Glacier Xtreme

by Arctic Adventures · Glacier hiking · Reykjavík

4.60(5,129) · operator on Google
Glacier Xtreme — Arctic Adventures

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Arctic Adventures'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 Glacier Xtreme

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22 photos from Arctic Adventures. Tap any one for the full-size original.

  • Duration

    7 hours and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Challenging

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    27

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN, DE, IS, FR, DA, ZH, ES

  • Departs

    09:00, 11:00, 13:40

  • Minimum age

    14

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

About this experience

Glacier Xtreme

Trip difficulty: 4/5, challenging

Tour Highlights: Small Group Experience, Glacier Hike, Ice Climbing, Falljökull Glacier, Vatnajökull Glacier

Our Glacier Explorer tour takes you to Falljökull, one of the outlet glaciers of the Vatnajökull ice cap.

You will hike through a path surrounded by the ever-changing landscape carved out by the glacier. Once you arrive at the tongue of the glacier your guide will assist you to gear up on crampons and you will be exploring the amazing terrain in no time.

Don´t forget your camera. You will encounter plenty of photo opportunities along the way while gaining a deep understanding of this magnificent glacier, and how it formed, moves and continues to change every day.

Meeting point: Departure from our Skaftafell booking centre (wooden hut with our logo). Skaftafell is located 327km (203 miles) from Reykjavík. The nearest towns to Skaftafell are Kirkjubæjarklaustur, 69km to the west and Höfn, 130km to the east.


Disclaimer: All day trips are undertaken on the responsibility of its participants. Arctic Adventures does not assume any responsibility for accidents which are caused by its customers or can be traced to their own actions. Participants have to sign a waiver before undertaking all trips stating that they realize that all outdoor activities carry an inherent risk.

Description from the operator, Arctic Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

Guided Glacier Hike and Ice Climbing

Certified Glacier Guide

Specialized Glacier Gear

All Necessary Safety Equipment

Not included

Food, beverages and parking fee are not included

Good to know

- Waterproof jacket and pants (We do have rental clothing available)

- Hiking boots (Available for rent, 1500 isk. We advise against runners or any type of shoe that comes up below the ankle bone as the straps on the crampons can get a bit painful during the walk)

- Light sweater, wool or fleece

- Light synthetic or quick dry pants (Try and stay clear of jeans on the longer trips as they get wet & cold quickly and dry slowly)

- Thin Gloves

- Hat

- Small Backpack (Can be handy to carry a camera, rain gear and all extras)

- Sunglasses and sun protection (It can get quite bright on the ice with the reflection)

- Food and drinks (Lunch is not provided on any of our trips. June - September there is plenty of fresh water on the glacier so bring a bottle)

- Camera (If you forget everything else don´t forget that)

This is a challenging tour. Guests should be physically fit and prepared to ice-climb and walk ~8 Km over a 350-400m elevation gain.

We provide all necessary safety gear. Specialized ice-climbing boots are provided for this adventure and available in sizes 36-50 EU.

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.

  1. 1Arctic 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.
  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 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 Solheimajokull Glacier Guided Hiking Small Group Tour from Nordur Travel Services ehf is €85 — €148 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

Arctic Adventures · €233Nordur Travel Services ehf · €85
How long it runs7.5 hours3 hours
How hard it isChallengingEasy

The €148 buys you 4.5 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 14 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.
  • Not for anyone unsure on their feet or carrying an injury — the operator rates this as physically demanding, and there is no easy version of the day.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Arctic Adventures 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 →

What travellers say about Arctic Adventures

Read all 5,129 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Kai Gilchrist

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    This was a phenomenal trip with AMAZING sights. Our tour guide was informative, friendly, and easy to listen to. You will learn a lot and see nature at its greatest. We absolutely loved this tour and would recommend it to anyone. The car ride is comfortable and there is wifi as well! Shout out to our tour guide, Magnus (I hope I’m spelling his name correctly), who told us some hilarious stories.

  • Tatjana Kultaniemi

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    I spent six days on a bus tour around Iceland with a professional guide. It was an excellent opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview of Iceland's breathtaking nature while also learning about the country's history and the everyday lives of its people. Iceland's landscape and animals are truly unique, featuring magnificent waterfalls, geysers, whales, seals, puffins, volcanoes, glaciers, and mountains. Every day brought new and unforgettable experiences. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our guide, Viko. He not only drove the bus safely but also shared fascinating stories about Icelandic history, culture, and way of life. He was willing to tailor the itinerary to our group's interests and wishes, making the experience even more enjoyable. I am very grateful for his professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm in interpreting Iceland's natural and cultural heritage. He played a key role in making this tour such a memorable experience.

  • Chloe Lamm

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    I did the Iceland South Coast Full Day Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik. Such an amazing tour and one of the highlights of my trip to Iceland! Our guide, Erik, was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much interesting information about Iceland throughout the day. We visited some of the country’s most beautiful sights, including stunning waterfalls, Vik, black sand beaches, and other breathtaking stops along the South Coast. The pickup process was simple and organized, making the day completely stress-free. The scenery was incredible from start to finish, and Erik helped make the experience even better with his knowledge, friendliness, and enthusiasm. If you’re visiting Iceland, the South Coast is a must-do, and I highly recommend taking this tour with Erik as your guide!

  • maya sterett

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    A Fantastic Trip: Review of 3-Day Golden Circle, Ice Cave and Glacier Lagoon Absolutely incredible experience with Arctic Adventures and the guide Hjalti Bjornsson. The pick up from the bus stop was easy and the instructions were super clear. Be aware that they are extremely punctual at every stop. Do not be late by even a minute. We saw so many sites and the weather was perfect for most of the days. Our guide even took us on some stops that were not in the itinerary, but ones he thought were interesting and on the way, like the power plants and some other glaciers. The bus ride was very smooth with plenty of room and the seats were comfortable. The itinerary was well thought out with a great mix of light walking about 3 - 6 miles per day depending on how much you wanted to walk to each site. Some sites like the glacier Skaftafellsjokull (optional) were further away (4 ish miles), while others were much closer (1000ft). The hotel was situated in a beautiful location with sheep everywhere and interesting rock formations. The hotel was very comfortable with hot water and plenty of space to spread out. Our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgable. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone between the ages 10 - 70. However, this might not be the best experience for those with mobility issues as there is walking to some of the best sites.

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

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.

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Pairs well with

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

from

€233 per person

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