Katla Ice Cave & Black Beach with Drone
by Katlatrack · Ice caves · Super jeeps · Glacier hiking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón
- Fine on your own
- Self-guided
from €304.65 per person
Next departure: Thu 29 Oct
1 / 21
Duration
4 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
Sep – Apr
Starts in
Vík
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Austurvegur 16, Vík
Departs
11:00, 15:00
Minimum age
12
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 5% of the price within 365 days of departure.
About this experience
Discover one of Iceland’s most spectacular natural wonders from a unique aerial perspective on this exclusive Katla Blue Ice Cave Drone Adventure.
This 4-hour Super Jeep tour from Vík is specially designed for travelers, photographers, and drone pilots who want to explore the famous Katla ice cave while legally flying drones at carefully selected locations along the route.
The adventure combines off-road driving across black sand deserts, glacial rivers, and volcanic landscapes with multiple drone stops, including Hafursey mountain, the glacier area near Katla, and a private black sand beach away from crowds.
At the glacier, guests enjoy a guided visit to the Katla Blue Ice Cave, known for its striking ice formations layered with volcanic ash. Guides provide insights into the glacier’s formation and the unique interaction between fire and ice.
Small group sizes ensure a safe, flexible, and immersive experience, with dedicated time for drone flights at each location.
Important: Drone flying is only permitted at designated stops under guide supervision. Guests must bring their own drone (not provided).
An off-road Super Jeep adventureYour adventure starts in Vík, where you’ll join in a powerful super jeep specially designed to tackle Iceland’s rugged terrain. As we venture off-road, we’ll cross rivers, navigate volcanic landscapes, and pass through movie set locations from films like Star Wars: Rogue One and Noah. This isn’t just another sightseeing trip – it’s a true Icelandic wilderness experience.
Exploring the Katla Ice CaveAfter an exhilarating ride through the highlands, we’ll arrive at Kötlujökull, the stunning glacier in Iceland that serves as the outlet for the mighty Mýrdalsjökull glacier where Katla volcano is sleeping. This is where our glacier hike begins. With the help of your expert guide, you’ll gear up with crampons, helmets, and headlamps before setting off on a glacier walk in Iceland towards the entrance of Katla Ice Cave.
Inside the cave, you’ll be mesmerized by the striking layers of black volcanic ash and brilliant blue ice, formed over centuries by volcanic eruptions and glacial movements. Your guide will share fascinating insights into how these caves form, their constant evolution, and the powerful forces that shape Iceland’s unique landscape.
A Hidden Black Sand BeachAfter exploring one of the best ice caves in Iceland, we’ll take another scenic drive to a private black sand beach, a location few visitors get to see. Unlike the famous (and often crowded) Reynisfjara Beach, this secluded spot allows you to experience the beauty of Iceland’s volcanic coastline in peace. Here, you can stroll along the black sands, feel the power of the North Atlantic waves, and capture incredible photos of the emblematic Reynisdrangar – the basaltic formations in front of Vik.
Description from the operator, Katlatrack. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
Guided superjeep tour, helmet and crampons
Good to know
Warm clothes, hat, gloves and sturdy boots.
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.
- 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.
- 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 the cutoff shown above, 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 Ice Cave Sólheimajökull Experience - Meet on location from Glaciers and Waterfalls is €131 — €174 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Katlatrack · €305 | Glaciers and Waterfalls · €131 | |
|---|---|---|
| Changing your mind | Not stated | Free until 24 h before |
| How hard it is | Moderate | Challenging |
On everything we can measure, the Glaciers and Waterfalls tour is the better buy. The €174 is not buying anything we can point to, so unless you want this operator in particular, take the cheaper one.
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 12 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.
- Not available in summer; the operator runs it roughly September to April.
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.
★★★★★ · 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!
★★★★★ · 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!
★★★★★ · 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.
★★★★★ · 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
- 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 Horse Riding Tour in Iceland (2026): 4 PicksThe horse riding tours we would book ourselves: an easy lava-field ride near Reykjavík, the hot-spring valley, and longer rides for confident riders.
- 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.
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 Vík í Mýrdal, 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 €16 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.
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