
You might wonder how this magnificent glacier got its name. If you have the basics down for the Nordic languages, you might be able to pick up on the hint that lies in the name. “Svin” in Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, translates to “pig” and “fell” is an old Nordic name for “mountain”.
“Jökull”, as you may already know, is Icelandic for “glacier”. The name Svínafellsjökull translates to The Pig Mountain Glacier. It’s not a very flattering name, but it has nothing to do with the glacier’s character. Svinafell is the name of the nearby farm that has played an important role in Icelandic history.
The chieftain who lived here in the Viking Age was the last in Iceland to stand his ground and refused to acknowledge the Norwegian sovereignty over Iceland. In the mid-1200s, he eventually gave in and acknowledged the Norwegian rule. His perseverance is remembered in the nation, making Svinafell in Iceland a place of history.
In 1967, the area around Svínafellsjökull was declared a national park under the name Skaftafell National Park. In 2008, it was absorbed into Vatnajökull National Park which, in 2019, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With a massive size of 14,141 square kilometers, it’s the second-largest national park in Europe and covers roughly 14 percent of Iceland.
The Birth of Svínafellsjökull, or How a Glacier is Formed
A glacier is simply an ice cap on top of a mountain. It’s formed when the amount of snow that gathers on the mountain exceeds the amount of snow that melts each year. As more snow gathers, it gets packed harder and harder and eventually creates a bottom layer of densely packed glacial ice.
After a hundred years or more of this, the ice in a glacier gets squished like putty under the weight of the dense snow and begins to come out in glacial outlets. This is an incredibly slow process, but eventually, the outlets can reach several kilometers into the surrounding lowlands.
The Unrelentless Retreat of Glaciers
Unfortunately, global warming is relentlessly taking its toll on glaciers all over the world and Svínafellsjökull is no exception. Since the year 1890, glaciers in Iceland have been retreating at a steady pace, and since the year 2000, they have retreated exceptionally fast. It is estimated that half of the volume of Iceland’s glaciers will be gone by the year 2100, and around the year 2200, nothing but small ice caps on top of the mountains will remain.
With that said, it’s important to remember that these are estimates built on the premise that global warming continues like it always has. New data, however, show that global efforts are paying off and global warming is actually slowing down! If this trend continues, Svínafellsjökull and all its glacier buddies will stick around for much longer than expected and we will be able to enjoy these ice behemoths for a very long time.
Svínafellsjökull Makes a Debut on the International Movie Screen
It’s clear that we are not the only ones in love with the beauty of Svínafellsjökull glacier in Iceland. This gem has made it to the international screen many times in movies like Batman Begins and has been the set for the international hit series Game of Thrones on multiple occasions.
When the characters in Game of Thrones are going north of the wall, many of the shots are filmed on top of Svínafellsjökull. The raw, cold nature of this glacier is what was needed to show just how harsh it is supposed to be north of the wall in the series. This is just one of many stops along the Game of Thrones Iceland Route that you can take on your holiday.
Finding This Proud and Magnificent Gem of Iceland
The reason why Svínafellsjökull is so popular is because of how easy it is to access. Svínafellsjökull is located in the southern part of Iceland, on the southwestern border of Vatnajökull Glacier.
The Road to Svínafellsjökull
You can get to Svínafellsjokull Glacier one of two ways: drive your own car or hop on a tour.
A Self-Drive to Svínafellsjökull
Svínafellsjökull is so large and popular that it has two main parking spots. Both are connected to the main road, so from Reykjavik, just get on Ring Road 1 heading east and continue for 4 hours. At this time, you should see a gravel road on your left. If you want to reach the northern part of the glacier, this is your turn.
If you want to get to the southern part of Svínafellsjökull, drive for another couple of minutes and take the next gravel road to your left. Unfortunately, these gravel roads are a bit anonymous and don’t have any signs. If you make it all the way to Hótel Skaftafell, you’ve unfortunately gone too far.
Take a Tour
Since Svínafellsjökull is quite far from the capital, most tours will have it as one of many stops along a tour of southern Iceland. In our eyes, this is not something negative since you will get the opportunity to see plenty of other attractions along the way. This also means that you will likely be traveling for multiple days with experienced tour guides.
How to Explore Svínafellsjökull
In 2018, some cracks in the mountain above Svínafellsjökull were observed, and the glacier is now closely monitored for safety reasons. If something goes wrong, parts of the glacier could collapse and cause a glacial flood with massive amounts of water and ice coming down the glacier and flooding the valleys below.
Due to this, many parts of the glacier have been closed to the public, and only a few experienced guides dare to walk over the ice. Most guides keep to the areas that are known to be stable, but overall, the number of tours to Svínafellsjökull has decreased drastically since 2018.
The tours that are still operating on Svínafellsjökull are limited to glacial walks in the safer areas. On these tours, you will still be able to see the unique characteristics of a glacier, and you’re not missing out on anything by staying away from the riskier areas.
Have a Safe and Comfortable Glacier Hike
Braving a glacier is easier said than done, even if you have a good guide. Svínafellsjökull is as beautiful as they come, but it pays to be prepared for what might be coming your way on the ice.
What to Expect on a Glacial Hike
Even if Svínafellsjökull is a large chunk of ice, temperatures can vary between below zero to above 10 degrees Celsius in the summer. Just like the rest of Iceland, the weather can change quickly, so being prepared for all kinds of weather and keeping an eye on the Icelandic weather forecast can be really helpful.
