Fjallsarlon ice lagoon zodiac trip Iceland

[brauntonians]

Hi. Has anyone experienced this excursion trip on Vikings Iceland natural wonders cruise please ? 

[TayanaLorna]

Yes yes in July 2021 and loved it.  It was just incredible getting up close to the glacier and icebergs.  We heard them calving but missed seeing it as each time we were looking away.  Our guide taught us all about them. They give you a thick weather proof jacket to wear and a life vest which was very warm over my own jacket. Wear water resistant pants or rain pants and sturdy shoes.  We walked down a long rocky path to get to the lagoon and Zodiac.  The bow of the boat was pulled up on shore a bit so you didn't have to step into the water to get in.  All you had to do was sit on the bow pontoon and swing your legs together into the boat.  There was help.  Lunch in the facility was nice.  Every lunch we had on Viking excursions was a fish entree so...  The drive was very long but the scenery was outstanding and very different from all other Iceland areas we visited.  Our guide was excellent and we learned so much about the geology of the area and lifestyle of the people.  Much of the drive was along the coastline.  Our comfort stops were in the same town each way but at different locations - once at a local library/park complex and another next to a fishing village with a little local musuem.  At each stop there were a few minutes to look around and stretch the legs.  The excursion cost was high but we thought well worth it.

[brauntonians]

Thanks for that ..sounds like a must do. 🙂 how far is the path walk please and is it steep ? My hubby has a challenging back so he will take his foldaway poles anyway but we just like to be pre warned with plenty of paracetamol lol. 

[dburns1231]

Yes, we did it in August of 2021. It was an all day trip by bus and back with a couple of hours at the actual excursion. The excursion itself was ok. Basically, you got into a zodiac with a lot of other people and floated around close to some icebergs while listening to the guide. A nice lunch was provided prior to the zodiac excursion. I personally would opt out next time due to the long day in the bus to get there to and from. But your excursions are limited at that particular stop as I recall. We had much better experiences with RIBS in the Westman Islands. 

[Peregrina651]

40 minutes ago, dburns1231 said:

Yes, we did it in August of 2021. It was an all day trip by bus and back with a couple of hours at the actual excursion. The excursion itself was ok. Basically, you got into a zodiac with a lot of other people and floated around close to some icebergs while listening to the guide. A nice lunch was provided prior to the zodiac excursion. I personally would opt out next time due to the long day in the bus to get there to and from. But your excursions are limited at that particular stop as I recall. We had much better experiences with RIBS in the Westman Islands. 

 

 

In 2021(we were on the second sailing of those "welcome back" sailings), everything was limited because of infrastructure issues (i.e., guides and drivers). I would expect that now, with two seasons of recuperation under its belt, that Iceland is in much better shape to offer a variety of tours even in Djupivogur.

 

Personally, I loved the bus ride. I was fascinated by the geology and landscape of the country and thought that the getting anywhere was part of the experience of seeing the country. I'm also a fool for glaciers and this was a once in a lifetime chance for me to get up-close-and-personal.

 

1 hour ago, brauntonians said:

Thanks for that ..sounds like a must do. 🙂 how far is the path walk please and is it steep ? My hubby has a challenging back so he will take his foldaway poles anyway but we just like to be pre warned with plenty of paracetamol lol. 

 

Bring the sticks!!!  It is about a 10 minute walk to the loading area. There are a couple of places where it is steeper that what is shown here but they aren't very long stretches. I was worried about getting in and out of the boat but it was not as difficult as expected. Sit down, swing your legs over. There are no benches; you sit on the side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TayanaLorna]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

In 2021(we were on the second sailing of those "welcome back" sailings), everything was limited because of infrastructure issues (i.e., guides and drivers). I would expect that now, with two seasons of recuperation under its belt, that Iceland is in much better shape to offer a variety of tours even in Djupivogur.

 

Personally, I loved the bus ride. I was fascinated by the geology and landscape of the country and thought that the getting anywhere was part of the experience of seeing the country. I'm also a fool for glaciers and this was a once in a lifetime chance for me to get up-close-and-personal.

