A place, not just a tour name
The glacier behind the lagoon
Breiðamerkurjökull is an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull in Southeast Iceland. Its ice flows towards the lowlands north of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. The same landscape connects the glacier views from the shore with the natural formations explored on Crystal Ice Cave tours.
Breiðamerkurjökull
The glacier
The specific outlet flowing from the larger ice cap. This is the geographical name to look for when checking where your glacier activity takes place.
Jökulsárlón
The lagoon
The public visitor area and departure hub for the local tours featured here. Arriving at the lagoon is not the same as arriving at an ice cave.
Seasonal ice
The caves
Temporary spaces and formations within the glacier environment. A tour name does not fix their shape, entrance or walking route from one season to the next.
Start with the location, then the experience. A glacier name tells you more about the setting than a marketplace category such as Höfn or Skaftafell; the actual booking instructions tell you where to check in.
Get your bearings
One landscape, different names
The names describe different parts of the same region, not interchangeable destinations. Choose a name below to see where it fits.
Vatnajökull
The larger ice cap
Vatnajökull feeds many outlet glaciers. Breiðamerkurjökull is one of them, not an alternative name for the entire ice cap. Explore the wider glacier system.
Breiðamerkurjökull
The outlet glacier
This is the glacier relevant to the Jökulsárlón cave experiences on this site. Ice moves outward towards lower terrain, while its front can lose ice and retreat. Movement and retreat describe different things.
Jökulsárlón
The lagoon in front
Icebergs break from the glacier into the lagoon. The shoreline visitor area also serves as the starting point for the featured local excursions. Read the lagoon guide.
Breiðamerkursandur
The surrounding outwash plain
The lowland in front of the glacier contains lagoons, moraines and river-shaped terrain. Route 1 crosses this wider landscape. It is not another glacier or the name of a cave.
The national park’s ice-cap overview places these outlets in their wider setting. For the public arrival reference, map and local parking guidance, use Location and Directions.
Follow the ice
From glacier to coastline
The glacier and lagoon are connected physically, not simply because tours use both names. Chunks breaking away from the glacier front become the icebergs seen in Jökulsárlón.
01 · Glacier
Ice breaks away
Calving is the break-off of ice at the glacier front. A lagoon visit reveals the result, but it is not a reason to approach the ice face.
02 · Lagoon
Icebergs drift
Floating ice moves through the lagoon. Wind, water and the changing supply of ice mean the view is never arranged in the same way twice.
03 · Coast
Some ice reaches the beach
Ice leaving the lagoon can wash onto Fellsfjara, often called Diamond Beach. The park’s beach guide explains this coastal connection.
Look beyond today’s icebergs
A changing landscape
Breiðamerkurjökull has retreated from a much more advanced position. The park’s account of Breiðamerkursandur describes how this retreat exposed new ground and allowed lagoons to develop.
18th–19th centuries
Ice farther forward
The glacier advanced far across the lowland during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The coast looked very different from the lagoon landscape visitors see now.
Early 1900s
Retreat reshapes the plain
As the glacier receded in the early twentieth century, it uncovered terrain previously beneath the ice.
1930s onwards
Lagoons emerge
Lakes began appearing in the 1930s as the ice withdrew. Retreat and calving continue to shape the area.
Retreat does not mean the ice has stopped flowing. The glacier can move downhill while its front withdraws as ice is lost. For visitors, the practical consequence is a changing landscape, not a reliable prediction of next winter’s cave.
Natural formations
Why the caves change
Meltwater follows and enlarges passages through the ice. Glacier movement and changes in drainage can then reshape a tunnel, alter an opening or make a previously used formation inaccessible.
The name Crystal Ice Cave therefore describes a changing visitor experience here, not one permanent underground room. Local Guide’s tour description explains that its chosen feature and access route depend on conditions.
A cave entrance, chamber or blue-ice passage shown in an older photograph may not be the one used for your departure. A different route can also change the walking involved. Check the planned activity rather than assuming a replacement feature is identical to the one pictured.
How the caves form explains the process in more detail. Weather and Conditions is the place to check dated updates before travel.
A winter booking is not a guarantee of entry to a particular cave. The operator’s decision for your departure takes priority over the season, a saved photograph or a map pin.
Read the route, not just the title
East and west
The Original Ice Cave Tour in the existing comparison describes the west side of Breiðamerkurjökull. Other listings use broader wording about the glacier region. Those descriptions do not establish that every vehicle leaving Jökulsárlón follows the same approach.
The listing tells you the setting
Use the named glacier, departure area and itinerary to understand the product. A booking website’s destination category is not always the actual pickup location.
The operator confirms the plan
Ask which route or formation is intended for your date and how much walking is expected. Use the company operating the excursion, not just the marketplace brand, when requesting details.
East or west is not a quality rating. Choose by the experience offered, requirements and the practical fit with your itinerary rather than treating one side as a guarantee of bluer ice.
More than a blue photograph
Reading the ice
Blue, clear and white
Dense glacier ice can look blue because it absorbs longer wavelengths of light more strongly. Snow and trapped air scatter light, making other areas appear white. Thickness and illumination affect what you see; an entire cave does not have to be uniformly blue.
