Lakes of Iceland

What are the main lakes in Iceland?

Iceland’s best-known lakes include Þingvallavatn in the south-west, Mývatn in the north, Lögurinn near Egilsstaðir in the east, Kleifarvatn on the Reykjanes peninsula and the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón in the south-east. Sizes differ widely: an archived page of the former Environment Agency of Iceland puts Mývatn at about 37 km², while Visit Austurland gives Lögurinn about 53 km². Former Environment Agency (archived) (source checked 2026-11-03) Visit Austurland (source checked 2026-11-03)

The other five lakes in this guide are in the Highlands: the reservoirs Þórisvatn, Blöndulón and Hágöngulón, the crater lake Öskjuvatn and Hvítárvatn below Langjökull. Each lake card links to the full guide for that lake.

How big and deep are Iceland’s main lakes?

Iceland’s main lakes range from shallow Mývatn to deep Kleifarvatn and Lögurinn. Visit Reykjanes says Kleifarvatn is about 10 km² and about 97 m deep, and Visit Austurland gives Lögurinn a greatest depth of 112 m. This guide does not name a deepest lake, because depth figures for Þingvallavatn, Jökulsárlón and Öskjuvatn could not be confirmed from an official source. Visit Reykjanes (source checked 2026-11-03) Visit Austurland (source checked 2026-11-03)

Mývatn is shallow for its size. The same archived page of the former Environment Agency of Iceland says the lake is dotted with around 50 islands and islets, and that more species of duck are said to live there than in any other place on Earth, a hedged statement that gives no species count. The agency has since been dissolved; see the Mývatn guide for current visitor detail. Former Environment Agency (archived) (source checked 2026-11-03)

Lögurinn is the largest lake on the Lagarfljót watercourse and runs from Fljótsdalur to near the Lagarfljót bridge at Egilsstaðir. Visit Austurland presents the Lagarfljót worm as old folk belief rather than as a recorded animal. The Lagarfljót guide has more on the lake. Visit Austurland (source checked 2026-11-03)

How do you get to Jökulsárlón, and when can you visit?

Jökulsárlón lies on Breiðamerkursandur in Vatnajökull National Park, beside Route 1 (Ring Road). The national park states: “The region is accessible year-round and Route 1 runs through Breiðamerkursandur.” The park lists flush toilets at Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón plus privately operated restaurants and seasonal services; boat-tour dates are set by the operators. Vatnajökull National Park (source checked 2026-11-03)

Vatnajökull National Park describes Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón as a landscape of retreating glaciers, lagoons and icebergs. The park does not publish the lagoon’s area or depth on its visitor page, so this guide does not state them. Vatnajökull National Park (source checked 2026-11-03)

Boat tours on the lagoon are run by private operators such as Ice Lagoon, whose tour page listed prices valid for 2026 when it was checked on September 10, 2026. Each operator sets its own season, age rules and prices, so check the operator’s page for your dates. Ice Lagoon tours (source checked 2026-09-10) The Jökulsárlón guide covers parking, walks and the beach across the road at Diamond Beach.

Can you drive to Iceland’s highland lakes?

Highland lakes such as Þórisvatn, Öskjuvatn and Hágöngulón are reached by F-roads, Iceland’s mountain roads. Safetravel says F-roads are usually closed from mid-September until June or July and that not all 4WD vehicles are suitable for them. Check the exact road on umferdin.is before you set out, because a month alone does not show that a route is open. Safetravel, highland driving (source checked 2026-11-03)

“This is very different from other driving. Conditions change quickly, there are unbridged rivers to cross, the „roads“ are rough and driving slowly is important.”

At Öskjuvatn, Vatnajökull National Park lists trail A1 from Vikraborgir to the lake as 2.5 km, about two hours and rated easy; the park does not say whether the distance is one way or return. The park warns that the descent into the neighboring Víti crater is slippery and that rock and mud slides may occur. Vatnajökull National Park, trail A1 (source checked 2026-11-03) See the Öskjuvatn guide and the Highlands guide before planning a highland drive.

Do you need a fishing permit for Icelandic lakes?

Fishing permission in Iceland depends on the lake and the shore, and a permit for one area does not cover every lake. Þingvellir National Park, for example, sells its own angling permit for a designated area of Þingvallavatn and states that the permit does not apply to Kárastaðir, so one lake can have several fishing arrangements. Choose the shore first, then buy the permit that covers it. Þingvellir National Park, angling (source checked 2026-09-10)

For example, Þingvellir National Park’s permit covers its designated northern-shore fishing area and excludes Kárastaðir. Read the season, permitted methods and catch rules on the permit seller’s own page before you fish.

Þingvallavatn’s fish are described by the national park: “In the lake live three of the five species of freshwater fish found in Iceland: brown trout, Arctic charr and the three-spine stickleback.” Þingvellir National Park, nature (source checked 2026-11-03) The park adds that the lake lies in a rift valley running south from Langjökull to Mount Hengill. The Þingvallavatn guide has more on the lake and Silfra.

Why is Kleifarvatn shrinking?

Kleifarvatn on the Reykjanes peninsula has diminished since 2000 because two major earthquakes probably opened fissures at its bottom, according to Visit Reykjanes. The same page puts the lake at about 10 km² and about 97 m deep, notes very limited surface discharge, and says hot spring water runs into the southernmost part while elsewhere the lake is very cold. Visit Reykjanes (source checked 2026-11-03)

Visit Reykjanes adds that char released into Kleifarvatn have thrived and that a small fishing lodge stands by the lake. The Kleifarvatn guide has more visitor detail.