Snæfellsjökull National Park: glacier, volcano and coast
Snæfellsjökull National Park brings the western peninsula’s volcanic landscape down to the sea. The glacier-capped volcano is the landmark, while lava fields, craters, caves and coastal rocks give the visit its variety. A day here can focus on a guided motorised activity or on stops reached along the coastal roads. These are different ways of experiencing the same landscape, with different starting points and time commitments.
Snæfellsjökull is an active stratovolcano with an ice cap, standing 1,446 metres high. Its last eruption was approximately 1,800 years ago. The term active describes the volcano, rather than an eruption taking place during your visit. Plan around the landscape and the chosen activity; the weather and seasonal planning guide helps put road access and daylight into the same schedule.
Our take: local motor outings
Choose the buggy outing from Arnarstapi or the shared ATV option from Gufuskálar. Both include a guide and protective equipment.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Guided buggy outing from Arnarstapi
- Expert guide
- Protective overalls
- Helmets
Bring sturdy or waterproof hiking shoes and warm accessories for changing conditions.
Check availability →
Guided ATV outing from Gufuskálar
- Experienced guide
- Warm coveralls and gloves
- Boots and helmet
One ATV is provided for every two people booked.
Check availability →Local guided drives around Snæfellsjökull
Choose between a buggy departure in Arnarstapi and a two-person ATV in Gufuskálar, with your own journey to the meeting point.
Buggy or ATV: choose the meeting point first
The Snæfellsjökull buggy activity lasts 2.5 hours and starts at Arnarstapavegur 2 in Arnarstapi. A guide, protective overalls and a helmet are included. Bring sturdy or waterproof walking shoes, a hat, gloves, something to cover your face, sunglasses and water. Food and drinks are extra. The meeting point belongs in your road itinerary before you add other coastal stops.
The ATV activity lasts two hours and starts at Gufuskálar in Snæfellsbær. One ATV is allocated to every two people booked. The equipment includes warm coveralls, gloves, boots and a helmet, alongside an experienced guide. Travel to Gufuskálar is your responsibility. Choose the buggy for an Arnarstapi-based plan and the ATV for the Gufuskálar departure with shared vehicle allocation. Both are guided motorised outings; their descriptions here concern the drive and equipment.
Malarrif and Lóndrangar
Malarrif combines a visitor information centre with an exhibition in former farm buildings, plus an outdoor area with picnic tables and a playground. Make the coast part of the visit rather than treating the centre as the only reason to stop. Hellissandur has a separate visitor centre on another part of the peninsula.
Lóndrangar consists of two basalt pillars, 75 and 61 metres high. Together with Svalþúfa, these are remnants of a crater shaped by marine erosion. The forms give a close coastal counterpoint to the broad volcanic landscape inland. Follow designated paths, leave rocks and vegetation undisturbed and give nesting birds space. For the wider shoreline, read about Arnarstapi, Hellnar and coastal stops.
Service fee and paths
The Snæfellsjökull National Park service fee is charged by vehicle class. The notice dated 6 August 2026 lists 1,100 ISK for a car carrying up to five people, 1,400 ISK for vehicles carrying six to nine, and 450 ISK for motorcycles. Payment covers the national park on the same day until midnight. Use the Parka app, a posted QR code or the payment machine at Malarrif. Private parking outside the park has its own arrangements.
Snæfellsjökull visits should stay on designated routes: off-road driving, fires and disturbing wildlife are prohibited, and rubbish goes home with you. Road 574 follows the coast. Mountain road 570 is a steep, unpaved summer route requiring four-wheel drive; access depends on conditions. Consult the official road status on the day of travel and use the road access guide for the wider journey. A guided underground visit has its own arrangements on the Vatnshellir Cave page.
Snæfellsjökull National Park questions
Where do the local activities start?
The buggy activity starts at Arnarstapavegur 2 in Arnarstapi, while the ATV activity starts at Gufuskálar. Both need your own travel to the meeting point. Allow the activity’s stated duration within your wider peninsula itinerary, then add the road journey and any independent stops separately.
How long does the vehicle service fee last?
Payment lasts until midnight on the same day throughout Snæfellsjökull National Park. The 6 August 2026 notice sets 1,100 ISK for cars carrying up to five people. This vehicle-based arrangement belongs to the national park; private parking elsewhere on the peninsula has separate payment arrangements.
What equipment comes with the ATV outing?
The Gufuskálar ATV outing includes a guide, warm coveralls, gloves, boots and a helmet. Vehicle allocation is one ATV for every two booked people. The activity lasts two hours, with travel to the meeting point arranged independently. Build the rest of the day around that local departure.