Hidden Ice Cave & Glacier Hike - Full Day (Winter)
by Ice Guardians Iceland · Glacier hiking · Ice caves · Hiking & trekking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón
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Duration
7 hours
Difficulty
Challenging
Season
Sep – Apr
Starts in
Skaftafell
Meeting
Meet on location
Languages
EN
Departs
10:00
Minimum age
15
Our take on this one
This is the serious end of ice caving. Seven hours on foot out along an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull to a cave that takes hours to reach, which is exactly why it is empty when you get there. Ice Guardians run four guests to a guide — the tightest ratio we list — so the route can go into tight places and change as the glacier does, and you will learn and use a proper range of crampon techniques, with minor ice climbing if the day demands it. Helmet, harness, axe and crampons are provided; stiff, waterproof, ankle-supporting boots you have already worn in are mandatory and checked. Minimum age 15. One departure, 10:00, winter only.
- Book it if
- Fit, experienced walkers who want a cave with nobody else in it and are comfortable being roped into technical ground.
- Skip it if
- Graded challenging over seven hours, with a strict boot rule and no version for bad backs or heavy pregnancy — the short Skaftafell walks exist for a reason.
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
On this adventurous day, you will hike beyond the crowds to explore further reaches of an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull.
We have the lowest guest to guide ratio (4:1) on the market, meaning we can deliver high quality experiences that involve more adventure. You could end up discovering temporary features on the glacier that you and no one else has ever ventured into or getting into tight places that larger groups cannot. The goal of the experience is to get to a remote ice cave, that is rarely ventured into, the reason being it takes a few hours to get there on foot.
Expect to learn and use a whole range of crampon techniques to travel safely in technical terrain including the possibility of minor ice climbing if the route requires it.
You'll be informed on the surrounding nature and landscape formation by experienced and knowledgeable guides to make the experience more meaningful and giving you a newfound love of glaciers.
Each of our trips is a unique exploration as routes change often as the glacier melts and evolves.
This Ice Cave tour is only available in the winter time Oct-April
Trip Difficulty
- Able to hike with ease up to 15 km on uneven ground in hilly terrain.
- Able to spend a day (7hours) outdoors able to move freely.
- Physically fit enough to have sustained energy bursts, and able to recover quickly for example, walking up short steep hills.
- Can personally manage being at heights and with the feeling of some exposure. (Unsafe exposure would always be protected by ropework)
Description from the operator, Ice Guardians Iceland. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Included
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Safety Equipment (Helmet, Harness, Ice Axe/s, Crampons)
Not included
- Transportation/Pick up
- If suitable hiking boots* are not brought then the guide will rent a pair of boots for 2000ISK, or will have to modify the trip objectives if possible/cancel with no refund.
*Mandatory ankle-supporting boots with good grip, stiff sole and preferably waterproof. Bring boots you have used previously or send us a photo/model name.
Good to know
Here's what you need to bring,
- Mandatory ankle-supporting boots with good grip, stiff sole and preferably waterproof. Bring boots you have used previously, please send us a photo/model name before if you are unsure. We have a strict Safety & Footwear Policy, and it may result in a cancellation with no refund.
If you are unsure if your clothing or footwear is suitable, prior to your trip please send us some photos ideally with the brand and model name, and we can let you know if they are suitable at info@ice-guardians.com
- Good fitting hiking socks, minimal seams, synthetic or merino.
- Breathable base layer top (merino or synthetic)
- Softshell hiking trousers
- Waterproof shell jacket and pants
- Insulation layer (light-medium weight synthetic puffy jacket), and if you are sensitive to the cold bring a synthetic sweater (such as fleece).
- a beanie/buff are useful on those chilly days
- sunglasses are good at protecting your eyes against the bright white ice.
- gloves (two pairs are usually ideal), they will not only protect against the cold/wind they will protect your hands from the sharp ice.
- Lunch (something easy to eat, such as sandwiches, bars, trail mix etc.)
- Water bottle (500ml minimum)
- Mobile phone/camera (we don't recommend tripods, unless it is a private trip), waterproof case can be useful.
