Private Ice Climbing Tour – Sólheimajökull Glacier

by Southcoast Adventure · Glacier hiking · South Coast

4.70· 300 Google reviews of the operator

Luxury
Self-guided

from €353 per person

Next departure: Fri 23 Oct

Book Fri 23 Oct · €353 Other dates

Private Ice Climbing Tour – Sólheimajökull Glacier — Southcoast Adventure

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18 photos from Southcoast Adventure. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
5 hours
Difficulty
Challenging
Season
All year
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Sólheimajökulsvegur parking
Road 221, Hvolsvöllur
Start time
Time agreed after booking
Minimum age
6
Cancellation
Free until 2 days before

Meeting point, in Southcoast Adventure's words: In front of Sólheimajökull Café at the car park at Sólheimajökull. Road 221

About this experience

Private Ice Climbing Tour – Sólheimajökull GlacierClimb a Glacier on a Private Icelandic Adventure

Experience Iceland from a completely different perspective on a private ice climbing tour at Sólheimajökull. Step onto an ancient, ever-changing glacier, learn the basics of ice climbing from an experienced glacier guide, and explore one of Iceland’s most spectacular natural landscapes.

Your adventure begins with a scenic walk towards Sólheimajökull, a rugged outlet glacier stretching down from the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. As you approach the glacier, the landscape becomes increasingly dramatic, with towering ice formations, deep crevasses, ridges, and striking shades of blue and white.

Because this is a private glacier tour, the experience is tailored to your group. You’ll travel with your own professional guide, giving you the freedom to enjoy the glacier at your own pace while learning about Iceland’s geology, landscape, history, and natural environment along the way.

Step Onto the Ice

Before heading onto the glacier, your guide will provide a thorough introduction to the equipment and demonstrate the essential techniques you need to move safely across the ice.

Then the real adventure begins.

We make our way onto the ever-changing surface of the Sólheimajökull glacier, navigating around fascinating ice formations, deep crevasses, rugged ridges, and other features carved by the glacier's constant movement. No two days on the glacier are exactly alike, and your experienced glacier guide will assess the conditions throughout the tour and select suitable locations for your group.

Try Ice Climbing in Iceland

Once we find the right location, it’s time to grab your ice axes and crampons and experience ice climbing in Iceland for yourself.

Your guide will introduce you to the fundamental techniques of glacier climbing and help you build confidence on the ice. Whether this is your first time holding an ice axe or you already have climbing experience, the activity can be adapted to your group’s abilities and experience level.

You’ll have plenty of time to practice various ice-climbing techniques in a fun, hands-on environment, all while surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the South Coast.

And, of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to capture the moment. Standing on a glacier with your climbing gear, surrounded by dramatic Icelandic landscapes, makes for a pretty unforgettable photo.

A Private Glacier Adventure

A private ice climbing tour is an excellent choice if you want a more personal and flexible experience on the glacier. Instead of joining a large group, you’ll explore with your own guide and travel companions, allowing you to focus on the adventure and enjoy the extraordinary surroundings without rushing.

Sólheimajökull is a dynamic environment, and your guide will choose the climbing locations based on the conditions and your group’s experience. This makes the tour suitable for both beginners and more experienced adventurers.

If you’re looking for an active and memorable way to experience Iceland’s glaciers, this private Sólheimajökull ice-climbing tour lets you do more than just see a glacier—you get to step onto it, explore it, and climb it.

Tour Duration

The Private Ice Climbing Tour lasts approximately 4.5 hours, including around 3 hours on the glacier.

Come prepared for an unforgettable Icelandic adventure on the ice.

Description from the operator, Southcoast Adventure. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Private Ice climbing tour

Included

English speaking guide
Crampons
ice ax and other safety equipment

Good to know

Warm outdoor clothing
waterproofed jacket and pants
head-wear
gloves
appropriate hiking boots/shoes
some snacks
lunch
recommending ankle-high boots with sturdy soles

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.

1Southcoast Adventure 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 →

Who this is not for

Children under 6 cannot join this one.
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

Southcoast Adventure 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 Southcoast Adventure

Read all 300 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.7/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Andreea Avaşi
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
The super jeep tour in Thorsmörck delivered exactly what was promised and was worth every penny. Our guide, Jakob, was fantastic—super nice, easy to talk to, and he made the hours pass by so quickly. The lunch provided was also delicious. Thank you for a memorable day!
Joshua Kost
★★★★★ · 5 months ago
We did the 5hr buggy buggy tour today, by far the best day in Iceland so far. Alejandro was an absolute amazing guide, seen waterfalls, caves, and a glacier that we would have never seen otherwise. Alejandro also took us on an incredible hike to one of the falls. He’s knowledge of the area was superb. Highly recommended over all the other tours.
David Graybeal
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
Absolute number 1 excursion we have ever done! Our Eyjafjallajökull Snowmobiling Tour with Southcoast Adventures was an absolute highlight of our trip to Iceland—and we travel a lot! We spent about 2 hours on the snowmobiles and covered a huge portion of the glacier. Riding all the way to the top to experience the intense wind and the breathtaking views was unforgettable. Our guides, Ale and Martin, were phenomenal. Ale was incredibly patient and helpful while teaching us how to operate the machines. Even when we managed to tip our snowmobile over, they handled it perfectly. Their attitudes throughout the entire tour were tremendous. This truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime outing. I cannot recommend this adventure and this team highly enough!
Veronica
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
We’ve been coming to Iceland for years, and this was hands down the best experience/tour we’ve ever done here. Our snowmobiling tour with Magnús and Steinar was incredible from start to finish. They were fun, kind, knowledgeable, and clearly true experts at what they do. This was our first time snowmobiling, and they made us feel completely comfortable while still making the whole experience exciting and memorable. The location was awesome, the views were breathtaking, and we were lucky to have great weather. But what really made the tour special was Magnús and Steinar. We had so much actual time on the snowmobiles, learned a lot about Iceland, and genuinely enjoyed the conversations along the way. You can tell when guides love what they do and care about giving people a great experience. This was our first snowmobiling tour, but it definitely will not be our last. Huge thank you to Magnús and Steinar!!!

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.
Glacier hike in Iceland: which glacier to bookThree glaciers sell almost the same walk at different prices and distances. Which one fits your route, what 'easy' means, and what blue ice really requires.
Glacier hike or ice cave: which to bookBetween October and April, book the Skaftafell hike-and-cave combo and get both. The rest of the year, a glacier hike on Sólheimajökull is the better day.

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 Hella & Hvolsvöllur, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in South Coast →

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

from

€353 per person

Southcoast Adventure's own price. 3% off the whole trip when you book two or more tours together, in one checkout.

Your date

The next departure we can see — change it if this tour is for another day.

Pick a date to check departures.

Hella & Hvolsvöllur: light 08:32–17:39, 9 h 7 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 2 days before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Southcoast Adventure cancels for weather or safety: a full refund, or another date
✓ Card — Apple Pay or Google Pay where your device offers it — through Stripe; the charge is made in Icelandic krónur
✓ Price promise: Southcoast Adventure's own price, or we refund the difference
✓ One checkout, even with tours from several operators
✓ Vetted operator — the six checks every operator passes

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €13 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.