Iceland · Full-day hike

Skaftafell Hiking: Why We Would Choose S3 Over S4

A full-day glacier-view adventure - and a case where adding the harder extension did not make the hike better.

Firsthand guide · Last reviewed August 2026 · How we review our guides

Glacier view from the Skaftafell hiking area

The short answer: Yes. A full-day glacier-view adventure - and a case where adding the harder extension did not make the hike better.

Beyond the Overlook trail snapshot

Effort8/10

Our day~11 miles

Best partGlacier views

Our pickS3

SkipS4 extension

Worth it?Yes

The glacier views justified a full day

What made Skaftafell special was seeing the glacier from above and being able to trace how much farther the ice once extended. The scale is difficult to appreciate until you are looking across the entire valley.

Why we would not add S4 again

The S4 / Kristínartindar extension felt unnecessarily dicey to us. The route was not clearly marked in places, there was a lot of very loose rock, and the additional views were only marginally better than what we had already seen. We would choose S3 and enjoy the day rather than adding risk for a limited visual payoff.

Our recommendation: Make Skaftafell a real hiking day, but do not assume the longest extension is automatically the best version.

Jökulsárlón + Diamond Beach Ring Road All hikes

Choosing how far to go

Skaftafell works well because you can scale the day to the conditions. Shorter routes connect waterfalls and viewpoints, while longer loops climb higher for broader glacier and mountain views. We would choose the route based on weather, visibility and how comfortable you are with exposed or rougher terrain rather than simply picking the longest option on the map.

Our experience on the higher S4 route is a good example: the scenery was excellent, but sections felt sketchier than we expected. There is no prize for pushing onto a route that no longer feels enjoyable. The lower options still deliver a strong Skaftafell experience.

Planning tip: Check current trail conditions at the visitor area before committing to the higher routes. Wind, rain and lingering snow can change the character of the hike quickly.

The longer route was not automatically the better route

Our day was about 11 miles. The glacier views were spectacular and absolutely justified hiking here, but extending from S3 toward the harder S4/Kristínartindar terrain added loose rock and sketchier footing without giving us enough extra payoff.

What we would do next time

We would choose S3 again and skip the S4 extension. That is not because we avoid hard hikes. We like hard hikes when the difficulty buys a better experience. Here, the glacier viewpoints were already the highlight.

Is Skaftafell worth a full hiking day?

Yes, particularly if you want more than the short walk to Svartifoss. Seeing the glacier from above and understanding its scale made this one of the more meaningful hiking landscapes on our Ring Road trip.