from Skaftafell Terminal

AIRPLANE TOURS

Airplane Tours from Skaftafell 

**Fly over Vatnajökull Glacier and Grímsvötn eruption site on a 50 minute air tour from Skaftafell Terminal.**

On arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception. There you will meet with your pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before heading out to the airplane. After take-off, we head straight on over to Vatnajökull glacier, Europe’s largest glacier to check out the Grímsvötn eruption site. Flying past Skaftafell National Park and Morsárdalur glacier canyon. 

Grímsvötn (pronounced: \[ˈkrimsvœʰtn̥\]) is located at the northwestern side of the Vatnajökull icecap at an elevation of 1725 m above sea level. On the way to Grímsvötn, you get the chance to marvel at the endless amount of ice and snow of Vatnajökull glacier.

Grímsvötn refers to all the subglacial lakes but is used for the whole volcanos as well. Grímsvötn is a basaltic volcano of Grímsvötn is mostly covered by ice and has the highest eruption frequency of all volcanoes in Iceland. Scientists have confirmed, with some erosion studies, about 60 volcanic eruptions in the system at a historical time, which far more than the next in line, Katla, with about 20 eruptions. The main crater is around 45 km2 and 650 m deep and since most of the volcano lies underneath Vatnajökull, its eruptions have been subglacial and the interaction of magma and meltwater from the ice causes phreatomagmatic explosive activity. The most recent eruptions in Grímsvötn were in 2011, 2004, 1998 and 1996\. The eruption in 2011 was the largest one in 100 years and lasted for a week. Although there were no glacier floods following this eruption, the ash rose 20 km high and disrupted air travel widely in Europe. 

When flying over, try to spot the small cabins located at Grímsfjall, right next to Grímsvötn, where the Icelandic Glacier Research Society has set up a camp in order to keep a close eye on the Grímsvötn Volcano. 

After being amazed by the beauty of Grímsvötn and greatness of Vatnajökull glacier we start to head back down. Flying over Skeiðarárjökull glacier, an outlet glacier from Vatnajökull with is abstract patterns of black and white. When arriving back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diversified landscape the Iceland highland has to offer.

Grímsvötn Eruption Site Airplane Tour

**Two of our most popular tours; 'Landmannalaugar from Above' and 'Riverbeds' combined in one jam-packed epic up to 90 minutes air tour from Skaftafell Terminal!**

On arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception, there you will meet with your pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before heading out to the airplane. After take-off, we head straight on over to Vatnajökull glacier, Europe’s largest glacier flying past Skaftafell National Park and Morsárdalur glacier canyon. 

We head on over to Lakagígar crater chain and Landmannalaugar. 

Lakagígar crater chain is a 25 km long row of about 135 craters, formed in the years 1783-1784, during one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. During the 8-month period the system was erupting, it is estimated it poured out 42 billion tons (14 km3) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous gases and ash led to the death of 50% of Iceland's livestock and a third of the Icelandic nation died. Furthermore, the eruption in Lakagígar and its aftermath has been linked to some global events. Today most of Lakagígar crater chain is covered in moss, giving them an out of this world appearance combined with the red and black rocks.

From Lakagígar we fly over to Landmannalaugar, the beautiful valley nestled right alongside the black Laugarhraun lava field, a large field of dried magma that formed in an eruption in 1477\. Landmannalaugar is mostly known for its natural geothermal baths like the name suggests, the „people‘s pool“. These natural geothermal baths along with the unique windswept rhyolite mountains, with their various shades of pink, green, blue and golden yellow make this area amazing for snapping some photos. On our way back to Skaftafell we fly over Eldgjá, the largest canyon in the world, approx. 40 km long, 270 m deep and 600 m wide at its greatest. The canyon is thought to have formed during a massive eruption in 934 that lasted for a couple of months.

During the flight, you might also get to see Langisjór, a 20 km long lake up in highlands, 670 m above sea level, Skeiðarárjökull glacier, Síðujökull glacier along with many beautiful spots west of Mýrdalsjökull glacier and famous lonely mountain - Mælifell.

On the way you will see many riverbeds - river deltas - photographers favourite.

Once back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diversified landscape the Iceland highland has to offer.

