Full Day Glacier Adventure

by Heading North · Glacier hiking · Hiking & trekking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

Full Day Glacier Adventure — Heading North

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Heading North'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 Full Day Glacier Adventure

Full Day Glacier Adventure, photo 6Full Day Glacier Adventure, photo 7

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  • Duration

    6 hours

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Höfn í Hornafirði

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN

  • Departs

    09:30, 10:00, 13:00

  • Minimum age

    15

  • Cancellation

    Free until 2 days before

About this experience

Our Glacier Walk Journey begins inside the modified Heading North 4x4 vehicle heading towards one of Vatnajökuls glacial outlets. Once we arrive close to the glacier, we will disembark and continue our journey on foot. 

Before we start and take our first steps on the glacier, our glacier guides will conduct a safety briefing as well as equipping everyone with crampons, a harness, helmet and an ice axe, from here we take our first steps on the glacier. During the journey our guide will share local knowledge of the area, the glacier and surrounding landscapes as well as guiding you through beautiful glacial terrain, allowing for great views and photographic opportunities.


Our tours have a maximum of 6 people, making us more flexible and allowing us to venture further into the glacier than the bigger groups.


IS THIS TOUR FOR YOU ?


This tour is perfect for the adventurous person who likes to venture a bit further to get the full experience. Since this tour involves hiking a decent fitness level is required. The distance covered is around 5-8 km in total with an elevation gain of 150-200m.

Description from the operator, Heading North. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Super Jeep ride
  2. Hike to the glacier
  3. Explore the glacier

Good to know

Keep in mind that weather is Iceland can change quickly. You will need a waterproof jacket, warm clothes, gloves and a hat/beanie. Hiking boots are important since we will use crampons on the glacier.
It is important to bring a light lunch and some snacks to keep your energy high. You will also need to bring a water bottle. A backpack to carry extra things is recommended.

Since we are exposed to the elements of the Icelandic nature, it is important to show up in the appropriate outdoor clothing. It can rain in Iceland so make sure to bring waterproof layers and warm layers. No jeans or sneakers please.

Hiking boots with ankle support are highly recommended for the glacier walk.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 2 days 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. 1Heading North 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 2 days 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 — €129 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Heading North · €214Nordur Travel Services ehf · €85
How long it runs6 hours3 hours
Changing your mindFree until 48 h beforeFree until 24 h before
How hard it isModerateEasy

The €129 buys you 3 more hours out and free cancellation up to 48 h before. 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 15 — 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

Heading North 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 →

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.

  • One checkout, any number of operators

  • Rankings are not for sale

  • 153 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted

  • If it falls short, we fix it

Pairs well with

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

from

€214 per person

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