Kayaking at Fjallsárlón

Who actually runs it, what it costs, and when a Zodiac or ice floating is the better choice

Is there kayaking at Fjallsárlón? The short answer

Not from the lagoon's main operator. Fjallsárlón Iceberg Boat Tours, the company with the reception and boat dock on site, runs Zodiac boat tours, ice floating, glacier hikes and winter ice cave tours, but it does not offer kayaking. Kayaking on Fjallsárlón is sold by a separate operator through GetYourGuide as the Vatnajökull National Park: Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Tour: 1.5 hours, from $169.31 per person, drysuit and lifejacket included, meeting at the Fjallsjökull glacier viewpoint. It is rated 5.0 from a single review, so the rating is unproven.

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Unlike Jökulsárlón, where kayaking has been a fixture for years, here it is a small, separately run add-on rather than part of the main tour menu. Below: exactly what the listing promises, who it excludes, and how it compares with the Zodiac and ice floating tours the main operator does run.

Kayaker paddling between icebergs on Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon at dusk with the glacier behind
At water level the icebergs are above your head; that is the reason to choose a kayak.

Kayaking is far more established on the bigger lagoon 10 minutes east. Read our Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon guide for its kayak, Zodiac and amphibian options.

The Fjallsárlón kayak tour on GetYourGuide, fact by fact

Everything below is taken from the listing; where it is silent, we say so.

The itinerary is simple: meet the guide at the viewpoint, get fitted with a drysuit and lifejacket, collect a kayak and paddle, run through the equipment, then paddle out through the icebergs. The listing describes the icebergs as "naturally decorated with volcanic ash", which is accurate: Fjallsjökull flows off Öræfajökull, an active volcano, and its ice carries dark ash bands.

Vatnajökull National Park: Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Tour — 1.5 hours, from $169.31 per person, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Check availability & prices

Other ways onto the water in southeast Iceland

If the kayak dates do not line up, this coast has more on-water options than anywhere in Iceland: Jökulsárlón kayak, Zodiac and amphibian tours 10 minutes east, the Fjallsárlón Zodiac tour and ice floating here, Diamond Beach across the road from Jökulsárlón, and Vatnajökull glacier hikes from Skaftafell. Current listings below.

What it is like on the water

Bright blue icebergs floating on a glacier lagoon in southeast Iceland under a clear sky
Fresh calvings are the bluest ice; older bergs carry black ash bands from Öræfajökull.

Fjallsárlón is a small lagoon by Icelandic standards and the glacier face is close to the shore. That suits a kayak: you are never paddling open water for long before you are among the ice, and wind has less fetch to build chop than on Jökulsárlón. The drysuit keeps you dry from the neck down even if you capsize; a lifejacket goes over it. Guides keep the group well back from the glacier face and from large icebergs, because both can calve or roll without warning.

Cold is what people underestimate. Meltwater sits just above freezing all summer, and sitting still in a kayak for an hour and a half is colder than walking. Under the drysuit wear a fleece or wool mid-layer, thermal leggings and thick socks; the suit seals at neck and wrists and your feet stay inside it. Bring a hat and a waterproof camera or sealed phone pouch.

Safety and who can join

The listing's not-suitable list is long and worth reading before you pay:

No previous experience is required by the listing. What is required is getting into and out of a kayak at the shoreline, paddling steadily for most of 1.5 hours, and keeping the guide's distance from ice. If any exclusion applies, the Zodiac boat tour is the realistic alternative on this lagoon: no upper age limit and no fitness requirement beyond stepping into an inflatable.

Kayak vs Zodiac vs ice floating at Fjallsárlón

Three ways to get on or in the water at the same lagoon. Only the kayak is run by an outside operator; the other two are booked at the main reception.

Feature Kayak tour Zodiac boat tour Ice floating
Operator Separate operator via GetYourGuide Fjallsárlón Iceberg Boat Tours Fjallsárlón Iceberg Boat Tours
Price From $169.31 USD 11,300 ISK 15,900 ISK
Duration 1.5 hours 75 minutes See tour page
Season Not stated; check calendar April to November All year
Effort You paddle the whole time None; guided ride Float in a drysuit; minimal
Restrictions 12 to 65, under 113 kg, fit, no back or medical issues Suitable for most visitors See tour page
Where you meet Fjallsjökull viewpoint, white van Tour reception by Frost Restaurant Tour reception by Frost Restaurant
Best for Fit travellers who want to be in the scene Families, mixed ages, tight schedules Winter visitors, novelty seekers
A Zodiac boat with passengers in red flotation jackets in front of the Fjallsjökull glacier wall at Fjallsárlón
The Zodiac gets closer to the glacier wall than a kayak is allowed to, and needs no paddling.

Details for the two main-operator tours are on our Zodiac boat tour and ice floating pages.

Where else to kayak among icebergs nearby

Jökulsárlón, 10 minutes east

This is the established place to kayak in the area. Guided tours run through summer, last around 1.5 hours, include a two-piece suit and all equipment, and need no prior experience. Seals regularly surface next to the kayaks. Jökulsárlón is far bigger, with more and larger icebergs: more exposed paddling, greater spectacle. Our Jökulsárlón guide covers kayaking there alongside the amphibian and Zodiac boats.

Fjallsárlón, if the dates work

The case for kayaking here is the case for everything at Fjallsárlón: fewer people, a smaller basin, a glacier face that feels close. The case against is that the tour is new, has one review and gives no season on its listing. If it is open on your dates it is the quieter paddle; if not, Jökulsárlón has far more departures.

Practical tips

Fjallsárlón kayaking FAQ

Who runs it, what it costs, experience, limits and how it compares to the boat tours.

Is there kayaking at Fjallsárlón?

Not from the lagoon's main operator. Fjallsárlón Iceberg Boat Tours runs Zodiac boat tours, ice floating, glacier hikes and ice cave tours, but no kayaking. A separate operator sells a guided kayaking tour through GetYourGuide that meets at the Fjallsjökull glacier viewpoint and paddles on Fjallsárlón, from $169.31 per person for 1.5 hours.

How much does the Fjallsárlón kayak tour cost?

The GetYourGuide listing starts from $169.31 USD per person. That includes the kayak, paddle, drysuit, lifejacket, guide and the 1,000 ISK parking fee. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start, and you can reserve now and pay later.

Do I need kayaking experience?

The listing does not require prior experience; the guide teaches you the equipment before you launch. It does exclude people with a low level of fitness, back problems, mobility impairments, recent surgeries or pre-existing medical conditions, so you should be able to paddle steadily for over an hour in cold conditions.

What are the age and weight limits for kayaking at Fjallsárlón?

The listing's restrictions include children under 12 and people over 65, though it also lists under 10 and over 70; treat 12 and 65 as the safe reading and ask the operator if you are close to either. The weight limit is 250 lbs (113 kg).

Is kayaking better than the Zodiac boat tour at Fjallsárlón?

It is more immersive but not better for everyone. In a kayak you sit at water level and paddle for 1.5 hours; the Zodiac is a 75-minute guided ride at 11,300 ISK, April to November, with no upper age limit, and gets closer to the glacier wall without any paddling. Ice floating, 15,900 ISK all year, puts you in the water in a drysuit.