Ultimate Skaftafell Airplane Tour

**Witness Iceland's largest volcanic crater chain from above, the only way you can really see its true size, on this 50 minute air tour from Skaftafell Terminal.**

On arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception. There you will meet with your pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before heading out to the aircraft. Once in the air, we fly west of Vatnajökull National Park over the vast ice sheet of Skeiðarárjökull, one of many outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Europe‘s largest glacier, on the way over to Lakagígar crater chain, a massive row of volcanic craters spreading as long as the eye can see. We firmly believe that flying over the Laki Craters is the only way to truly appreciate their staggering scale. 

The craters were formed in one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in recorded history all the way back in 1783, which caused widespread famine in Iceland and even other parts of the world. Today we can enjoy them in peace as the geographical wonders they are, and they have been a fan favorite in our range of flightseeing tours for many years. Our experienced pilots will offer expert guidance and trivia along the way, to make sure you learn something new while you take in the amazing view.

On the way back we will take you over Súlutindar peaks, an interesting glacier-sculpted formation on the west side of Skeiðarárjökull. We carry on southeast along the edge of Skeiðarárjökull where you will get a panoramic view of its massive size. This, of course, is not an exhaustive list of things you get to see but should give you a rough idea of some of the main attractions.

Upon landing back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diverse landscapes the Icelandic highlands have to offer.

Laki Craters and Surroundings Airplane Tour

**Fly over Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon and its Diamond Beach, as well as Iceland's highest peak Hvannadalshnjúkur on Öræfajökull volcanic glacier. This thrilling 50 minute air tour from Skaftafell Terminal has all the extremes and dynamics of Iceland's nature!**

On arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception. There you will meet with your pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before heading out to the aircraft. After take-off, we head on over to the colorful area of Kjós a strikingly beautiful canyon of bare fractured boulders and sharp yellow crest, located at the head of Morsárdalur glacier valley. 

From there we fly over to the highest peak in Iceland, Hvannadalshnjúkur (pronounced \[ˈkvanːatalsˌn̥juːkʏr\]). Towering 2110 m about sea level and the highest point of the volcanic glacier Öræfajökull. Due to the tectonic plates under Iceland pulling the land apart instead of compressing it together, few mountains reach over thousand meters above sea level in Iceland, making Hvannadalshnjúkur a remarkable sight. 

Then we head on over to Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, flying over Vatnajökull, the biggest glacier in Europe. Jökulsálón glacier lagoon is known for its massive size and huge floating icebergs. It has been featured in four Hollywood movies: A View to Kill, Die Another Day, Lara Croft and Batman Begins along with the TV reality series Amazing Race. 

Once the icebergs at Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon get small enough they wash out to sea. They then end up washing up on the black sand beach, sometimes filling the beach with diamond looking icebergs, hence the nickname „Diamond Beach“. After viewing these wonders of Iceland, we head on back to Skaftafell Terminal, flying along the beautiful coastline with views over the glacier, black sands, and farmlands. 

When landing back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diversified landscape the Iceland highland has to offer.

The Lagoon and Highest Summit Airplane Tour

**From highland nature reserves to serene lakes and volcanic craters, this is an epic journey of aerial sightseeing, exploring the vast wilderness of Iceland‘s unspoiled highlands.** 

On arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception, there you will meet with your pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before the flight. From our base at Skaftafell Terminal, we fly westbound towards the highlands, flying over Skeiðarárjökull, one of many outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Europe‘s largest glacier, on the way over to Lakagígar craters, Landmannalaugar and more. 

From Skeiðarárjökull glacier we fly over Lakagígar crater chain. A 25 km long row of about 135 craters, formed in the years 1783-1784, during one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. During the 8-month eruption period, it is estimated it poured out 42 billion tons (14 km3) of basalt lava and clouds of poisonous gases and ash led to the death of 50% of Iceland's livestock and a third of the Icelandic nation died. Furthermore, the eruption in Lakagígar and its aftermath has been linked to some global events. 

From Lakagígar we fly over to Landmannalaugar, the beautiful valley nestled right alongside the black Laugarhraun lava field, a large field of dried magma that formed in an eruption in 1477\. Landmannalaugar is mostly known for its natural geothermal baths like the name suggests, the „people‘s pool“. These natural geothermal baths along with the unique windswept rhyolite mountains, with their various shades of pink, green, blue and golden yellow make this area amazing for snapping some photos from the air.

