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Skaftafell is the scenic heart of the south-east corner of Vatnajökull National Park, long one of Iceland’s most treasured hiking destinations. The area sits beneath the vast ice cap of Vatnajökull and is bordered by the dark outwash sands of Skeiðarársandur to the west. Several glacier tongues push down from the ice cap into the valley, and the contrast between the white glaciers, green birch woodland, and black volcanic rock is visually extraordinary.

The most famous walk is to Svartifoss — ‘Black Falls’ — a 15-metre waterfall whose curtain of water frames a perfectly symmetrical colonnade of black basalt columns, an image that inspired Reykjavík’s Hallgrímskirkja church. Other trails climb to the glacier viewpoints on Skaftafellsheidi, offering sweeping views over the ice cap and the coast. Glacier hikes and ice-climbing tours on Svínafellsjökull and Falljökull depart from the visitor centre.

The Skaftafell visitor centre is on the Ring Road about 330 km from Reykjavík. Camping is available and extremely popular in summer — book ahead. Hiking trails range from an easy 1-hour return to Svartifoss to multi-day routes across the ice cap for experienced mountaineers. Entry to the national park is free; guided glacier tours are ticketed. The visitor centre is open year-round.