Tindfjallajökull: The Disappearing Glacier with Katla Geopark

by Gravel Travel · Glacier hiking · South Coast

4.40(116) · operator on Google
Tindfjallajökull: The Disappearing Glacier with Katla Geopark — 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.

  • Duration

    8 hours

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Hvolsvöllur

  • 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

Track the Last Life Cycle of this once Thriving Glacier.

Step into the heart of Iceland’s changing landscapes on the Tindfjallajökull Mapping Expedition, a journey into one of the country’s lesser-known but profoundly captivating glaciers. As Tindfjallajökull retreats, this expedition offers you the rare opportunity to witness its transformation while actively contributing to scientific research. Becoming a Citizen Scientist is perfect for explorers with a passion for nature and a curiosity for environmental science, this expedition delivers adventure, learning, and unforgettable vistas.

What Awaits You?

  • Scenic Adventure in Untouched Wilderness
    Travel through stunning highland terrain, far from tourist crowds, to reach Tindfjallajökull glacier outlet. The journey begins with a thrilling 4x4 drive, followed by ~1.5 hour hike through rugged terrain that leads to the glacier’s edge.
  • Witness a Glacier in Transition
    Stand at the forefront of climate change as you explore the shrinking ice cap of Tindfjallajökull. Observe firsthand the dramatic impact of rising temperatures on this glacial landscape.
  • Become a Citizen Scientist
    Conduct important research by participate in glacier mapping, and document changes to the glacial environment. Your contributions help build a greater understanding of the last years, months, weeks and days of a glacier in it's final stages of melting. All of this impacts and helps us understand the effects of climate change on Iceland’s glaciers.
  • Lunch Amidst the Elements
    Enjoy a packed lunch in the shadow of Tindfjallajökull’s peaks, surrounded by the serene beauty of untouched nature.
  • Results & Take Aways
    Walk away with a Citizen Scientist certificate from Katla Geopark for your participation in the glacier mapping program. Results from your glacier mapping mission will be emailed along with ongoing updates. 

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

Included

What's Included?

  •  Up to an 8-hour Expedition from Hvolsvöllur
  • Professional Licensed Driver-Guide
  • Educational Background Brief
  • 4x4 Ride up to the Glacier Outlet
  • All necessary Scientific and Glacier Safety Equipment
  • Citizen Scientist Certificate from Katla Geopark
  • Processed Results Emailed
  • 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 suitable for mountainous conditions
  • Waterproof Outerwear
  • Sturdy Waterproof Hiking Boots
  • A sense of curiosity and adventure
  • Backpack
  • Packed Lunch
  • Snacks & Water Bottle
  • Positive "can do" attitude.

Additional Notes:

  • Difficulty Level: Moderate (suitable for physically fit participants with a sense of extreme adventure)
  • Group Size: Limited to 2-6 people (2 person minimum)
  • Note: Due to the Scientific nature of this tour, group sizes are limited to ensure each participant receives personalized guidance and training. Katla Geopark reserves the right to make changes to the plan based on weather and safety dynamics (IE, Switching days, to dead ice mapping or different glacier edge mapping, etc).

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. 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

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

€2,836 per vehicle

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