On our way back to Skaftafell, the black volcanic ash fields, mountain lakes, and glacial rivers provide even sharper color contrasts. You‘ll feel like you‘re flying in the middle of a beautiful painting. We fly over Eldgjá, the largest volcanic canyon in the world which dwarfs even Lakagígar in lava volume. The canyon is thought to have formed during a massive eruption in 934 that lasted for a couple of months. 

During the flight, you might also get to see Langisjór, a 20 km long lake up in highlands, 670 m above sea level, Skeiðarárjökull glacier, Síðujökull glacier along with many beautiful spots west of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. 

Once we land back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diversified landscape the Iceland highland has to offer.

Landmannalaugar Above Airplane Tour

**On this stunning 30 minute air tour we explore the many outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull glacier, the largest glacier in Europe. Among its dozens of glacier tongues are Skaftafellsjökull, Skeiðarárjökull and Svínafellsjökull to name but a few.** 

Upon arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception. You will then meet with your pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before heading out to the aircraft. 

Our first destination is our namesake Skaftafellsjökull glacier, taking us into a narrow valley with vivid colors before we climb up the steep glacier edge to Mount Hrútsfjall (1800m). Don’t worry, it’s the aircraft which will be doing the climbing. Next up is Svínafellsjökull glacier, which looks so out of this world that it was fittingly used as the shooting location for an alien ice planet in the 2014 blockbuster Interstellar. From there we continue gliding, freely observing Virkisjökull, Falljökull, Korárjökull and Öræfajökull with a bird’s eye view (yes, “jökull” means “glacier” in case you hadn’t figured that out yet). 

On our way back to base we do a lower altitude flight over cliffs, canyons, and waterfalls to round out a truly breathtaking tour. Upon landing back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diverse landscapes the Icelandic highlands have to offer.

Glacier Edge Airplane Tour

Based on the weather forecast, flight conditions and many years of experience, we decide what should be today's unforgettable experience on this 15-minute air tour from Skaftafell Terminal.

On arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception. You will then meet up with our pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before the flight. 

During this scenic air tour, we explore the majestic vistas surrounding the Skaftafell National Park area, home to some of Iceland‘s biggest glaciers, most prolific volcanoes and richest river deltas. Along with being one of Iceland‘s most powerful volcanoes, Öræfajökull also boasts Mt. Hvannadalshnjúkur, the highest peak in Iceland at an impressive 2110 m. 

Enveloped by the Skeiðarársandur black sand beach to the south and west, with its majestic glacial riverbeds weaving abstract patterns in the sand, and Skeiðarárjökull glacier and Öræfajökull glacier volcano to the north, our departure point Skaftafell Terminal, is truly located in a paradise on earth and this tour takes you over the areas with the best conditions of the day. 

When landing back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diverse landscapes surrounding Skaftafell. Join us for an unforgettable flightseeing experience.

Scenic Skaftafell Airplane Tour

**Fly over black sands and ash, covered with numerous small rivulets in a scenic 45 minute air tour from Skaftafell Terminal.** 

On arrival at Skaftafell Terminal please check in at our reception. There you will meet with your pilot that will go over the flight route and perform a safety briefing before heading out to the airplane. After take-off, we head towards the beautiful coastline of Skeiðarársandur with its endless black beaches filled with ocean treasures and some even believe there is an old shipwreck hidden in the sand full of long lost goods. 

From there we head on over Skeiðarársandur, a vast plain of black sand and ash, covered with numerous small rivulets weaving abstract patterns in the sand. It spans the entire range between Skeiðarárjökull glacier and the sea. 

Then we head on over to Skeiðarárjökull flying past Lómagnúpur, which houses one of Iceland's four guardian spirits that can be seen in Iceland's coat of arms, the „rock-giant“ (Bergrisi). He stands at the top of Lómagnúpur, holding his iron rod protecting the south coast from evil spirits. So, make sure you take a good look and see if you notice him before witnessing the massive outlet glacier, Skeiðarárjökull, draining south from Europe‘s largest ice cap Vatnajökull. 

When landing back at Skaftafell Terminal, we hope you got the chance to snap some nice photos and get a glimpse of the magical and diversified landscape the Iceland highland has to offer.

Black Sands and Riverbeds Airplane Tours

Airplane sightseeing flights from Skaftafell terminal

Tours

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Atlantsflug is a family-owned airline that has been offering sightseeing flights from Skaftafell for over 25 years. We pride ourselves in offering high-quality and personal service and strive to ensure you get the best experience possible. 