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Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður or Vatnajökull National Park, located in the south-eastern region of the country, covers the magnificent Vatnajökull glacier and adjoining areas, including Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur.
Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður or Vatnajökull National Park, located in the south-eastern region of the country, covers the magnificent Vatnajökull glacier and adjoining areas, including Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur.
To the east of the Park lies Kverkfjöll Mountains, while the north-eastern side is bound by Snaefellsoraefi and Vatnajökull, which also covers parts of the southern region. One of the three National Parks in Iceland, Vatnajökull National Park had an area of 12000 km2 at its inception in 2008. However, subsequently Lakagigar, Langisjor, Kreppuadditions and Jökulsárlón were added, making it the second-largest national park in Europe, about 14,141 km2, which now covers 14 percent of Iceland. The Park is divided into four territories, each being managed by a local administration. Some interesting features of the National Park include extending glacial landscapes with hilly terrain, lofty ice caps,
winding rivers, glistening lakes, glossy black beaches, besides active volcanoes and unending geothermal activity. The Park has eight subglacial volcanoes of the total ten central volcanoes, of which two are said to be in the ‘active’ category. Jökulhlaups or sudden floods, which are induced due to the break in the margin of a glacier at the time of eruption, are the outcome of precarious interaction between the volcanoes and riffs. Geologists believe these volcanic regions are origins of groundwater fauna that has outlived the Ice Age. Visitor centres have been set-up all over the Park, including Skriðuklaustur Skaftafell, Gljúfrastofa, Ásbyrgi etc, while information centers are present at Skaftafell, Hofn, Hofn Hoffel, Holmur etc. Campsites too exist at various places. The Park is home to popular tourist attractions like Jökulsárlón and Vatnajökull, the largest glacier of Europe. Tours, glacier walk, boat tours and hiking are best enjoyed during the summer, while keeping the weather conditions in mind.
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