--Glacier Hike and Ice Cave Tour
by Icefall Tours · Glacier hiking · Ice caves · Hiking & trekking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón
- Fine on your own
- Self-guided
from €270.88 per person
Next departure: Tue 27 Oct
1 / 17
Duration
6 hours
Difficulty
Challenging
Season
Sep – Apr
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Jökulsarlón, Iceland, Suðursveit
Departs
10:00
Minimum age
16
Cancellation
Free until 2 days before
About this experience
In this tour our goal is to hike on one of the largest glacier outlet of Vatnajökull, in search for natural ice caves and spectacular views over a rugged glacier landscape, such as glacier calving, terminal face of a glacier, crevasses, moulins and all possible features the glacier has to offer, including all possible shades of blue.
Our guides are AIMG* certified, and have lived in the area for many years, which guarantees our guest a good local knowledge.
We aim at providing our participants with the most complete experience as possible.
The tour starts with a drive towards the trailhead, with a modified 4x4 vehicle, through a rugged dirt country road; After that a short (15 to 30 minutes) approach walk on gravel will get us all the way to the edge of the glacier (its terminal front).
This is where we get fully equipped and prepared for our 3 to 4 hours hike on the actual ice.
The hike on the glacier is moderate, does not involve technical knowledge;
This tour is a great opportunity to spend time exploring the wonders of Vatnajökull glacier, one of the largest ice cap in the world, and will include getting to check closely the depth of such a glacier, through its crevasses, moulins, caves or tunnels.
We try our best to get to places where others aren't, in order to make this experience a remote one, and so our guests fully feel the wilderness and immensity of nature.
Included is all necessary glacier gear, including crampons, helmet, and harness. Your guide will evaluate each time which gear is necessary.
The customer to guide ratio for this tour is only 8 guest for 1 guide, which enables to provide quality personal service in the realm of Vatnajökull.
Notice: Ice caves have become very popular in Iceland and can be every easily accessible. Some of the places we'll visit in the area are likely to be visited by several tour operators and groups every day and at the same time as our tours.
Description from the operator, Icefall Tours. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
- Helmet
- Crampons
- Harness
- Ice axe
Not included
- lunch, water
- hiking boots
- clothing
- tripod and camera
Good to know
What to bring:
- Base layer (shirt and long johns) synthetic or wool, mid layer such as good sweater,wool or fleece.
- Mid layer such as fleece jacket,thick wool garment, primaloft jacket or similar. Second midlayer can be added for colder days. Hiking pants, fleece or softshell or similar.
- Waterproof breathable jacket like Gore-tex jacket and pants or similar.
- Good thermal headwear and gloves.
- Socks, synthetic or wool.
- Small backpack (Can be handy to carry camera, rain gear and all extras).
- Good hiking boots are essential. The boots should be high enough to provide good ankle support.
- Regular street shoes or sneakers are not appropriate shoe wear for this trip.
- Jeans are not accepted for our Ice cave tours.
Cancellation for this tour
Free cancellation until 2 days before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.
If the weather cancels this tour
Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is high wind or rain on the ice — the guide decides at the meeting point, sometimes after you have set off. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.
- 1Icefall Tours decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
- 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
- 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.
What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 2 days before departure, the operator's policy after that.
Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →
Why this one and not the cheaper one?
The nearest cheaper Glacier Wonders from Arctic Adventures is €101 — €170 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Icefall Tours · €271 | Arctic Adventures · €101 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 6 hours | 4.2 hours |
| Changing your mind | Free until 48 h before | Free until 24 h before |
| How hard it is | Challenging | Easy |
The €170 buys you 1.8 more hours out and free cancellation up to 48 h before. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.
Sold out on your date?
Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.
Who this is not for
- Not for families with children under 16 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.
- Not for anyone unsure on their feet or carrying an injury — the operator rates this as physically demanding, and there is no easy version of the day.
Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.
