Hvannadalshnúkur The Great Withe One

by North Ice · Glacier hiking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

5.0· 35 Google reviews of the operator

Fine on your own

from €538 per person

Next departure: Sat 1 May

Book Sat 1 May · €538 Other dates

Hvannadalshnúkur The Great Withe One — North Ice

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9 photos from North Ice. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
14 hours
Difficulty
Challenging
Season
All year
Starts in
Skaftafell
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Guide
Guided in English, Icelandic
Departs
06:00
Cancellation
Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 6 days of departure.

Meeting point, in North Ice's words: Drive safe :)

About this experience

About the tour

Hvannadalshnjúkur is a magnificent place, this expedition takes you to the highest peak in Iceland and on the biggest glacier in Europe. Hiking up to the peak is not a technical climb but it requires good stamina.

We’ll meet up the day before the hike to make sure you know what the summit day is going to be like. Our guides will also go over how the glacier gear works. We also want to know your experience in mountains to set the starting time right. If you are beginner we start earlier so we can do this on a nice pace, but if you are a good hiker and used to mountaineering we can start later in the morning, the main purpose is to be on the summit around 13:00 a clock (1pm).

The trip starts early in the morning, our guides will meet you at Sandfell (Sand hill) which is the beginning of the hike. The first part is a steep gravel hill that take us from 20 meters up to 700m. The good thing about this first hill is that you can refill your water bottle in a spring around 500 meters, so you don’t need to bring a lot of water for the first 1-2 hours, this is also a nice place to grab some snack.

We will continue on gravel, rocks and snow up to 1100m. This place is called Skerið or (the reef) at this point we put on harnesses and rope up for the hills ahead. This is another good place to eat and drink something so it’s nice to stop and take in the nature and view the area.

Next part we will go from 1100m up to 1800m that is a long snow hill and will lead us to the plateau of Öræfajökull glacier. On a clear day the view can be beautiful in this area so it’s nice to break up this hill with some stops to drink and take some photos. The main danger on this part are crevasses, that our guides will navigate through.

When we get to the plateau it's a perfect place to have some lunch and enjoy the view and the achievements of the morning. After lunch we start to cross the plateau to the summit itself. The peak rise about 200m above the plateau. We make a short break below the summit and put on crampons this is the final push to the summit of the highest peak in Iceland. On clear days the view from the top is stunning, you can see Hrútfellstindar, Þumall and part of Vatnajökull ice cap.
Next we’ll hike back down the same way, this will not take as long as the hike up but we will move slowly due to tired muscles and we still have rope between us. After Skerið (the reef) we can move a lot faster back to the car.

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

Where you go

How to get to Skaftafell
Hvannadalshnúkur

Included

glacier gear

crampons

ice axe

ropes

carabiners

harness

local Glacier guide,

Not included

You need to bring snacks & food for the day.

Good to know

warm cloths :

rain gear pants and jacket,

down or primaloft jacket (can be nice on lunch break)

good hiking boots

hat and gloves

20-30l backpack

food and water for the day. 2Liters of water.

sunglasses

hiking poles

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 6 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.

1North Ice 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 South Coast & Solheimajokull Glacier Hike From Reykjavik from Gravel Travel is €194 — €344 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	North Ice · €538	Gravel Travel · €194
How long it runs	14 hours	10 hours
Changing your mind	Not stated	Free until 24 h before
How hard it is	Challenging	Moderate

The €344 buys you 4 more hours out. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Who this is not for

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.
Not a good fit if you want a relaxed day: 14 hours is a long time on the road, most of it spent getting there and back.

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

Why we list it

North Ice 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 North Ice

Read all 35 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.

Gert Pauwels
★★★★★ · 4 years ago
If you ever visit Iceland, you should definitely try ice climbing. If you prefer to do this with a small group with a very personal approach and very experienced guides, then you should definitely contact North Ice Expeditions. Our guide Bergur was really great and gave us a wonderful experience to take home with us. The scenery and the views on the Sólheimajökull glacier were unreal.
Hannah Hingston
★★★★★ · 4 years ago
We booked a summit hike of Hvannadalshnukur and a day of ice climbing with North ice expeditions and were not disappointed! Bergur, our guide, was extremely experienced and professional. For us, the summit hike was our first summit on the top of a glacier and he provided all the equipment and advice and we felt very safe. Bergur recommended the ice climbing - and we had a awesome time exploring the glacier and it's crevasses! 10/10 - would recommend.
Lori Mac
★★★★★ · 2 years ago
Bergur was absolutely fantastic! A different company cancelled on us and North Ice stepped up and took us on an unforgettable adventure. They actually opened up on a day they were closed! We enjoyed the views at the summit and were very lucky as the sun came out as soon as we hit the glacier 😁 but you should prepare for wind, rain and cold as it is Iceland. This company is professional and deserves your business. Also, thank you Bergur for driving over two hours to meet us.
Alyssa Sismaet
★★★★★ · 4 years ago
100% highly recommend this tour company! They are a small business which I liked. Our tour guide Bergur was great! We did the ice climb/glacier walk 4 hour tour and it ended up just being us two with our guide which was nice, but they do pretty small groups either way for a more personalized experience. We asked Bergur tons of questions and he made sure we felt safe and secure on the ice and while ice climbing - for someone with a fear of heights it was really relieving! 4 hours felt like a perfect amount, we had three different places to try ice climbing if we wanted. We got to see a lot of the glacier. Don’t hesitate to book a tour with them, they’re great!! I wish more people wrote reviews for them to make it easier to find.

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

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

All hotels in Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón →

One checkout, any number of operators
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203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it

from

€538 per person

North Ice'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.

Departs06:00

Skaftafell: light 04:44–21:26, 16 h 42 min of daylight.

Labour Day — a public holiday in Iceland. Shops, pools and museums keep short hours or shut, and some tours do not run.

· Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 6 days of departure.
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If North Ice 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: North Ice'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 €20 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.