Iceland’s beauty is endless, and the Langjökull Glacier makes part of this beauty. This is the second largest glacier in the country, after the famous Vatnajökull. Its name translates to “long glacier” and of course because it covers approximately 950km², nearly 1% of Iceland’s surface. Langjökull is a vital natural phenomenon: it feeds the largest lake in the country, it is responsible for the Hvítá River, which powers the Gullfoss Waterfall, it maintains the hot springs at Geysir and the water at Silfra in Þingvellir. Let’s say the Golden Circle wouldn’t be the same without the help of Langjökull.

/

The story behind it

Iceland is a place to visit the most astonishing natural features on the whole planet, and the glaciers are few on the list. All of them are great to see, but Langjökull has something extraordinary the others don’t have.

A few years ago, a group of professionals including engineers, geophysicists, and other specialists reunited for 14 months to create the longest human-made ice cave in the world. The idea was born after analyzing that the tours to visit the glaciers were missing something: an experience of the glacier from the inside. Into the Glacier was born.

 

So, what is it? The man-made tunnel consisted of opening a hole inside the glacier by bulldozing large amounts of snow and compacted ice to be able to get to the 7-meter high ice cave in a safe and fun way. Situating a hard structure to create the tunnel in the heart of the glacier was needed. This way, a 500-meter long and 3.5-meter wide tunnel was built with separated chambers, and with a long way leading you towards the heart of the glacier. You will be surprised with the colors you can find in the ice cave: from deep blues to white tones, and violet to dark black hues.

The Tours

In Langjökull you will find lots of activities to do, and they are all fun. Going into the glacier is our top favorite tour, and for sure it is what the real adventure is all about. And the good thing is that you can do this all year round. Most of the tours include a fun ride in a snow truck, adjusted for groups of people to drive on the glacier and explore the environment. Other activities such as snowmobiling, super jeep rides, skiing, and hiking can be found too. Book our tours and have a unique experience in the man-made tunnel!

Langjökull and the threat of Climate Change

It is not a mystery of what is happening with our planet earth. Most of the landscapes we know now, will not be the same in a few years, and they might not even exist anymore anytime soon. These changes in the climate have been making the glaciers to shrink every year, and for some people, the change has been very visible for the past 10 years. Some scientists revealed the total melting of the glacier could happen in 150 years approximately, but others believe in more unfortunate cases giving it only 50 years of life left. Don’t wait to live this extraordinary adventure!

Reykjavik Attractions
Reykjavik Attractions