Cars Campers

VolcanoSouth Coast

Öræfajökull

South Coast, IcelandActiveStratovolcano2110 m

Road loading…

Weather loading…

Navigate

DirectionsNavigate

Find Öræfajökull videos on YouTube

VolcanoSouth Coast

Öræfajökull

South Coast, IcelandActiveStratovolcano2110 m

About

Öræfajökull is an ice-covered volcano in south-east Iceland. The largest active volcano and the highest peak in Iceland at 2,110 metres (6,920 ft), it lies within the Vatnajökull National Park and is covered by part of the glacier.

You can feel the heat in some spots. A reminder that Iceland sits on one of Earth's most active volcanic zones.

Follow marked paths in active geothermal areas. The ground can be unstable or concealing scalding water beneath a thin crust.

AI assistant

Plan your visit to Öræfajökull

Build an itinerary — full days, multi-stop routes, drive times, alternatives.

Map of Öræfajökull

Öræfajökull is on Iceland's South Coast at 64.0199°N, 16.6473°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.

Open Öræfajökull on the interactive map →

Plan your visit

Elevation: 2,110 m above sea level
Off the main road: 11.3 km from Route 1
Nearest town: Höfn — 74 km away
Distance from Reykjavík: 258 km in a straight line
What else is close: 275 mapped places within 20 km

Öræfajökull weather and conditions

At Öræfajökull in South Coast, conditions as of 1 September 2026, 07:15 (Iceland time): -9°C (feels like -13°C), clear, wind 2 m/s. Daylight today: 14 h 40 m (sunrise 05:47, sunset 20:27). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.

Data verified 1 September 2026, 07:15· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly

Driving conditions

—

Weather now

—

Wind

Check live

Road access

—

Daylight today

Visit now · Open year-round · 30 min stop · Visibility —

open map

Forecast

Today

—

Northern lights

Tonight

—/9

No data

—

Moon—

Aurora forecast for tonight

South Coast Reykjavík West North East Westfjords Reykjanes Highlands

Sun & light

Today

—

Today

—

Sunrise—

Golden hour AM—

Golden hour PM—

Sunset—

Blue hour—

Cars & campers

−12%exclusive discountFree cancellation

KEF airport pickup 24/74.8

SUV

Dacia Duster 4x4

Cheapest real 4WD in the fleet — gravel, the Westfjords and easy summer F-roads without truck prices.

VW Caravelle

Whole family or friend group in one car — gear in the back, room to stretch.

TransmissionAutomatic

12,750 kr15,000 kr/day

Reserve −12%

Camper

Key Camper Wild Duo

Sleep right by the trailhead, wake up at the falls — F-road ready from mid-June.

Tours near Öræfajökull

Free cancellation

Small groups

Iceland tour

Adrenaline Combo: Off-Road Buggy & Mega Zipline Experience

The Buggy Iceland and Mega Zipline Combo Tour offers an exhilarating adventure for thrill-seekers exploring Iceland.

Duration3 hours

HighlightsSouth Iceland

Buggy Adventure-Þórsmörk

"Þórsmörk has a spot in every Icelander's heart.

Duration5 hours

HighlightsSouth Iceland

Bus transfer from Landmannalaugar to Hella / Reykjavik

Our transfer service offers a comfortable and safe way to travel from the heart of Iceland's highlands, Landmannalaugar, to the…

Duration4 hours

HighlightsSouth Iceland

Photos & videos

Öræfajökull — photo by 24dakenlo @ Mapillary · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: 24dakenlo @ Mapillary · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

No verified videos yet — we only show footage confirmed to be Öræfajökull, no lookalikes. Search YouTube

Reviews

Frequently
asked
questions

Is it safe to visit Öræfajökull?

Öræfajökull is listed as an active volcano. Whether you can approach it depends entirely on current conditions — during an eruption, authorities set an exclusion zone and you must never cross a closure line. Check safetravel.is and the Icelandic Met Office (vedur.is) before you go, and follow all official instructions on site.

How do I get to Öræfajökull?

Öræfajökull is in South Coast. Check live road conditions on this page before you drive — highland access often needs a 4×4 and some routes only open in summer.

Can I hike Öræfajökull?