- 20-40L backpack that will fit your food, water & spare clothing.
- Ice Caves only available in the winter time Oct-April
- Not recommended for people with back problems.
- Not recommended for heavily pregnant travellers (for more information please contact info@ice-guardians.com).
- Not recommended for people with serious heart conditions or breathing difficulties.
Cancellation for this tour
Cancelling costs 10% of the price within 365 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.
- 1Ice Guardians Iceland 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 Solheimajokull Glacier Guided Hiking Small Group Tour from Nordur Travel Services ehf is €85 — €272 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.
| Ice Guardians Iceland · €357 | Nordur Travel Services ehf · €85 | |
|---|---|---|
| How long it runs | 7 hours | 3 hours |
| Changing your mind | Not stated | Free until 24 h before |
| How hard it is | Challenging | Easy |
The €272 buys you 4 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 15 — 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
Ice Guardians Iceland 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 Ice Guardians Iceland
Read all 115 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.
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
My husband and I did a full day glacier hike/ice climb followed by a half day canyon the next day. Both tours were absolutely incredible! We were able to provide input with our routes and how our tours progressed. We felt perfectly safe, yet wonderfully challenged each day. We learned so much while having an absolute blast! I couldn’t recommend Ice Guardians enough and would happily use their services again in a heartbeat!
★★★★★ · 6 months ago
I cannot recommend touring with Ice Guardians enough and am so deeply grateful to have gone on a private tour with Kish!!!! The access and expertise we had was truly unmatched. Throughout the trip, I felt a great deal of sympathy for the other tour groups, whose numbers were in the dozens and whose treks were hardly off the road. It was incredible to get so far off the beaten path, truly immersed in untouched parts of nature, and to be guided by such a fun, knowledgeable, exemplary tour guide. I felt safe, empowered, supported, and happy the entire time. I am so grateful to Kish and Ice Guardians for this once-in-a-lifetime experience and cannot stress enough how big of a difference it made to go with mountaineering expertise, to receive geologist subject matter expertise, and to overall have a lovely day with a certified mountain chiller. No amount of money could be worth it, and no amount of words could describe, how beautiful the increasingly receding glaciers were and how exciting it was to ice climb throughout this otherworldly landscape. I gained even more appreciation for nature after receiving such wonderful education during my tour and having all of my questions answered by a geological expert. I hope to go back to Iceland someday and book additional tours solely because of how incredible this experience was. Thank you so much to Kish and Ice Guardians!!!! Best time ever.
★★★★★ · 7 months ago
An incredible day on the glacier which went above and beyond our wildest expectations. All the other tours stopped at a small cave filing in multiple people after a short walk while we spent the day exploring the glacier with our own private guide, visiting an ice cave without another soul in sight. Followed by Rich making an entrance to a beautiful blue crevasse into which we were lowered and spent time exploring. We then walked up to the amazing ice fall before making our way back down the glacier treated to a beautiful sunset. Despite being a full day the pace was perfect and Rich made sure we stayed safe.
★★★★★ · 3 months ago
This was our second time to Iceland and we did a run of the mill glacier tour on our first trip. It was good when you dont know any better. But you're kind of like cattle getting ushered single file around the glacer with a bunch of other tour groups all following the same path. If you want a more adventurous tour thats WAY more personal without the crowds of the more mainstream tour groups Ice Guardians is the way to go. Our guide Kish was very knowledgeable and gave us options on how we wanted to spend the day hiking the glacier. We got to do some of everything and to be honest I'm kind of hard to impress and this exceed all my expectations. Thanks Ice Guardians!
Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026
Read before you book
- Boat tours in Iceland sort into five kinds, and only two of them are sightseeingWhale 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.
- Sólheimajökull, Skaftafell or Vatnajökull — which glacier hike to actually 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.
- How tour cancellations work in Iceland, and what we backOperators cancel when the weather makes a tour unsafe, and we back that every time. Here's what happens to your money, and what counts as a cancellation.
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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