Skaftafell Glacier Adventure

by Melrakki Adventures · Glacier hiking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

5.00· 480 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own

from €171.78 per person

Next departure: Fri 23 Oct

Book Fri 23 Oct · €171.78 Other dates

Skaftafell Glacier Adventure — Melrakki Adventures

1 / 9

9 photos from Melrakki Adventures. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
4 hours and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Starts in
Skaftafell
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Skaftafell Terminal
Flugvallarvegur 5 , Öræfi
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
08:00, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00 …
Minimum age
12
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours 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.

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 €101 — €71 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Melrakki Adventures · €172	Arctic Adventures · €101
How long it runs	4.5 hours	4.2 hours
How hard it is	Moderate	Easy

The €71 buys you 0.3 more hours out. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

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 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 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.

Gretchen Davidson
★★★★★ · 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!
RitaL Y-Kato
★★★★★ · 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!
Thomas S
★★★★★ · 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
Chien Huang Chang
★★★★★ · 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 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Skaftafell glacier hike: 3, 4 or 6 hours?The four-hour walk is the one to book at Skaftafell. Three hours is mostly the drive and the crampons; six only pays if you want to try ice climbing.
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.

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.

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

from

€171.78 per person

Melrakki Adventures'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.

Departs08:0009:0009:3010:0010:3012:3013:0013:3014:00

Skaftafell: light 08:19–17:25, 9 h 6 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Melrakki Adventures 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: Melrakki Adventures'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 €9 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.