 

 

Bring the sticks!!!  It is about a 10 minute walk to the loading area. There are a couple of places where it is steeper that what is shown here but they aren't very long stretches. I was worried about getting in and out of the boat but it was not as difficult as expected. Sit down, swing your legs over. There are no benches; you sit on the side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peregrina, you were the person that helped me make the decision to do this.  I research the adventurous excursions thoroughly to be sure I can do it without holding everyone up, falling and hurting myself.  I too felt it was an opportunity i would not get again.  I am so glad i did it.  Learning from you that i didn't have to step into freezing water cinched it.  I also loved the drive as much as you did.  It was absolutely facinating and i learned so much.  

[TayanaLorna]

3 hours ago, brauntonians said:

Thanks for that ..sounds like a must do. 🙂 how far is the path walk please and is it steep ? My hubby has a challenging back so he will take his foldaway poles anyway but we just like to be pre warned with plenty of paracetamol lol. 

I carry my folding poles almost all the time especially if i am not sure what the terrain is like.  Walking uphill they give me leverage, walking downhill they give me balance and prevent slipping on loose rock.  My husband and i were about the last to get to the beach.  He takes lots of photos.  I walk cautiously and slowly.  The trail is relatively flat for the first half and then descends to the beach.  That part is the rockiest.  I too have lower back issues.  Our whole day was almost 9 hours.  The morning drive took 2 hours and halfway there we had a 1/2 hour comfort stop.  The Zodiac ride followed by lunch was 3 hours total.  The drive back took longer due to more traffic, we stopped at a seaside overlook where we were able to get out and the comfort stop was in such a quaint area everyone took longer taking photos and wanting to see the museum.

 

The Zodiac ride in the Westman Islands does not take you to a glacier or go among icebergs.

 

Wish i could go on the Iceland trip again but there are too many places to visit before I can't.

[BlairsvilleCruiseGirl]

We loved this tour (August 2021).  Yes, long bus ride but beautiful scenery.  And we really enjoyed the zodiac ride into the glacier lagoon.  Here's a picture of the coat they provide (the rain pants were our own and since it had drizzled before we got there, I was glad to have them on when I got into the damp boat) and the shoreline you have to walk down to.  And as others have said, the lunch is good, tomato soup and fish, which is what we had at another port tour.

And in case no one has warned you, if you go to Iceland in the summer, be sure to buy a face net.  We could have auctioned ours off for big bucks when we went inland during our Akureyri port call!

[JER/MPR]

We too loved it, one of the highlights of an incredible trip.🥰

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, BlairsvilleCruiseGirl said:

And in case no one has warned you, if you go to Iceland in the summer, be sure to buy a face net.  We could have auctioned ours off for big bucks when we went inland during our Akureyri port call!

 

Wow. I can even see the little blighters in your photo!! We were there in early July and never needed anything (even though we did come prepared). I wonder if it is an early summer vs late summer thing?

 

Nor did we need any of our rain gear, which my brother had told me was an absolute must. He still isn't talking to me; it was sideways rain the whole time he was there following their Midnight Sun adventure.

 

Take the rain gear, take the bug repellent!!!! It's the only win-win!

 

 

[rocketman03]

I can't add too much more beyond what others have talked about except I too loved this excursion (August 2021). The ice lagoon was amazing, and I couldn't get enough of the landscape scenery during the bus rides. It was one of our favorite excursions and we still randomly bring up the day to reminisce. 

[Dixiegirl66]

How long is the bus ride each way?

 

[Peregrina651]

At least two hours including a bathroom stop coming and going.

 

TIP: Estimate travel times for tours with Google maps.

[Twitchly]

On 4/15/2023 at 9:52 AM, Peregrina651 said:

Personally, I loved the bus ride. I was fascinated by the geology and landscape of the country and thought that the getting anywhere was part of the experience of seeing the country.

This. We went to Jökulsárlón (just a few miles past Fjallsárlón) on our own when we were in Iceland a few years back, and the drive there was breathtaking. Otherworldly and magical. 
 

 

We arrived in the mist at dusk so had the place largely to ourselves. Highly recommended. I can only imagine what it would be like to take a Zodiac up close to these.

 

Edited April 22, 2023 by Twitchly

[brauntonians]

Thanks everyone for the fab photos and advice ... We have booked the ice lagoon now so very excited to get up close. Who knows in these times now long these beautiful natural sights will be around for us to marvel at.