Ice Cave & Glacier Exploration Tour
by Ice Explorers · Glacier hiking · Ice caves · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón
- Fine on your own
from €245.92 per person
Next departure: Sat 24 Oct
1 / 15
Duration
6 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
Sep – Apr
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Jökulsárlon, Höfn
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
09:00, 10:00
Minimum age
13
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before
About this experience
Ever dreamed of riding in a custom-built super-jeep and exploring the glacier’s breathtaking landscapes? Ready to spend the day hiking and discovering some of Iceland’s most stunning natural wonders? Join our most extensive and top-rated adventure, the Ice Cave and Glacier Exploration Tour.
THE TOUR
Embark on the Ice Cave Exploration Tour and spend 5-6 hours with one of our experienced guides as you hike Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of the renowned Vatnajökull. This glacier is also famous for its breathtaking views over the Glacier Lagoon. Throughout the tour, your guide will share insights into the area’s natural wonders and provide a glimpse into Icelandic culture.
As you explore, you’ll witness the glacier’s stunning landscapes, including crevasses, moulins, and deep ice caves. Rated as a Medium-difficulty tour, the hike covers approximately 4-6 km, depending on the group’s pace and conditions. Before stepping onto the glacier, your guide will equip you with all the necessary safety gear and ensure you’re well-prepared for the adventure. This experience primarily consists of visits to various ice formations, a glacier walk, and an ice cave, allowing you to discover the glacier’s unique formations up close.
It is highly advisable to take a camera, or at least a phone, to capture the amazing moments because it will not be long before the glacial formations change or even disappear as they normally do.
WHICH ICE CAVE DO WE VISIT
Since this is our most in-depth tour and we have more time to explore, we always try to choose the most beautiful locations and ice caves to visit. Keep in mind that from season to season, even within the season, the ice caves change, old ones disappear, and new ones form. The ice caves we visit, therefore, change, but we always take our clients to the best ice caves of the season.
If you want to learn more about how the Ice caves evolve through the months of the Ice cave season, check out our blog post Ice caves evolution through the season.
Description from the operator, Ice Explorers. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Departure from Jökulsárlón / Glacier Lagoon
Included
An experienced guide, On-road and off-road transportation, Helmets, Crampons & Safety Harnesses.
Good to know
Warm clothes, at least a few layers, water/windproof jacket, hiking boots
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.
- 1Ice Explorers 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 — €146 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Ice Explorers · €246 | Arctic Adventures · €100 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 6 hours | 4.2 hours |
| How hard it is | Moderate | Easy |
The €146 buys you 1.8 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 13 — 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
Ice Explorers 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 Ice Explorers
Read all 600 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.
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
Our glacier tour was an unforgettable experience. Walking across the ice and visiting the breathtaking ice cave felt truly magical. Everything was well organized and the scenery was absolutely stunning. A special thank you to our amazing guides, Barbara and Guillermo. They were incredibly professional, friendly, and made the whole adventure both safe and exciting. Their positive energy made this tour even more memorable. Highly recommended.
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
We had the chance to go on a glacier tour with the lovely Zusana to visit some ice caves that had formed there. Just the drive there was an adventure in itself. It was a breathtaking experience to hike on a glacier for the first time. The caves we were allowed to explore were truly impressive. A big thank you to Zusana, who was not only incredibly friendly but also very knowledgeable and told us a great deal about the glacier and the ice caves. Thank you so much for this wonderful afternoon! Spikes and helmets are provided on site.
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
This tour was one of my favorite experiences in Iceland. Learning about the glacier, and seeing the effects of climate change up close was very inspiring. The guide, Guillermo, did an amazing job as well!
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
Our guide, Javier, was so wonderful. He was so friendly, knowledgeable and cool. He made us all feel so safe and comfortable. We throughly enjoyed viewing all of the different ice caves and such. Would recommend this tour (specifically w Javier) a million times over!
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.
- 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.
- Boat tours in Iceland: the five kinds explainedWhale boats, aurora cruises, glacier-lagoon zodiacs, island ferries and sea angling. What each one actually is, what it costs, and which are worth a slot.
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 €12 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.
Arctic Adventures
2 Day - South Coast, Ice Cave, Skaftafell & Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon
from age 6 · pickup included
2 days · from Reykjavík
- Wi-fi on board
- Free cancellation 24 h
David The Guide
2 Day Summer Adventure to Icelands South Coast, Glacier Hiking, Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach and Waterfalls
Moderate · from age 12 · pickup included
2 days · from Reykjavík
- Age 8+
- Gear included
- Free cancellation 3 days ahead
Arctic Adventures
Crystal Ice Cave Tour
38% below the €254 typical for ice cave tours
from age 6 · meet at the start point
2 h 30 · from Höfn í Hornafirði
- Gear included
- Family friendly
- Free cancellation 24 h
Icarus Rising ehf
Antonio's Ice Cave
21% below the €254 typical for ice cave tours
from age 8 · meet at the start point
3 h · from Skaftafell
- Gear included
- Family friendly
Glacier Travel Iceland
Crystal blue Ice Cave Adventure tour
31% below the €254 typical for ice cave tours
meet at the start point
2 h 45 · from Skaftafell
- Gear included
- Free cancellation 5 days ahead
Your Transfer ehf
Transfer from KEF to Jökulsárlón / Jökulsárlón to KEF
pickup included
5 h 45 · from Keflavík Airport
- Family friendly
- Private