Find out everything about the three national parks in Iceland and see some beautiful pictures of these amazing nature reserves.
Prior to 2008, Iceland had 4 national parks: Þingvellir, Snæfellsjökull, Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur. In 2008, Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur were merged and named Vatnajökull National Park, so today Iceland has 3 national parks.

What are natural parks ?

In general national parks or nature reserves are protected areas that are considered unique because of their beautiful nature or cultural heritage.
With so much beautiful landscape in Iceland it is hard to choose which areas should be chosen over others to become a national park, but the following 3 areas will be protected for years to come.

Þingvellir National Park

Thingvellir National Park is the only national park in Iceland that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is situated in the south of Iceland, not far from Reykjavík and is one of the stops on the Golden Circle route. It is about 240 km2 in size.

Iceland is one of few places on earth where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge can be seen on land.
Thingvellir is also home to Þingvallavatn Lake, the largest natural lake in Iceland. Silfra, Iceland's most famous location for scuba divers and snorkellers, is located within the Þingvallavatn Lake. It has extreme clear water, with visibility from 90-120 meters!

The coast is varied and alive with birdlife during the breeding season, and there are many wonderful hiking paths in Snaefellsjokull national park, for example between Arnarstapi and Hellnar.