Dark layers and debris
A glacier carries rock, sand and finer sediment on, within and beneath its ice. Dark material is part of the landscape, not evidence that every band came from one identifiable eruption. Debris deposited at the margins forms moraines.
The park’s glaciology guide explains glacier ice and the landforms it leaves behind. For camera settings and realistic colour, see the Photography Guide.
Two different kinds of visit
View the glacier or join a tour
You do not need to enter a cave to appreciate the glacier landscape. Choose between public viewpoints and a guided glacier activity, then allow time for the specific experience you book.
From the shore
Lagoon and moraine views
The park’s B1 Jökulsárlón route is a published 1.2 km circuit from the main parking area, using moraine viewpoints towards the glacier. Visibility affects how much you can see.
Check current parking arrangements and path conditions before setting out. This is a shoreline sightseeing route, not a trail to an ice cave.
With a guide
Cave and glacier access
The local products featured below combine specialist transport and guided walking. Equipment fitting, transfers and the approach are part of the advertised duration, not extra cave time.
Check the expected walk and participation requirements for your exact product. Safetravel recommends an experienced glacier guide and warns against glacier travel without the appropriate experience and equipment.
Driving to Southeast Iceland and finding your local check-in spot are separate tasks. Getting There covers the journey; Location and Directions covers the arrival area. Keep the tour voucher’s instructions to hand.
Local tour examples
These are the two existing examples from this guide, not a claim that they visit an identical formation. Their cards read the saved tour records, so the requirements and booking details remain connected to the individual products.
Independent guide. We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Booking and payment take place on Viator.
Meet at the lagoon
Jökulsárlón
The Original Ice Cave Tour
Listed supplier: Local Guide of Vatnajokull
A small-group Local Guide of Vatnajokull listing focused on the west side of Breiðamerkurjökull, with modified 4×4 transport and supplied glacier equipment.
- Duration
- 2 to 4 hours
- Minimum age*
- 10+
- Group limit*
- Up to 12
- Local and Professional Glacier Guide
- 4×4 modified vehicle transfer
- Spikes and Helmet
Keep in mind: Reach the meeting point independently. Walking and the exact ice formation depend on the tour and conditions.
Meet at the lagoon
Jökulsárlón
Crystal Ice Cave & Super Jeep
Listed supplier: Arctic Adventures
An Arctic Adventures listing combining Super Jeep access with guided exploration of Breiðamerkurjökull’s seasonal ice caves and canyons.
- Duration
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Minimum age*
- 6+
- Group limit*
- Up to 14
- Expert, experienced glacier guide
- Access the glacier with an exciting and scenic Super Jeep ride
- All necessary safety gear provided (helmet, headlamp, glacier crampons)
Keep in mind: Reach the meeting point independently. Walking and the exact ice formation depend on the tour and conditions.
No tours match this departure. Choose another starting point.
*Details are drawn from dated supplier listings, not live availability. Group size is separate from the number allowed in one booking. Open the tour details for the source date; confirm requirements and prices on Viator before payment.
For seasonal planning, use Best time to visit. For an early local departure, compare nearby bases in Where to Stay rather than assuming the lagoon is a short drive from Reykjavík.
Same ice cap, different places
Not every glacier tour starts here
Jökulsárlón area
Breiðamerkurjökull
The glacier associated with Jökulsárlón and the cave products discussed here. Use the local departure instructions for the booked tour.
Skaftafell area
Skaftafellsjökull
A different outlet glacier associated with Skaftafell. The wider Skaftafell area has several glacier activities; the exact glacier and start location depend on the product.
Use the named glacier and the exact meeting instructions together. A product titled “Vatnajökull” could operate elsewhere in the wider region. The Vatnajökull guide explains how the visitor areas fit together.
Before your visit
FAQ
Is Breiðamerkurjökull the same as Vatnajökull?
No. Vatnajökull is the larger ice cap and Breiðamerkurjökull is one of its outlet glaciers. The two names describe different scales of the glacier system.
Is the Crystal Ice Cave on this glacier?
The local cave experiences featured here are associated with Breiðamerkurjökull. The exact natural formation can change, so check the individual itinerary rather than looking for one fixed chamber.
Can I see the glacier without booking a tour?
You can view it from public areas around Jökulsárlón when visibility and access allow. Lagoon paths and moraine viewpoints do not provide independent access into a cave.
Does a cave stay at one coordinate?
No permanent cave coordinate should be used as visitor directions. The formation and approach can change. Navigate to the operator’s confirmed check-in point, not a pin showing an older cave.
Is the glacier moving backwards?
A retreating glacier front does not mean the ice is flowing uphill. Ice can continue moving downwards while the front withdraws because losses outpace the supply reaching it.
How much glacier walking is included?
It depends on the product and current access. A short tour title or vehicle transfer does not guarantee a short walk. Ask about walking time, terrain and time at the intended formation.
Can I visit the area in summer?
The lagoon is a year-round visitor area, subject to access and conditions. Do not assume a summer visit includes the same natural cave experience as a winter booking. Check the specific activity offered for your dates.
Are Jökulsárlón and Skaftafell interchangeable meeting points?
No. Confirm the exact departure location, even when both listings say Vatnajökull. A geographical category on a booking platform is not enough to plan your arrival.