Skaftafell 3 Hour Glacier Walk
by Melrakki Adventures · Glacier hiking · Hiking & trekking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón
- Beginners welcome
- Fine on your own
from €131.21 per person
Next departure: Sat 24 Oct
1 / 22
Duration
3 hours
Difficulty
Easy
Season
All year
Starts in
Skaftafell
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Flugvallarvegur 5, Öræfi
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
09:00, 09:45, 12:30, 13:30 …
Minimum age
8
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before
Our take on this one
The short glacier walk, and for most people the right one. Melrakki drive a 4x4 to the snout of Falljökull in Vatnajökull national park rather than making you walk to it, so of the three hours roughly an hour and a half is spent on ice looking at moulins, crevasses and meltwater channels with a guide explaining how they formed. All the glacier gear is included and hiking boots can be borrowed free on site, which saves packing a pair. Minimum age eight. Eleven departures a day from 09:00 to 18:00, all year, so it slots into a south-coast drive without rearranging the day. Free cancellation to 24 hours before.
- Book it if
- Anyone who has never stood on a glacier and wants a proper hour on one without a full day or a technical grade.
- Skip it if
- It is deliberately the gentle version — if you want icefalls, ice axes and crevasse fields, book the 4.5-hour Adventure instead.
Written by us, from the operator's own details and what we know of the route. We don't take a fee for a good word.
About this experience
If you have never seen a glacier before and you would like to experience these stunning ice giants a little bit closer, come to the breathtaking area of Skaftafell. Skaftafell is located in Vatnajökull national park, the filming location of movies like Batman Begins, Interstellar and the Game of Thrones series. To maximize the time spent on ice, we drive all the way to the terminus of Falljökull glacier in our 4×4 truck. Before you step on to the ice you will learn the proper way to put on and use the provided glacier gear. We aim to spend around one and a half hour on the ice, exploring moulins, crevasses and more other-wordly formations. Along the way your guide will share ineresting facts about these formations and the origins of the glacier as well as interesting local stories.
Description from the operator, Melrakki Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
- All necessary glacier equipment
Good to know
- Hiking boots (Preferably with ankle support, can be borrowed on location for free)
- Clothing according to weather
- Sun glasses
- Small backpack with snacks/drinks
Cancellation for this tour
Free cancellation until 24 hours 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.
- 1Melrakki Adventures 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 1 day 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 €100 — €31 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Melrakki Adventures · €131 | Arctic Adventures · €100 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 3 hours | 4.2 hours |
On everything we can measure, the Arctic Adventures tour is the better buy. The €31 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
- Children under 8 cannot join this one.
Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.
Why we list it
Melrakki Adventures is one of 207 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 Melrakki Adventures
Read all 480 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
One of the coolest experiences of my life! We did the 7 hour expedition with Žanet as our guide and she was fantastic! We got to choose our own mission and customize the experience. We did multiple sessions of ice climbing and actually explored two glaciers and threw in some mountaineering as well. This was not for the faint of heart but was exactly the challenge and adventure we were seeking! Melrakki will absolutely tailor your tour to your interests and ability. Highest recommendation!
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
We almost decided not to join because of the poor weather, but we ended up signing up for the glacier hike at the last minute—and we’re so glad we did. Even though the weather wasn’t great, Janette made the experience truly special. She took excellent care of our safety while keeping the tour fun, engaging, and enjoyable from start to finish. Thank you, Janette, for an unforgettable experience!
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
We had a fantastic glacier tour with Uri as our guide. He did a great job, explained everything very clearly and we felt very safe. He showed us fascinating parts of the glacier and was super patient letting me take a lot of photos. Uri is very competent in all areas regarding glaciers in Island and beyond. We can highly recommend the tour and I would not hesitate to book this tour again Thanks Uri for a fantastic day! Thomas from Germany
★★★★★ · a month ago
Zanet is a great guide and true lover of nature and adventure. She led us away from crowd and brought us 4 hours of unforgettable glacier experience, I would definitely recommend Melraki and Zanet if you are seeking for a reliable glacier hiking tour.
Reviews from Google · updated 23 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.
- Game of Thrones locations in Iceland: which tour?You don't need a themed tour. Most Iceland filming sites are ordinary stops on the Golden Circle, Mývatn and South Coast days. Book a themed day only for the story.
- 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.
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
206 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 €8 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.
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