Horse shoe shaped canyon
Category

Sightseeing

Est. Duration

2-3h

Activity level
Message from Pálína Axelsdóttir Njarðvík

Ásbyrgi is a glacial canyon and forest. It's horse shoe shaped and inside it there is a forrest. Ásbyrgi is a part of Jökulsárgljúfur canyon, within the Vatnajökull National Park. There you can find one of the most beautiful campsites in the country.

There are two theories about how it was created: Ásbyrgi was either formed by catastrophic glacial flooding of the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum after the last ice age OR when Óðinn's eight-legged horse Sleipnir, touched the ground it was formed, hence the horse-shoe shape. You can choose which one you believe.

Informative visitor‘s centre, shop, golf course, and camping site are located in Ásbyrgi.

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