Sólheimajökull in 2026: What Changed, Where to Park and Why Not to Walk on It Alone

By the Zimno guide team · Last checked: 21 October 2026

Sólheimajökull is the glacier most people visit on a South Coast road trip. It sits right off the Ring Road, between Skógafoss and Vík, and it’s the easiest place in Iceland to get close to real glacier ice by car. Our certified guides lead walks on it, so here’s what we’d tell a friend before they drive there.

What changed in 2026

In July 2026, South Iceland tourism officials issued a hazard warning for Sólheimajökull. They named three changes:

• A new lagoon. A small lagoon formed east of the glacier tongue, next to the bigger one that first appeared around 2010.
• A thinning ice ridge. The ridge of ice people used to cross to reach the glacier was melting and calving, and could collapse into the cold water on either side.
• Falling rocks. Rockfall increased on the slope above the old access path, especially after rain.

Guided glacier walks were paused in July while guides scouted safer routes, and resumed once new routes were found. At the same time, officials agreed on new warnings: clearer signs, information in more languages, and the message that glacier travel should only be done with certified guides.

The glacier itself keeps shrinking, by roughly 60 metres a year. So the walk from the car park gets a little longer every season, and the edge of the ice keeps changing shape.

Getting there by car

• Route: Ring Road (Route 1) east from Reykjavík, then turn onto Road 221 just after Skógafoss. Road 221 is a 4.5 km gravel road that ends at the car park.
• Driving time: about 2 hours from Reykjavík, about 10 minutes from Skógafoss and around 30 minutes from Vík.
• Car: any rental car is fine, no 4×4 needed. Drive slowly on the gravel. Loose stones are the classic way to chip a windscreen, so check whether your rental includes gravel protection. Still looking for a car? We recommend Reykjavik Cars and, for campervans, Motorhome Iceland.
• Winter: the road is open all year, but it can be icy. Check umferdin.is before you leave and plan to be back on the Ring Road before dark.

Parking

Parking costs 750 ISK per car, paid with the Parka app or at parka.is (2026 prices). Pay as soon as you arrive: unpaid parking can lead to a fine, which your rental company passes on with a service fee.

The walk to the ice

From the car park, a marked path runs 800 m to 1.2 km along the moraine toward the glacier. Count 15 to 25 minutes each way. It’s loose gravel with a gentle climb, no handrails and no shelter, so wear proper shoes and a windproof jacket even on a sunny day.

The path takes you to a viewpoint where you see the blue-and-black ice of the glacier tongue and the lagoon in front of it. This is where you should stop if you’re not with a guide. The ash layers in the ice are from eruptions of Katla, the volcano under the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap that Sólheimajökull flows from.

Take your photos from the path, not from the shore of the lagoon. Ice falls off the glacier front into the water and can send a wave up the beach.

Why you shouldn’t walk on the ice alone

From the path, the glacier looks like a gentle, dirty slope. That’s exactly what makes it dangerous. Here’s what a guide is watching for that a visitor can’t see:

• Hidden crevasses and moulins. Cracks and meltwater holes can be metres deep and covered by a thin layer of snow or ash.
• Hard, slippery ice. Without crampons, a slight slope is enough to slide into a crack or the water. Hiking boots alone don’t grip on glacier ice.
• A changing front. The edge of the ice collapses and calves into the lagoon, and the water is close to 0 °C.
• Falling rocks on the slopes beside the old route, as the 2026 warnings stressed.
• Floods. Glacier floods (jökulhlaups) from under Mýrdalsjökull have used this valley to reach the sea, which is why the river smells of sulphur.

The area isn’t fenced off, and nobody will stop you on site. The decision is yours, so make it before you get to the edge of the ice.

Walking on Sólheimajökull with a guide

A guided walk gets you safely onto the ice, among ridges, blue ice and ice formations, with all the gear provided. With Zimno:

• Private Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike – meet on location: about 4 hours, just your group (up to 10), from age 14. Ideal if you’re already driving the South Coast. From 129,000 ISK per group.
• Midnight Sun Glacier Hike: an evening small-group walk in summer, when the glacier is quiet and the light is low. From 19,900 ISK per person.
• Private Glacier Hike from Reykjavík: if you’d rather not drive, we pick you up at your hotel. About 9 hours.

Every walk includes a certified glacier guide, crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet, photos and a hot drink. Bring hiking boots (or rent them from us for 5,000 ISK), warm layers and a waterproof jacket. Tours are in English, and we also guide in Polish.

Before you go: a 1-minute checklist

• Check the weather on vedur.is and road conditions on umferdin.is
• Check safetravel.is for warnings in the area
• Download Parka and pay for parking on arrival
• Wear boots or sturdy shoes and a windproof, waterproof jacket
• Stay on the path and away from the lagoon shore
• Only step on the ice with a certified guide

Make a day of it: stops on the same drive

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