Published August 14, 2026 12:22PM
The otherworldly landscapes of Iceland are ancient, but they will never get old to explore. Like the Big Island of Hawaii, Yellowstone National Park, or any other wilderness shaped by volcanoes or glaciers, this country’s lava flows and ice-hewn mountains feel like some distant planet.
It’s those unearthly features that have made Iceland a top destination for hikers of all stripes — but also why it’s getting harder to find challenging trails that aren’t teeming with selfie-happy tourists.
It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Tucked right along Iceland’s Ring Road is Vatnajökull National Park (named after Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap, which covers 8% of Iceland’s landmass). Here, you’ll find the Skaftafell Wilderness area, home to a network of trails that make it easy to explore one of the wildest, most water-filled regions in all of Iceland. You can camp, hike, and enjoy the spectacular scenery — without the crowds that dominate other areas.
Rent a camper van and explore the country with ultimate freedom (Photo: Michelle Polizzi)
Drive a Campervan to Skaftafell Campground
Skaftafell Campground, located within Vatnajökull National Park, has showers, flushing toilets, drinking water, trash receptacles, and lots of space for both tents and vehicles.
The best part, though, is that this campsite backs up to a trailhead that connects to a handful of different hikes. So you can get up early and hit the trail before everyone else. Then, as soon as you get back to the trailhead, you’re home.
Iceland’s landscapes are diverse and almost extraterrestrial in nature (Photo: Michelle Polizzi)
How do I get around Skaftafell?
There are a few lodging options near the Skaftafell wilderness area, but the most affordable (and most adventurous) way to explore this region of Southeast Iceland is to roll through in a campervan. Not only is lodging included with your vehicle rental fee (because you’re sleeping in the van), but it gives you ultimate freedom to explore.
I had a positive experience renting a campervan from KuKu Campers in Reykjavik, but KuKu isn’t your only option for rental companies. Happy Campers and Northbound are other popular van rental services, and more common vehicle rental companies like Hertz also offer vans. To legally drive in Iceland, you’ll need an international driver’s license. You can acquire those for $20 from AAA or AATA locations domestically.
After securing the rental, drive toward the Ring Road from Reykjavik. Just make sure to fill up on gas before you get too far out. Unless you rented a 4×4 vehicle, avoid “F roads,” unpaved mountain byways that traverse the country’s rugged interior (you don’t need one to get to Skaftafell).
There are several apps specific to Iceland that can help you navigate along your camping adventure. The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration’s Vegagerðin app provides up-to-date weather notifications and road closure information. And Veður is the Icelandic Meteorological Office’s official weather app.
(Photo: Michelle Polizzi)
When should you visit Skaftafell?
The best time to camp and hike in Iceland is May through September. I was there at the tail end of this window, and it was rainy and muddy, but not unbearably so. Plus, since fall is low-tourism season, you’re also likely to encounter fewer crowds.
Throughout my trip, I was glad to have a rain jacket, waterproof boots, and waterproof rain pants. Iceland is known for its rainy, wet weather, especially in spring and fall, so come prepared for precipitation.
There is an amazing trail network accessible from the Skaftafell Campground (Photo: Michelle Polizzi)
Choose your trail adventure.
The Skaftafell region has 14 trails to choose from, many of which intersect and overlap for a “choose your own adventure”-style experience. The trail networks cater to hikers of different skill levels, all offering something unique.
Many people take the short, easy walk from the Skaftafell visitor’s center to the Skaftafellsjökull glacier, an outlet of the massive ice cap I mentioned earlier. That eye-level view is nice, but trust me, it looks better from above.
Skip the dainty walk from the visitor’s center and jump on the 5.8-mile Sjónarnípa, Svartifoss, Sjónar-sker Loop instead. This moderate hike puts you on a hillside overlooking the Skaftafellsjökull glacier outlet. With just over 1,000 feet of elevation gain, this well-maintained trail winds up a series of switchback steps. It brings you up a steep hillside of brambles to an overlook. There, you’ll enjoy not just views of the craggy peaks rising around the glacier, but the expansive valley below. The view is worth the extra effort it takes to climb this route.
Stand there for a few minutes, and you’ll likely see chunks of ice shearing off from the glacier as it melts into its ever-widening lagoon. It’s spectacularly beautiful, but also one of the starkest examples of climate change I’ve ever seen. It’s a sobering but beautiful reminder that nature’s gifts are not infinite.
Svartifoss waterfall stood out from the many others I saw, because of its distinct basalt columns (Photo: Michelle Polizzi)
Soak in views of Svartifoss.
I’ll admit, after seeing a dozen waterfalls in Iceland, I started to get a bit of waterfall fatigue. Sure, they’re all incredible and ancient, but when you see anything too many times, you can get desensitized to the beauty.
I didn’t feel that way about Svartifoss — it doesn’t look like most of Iceland’s other waterfalls. That’s because these falls, whose name means “Black Falls,” tumble more than 60 feet over dark basalt columns made by lava flows hundreds of thousands of years ago. These mesmerizing cliffs inspired the Hallgrimskirkja, Reykjavik’s iconic downtown church, which is the largest in Iceland.
The full hike is a 4.2-mile out-and-back. At the falls, there are many vantage points from which to view them. I recommend grabbing a seat on one of the many rocks and indulging in a snack before hiking back down to the campsite.
(Photo: Michelle Polizzi)
Bonus: Stop for a Stroll at Diamond Beach
Under an hour’s drive past the Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park is one of the most famous beaches in the entire country. Jökulsárlón Lagoon is fed by the Vatnajökull glacier, which calves into the cold water. The huge chunks of ice then wash up on the black shores, making for incredible photo ops.
Take the full 1.3-mile walk from the parking lot that leads to an overlook of the lagoon, then across the road to Diamond Beach. You’ll know you’re there when you see the large chunks of glacial ice washed ashore on the beach’s black volcanic sand. Don’t be surprised if you encounter crowds here, as it’s a huge tourist draw.
Note the differences between clear ice chunks, which are newer, and older ice chunks, which are so dense they reflect all light except for blue. Also keep your eyes out for seals and orcas, swimming in the ocean beyond.