Skaftafell Glacier Hike | 3-Hour Expedition
Join us for this glacier walk tour, Iceland's most popular outdoor activities, into the magnificent ice-world of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Your certified glacier guide will introduce you to the basics of glacier hiking while you witness stunning scenery and astonishing ice formations as far as the eye can see... and, you'll get a chance to follow the steps of Game of Thrones into frozen adventures!
Duration
~ 3 Hours
Highlights
✓ Views of Ice Formations, ✓ Small Group Experience, ✓ Hike on Vatnajokull, Europe’s Largest Glacier, ✓ A taste of pure glacial water, … and more
Included
✓ Free Parking ✓ Guided Glacier Tour, ✓ All Necessary Equipment, ✓ English Speaking Certified Glacier Guide, … and more.
Tour Description
Follow the steps of Jon Snow beyond the wall with this 3-hour hiking expedition to an outlet glacier on part of the biggest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull. Let your mind be blown away by the breathtaking views to thice-covered highest peaks of Iceland rising more than 2,000 meters (6.500 ft) over your helmet! No experience needed, easy difficulty, all you gotta do is trust in our expert guides.
You will meet your guide at our meeting point in Skaftafell and he will provide you with all the equipment you need: crampons, ice axes, harnesses and helmets. Then you will enter the troll bus and drive for about 10 minutes to the parking lot of the glacier. From there it’s only a 15 minutes walk to the edge of the ice where your guide will show you how to put on the crampons, steel frames which are tied to your hiking boots and make it possible for you to walk on the glacier.
The glacier outlets of Vatnajökull and their spectacular landscapes have been scenery for dozens of movies and TV shows such as James Bond, Interstellar, Batman, and Game of Thrones. Follow the footsteps of Pierce Brosnan, Matt Damon, and Jon Snow up a glacier tongue and have your eyes meet with the most stunning ice formations.
You will stay 60 to 90 minutes on the ice itself and see ice formations such as crevasses, deep cracks in the surface of the glacier, and so called moulins, often vertical shafts in the ice which are formed by melting water finding it’s way into fissures and cracks. In the wintertime, it is often possible to peek into small ice tunnels and capture the beautiful blue heart of the ice.
Your guide will introduce you in detail to the history of the glacier and tell you how the ice is formed on top of the mountains.
Never been in an ice cave before? No worries! Our certified guides will teach you all you need to know and have you walking safely in this environment. Safety equipment and briefings are provided before each tour.
Don’t over think it! Book this tour by selecting a date.
General Information
✓ 9:00
✓ 10:00
✓ 11:00
✓ 13:00
✓ 14:00
✓ 15:00
✓ 17:00 (lowest price)
✓ Easy to Moderate
~ 3 Hours
✓ All year
✓ Certified Glacier Guide
✓ Small Group (12 persons max)
✓ Glacier Equipment: helmet, harness, crampons, and ice axe
• Hiking boots (available for rent online and on location)
• Warm clothes (first layer)
• Waterproof clothing (second layer)
• Gloves and hat
• 8 years
• This tour is suitable for both single travelers and families
• If you are driving in the area, check Hotel Skaftafell for accommodation and/or dinner. You can also try flying over the glacier with Atlantsflug/Flightseeing
Photos
Meeting Point
We will see you at our meeting point 20 minutes before the departure time stated on your ticket. Please note that if you arrive after departure time, your place on the tour can’t be guaranteed or refunded.
The meeting point is Skaftafell Terminal by the main road. You can look up “Skaftafell Terminal” on Google Maps to find the exact location and driving directions.
Driving time to Skaftafell from Reykjavík is around 4 hours and 30 minutes. If you arrive early, you can visit Skaftafell Terminal which offers free parking and has restrooms.
Click on the map for the exact location and directions.
FAQ
What should I wear on the tours?
Weather in Iceland is very unpredictable. For tours during winter: warm clothing as first layer, waterproof jacket with a hoodie, hiking boots with ankle protection and hard sole, a hat and gloves are ideal. For tours during summer, bringing a light rain jacket or a soft shell with a hoodie is in most cases enough protection. Icelanders often say, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes”. Jeans are not recommended for our trips as they become very heavy, cold and uncomfortable to wear when they get wet.
Do I need hiking boots?
We encourage bringing hiking boots for glacier tours. They have to hard on the sole and tight around the ankle. If you don’t have them, we have them for rent in all sizes in Skaftafell or Sólheimajökull. You can add them to your reservation at the time of booking or rent them on location pay with cash or card. The price is ISK 1,500 per pair. For ice climbing tours, boots are included in the price.
How difficult are glacier hikes?
We offer glacier hiking tours in Skaftafell and one in Sólheimajökull. Both locations either easy or moderate in difficulty. Our tours are considered to be safe for anyone in good physical condition. If you are fit to walk for about an hour on an uneven surface a glacier hike is for you. Longer tours will be more challenging in endurance and some areas of the glacier. We also recommend you remember that we offer all the safety equipment necessary and you will be hiking with a professional and certified glacier guide. If you have specific questions regarding one of our glacier tours, feel free to email us.
If I am pregnant, can I join a glacier hike?
This is a personal choice. We have had pregnant women on our glacier hikes and we always recommend you read the description of the activity to get a better idea. In any case, feel free to contact our Service Team for further questions and concerns.
What if it’s raining?
It rains a lot in Iceland, but we do not let rain stop us from going out and enjoy nature. All we need to do is choose our clothing wisely, which is why we recommend wearing waterproof clothing as the second layer. Of course, safety is our #1 priority. In case of extreme weather conditions, we will cancel our tours and do our best to reschedule. In these cases, you’ll receive a full refund.
Skaftafell
~ 5 Hours
10
All Year