Why we list it
Icefall Tours is one of 204 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →
What travellers say about Icefall Tours
Read all 28 reviews on Google →Operator rating 5.0/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
This was surely one of the most extraordinary experiences in my life!! We had a 5h tour in a very small group. The glacier is incredible and Laurent was a dream guide! I felt safe and taken care of all the time even though many things during the hike I was doing for the first time ever. I very much appreciated the huge knowlegde of our guide and a good sense of humor:) If you dream of a glacier tour you look no further - you’re gonna love it!
★★★★★ · 10 months ago
We had a really amazing experience on the glacier in Vatnajökull National Park. Laurent was an excellent guide. He took us safely across the ice and explained many interesting things about the glacier, like the moulins and other formations. He managed very well to make the hike enjoyable for us while also paying great attention to our safety. The glacier is beautiful and impressive, but it can also be dangerous, and Laurent handled everything with care. I am glad we chose Icefall Tours.
★★★★★ · 12 months ago
We joined the 6-hour glacier hike today and had an amazing experience! Our guide, Ási, was super friendly, patient, and helpful throughout the tour. He always made sure everyone was safe and even pointed out the best photo spots. The scenery was absolutely stunning — from the sparkling blue ice to the vast glacier views. It was truly unforgettable and one of the best parts of our Iceland trip. Highly recommend both the tour and our fantastic guide, Ási!
★★★★★ · a year ago
Wonderful experience on the glacier thanks to Icefall Tours. Our guide Jan was super friendly, helpful and transpires his passion for mountains, glaciers and hiking. Furthermore, we got a lot of good tipps for other tours and things to do/visit in the following days. We felt super safe throughout the whole tour. Thanks, we will definitely come back 🙏
Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026
Read before you book
- Best Glacier Hike in Iceland (2026): 5 PicksThe glacier hikes we would book ourselves in Iceland, on Sólheimajökull and in Skaftafell, with real adult prices, departure points and who each one is not for.
- Best Ice Cave Tour in Iceland (2026): 5 PicksThe ice cave tours we would book ourselves, from the Vatnajökull caves near Jökulsárlón to Katla near Vík, with real prices and meeting points.
- Boat tours in Iceland: the five kinds explainedWhale boats, aurora cruises, glacier-lagoon zodiacs, island ferries and sea angling. What each one actually is, what it costs, and which are worth a slot.
Reviews from our travellers
Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.
Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.
Glacier hiking — questions people ask
Which glacier is best for a first glacier hike?
Sólheimajökull on the South Coast, about two and a half hours from Reykjavík. It is the most accessible glacier tongue, the walk from the car park is short and the three-to-four-hour tours (/experience/6853/ or /experience/914990/) suit beginners. Skaftafell in the southeast has bigger ice and fewer people, with tours like Glacier Wonders (/experience/17340/), but it is a five-hour drive each way, so it only works if you are staying out there.
Can you hike on a glacier in Iceland in summer?
Yes. Glacier hiking runs all year. In June to August the ice is grey and gritty on the surface with blue crevasses and meltwater channels, and the weather is milder. In November to March the ice is whiter and you may see ice formations, but daylight is short and the wind bites. Neither is better; summer is easier, winter is prettier. The one thing you cannot do in summer is visit a natural blue ice cave.
How fit do I need to be for a glacier hike?
Moderately. You walk two to three hours on uneven ice in crampons, with some short steep sections. Anyone who can manage a hilly day walk will be fine; the pace is slow because the guide is checking the route. It is not for anyone with knee or balance problems, and most operators set a minimum age of eight to ten. Check the tour page. Longer tours like Glacier Explorer (/experience/17338/) push further onto the ice and need more stamina.
What do I need to bring on a glacier hike?
Sturdy boots with ankle support, waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, gloves and a hat, plus water and a snack. The operator provides crampons, a harness, a helmet and an ice axe. Jeans and trainers are not allowed on the ice, and guides do turn people away. Most meeting points rent boots and rain gear for a small fee; check the tour page and book them in advance in summer.
Hotels
Where to stay for this tour
From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Skaftafell, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.
One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it
Pairs well with
Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €14 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.
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