If you’re travelling to Iceland with your children in tow, it’s good to know where to find the most family-friendly activities. The area around Fjallsárlón is a great choice for visitors of all ages, so let’s take a look at what you can do in this part of South Iceland.
Activities possible at Fjallsárlón
Our classic Zodiac boat tour boat tour is accessible for children from the age of five upwards, making this a fun activity that all the family can enjoy together. Once everyone has pulled on warm overalls and a lifejacket, we’ll board the boat from the lagoon-side dock and putter out onto the water.
The sight of icebergs floating in the lagoon is a magical sight, and children will learn how much of the ice is hidden beneath the water line. Approaching the edge of the glacier is another educational opportunity – though we’re sure studying can never have been this entertaining in the classroom. Children of all ages can taste the ancient ice on the tour, making the tour a hands-on experience. Parking is free at Fjallsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Glacier hike
Our Ultimate Glacier Adventure and Arctic Glacier Hike will suit families with older children; teenagers from the age of 14 are welcome to join in. It’s physically more demanding than the boat tour, but if you’re an active family, you’ll relish the opportunity to step onto the glacier’s surface and feel the crunch of the ice as your crampons dig in. We have a secluded access to Fjallsjökull Glacier for tours away from the crowds.
Teens will be spellbound as they see just how deep the cracks and crevasses in the glacier descend. It’s an unmissable chance to appreciate the majesty of nature and learn first-hand what we have to lose through our actions if we drop the ball regarding climate change challenges. As future custodians of the planet, young people will play a crucial role in shaping what it becomes.
Ice cave tour
Our Premium Vatnajökull Ice Cave Tour is an excursion that the whole family will look back on fondly. Children from eight years upwards can participate. If your family is travelling in the winter, then it’s well worth planning to head east as far as Fjallsárlón to seize the chance to venture inside one of these sub-glacial caverns.
The vivid blue, translucent walls and ceilings of Vatnajökull’s seasonal ice caves are one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful sights in the country. Learn how water sculpts and hollows these magical spaces to transform them into something truly remarkable. Experiencing this extraordinary environment will be something your children remember all their lives.
Activities possible close by – Diamond Beach
A wide range of other activities can be arranged within a short drive of Fjallsárlón.
A few minutes further east gets you to Breiðamerkursandur, better known to international travellers as Diamond Beach. Here, icebergs from Fjallsárlón’s neighbour Jökulsárlón have been washed ashore after floating out to sea. On a sunny day when the light catches on the chunks of ice, it’s not hard to see how the place got its nickname. Kids will enjoy peering through holes worn in the ice by the waves and letting off steam on the black sand beach. At Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond beach you will have to pay for parking.
A popular stop about 40 minutes west of the lagoon is at Skaftafell. This nature reserve boasts an impressive but achievable hike to Svartifoss waterfall, where a single drop is flanked by charcoal grey basalt columns. Along the way you’ll pass a couple of smaller waterfalls and there is also a historic farm whose buildings feature a traditional turfed roof. Nearby, it’s possible to arrange a riding lesson; typically, the lower age limit is about 12 years old.
Skaftafellsjökull and Höfn in Hornafjörður restaurants
Finally, if you’re trying to teach your children to be more adventurous when it comes to food, consider calling in to the langoustine capital of Iceland – the fishing port of Höfn. This charming place boasts a number of great restaurants, and its coastal location makes it easily good for seafood dishes. There are also several accommodation options here, making it a convenient overnight stop before or after your Fjallsárlón tours.