SKAFTAFELL

Skaftafell is located at the south western edge of Iceland’s largest icecap the Vatnjokull. If you have never camped at the toe of a glacier, it is a thrill that should not be missed. The top picture is of Hvannadalshnjukur (2119m.), Iceland’s tallest peak. The park is the site of one of the most colossal flooding events in modern history. In 1996, volcanoes under the Vatnajokul erupted and melted tons of glacial ice as a consequence. The mammoth floods isolated the region from the rest of the island for weeks. A video of the event is shown at the visitor center. The park is also home to yet another incredible waterfall. Svartifoss tumbles off of perfectly formed hexagonal prisms of cooled basalt. The otherwise ubiquitous basalt columns provide a stunning backdrop for the foss.