Scientific Expedition: Katla Glacier Mapping

by Gravel Travel · Sightseeing day tours · South Coast

4.40(116) · operator on Google
Scientific Expedition: Katla Glacier Mapping — Gravel Travel

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Gravel Travel'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 Scientific Expedition: Katla Glacier Mapping

Scientific Expedition: Katla Glacier Mapping, photo 6

6 photos from Gravel Travel. Tap any one for the full-size original.

  • Duration

    8 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Vik

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN, DE, NO, FI, RU, SV, KO, IT, PT, FR, ES, ZH, ZH, EN, DA

  • Departs

    09:00

  • Minimum age

    10

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

About this experience

Choose Science. Join us on impactful mission that matters at Katla Glacier. This full-day expedition offers a rare opportunity to become a Citizen Scientist and leave a positive legacy behind you. All while exploring the edge of the Icelandic highlands and actively contributing to scientific research. This immersive experience is designed for adventurers eager to delve into the mystery of the ice and participate in hands-on by mapping the edges of Katla Glacier.

Katla Glacier Mapping Expedition Itinerary Highlights:

  • Morning Departure: Begin your journey with a scenic drive from the town of Vik. Learn about the local geology along the way.
  • Arrival at Katla Glacier: Upon reaching the glacier's edge, you'll receive a comprehensive safety briefing and an introduction to glacier mapping techniques. Equipped with specialized gear, including crampons, helmets, and ice axes as required, you'll be ready to go.
  • Guided Glacier Trek: Trek along the bottom edges of the glacier in order to map the current rate of recession. Learn about the glacier's history, its current state, and the impact of climate change on this ever changing environment.
  • Hands-On Glacier Mapping: Engage in the scientific process by participating in actual Scientific research by cultivating data our researchers need. Use advanced GPS equipment to measure the glacier's movement and collect other vital data. Your contributions will aid ongoing research and help monitor the health of this vital ecosystem.
  • Lunch Break with a View: Enjoy lunch surrounded by panoramic views of the surrounding picturesque mountains and the vast expanse of ice.
  • Geological Insights: Throughout the expedition, your guide will provide insights into the geological significance of Katla Glacier and the Geopark overall, explaining how the areas are all interconnected.
  • Return Hike: After completing the glacier mapping journey, make your way back to the 4x4 for an exciting ride back out of the highlands.
  • Citizen Scientist Certificate: Walk away with a formal certificate proving you contributed to something bigger. Plus, your name will be published in a report on Katla Geopark's website.
  • Follow Up: You will be emailed the process data results of your days mission and continue to receive ongoing updates via email.

Description from the operator, Gravel Travel. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Included

What's Included:

  • Up to an 8-hour Private Expedition from Vík
  • A private experience for up to 4 passengers
  • Professional Licensed Driver-Guide
  • Educational Background Briefing
  • 4x4 Transportation to the Glacier Outlet
  • All Necessary Scientific and Glacier Safety Equipment
  • Citizen Scientist Certificate from Katla Geopark
  • Processed Results Emailed to You
  • Name Published in a Geopark Report
  • Ongoing Data Updates via Email

Not included

Food and Drink

Good to know

What to Bring:

  • Warm, layered clothing ready for glacier conditions (rain or shine)
  • Waterproof outerwear
  • Sturdy waterproof boots
  • A sense of curiosity and adventure
  • Backpack
  • Water Bottle
  • Packed Lunch & Snacks
  • Positive "can do" attitude

Additional Science Driven Expedition Details:

  • Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate (suitable for physically fit participants with a sense of adventure)

Due to the scientific nature of this tour, group sizes are limited to ensure personalized guidance and training. Katla Geopark / Gravel Travel reserve the right to make changes to the plan based on weather and safety dynamics (e.g., switching days, locations, or activities).

Join us for this rare opportunity to become a Katla Geopark Civilian Scientist, mapping the Katla Glacier and contributing to vital climate research. This is more than just an adventure—it's a chance to make a meaningful impact while experiencing one of Iceland's most stunning and dynamic natural wonders.

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 a forecast the operator judges unsafe. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Gravel Travel 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 →

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

  • Children under 10 cannot join this one.
  • Priced per vehicle, so it is poor value for one or two people and good value for four or more sharing.

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

Why we list it

Gravel Travel 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 Gravel Travel

Read all 116 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.4/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Chai Chuan Wei

    ★★★★★ · 5 months ago

    We went for Katla Ice Cave tour this morning on 29 Mar. Gunnarr is our guide. He can drive superjeep very well and is a very interesting guide. Would recommmend to join their ice cave tour which is of very good experience we had

  • Roya Shahi

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    The Landmannlauger super jeep tour departing from Hella (I chose pick up there, but pick up from Reykjavik is also possible) was wonderful and so much fun! Our tour guide was great, had a sense of humor and explained the scenery and history of all the places we visited very well. The super jeep is huge and comfortable, so can cross the rivers easily and makes for a fun ride. The tour included lots of incredible, beautiful spots like the famous Landmannlauger area and scenery of course, which also included time to go on a brief hike and relax at the hot spring, lots of volcanic scenery between points of interest on the tour, much of it looking like a different planet, a big crater with lake, a few gorgeous waterfalls including the tallest in Iceland, beautiful and unique scenery all around. The tour is packed with so many amazing sites and is the perfect way to explore the highlands. I highly recommend booking with Gravel Travel, as the itinerary was perfect, customer service was friendly and prompt, and the experience was one of the highlights of my Iceland trips.

  • Nora Tuominen

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    The Katla ice cave tour from Vík was great! The ice caves are changing constantly, but at least in late May the cave was about 30 meters deep and the walls were beautiful mix of blue, clear, white and black stripes. There were no other groups at the cave, and the guide allowed us to stay in as long as we liked. The journey to the cave and back was fun as well, with the guide sharing stories and facts about the areas we drove past.

  • Jared Kaufman

    ★★★ · 7 months ago

    I have to say I was disappointed by the Super Jeep Northern Lights tour. The lights were incredible, however, I’m not sure what we gained with the Super Jeep. For the added cost from a traditional tour, there did not appear to be any evident difference. Don’t waste your money on this upgraded experience if you’re expecting something special by being in a “super jeep”. Guide was a little rough around the edges, though, brought us to a great spot. Pick up was late, drop off was over an hour early. A 4 hour experience was actually less than 2.5 hours.

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

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.

  • One checkout, any number of operators

  • Rankings are not for sale

  • 153 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted

  • If it falls short, we fix it

Pairs well with

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

Luggage service3 days

Southcoast Adventure

Luggage service

4.70· 299 Google reviews of the operator

Leaves from Hella & Hvolsvöllur

  • Family friendly
  • Free cancellation 2 days ahead
  • Meet on location

from

€67 per person

71% below the €234 typical

or book on its own →

from

€2,514 per vehicle

Check dates & book