In the winter, temperatures are low and the weather is generally harsher.
What to Wear and Bring to Svínafellsjökull
When you step foot on the deep blue and clear white surface of a glacier, it’s important to have a somewhat good grasp of what to have with you and what to wear. Here is a list of things to pack and wear before braving a glacier:
- A warm base layer – this will keep you warm and snug and is important in both winter and summer.
- Wind- and waterproof jacket – even if you don’t go swimming in the glacial ponds, snow in the wind can easily melt on you and make you wet if you’re unprepared.
- Thermal pants – warm knees make for stable legs, and stable legs will keep you from turning a guided tour into a slip-and-slide.
- Warm gloves – cold fingers are like cold toes: they can quickly ruin the mood on a hike.
- A warm hat that covers your ears – they get cold quicker than you’d think!
- A scarf if that goes up to your chin and possibly your mouth if it gets too windy.
- Lip balm – the air will dry out your lips in no time.
- A backpack that can hold a water bottle, a little snack, and the occasional clothing item you’ll take off if it gets too hot. Becoming too warm on a Svínafellsjökull glacier hike is almost as unpleasant as becoming too cold.
- Sunglasses are important if it’s sunny. The light reflects off the ice and it will lead to a level of snow blindness if you’re unlucky.
- Proper hiking boots – even if the tour guide provides crampons, sturdy boots are crucial.
Dos and Don’ts During the Tour
The key to a successful hike on Svínafellsjökull glacier is to always do exactly as the tour guide says, even if it doesn’t make sense to you as a visitor. The guides know where it’s safe to walk and which spots to avoid on the ice, so pay attention to their instructions.
A big no-no when it comes to glacier hiking is to wear jeans or sneakers. As soon as they get wet and/or cold, they will limit your mobility and become incredibly unpleasant to wear. Sneakers will never keep your feet warm and dry on a glacier.
When is the Best Time to Visit Svínafellsjökull?
The one thing you can be sure of is that Svínafellsjökull will always be ready to welcome you, regardless of when you decide to visit. The welcome committee will consist of strong winds and plenty of ice, all year round, so the best time to visit will depend on what you prefer and what you want to experience.
For a mellow experience, the summer in Iceland will be a good time to visit. This is the time of year when you have the best chance of experiencing calmer weather and warmer temperatures. This means less clothing to pack and not as much wind as the rest of the year. As with any attraction in Iceland, Svínafellsjökull will be busiest in the summer, so you will have to plan your trip around the available spots in the tour guides’ calendars.
To experience Svínafellsjökull glacier in all its might, winter in Iceland will be the time to visit. The winds will be stronger, you get the chance to hike in the snow, and you might be able to catch the Northern Lights in Iceland when you get back to camp. The only drawbacks are that the days are shorter, and the light is generally a little less forgiving, so it’s better for a unique experience rather than good photo opportunities.
The shoulder seasons, spring and fall, are generally not great times to visit since you might get caught in the rain. Ice gets incredibly slippery when it rains, and Svínafellsjökull has enough slopes to provide involuntary slips and slides over the ice. These are the cheapest times to visit Iceland, though, and if you’re lucky, you might catch a day without rain on your tour, even if it isn’t very likely.
Adventures Around Svínafellsjökull
Just because Svínafellsjökull has cut back on the volume of tours, it doesn’t mean that the entire area is following suit. One of the best things about Svínafellsjökull is that it sits in a spot with plenty of attractions around it. Below we have gathered some options for activities for you to check out after your glacier hike:
- Vatnajökull Glacier – visit the big brother of Svínafellsjökull
- Hofskirkja Turf Church – a church like you’ve never seen before
- Svinafell Horseback Riding – explore the area like the Vikings did
- Svartifoss Waterfall – one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland
- Skaftafell Ice Caves – go inside the ice after you’ve been on top of it
- Jökulsarlón Glacier Lagoon – see what is left when a glacier retreat
Accommodation Options Close to the Glacier
Svínafellsjökull is close to the road, but not very close to any major towns, so finding a place to spend the night is a good way to
- Hotel Skaftafell – the closest hotel in the area. A classic hotel option, complete with a restaurant, a bar, and very helpful staff. The pricier option that takes care of all your basic needs.
- The Potato Storage – a quirky stay for the adventurer who wants to sport their own holiday apartment. One-bedroom apartments with an optional extra bed or crib. Less pricy and gives you the same control you have at home.
- Svinafell Camping – a versatile camping ground that offers camping spots as well as sleeping bag accommodation in huts. WC, kitchen, and showers are shared and located in the service building. The budget-friendly option for indoor sleeping as well as camping outside.
- Skaftafell Campground – a well-equipped campground that is run by the Vatnajökull National Park. It sports tent areas as well as spots for campers and trailers. The site comes complete with washing machines, dryers, showers, and WC. A budget-friendly option with a high standard.
Brave the Ice and Visit Svínafellsjökull
Incredible views and the adventure of a lifetime await you at Svínafellsjökull and its surroundings. This is truly the place to visit for those who want to brave the elements and explore how it is north of the wall. Now, all that is left for you to do is rent a campervan in Iceland to secure both transport and accommodation for your icy adventure.
