Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier in southern Iceland, running down from the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap between the volcanoes Katla and Eyjafjallajökull. It ends in a meltwater lagoon a short walk from the car park, which makes it one of the easiest glaciers in the country to see close up. The ice is streaked with black volcanic ash and broken into ridges and crevasses, and it is retreating about 60 metres a year. The nearest town is Vík í Mýrdal, roughly 180 km southeast of Reykjavík.
Souleheimajokull Glacier
Local name: Sólheimajökull
Sólheimajökull is melting back about 60 metres a year.
- Accessibility
- The entrance is not wheelchair accessible.
- Parking
- Paid car park with a gravel surface, a short walk from the glacier. The charge was 750 ISK in May 2026. Cards accepted.
- Difficulty
- Short, easy walk from the car park to the lagoon at the glacier front. The ice beyond it is guided-tour only.
- Transport
- No public transport to the glacier; the last leg is by car.
- Advance booking
- Not needed to visit the glacier front. Walking on the ice requires a guided tour, booked with an operator.
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
What makes it special
Sólheimajökull is a tongue of ice running down from the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, which sits on top of the Katla caldera. Eyjafjallajökull stands on the other side. Both volcanoes have left their mark on the ice: black streaks of ash from past eruptions lie across a surface that is blue where it has cracked open. The front of the glacier breaks into ridges and crevasses above a meltwater lagoon. That front is moving — the glacier is melting back around 60 metres a year, so older photographs no longer match what you see. Size and ease of access are what made it popular: few glaciers in Iceland can be reached this directly on foot from a car park, and it draws crowds accordingly.
Good to know
- Guides only on the ice. Walking onto the glacier unaccompanied is prohibited and unsafe. Book a guided glacier walk instead.
- Melting ground. In summer 2026 visitors were warned of unstable conditions on the glacier and on the access routes.
- Toilets. There are toilets near the car park. They charge a fee and are meant for customers.
- No water on site. There is no drinking water at the glacier. Bring your own.
- Gravel car park. The parking surface is gravel, not tarmac.
Getting there
No bus serves Sólheimajökull, so the last leg is by car. From the car park the walk in to the meltwater lagoon at the glacier front is short and easy, and information boards stand near the path. That lagoon is as close as you can get on your own. Everything beyond it, on the ice, is guided ground.
Sun & daylight
Nearby Places
Similar Places
Souleheimajokull Glacier on the map
The landscape around the glacier is shifting as the ice melts, and rock comes down off the slopes beside it. In summer 2026 visitors were warned that both the glacier and the hiking access routes were unstable and unsafe. This valley is also a route occasional glacial outburst floods (jökulhlaup) take to the sea.
Get directions
Your whole travel map in one place
Get inspired by new places around the world and find the ones worth the journey
Frequently asked questions
Can you walk on the glacier on your own?
No. Going onto the ice unaccompanied is both unsafe and prohibited. The way onto the glacier is with a guided glacier walk.Why is the ice black in places?
Volcanic ash from past eruptions lies in dark streaks across the surface, against the blue of the glacier ice underneath.Are there toilets at Sólheimajökull?
Yes, near the car park. They charge a fee and are intended for customers.Was Interstellar filmed here?
Not on this glacier, despite the association. The ash-streaked ice and the crevasse field do look the part.