Hoffellsjökull Glacier
About Hoffellsjökull Glacier
Hoffellsjökull is an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull in Southeast Iceland, about 25 km by road north of Höfn. Its tongue ends in Hoffellslón, a glacier lagoon crowded with icebergs, and because it sits at the end of a rough side track it sees a fraction of the visitors you meet at Jökulsárlón.
The glacier pours out of the ice cap between dark mountain walls and spreads into a broad, crevassed front. Like most of Iceland's outlet glaciers it has been shrinking, and the lagoon has grown as the ice pulled back, leaving tall moraine ridges around its edge. From the viewpoints you look straight across the floating ice to the glacier itself.
To get there, turn off Route 1 toward Hoffell and drive past the Hoffell farm and its hot tubs. The last few kilometers are an unpaved, bumpy track, so a 4x4 or a car with good clearance is the safer choice, and the drive from Höfn takes about 35 minutes. From the small parking area, viewpoints and information boards are only a few minutes' walk away.
Plan on 30 minutes to an hour if you want to walk along the moraine for different angles on the lagoon. Paths on the moraine are loose and steep in places, and you should never walk onto the ice or the floating bergs. The track is best attempted from late spring to fall, since snow and mud can make it impassable in winter.
Hoffellsjökull fits neatly into a day around Höfn. Many visitors pair it with a soak at the Hoffell hot tubs on the way back down the valley, or with Fláajökull, another quiet glacier lagoon a little farther west.
Good to know
Where is Hoffellsjökull?
Hoffellsjökull is in Southeast Iceland, about 25 km by road north of Höfn. It is an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, reached by a side track past the Hoffell farm.
How do you get to Hoffellsjökull?
Leave Route 1 at the Hoffell turnoff, drive past the farm and hot tubs, and continue on the unpaved track to a small parking area by the lagoon. The drive from Höfn takes about 35 minutes.
Do you need a 4x4 for Hoffellsjökull?
A 4x4 or high-clearance car is recommended because the last stretch is a rough, unpaved track. Small cars may manage in dry summer conditions, but drive slowly and turn back if the track looks too rough.
Is there a glacier lagoon at Hoffellsjökull?
Yes. Hoffellslón sits at the foot of the glacier and is full of icebergs. It gets far fewer visitors than Jökulsárlón because of the rough access track.
Can you walk on Hoffellsjökull?
Not on your own. Stay on the moraine paths and off the ice, since the glacier front and the icebergs in the lagoon are unstable.
Is Hoffellsjökull worth visiting?
Yes, if you want a glacier lagoon without the crowds. It takes a short detour from Höfn, and the view across the icebergs to the glacier is well worth the bumpy drive.
Trip planning — free, no commitment
Put Hoffellsjökull Glacier on your route
Tell us your dates, pace and can’t-miss list — a local planner builds the route, stays and tours around it, and stays a text away while you travel.