It depends on the volcano and current activity. Some Icelandic cones have short marked trails to the rim; others sit under glaciers or in closed areas and cannot be climbed without a guide. Never approach an active eruption unless the official viewing area is open — conditions change fast.

What should I know about volcanic gas near Öræfajökull?

Volcanic and geothermal areas can release sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide, which are toxic in high concentrations and collect in low-lying spots. Stay on marked paths, leave immediately if you smell strong sulphur or feel unwell, and check the Met Office gas forecasts during any eruption.

Nearby

km column = your drive

1Skerhóll27 km
2Laki77 km
3Eldgjá96 km
4Maelifell115 km
5Torfajökull116 km

Waterfalls

#1.Múlafoss

8.7 km·~10 min drive

A waterfall in South Coast.

#2.Hangandifoss

9.4 km·~11 min drive

The fall comes off the rim of Múlagljúfur, the mossy canyon that opens above the…

#3.Stigafoss

10 km·~12 min drive

A waterfall in South Coast.

#4.Grófarlækjarfoss

14 km·~16 min drive

A waterfall in South Coast.

4 waterfalls near South Coast

Hot Springs

#1.Guðlaug

44 km·~53 min drive

New seaside hot pot on Langisandur beach in Akranes. Ocean views.

#2.Geothermal hot spring near Skaftárhreppur

73 km·~88 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#3.Geothermal hot spring near Höfn

74 km·~89 min drive

Public_bath hot spring

#4.Hoffell Hot Tubs

75 km·~90 min drive

Hot tubs with Vatnajökull glacier views near Höfn. Run by local farm.

4 hot springs near South Coast

Campsites

#1.Svinafell

11 km·~13 min drive

Icelandic campsite offering basic facilities for travelers exploring the area. Facilities…

#2.Ferðaþjónustan Svínafelli

11 km·~13 min drive

We are located in Öræfi, just underneath the highest peak of Iceland.

#3.Skaftafell

16 km·~19 min drive

The camp site is spacious with trees as shelter. The camp site is divided into several…

#4.Campsite Reception

16 km·~19 min drive

Icelandic campsite offering basic facilities for travelers exploring the area. Iceland's…

4 campsites near South Coast

Supermarkets

#1.Gvendarkjör

73 km·~88 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

#2.Nettó

74 km·~89 min drive

Nettó supermarket — supplies

#3.Krónan

134 km·~161 min drive

Krónan supermarket — supplies

#4.Kjörbúðin

134 km·~161 min drive

Supermarket — supplies

4 supermarkets near South Coast

Gas stations

#1.Freysnes

13 km·~15 min drive

Orkan · 308.6 kr/L petrol

#2.Fagurhólsmýri

15 km·~18 min drive

N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol

#3.Kirkjubæjarklaustur

73 km·~87 min drive

ÓB · 308.7 kr/L petrol

#4.Höfn

75 km·~89 min drive

Olís · 310.8 kr/L petrol

4 gas stations near South Coast

Tours

#1.Adrenaline Combo: Off-Road Buggy & Mega Zipline Experience

3 hours

The Buggy Iceland and Mega Zipline Combo Tour offers an exhilarating adventure for thrill-seekers exploring Iceland.

from 29.300 ISKView tour →

#2.Buggy Adventure-Þórsmörk

5 hours

"Þórsmörk has a spot in every Icelander's heart.

from 89.990 ISKView tour →

#3.Bus transfer from Landmannalaugar to Hella / Reykjavik

4 hours

Our transfer service offers a comfortable and safe way to travel from the heart of Iceland's highlands, Landmannalaugar, to the…

from 12.220 ISKView tour →

3 tours near South Coast

Data & sources

Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.

Wikimedia CommonsHero & gallery photography · 24dakenlo @ Mapillary · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
VegagerðinVisitor access & practical facts
VegagerðinLive road status & cameras · Icelandic Road Administration
Open-MeteoWeather forecast · CC BY 4.0
NOAA SWPCAurora (planetary Kp) forecast · public domain
OpenStreetMapInteractive-map data · ODbL
Esri, Maxar & Earthstar GeographicsSatellite imagery for the 3D terrain render · GIS User Community