Skaftafell Glacier Adventure

by Melrakki Adventures · Glacier hiking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

5.00(464) · operator on Google
Skaftafell Glacier Adventure — Melrakki Adventures

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Melrakki Adventures's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.

More photos of Skaftafell Glacier Adventure

Skaftafell Glacier Adventure, photo 6Skaftafell Glacier Adventure, photo 7Skaftafell Glacier Adventure, photo 8Skaftafell Glacier Adventure, photo 9

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  • Duration

    4 hours and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Skaftafell

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN

  • Departs

    08:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30 …

  • Minimum age

    12

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

Our take on this one

The longer Falljökull trip, aimed at the icefall the three-hour walk turns back short of. You are driven to the ice in a 4x4, taught crampons and ice axe, then led through crevasses, moulins and meltwater streams to a view over the fractured ice. Melrakki are explicit that they do not rush it, which matters — walking in crampons is awkward for the first twenty minutes and you want time to get used to them before the ground gets interesting. Crampons, axe and harness are included; boots with ankle support can be hired on site for about 1,000 ISK. Minimum age 12, graded moderate. Eight departures from 08:00, all year, €168.

Book it if
Reasonably fit walkers who want real crevasse terrain and an icefall rather than the beginner's loop.
Skip it if
Four and a half hours on ice in crampons is tiring and there is no early exit — if you are unsure of your knees, take the three-hour version.

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 want to hike further into the glacier than most of the other tours do. If you are hoping to get close to the ice fall of Falljökull, outlet glacier of Vatnajökull (the largest glacier in Europe). If you wish to have a breathtaking view over the crevasses. Then this is tour is made for you. We will drive you all the way to the glacier in our 4×4 truck, teach you how to put on crampons, how to use an ice axe and then we will guide you through the labyrinth of crevasses, moulins and water streams of the glacier. We are not gonna rush our way to the ice fall, so you will have time to get used to walking on the crampons. We will do many stops on the way to explain all about how glaciers are formed, about their history and also a little bit about the area of Skaftafell and Öræfi. Of course the guide will assist you with taking many photos from this adventure. 

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

Included

  • Crampons, ice axe harness 

Good to know

  • Hiking boots (Preferably with ankle support, can be rented on location for 1.000 ISK)
  • 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.

  1. 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.
  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 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 Solheimajokull Glacier Guided Hiking Small Group Tour from Nordur Travel Services ehf is €85 — €83 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Melrakki Adventures · €168Nordur Travel Services ehf · €85
How long it runs4.5 hours3 hours
How hard it isModerateEasy

The €83 buys you 1.5 more hours out. 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 12 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.

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 154 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 464 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.

  • Gretchen Davidson

    ★★★★★ · a month 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!

  • Meg Quinn

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    My teen and I took the 3.5 hour glacier hike with José. He was knowledgeable and patient and safety-conscious. The small group size is really nice - we saw other larger groups looking like herds. We got to hike quite high and see morains, crevasses, and beautiful blue ice. We learnt how to walk with crampons and use the ice pick. The tour also begins and ends at the airport rather than the main campground, so it’s much calmer and less crowded. Highly recommend!

  • An Yu

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    We did a lot during our 8 day trip to Iceland, but the Skaftafell Glacier Hike with Melrakki was easily our favorite part! It was my first time hiking with crampons on ice, and doing so with the glacier view was just incredible. So glad to have come across Melrakki specifically when looking up reviews; the small group experience from a couple-run business just felt more intimate. Our guide Žanet was awesome! She was personable, informative, and made sure you felt comfortable asking for help if feeling shaky with a particular step. And she was just so cool lol. I enjoyed chatting with her about her adventures elsewhere around the world.

  • J B

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    So happy I went with this smaller tour company over the big ones! The tour group was small (it was 8 of us, which the max number of people) and our guide Žanet was amazing. She kept us informed and safe, and she was so fun as a guide. It is obvious she loves what she does and the tour was that much better because of it. Totally worth it!

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 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.

No reviews yet from our travellers on 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.

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Pairs well with

Everything here goes into the same basket and the same single payment, however many operators it comes from.

from

€168 per person

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