Grunnvara Ice cave

by Katlatrack · Ice caves · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

4.80· 1,487 Google reviews of the operator
  • Fine on your own
  • Self-guided

  • Duration

    1 hour

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Departs

    07:00, 08:01, 08:02, 11:00 …

  • Minimum age

    12

  • Cancellation

    Cancelling costs 5% of the price within 365 days of departure.

About this experience

KATLA ICE CAVE TOUR

Did you know there is a green here in Iceland that exists nowhere else in the world? It’s true and we would love to show you some of the most interestingly shaped green mountains in the highlands.

This tour will give you to the opportunity to explore and photograph those amazing mysterious mountains, but first we will explore an ice cave that dons BLUE ICE. Have you ever seen it? This amazing ice cave and glacier presents you with black, white, and BLUE ice which is over 800’s years old. This adventure is not for those who are claustrophobic (or those scared of the dark.), but most certainly for those who have and endless curiosity and exploring runs in their veins. After the journey through the green mountains a blue ice, we will find our way to explore one of Iceland’s amazing black sand dune beaches.

Safety comes always first and therefore we reserve the right to cancel the tour with short notice if the conditions are not right. We recommend you bring your warmest clothes, winter layers, gloves, hat, and camera but hiking shoes or snow boots are essential. We provide all the equipment needed so hurry up and book this amazing tour.

Departures 2017: All year around, based on conditions.
Group size: Min 2/ Max 10
Minimum age: 12 years
Difficulty: 2 of 5
Included: Local guide, super jeep and glacier equipment.

Please note: Bring warm clothing, hat and gloves. Hiking shoes or snow boots are essential.

From Vík:
Departure: N1 gas station Vík
Duration: 3-4 hours
Price: 29.900.- ISK pr. person
Highlights: Ice cave and black beach.


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

Included

 Local guide, super jeep and glacier equipment.

Good to know

 Bring warm clothing, rain gear, hat and gloves. Hiking shoes or snow boots are essential.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 5% of the price within 365 days of departure. 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 melt-water or unstable ice after a warm spell — the guide decides on the morning, and a cave can close for days. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Katlatrack 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 the cutoff shown above, 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

  • Not for families with children under 12 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.
  • Not for late risers on your first morning — the earliest departure is 07:00, and Reykjavík pickups start before that.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Katlatrack 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 Katlatrack

Read all 1,487 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.8/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Sabica Pardesi

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    We had an incredible time doing the Katla caves! It was truly a must-do adventure- a easy-moderate hike. Our tour guide, Marcelo, was really knowledgeable, patient, fun and friendly. He answered our million and one questions about the volcanic activity with the same thrill that we were experiencing for the first time. We thoroughly enjoyed it. It was mix of wonder, slippery hiking, a touch of other worldliness - as if we were en route Mars (especially with Marcels epic music playlist lol). The views were glorious! Go with a group & we would highly recommend it!

  • Sydney Menelaws

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    Absolutely incredible experience! We did an ice cave tour near Vík and it exceeded every expectation. Climbing through the ice cave itself was surreal, our guide gave us a great breakdown of the glacier and how these caves actually form, which made the whole thing even more fascinating. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and went out of his way to grab photos of all of us so we didn't have to worry about it ourselves. The meeting point was easy to find, and the 15 van ride out to the glacier was a chance to take in the scenery and get our adventure started. The group size was perfect with 10 people, it still felt intimate and personalized. Well worth every penny. If you're visiting Vík, this is a must-do. Highly recommend!

  • Jennifer Morgan

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    Huge shoutout to Katlatrack for an amazing tour and fantastic customer service! Our tour guide told great family stories relating to the region, introduced us to Icelands pop music stars and was knowledgeable (and patient) on the glacier. The office staff (Izabela) was so accommodating when we needed to change our tour (twice 😬). Highly recommend and would love to come back.

  • Brittany Bugaj

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    A buggy tour wasn’t even on my radar until we stumbled upon KatlaTrack on Instagram. It’s by far THE BEST tour we’ve taken! Both Julien and Wilson were great guides. For the rivers Julien even offered to take our 15yr old in the lead buggy for lots of splashing. She LOVED it. It was a unique way to see more of Iceland and experience something different! We did the Patgil tour. At the 1/2 way stop there’s a waterfall, next time I’d bring my bathing suit and towel for a quick plunge (it was a warm day). They provided a full waterproof suit, helmet, gloves, and balaclava. We only needed good boots. We would 100% do this tour a 2nd time.

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

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.

Ice caves — questions people ask

When can you visit an ice cave in Iceland?

Natural blue ice caves open from around November to March, when the glacier is cold enough for the meltwater tunnels to be safe. They form under Vatnajökull near Jökulsárlón, and the caves change every year. Two exceptions run all year: the Katla ice cave near Vík, which is dark ice striped with ash, and Into the Glacier at Langjökull, a man-made tunnel. If you want the glowing blue photos, come between November and March.

Can I do an ice cave tour as a day trip from Reykjavík?

Only the Katla cave. The South Coast and Katla ice cave tour (/experience/22559/) is about twelve hours from Reykjavík and back. The blue caves at Vatnajökull are five hours' drive each way, too far for a day, so operators sell them as two- or three-day tours (/experience/6131/, /experience/7358/) with a night near Jökulsárlón. If you are self-driving, stay in the Höfn or Skaftafell area and book the Crystal Ice Cave tour (/experience/17337/) from there.

Is the Katla ice cave as good as the blue ice caves?

Different, not worse. Katla's cave under Mýrdalsjökull is black and white, layered with volcanic ash, and open all year. It will not give you the glowing blue tunnel photos from Instagram; those are the Vatnajökull caves, November to March only. What Katla gives you is a shorter super-jeep drive from Vík (/experience/22558/) and availability in summer. If you are here between November and March and can reach Jökulsárlón, choose blue. Otherwise choose Katla.

Are ice caves safe?

With a guide, yes. Operators inspect the caves daily and cancel when meltwater, warm weather or ice movement makes them unsafe, which happens most often in November and March at the edges of the season. You wear a helmet and crampons and stay with the group. Never enter a glacier cave on your own. If your tour is cancelled for safety, you get a full refund or another date, and most operators try to substitute another cave first.

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.

All hotels in Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón →

  • 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. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

Southcoast Adventure

Katla Ice Cave Tour - Meet in Vík

from €215 per person4.70· 300 Google reviews of the operator

15% below the €254 typical for ice cave tours

from age 6 · meet at the start point

3 h · from Skaftafell

  • Gear included
  • Family friendly
  • Free cancellation 2 days ahead
Check dates

from

Price on request

Check dates & book