Snowshoeing in Iceland: where to go
The easiest snowshoe tour is Siglufjörður at €65. Krafla at Mývatn is €139 and the best scenery. Fljótin adds a float in a warm pool for €131.
The short version
- Siglufjörður is the easiest: about €65, two hours, snowshoes, poles and headlamps provided, any age.
- Krafla at Mývatn is the best scenery: about €139 for a three-hour walk through lava and steam in the snow.
- Fljótin pairs four hours of snowshoeing with a guided float in a warm geothermal pool, about €131.
- All five tours listed here are in North Iceland. Snow is not guaranteed, so book flexibly.
Snowshoeing in Iceland means the north. The tours are small, cheap and good, and they cover what a coach tour cannot: walking on snow where there is no path. For first-timers, the two-hour Siglufjörður walk at €65 is the easy pick. For scenery, choose Krafla at Mývatn.
Siglufjörður: the easy one
The 2 hr snowshoeing in Siglufjörður is about €65. You meet at the forestry car park and walk through the forest with a guide. Snowshoes, poles and headlamps are provided, and the operator says it suits all ages and ability. There are two start times, 10:00 and 20:00. The evening one is for the chance of northern lights, and only a chance. The cloud decides, not us.
The downside is that it is a forest walk, not a landscape one. It is lovely, quiet, and not dramatic. For the town, see our Siglufjörður guide.
Krafla at Mývatn: the scenery
The Snowshoeing in Krafla volcanic area tour is about €139 and lasts about three hours. You drive from the operator’s office to Krafla, then walk a little over two hours among lava formations and steaming ground. Guidance, snowshoes and poles are included. The minimum age is 12, and the cancellation terms are strict: 50 per cent within seven days of departure. Read them first.
Geo Travel runs two other Krafla options. The Lake Mývatn Snowshoe Hiking tour is about €168 for three hours, with a transfer included, and the Snowshoe Adventure from Mývatn is about €219 for four hours. Both bring snowshoes only if the snow conditions are difficult, so the name is generous. Ask what you will wear on your feet before you pay. The Krafla area can be difficult and even dangerous in winter weather, as the operator says itself, and tours get cancelled for safety.
For what else runs at the lake in winter, see Mývatn in winter: what runs.
Fljótin: walk, then float
The Snowshoeing and Flotation in Fljótin tour is about €131 and takes four hours. You walk from Barðslaug pool past the old Barð farm and into Brunnárdalur valley, then return to the pool for a guided floating session in warm geothermal water. Snowshoes, a towel, a robe and a packed lunch are included. Children are priced from age 10.
This is the one for a couple who want something out of the ordinary. It is remote, so you need a car or a base in the north.
What to wear and what to expect
- Layers, a hat, mittens and waterproof trousers. Good boots. Sunglasses for the glare.
- Snow depth varies from winter to winter. A tour that lists snowshoes as included is safer than one that says “if the snow conditions are difficult”.
- Operators cancel for weather. Choose a day with a spare day behind it.
- Walking pace is slow. This is not a workout.
Our honest take
Book Krafla with Mývatn Activity if you want one snowshoe tour and have a car. Book Siglufjörður if you have children or are not sure about your fitness, because it is cheap and easy. Choose Fljótin for the float. Do not travel north only for snowshoeing, and do not book it for the first day of a short trip, because weather can cancel it. If you cannot be flexible with dates, put a different activity first.
