Glacier Kayaking Iceland

by Glacier and Volcano Expeditions · Boat tours · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

5.00· 105 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own

from €128.47 per person

Next departure: Tue 1 Jun

Book Tue 1 Jun · €128.47 Other dates

Glacier Kayaking Iceland — Glacier and Volcano Expeditions

1 / 8

8 photos from Glacier and Volcano Expeditions . Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
1 hour and 30 minutes
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Viewpoint of Fjallsjökull
Þjóðvegur, Oræfi
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
09:00, 09:30, 11:30, 12:00 …
Minimum age
10
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before

Our take on this one

Fjallsárlón is the quieter lagoon, a few kilometres west of Jökulsárlón and with a fraction of the coaches. Paddling it puts you at water level among the icebergs that have just come off the glacier, which is a different thing entirely from looking at them from the shore. Ninety minutes, six people maximum, drysuit, lifejacket and all the paddling gear provided. Graded moderate and physical — you are doing the work, and the operator sets the minimum age at ten. Bring warm clothes, a hat, sunglasses and a camera. Six departures a day from 09:00, all year. Not suitable if you have back problems or are pregnant.

Book it if: Anyone driving the southeast who wants an iceberg lagoon without a boatload of other people between them and the ice.
Skip it if: Ninety minutes of your own paddling in a drysuit — if you want to sit and be shown the ice, take an amphibian boat at Jökulsárlón.

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

Set on the stunning Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon, this kayaking tour offers a unique opportunity to paddle among icebergs formed on an active volcano. In Vatnajökull National Park, participants will embark on a scenic journey, guided to the best photographic spots while navigating through natural ice formations. With a maximum group size of 6, enjoy personalized attention and safety with provided drysuits and paddling gear. This physical tour is perfect for fit adventurers aged 10 and above, ensuring a memorable glacier experience.

- Paddle on the mesmerizing Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon among icebergs
- Expert guide leads you to picturesque spots for optimal photography
- Maximum group size of 6 for a personalized experience
- Safety gear provided, including drysuits and lifejackets

Description from the operator, Glacier and Volcano Expeditions . Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

Kayaking equipment
Kayaking tour guide

Not included

Parking Fee

Good to know

What you need to bring - warm clothing, warm hat, sunglasses, camera

Not wheelchair accessible
Not stroller accessible
Not suitable for pets
No public transportation nearby
Infants must not sit on laps
Infant seats unavailable
Not recommended for people with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for people with heart conditions

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 sea state — the skipper decides an hour or two before departure. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Glacier and Volcano Expeditions 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 →

Who this is not for

Children under 10 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

Glacier and Volcano Expeditions 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 Glacier and Volcano Expeditions

Read all 105 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.

Tinna Kasper
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
We went on a glacier kayaking tour with Guðný and Rowan on May 17th. And we had so much fun! They both are amazing guides. They told us about glaciers, about Island and it history and people. Kayaks itself were easy to use. Even that we have 0-1 experience. We can highly recommend booking through Glacier and Volcano Tours. You’ll support small Iceland businesses and get the best value for your money.
Matt M
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
Rowan and Guðný were awesome! Our family did the Kayak and Glacier Hike trip and had a blast. Both guides were quick to adapt plans to our interests and abilities and Rowan is also a great photographer. We were even able to sneak in a little bit of ice climbing for me Andy 2 boys in the middle of our glacier hike. I would highly recommend booking any guide trip with them!
Amy Karki
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
THIS is who you need to use if you plan on doing an expedition in Iceland. My husband and I did the kayak-glacier hike-ice climb and it was a once in a life time experience. Our guide Rowan was amazing. He had a great personality and great knowledge about the glaciers. Booking and communication were easy. 10 out of 10 for sure!
AJ E
★★★★★ · a year ago
I went on a glacier kayaking and hiking tour with Rowan and Guðný on 5/8 and had an amazing time. They were both amazing guides and made sure we had the best time. The trip felt both very exciting yet still very safe. The views were incredible, and even though we had to cut our kayaking time short due to high winds, Rowan and Guðný made sure we still had some amazing experiences but teaching us a little impromptu ice climbing! Highly recommend booking through Glacier and Volcano Tours and supporting small Iceland businesses! You won’t be disappointed

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Kayaking in Iceland: glacier lagoon or fjord?Paddle a glacier lagoon if you want icebergs and are in the southeast anyway; paddle a fjord if you want calm water, seals and a cheaper, gentler two hours.
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.
Jökulsárlón boat tour: amphibian or zodiac?Take the zodiac to get up the lagoon towards the glacier; the amphibian if you have small children or want it slow. Neither runs in winter.

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.

Boat tours — questions people ask

Where do boat tours leave from in Reykjavík?

The Old Harbour, on Ægisgarður pier, about five minutes' walk from most downtown hotels and ten from Hallgrímskirkja. Elding and Reykjavik Sailors both have ticket offices there. Whale, puffin, sea-angling and northern-lights boats all use the same area. Arrive thirty minutes before departure to check in. The Viðey ferry (/experience/1539/) leaves from the same harbour in summer and from Skarfabakki the rest of the year.

Is the Jökulsárlón boat tour worth it?

Yes, if you are already at the lagoon. A Zodiac gets you among the icebergs and close to the glacier edge in a way the shore cannot, and the combined glacier hike and Zodiac day (/experience/716547/) is the best full day in the southeast. Boats run in the warmer months only; check the tour page for dates. It is not worth a fourteen-hour day trip from Reykjavík just for the boat.

What is the difference between a Zodiac and an amphibian boat at Jökulsárlón?

A Zodiac is a fast rigid inflatable seating around ten, with a guide who can nose it near the glacier face and into iceberg fields; you wear a flotation suit and get a bit wet. The amphibian is a slow duck boat carrying larger groups on a fixed loop. The Zodiac is the better trip and the one we list. It has a minimum age and is bumpier; the tour page has details.

Will a boat tour be cancelled if it is windy?

Quite possibly. Operators cancel whale, puffin and lagoon boats when the wind or swell makes them unsafe or pointless, and Iceland is windy. The decision usually comes the evening before or early on the day, by email or text. You get a full refund or a new date. Book boat trips early in your stay rather than on your last day so a cancellation can be rebooked.

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

€128.47 per person

Glacier and Volcano Expeditions '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.

Departs09:0009:3011:3012:0014:0014:30

Skaftafell: light 03:07–23:03, 19 h 56 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Glacier and Volcano Expeditions 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: Glacier and Volcano Expeditions '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 €10 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.