Ice Climbing from Reykjavik

by Icarus Rising ehf · Glacier hiking · Reykjavík

Fine on your own

from €660.68 per person

Next departure: Sat 24 Oct

Book Sat 24 Oct · €660.68 Other dates

Ice Climbing from Reykjavik — Icarus Rising ehf

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11 photos from Icarus Rising ehf. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
10 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Pickup
Hotel pickup included
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
09:00
Minimum age
13
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 730 days of departure.

About this experience

Journey from Reykjavík and explore Iceland's famous South Coast. Stop to explore and take pictures at Skogafoss & Seljandsfoss, Ice Climb on Solheimajökull.

We know ice climbing is for everyone. With combined experience of years in the glacier industry and and literally thousands of glacier hikes, we have developed a unique ice climbing program that will allow even those who have never climbed before, to climb amongst the beautiful blue ice walls.

Our day will start with a basic introduction to how to walk on ice and a basic climbing technique called front pointing. We will combine these two two techniques and with a very mellow ice climbing wall, we will put those skills to the test. Once you are confident, we will progress to different walls which offer various challenges until you are totally satisfied.

See you on the ice for your first ice climb on Solheimajokull Glacier Outlet.

15 Shot Photo Package Included (Per Person)

Description from the operator, Icarus Rising ehf. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Ice Climbing from Reykjavik

Included

What's Included?

Pickup and Drop-off from your accommodation in Reykjavik
Certified Glacier Guide and Professional Photographer
Glacier & Climbing Equipment: helmet, harness, crampons, and ice axe (hiking boots upon prior request)
Private Tour

15 Shot Photo Package included (Per Person)

Package includes action, portraits, groups, landscapes, and ice cave shots

All photos will be edited and sent to clients within 14 days via a downloadable drive.

Not included

Food and Drink

Good to know

What to bring: Outdoor Clothing, Gloves, Hat, Rain Pants/Jacket, Camera, and Hiking Boots if you have them. Lastly, make sure to bring a bright-colored jacket as that's best for photos.

Water and Snacks

We will make a stop at a local store to pick up lunch if required.

Travelers should be of moderate fitness level to join the hike; however, the climbing itself is graded at easy and is accessible to everyone. Hiking distance will be roughly 6km and will include ice climbing. Guests must fit into our safety harnesses and be able to wear crampons. Adequate winter/rain clothing will be needed for this hike. In regards to the climbing, no climbing experience is needed. We will make sure to tailor the climbing experience to you and ensure that you will get to confidently climb the beautiful blue ice walls.

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 730 days of departure. 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.

1Icarus Rising ehf 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 the cutoff shown above, 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 Hike, South Coast Waterfall & Black Sand Beach from Glaciers and Waterfalls is €161 — €500 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Icarus Rising ehf · €661	Glaciers and Waterfalls · €161
How long it runs	10 hours	11 hours
Changing your mind	Not stated	Free until 24 h before

On everything we can measure, the Glaciers and Waterfalls tour is the better buy. The €500 is not buying anything we can point to, so unless you want this operator in particular, take the cheaper one.

Who this is not for

Not for families with children under 13 — 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

Icarus Rising ehf 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 →

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.
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.
Glacier hike or ice cave: which to bookBetween October and April, book the Skaftafell hike-and-cave combo and get both. The rest of the year, a glacier hike on Sólheimajökull is the better day.

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 Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →

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

€660.68 per person

Icarus Rising ehf'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.

Departs09:00

Reykjavík: light 08:43–17:41, 8 h 58 min of daylight.

· Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 730 days of departure.
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Icarus Rising ehf 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: Icarus Rising ehf'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 €25 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.