The icefalls of Svínafellsjökull are truly magnificent, with towering walls of blue and white ice, laced with veins of black ash. The tongue of the glacier is steep and ends in a beautiful craterlike lagoon, nested between towering, whittled mountains on each side. The lagoon creates a serene and tranquil scene amid the awesome, powerful broken ice blocks from the glacier. Because of its easy access, this is the most popular glacier for films and TV productions in Iceland.
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Accessibility
From route no 1, you drive 2 kilometres to the large parking lot. From there lies a rough gravel road, 4 km long, to another medium size parking lot suitable for tech base. There is a trail to the glacier itself, but it needs to be scouted beforehand to check its conditions.
Services nearby
There are many hotels and lodgings options within 50 kilometres from this location. Nearest hospital is in Höfn, 136 kilometres away.
Permits
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Basecamp and facilities
Skaftafell Service Centre is 5 kilometres away with all the facilities needed. Within 3 kilometres from the glacier is Hótel Freysnes that also has all the facilities, a gas station and a store. There is an enormous parking lot halfway to the glacier that has been used as basecamp before and a further 4 km up the gravel road is a medium size parking lot that could be used as tech base. There is a trail that leads all the way to the lagoon for specialised vehicles or 4-wheelers. Phone coverage is average at this location and may vary.
Risk factors
Icefall glaciers are constantly moving from the pressure above, they are also covered in crevasses, deep and narrow. Ice blocks can collapse without warning and the temperature is cooler than elsewhere with a risk of hypothermia. Climbing the glacier should not be attempted without climbing guides and a safety team. The lagoons tend to be deep, and the water is cold and not suitable for swimming.
Visitors
Svínafellsjökull is a popular area for tourists who often stop and hike to the lagoon for a short stop. There are some tourist companies that offer tours to the icefall, but the location is very easy to manage with a permit from landowners.
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